Oa vigil ceremony
Order of the Arrow - BSA
2012.03.16 09:53 deepfriedpirate Order of the Arrow - BSA
The Order of the Arrow, Boy Scouts of America's honor society. We are scouts and scouters who love camping and are dedicated to serving others.
2012.10.12 05:42 Mikezirra The Unofficial ITMEJP/Rollplay Subreddit
This subreddit is for fans of ITMEJP's streaming endeavors and more specifically his creation Rollplay and the shows therein. It exists in an unofficial capacity as a sister site to the official ITMEJP community site located at https://community.itmejp.com/
2024.05.13 02:41 therealgrooot Selling genshin AR 60 Asia server account
 | Also i have alhaitham with his signature weapon, xiao with his signature weapon and hutao with her signature. submitted by therealgrooot to GenshinTrades [link] [comments] All five stras are build to maximum with perfect to good artifact rolls. Diluc limited five star skin is also availabile in my account. Will be selling this account for 80$. |
2024.05.13 01:45 NightZT How does your culture handle death?
Today I was talking with my grandma about traditions surrounding the death of a relative. She told me that until the 1980s, when someone died, the body remained in the house and all neighbors and relatives visited to keep vigil for one night in the same room as the deceased, pray, and often drink lots of alcohol. In the following days, the neighborhood would help clean the yard or sometimes even paint the house in preparation for the funeral service, which was also held in the houseyard. The deceased would then be placed in a coffin, loaded onto a horse-drawn carriage, and transferred to the cemetery, with much of the town following the carriage, praying, and also drinking alcohol. This entire process seemed very strange to me and I wondered how such ceremonies are conducted in your culture.
submitted by NightZT to AskBalkans [link] [comments]
2024.05.12 23:02 Celes_Lynx This prophecy from Isaiah is for our generation. These are the last three prophecies, they align with Revelations and the book of Enoch. Even if you aren't religious, or spiritual, I think that you will find these ancient prophecies interesting, considering all that is currently going on right now.
Isaiah 64, this is the our generation remembering the days of glory before the Lord got angry and hid himself away:
"Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you! For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you. Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry. How then can we be saved? All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and have given us over to our sins.
Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord; do not remember our sins forever. Oh, look on us, we pray, for we are all your people. Your sacred cities have become a wasteland; even Zion is a wasteland, Jerusalem a desolation. Our holy and glorious temple, where our ancestors praised you, has been burned with fire, and all that we treasured lies in ruins. After all this, Lord, will you hold yourself back? Will you keep silent and punish us beyond measure?"
Isaiah 65, the Lord explaining why he has been hiding away, and why he is angry:
“I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’ All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations— a people who continually provoke me to my very face, offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on altars of brick; who sit among the graves and spend their nights keeping secret vigil; who eat the flesh of pigs, and whose pots hold broth of impure meat; who say, ‘Keep away; don’t come near me, for I am too sacred for you!’ Such people are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that keeps burning all day.
“See, it stands written before me: I will not keep silent but will pay back in full; I will pay it back into their laps— both your sins and the sins of your ancestors,” says the Lord. “Because they burned sacrifices on the mountains and defied me on the hills, I will measure into their laps the full payment for their former deeds.”
This is what the Lord says:
“As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes and people say, ‘Don’t destroy it, there is still a blessing in it,’ so will I do in behalf of my servants; I will not destroy them all. I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah those who will possess my mountains; my chosen people will inherit them, and there will my servants live. Sharon will become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds, for my people who seek me.
“But as for you who forsake the Lord and forget my holy mountain, who spread a table for Fortune and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny, I will destine you for the sword, and all of you will fall in the slaughter; for I called but you did not answer, I spoke but you did not listen. You did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me.”
Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“My servants will eat, but you will go hungry; my servants will drink, but you will go thirsty; my servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame. My servants will sing out of the joy of their hearts, but you will cry out from anguish of heart and wail in brokenness of spirit. You will leave your name for my chosen ones to use in their curses; the Sovereign Lord will put you to death, but to his servants he will give another name. Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the one true God; whoever takes an oath in the land will swear by the one true God. For the past troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my eyes.
“See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.
“Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child; the one who fails to reach\)a\) a hundred will be considered accursed. They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands. They will not labor in vain, nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them. Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the Lord."
Isaiah 66, these are like final messages on what the Lord wants from his children:
"This is what the Lord says:
“Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord.
“These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word. But whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a person, and whoever offers a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig’s blood, and whoever burns memorial incense is like one who worships an idol. They have chosen their own ways, and they delight in their abominations; so I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring on them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me.”
Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word: “Your own people who hate you, and exclude you because of my name, have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy!’ Yet they will be put to shame. Hear that uproar from the city, hear that noise from the temple! It is the sound of the Lord repaying his enemies all they deserve.
“Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before the pains come upon her, she delivers a son. Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children. Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?” says the Lord. “Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?” says your God. “Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her. For you will nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts; you will drink deeply and delight in her overflowing abundance.”
For this is what the Lord says:
“I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees. As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”
When you see this, your heart will rejoice and you will flourish like grass; the hand of the Lord will be made known to his servants, but his fury will be shown to his foes. See, the Lord is coming with fire, and his chariots are like a whirlwind; he will bring down his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For with fire and with his sword the Lord will execute judgment on all people, and many will be those slain by the Lord.
“Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one who is among those who eat the flesh of pigs, rats and other unclean things—they will meet their end together with the one they follow,” declares the Lord.
“And I, because of what they have planned and done, am about to come and gather the people of all nations and languages, and they will come and see my glory.
“I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations—to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant islands that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations. And they will bring all your people, from all the nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord—on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,” says the Lord. “They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the Lord in ceremonially clean vessels. And I will select some of them also to be priests and Levites,” says the Lord.
“As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,” declares the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure. From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me,” says the Lord. “And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”
The End of the books of Isaiah.
Revelations 21, the end:
"Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” - Revelations 21: 1-8.
Book of Enoch, the end:
"And I stood up to see till they folded up that old house; and carried off all the pillars, and all the beams and ornaments of the house were at the same time folded up with it, and they carried it off and laid it in a place in the south of the land. And I saw till the Lord of the sheep brought a new house greater and loftier than that first, and set it up in the place of the first which had been folded up: all its pillars were new, and its ornaments were new and larger than those of the first, the old one which He had taken away, and all the sheep were within it.
And I saw all the sheep which had been left, and all the beasts on the earth, and all the birds of the heaven, falling down and doing homage to those sheep and making petition to and obeying them in every thing. And thereafter those three who were clothed in white and had seized me by my hand[who had taken me up before], and the hand of that ram also seizing hold of me, they took me up and set me down in the midst of those sheep before the judgement took place†. And those sheep were all white, and their wool was abundant and clean. And all that had been destroyed and dispersed, and all the beasts of the field, and all the birds of the heaven, assembled in that house, and the Lord of the sheep rejoiced with great joy because they were all good and had returned to His house. And I saw till they laid down that sword, which had been given to the sheep, and they brought it back into the house, and it was sealed before the presence of the Lord, and all the sheep were invited into that house, but it held them not. And the eyes of them all were opened, and they saw the good, and there was not one among them that did not see. And I saw that that house was large and broad and very full.
And I saw that a white bull was born, with large horns and all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air feared him and made petition to him all the time. And I saw till all their generations were transformed, and they all became white bulls; and the first among them became a lamb, and that lamb became a great animal and had great black horns on its head; and the Lord of the sheep rejoiced over it and over all the oxen. And I slept in their midst: and I awoke and saw everything. This is the vision which I saw while I slept, and I awoke and blessed the Lord of righteousness and gave Him glory. Then I wept with a great weeping and my tears stayed not till I could no longer endure it: when I saw, they flowed on account of what I had seen; for everything shall come and be fulfilled, and all the deeds of men in their order were shown to me. On that night I remembered the first dream, and because of it I wept and was troubled--because I had seen that vision."
submitted by Celes_Lynx to conspiracy [link] [comments]
"Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you! For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you. Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry. How then can we be saved? All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and have given us over to our sins.
Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord; do not remember our sins forever. Oh, look on us, we pray, for we are all your people. Your sacred cities have become a wasteland; even Zion is a wasteland, Jerusalem a desolation. Our holy and glorious temple, where our ancestors praised you, has been burned with fire, and all that we treasured lies in ruins. After all this, Lord, will you hold yourself back? Will you keep silent and punish us beyond measure?"
Isaiah 65, the Lord explaining why he has been hiding away, and why he is angry:
“I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’ All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations— a people who continually provoke me to my very face, offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on altars of brick; who sit among the graves and spend their nights keeping secret vigil; who eat the flesh of pigs, and whose pots hold broth of impure meat; who say, ‘Keep away; don’t come near me, for I am too sacred for you!’ Such people are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that keeps burning all day.
“See, it stands written before me: I will not keep silent but will pay back in full; I will pay it back into their laps— both your sins and the sins of your ancestors,” says the Lord. “Because they burned sacrifices on the mountains and defied me on the hills, I will measure into their laps the full payment for their former deeds.”
This is what the Lord says:
“As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes and people say, ‘Don’t destroy it, there is still a blessing in it,’ so will I do in behalf of my servants; I will not destroy them all. I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah those who will possess my mountains; my chosen people will inherit them, and there will my servants live. Sharon will become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds, for my people who seek me.
“But as for you who forsake the Lord and forget my holy mountain, who spread a table for Fortune and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny, I will destine you for the sword, and all of you will fall in the slaughter; for I called but you did not answer, I spoke but you did not listen. You did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me.”
Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“My servants will eat, but you will go hungry; my servants will drink, but you will go thirsty; my servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame. My servants will sing out of the joy of their hearts, but you will cry out from anguish of heart and wail in brokenness of spirit. You will leave your name for my chosen ones to use in their curses; the Sovereign Lord will put you to death, but to his servants he will give another name. Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the one true God; whoever takes an oath in the land will swear by the one true God. For the past troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my eyes.
“See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.
“Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child; the one who fails to reach\)a\) a hundred will be considered accursed. They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands. They will not labor in vain, nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them. Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the Lord."
Isaiah 66, these are like final messages on what the Lord wants from his children:
"This is what the Lord says:
“Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord.
“These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word. But whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a person, and whoever offers a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig’s blood, and whoever burns memorial incense is like one who worships an idol. They have chosen their own ways, and they delight in their abominations; so I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring on them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me.”
Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word: “Your own people who hate you, and exclude you because of my name, have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy!’ Yet they will be put to shame. Hear that uproar from the city, hear that noise from the temple! It is the sound of the Lord repaying his enemies all they deserve.
“Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before the pains come upon her, she delivers a son. Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children. Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?” says the Lord. “Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?” says your God. “Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her. For you will nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts; you will drink deeply and delight in her overflowing abundance.”
For this is what the Lord says:
“I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees. As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”
When you see this, your heart will rejoice and you will flourish like grass; the hand of the Lord will be made known to his servants, but his fury will be shown to his foes. See, the Lord is coming with fire, and his chariots are like a whirlwind; he will bring down his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For with fire and with his sword the Lord will execute judgment on all people, and many will be those slain by the Lord.
“Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one who is among those who eat the flesh of pigs, rats and other unclean things—they will meet their end together with the one they follow,” declares the Lord.
“And I, because of what they have planned and done, am about to come and gather the people of all nations and languages, and they will come and see my glory.
“I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations—to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant islands that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations. And they will bring all your people, from all the nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord—on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,” says the Lord. “They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the Lord in ceremonially clean vessels. And I will select some of them also to be priests and Levites,” says the Lord.
“As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,” declares the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure. From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me,” says the Lord. “And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”
The End of the books of Isaiah.
Revelations 21, the end:
"Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” - Revelations 21: 1-8.
Book of Enoch, the end:
"And I stood up to see till they folded up that old house; and carried off all the pillars, and all the beams and ornaments of the house were at the same time folded up with it, and they carried it off and laid it in a place in the south of the land. And I saw till the Lord of the sheep brought a new house greater and loftier than that first, and set it up in the place of the first which had been folded up: all its pillars were new, and its ornaments were new and larger than those of the first, the old one which He had taken away, and all the sheep were within it.
And I saw all the sheep which had been left, and all the beasts on the earth, and all the birds of the heaven, falling down and doing homage to those sheep and making petition to and obeying them in every thing. And thereafter those three who were clothed in white and had seized me by my hand[who had taken me up before], and the hand of that ram also seizing hold of me, they took me up and set me down in the midst of those sheep before the judgement took place†. And those sheep were all white, and their wool was abundant and clean. And all that had been destroyed and dispersed, and all the beasts of the field, and all the birds of the heaven, assembled in that house, and the Lord of the sheep rejoiced with great joy because they were all good and had returned to His house. And I saw till they laid down that sword, which had been given to the sheep, and they brought it back into the house, and it was sealed before the presence of the Lord, and all the sheep were invited into that house, but it held them not. And the eyes of them all were opened, and they saw the good, and there was not one among them that did not see. And I saw that that house was large and broad and very full.
And I saw that a white bull was born, with large horns and all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air feared him and made petition to him all the time. And I saw till all their generations were transformed, and they all became white bulls; and the first among them became a lamb, and that lamb became a great animal and had great black horns on its head; and the Lord of the sheep rejoiced over it and over all the oxen. And I slept in their midst: and I awoke and saw everything. This is the vision which I saw while I slept, and I awoke and blessed the Lord of righteousness and gave Him glory. Then I wept with a great weeping and my tears stayed not till I could no longer endure it: when I saw, they flowed on account of what I had seen; for everything shall come and be fulfilled, and all the deeds of men in their order were shown to me. On that night I remembered the first dream, and because of it I wept and was troubled--because I had seen that vision."
2024.05.12 09:01 pianoplayerjas The Sharp Knife of a Short Life
There was a boy. I’d known him since I was 5 but it wasn’t until I was older that I truly noticed him. We were in 6th grade when we started taking an advanced math class together. I could tell he was smart, funny, and a person I’d want to be around for a long time. Middle school and all the drama that ensues during that time quickly invaded my life. My social group shifted and I found myself closer to my friend, Dakota. By the time we were in 7th grade he was tall and strong. Blond hair and a light greenish set of smart eyes. We started working together outside of school. My dad worked for his dad and I often found myself at their house. Dakota had one older brother, a younger brother, and a younger sister. I’m the oldest of four so I could handle the chaos of lots of kids in a home. I had some of my most fun memories in middle school at that home. Not just me and Dakota, but with other friends we worked with, our siblings, and family friends. Nerf gun fights, swimming in the pool, and playing manhunt on the homestead that they lived on. I developed what you could consider a crush on Dakota. And the feeling was mutual. He hinted with the not-so-subtle flirting of a 14 year old boy. Pulling my hair, taking my things, and throwing snacks were often his go-to moves.
One night at a Christmas party, us “kids” were watching a movie while the adults played games and hung out in the other room. At some point, his head ended up on my lap. I remember touching his hair, but ultimately deciding I did NOT want someone to see this and assume the worse. Another time, we were alone in the basement. The basement was the place of all our friend hangouts. The video and board games were down there, along with the nerf guns. One night we were on the couch showing each other memes from our iPod touches. We were laughing and joking, then he handed me his iPod to read the next one. Except this wasn’t a meme: it was his notes app. On the screen it said “I think you are beautiful”. I instantly blushed and tried to hide my face. “Me?.....” I looked at him, also blushing red and he nodded. I told him thank you. It was the first time any boy had told me I was beautiful. In my own eyes, I was not. I had a big tooth gap because my parents couldn’t afford braces, and I wore glasses. I don’t know what he saw, but I appreciated the flattering compliment.
We entered high school where once again, your life shifts. You are faced with new teachers, new course materials, new teammates, and new challenges. We remained close friends through this time, by taking enough classes together and being involved with the same friends. It was nearing the fall homecoming season and I was nervous about getting a date. I saw many older boys asking girls to be their dates and I wondered if I would even have one my freshman year. Leave it up to my best friend Anna to set me up.
I clearly remember it was a Sunday night and I was watching football. My mom tells me she got a text from Dakota’s mom that there was a book she needed to grab from their house. She told me I needed to go with her. Without any context, I was annoyed she was making ME drive her there since I did not want to leave home. They lived about 5 minutes away so I figured the faster we leave the quicker I can get back home. Mom told me I should brush my hair.
“Why?”
“Well because you should look a little presentable.”
“It’s fine right, we’re just grabbing a book really quick, right?”
“Yes but you don’t want to leave the house looking like you do.”
I huffed and opened our sliding glass door going outside to the car.
“You should at least put some shoes on!”
“I’m FINE, Can we just go and get this over with”
I angrily and annoyed drove/ sped down the paved road to their house, all the while questioning my mother why she really needed me to go with her.
“I don’t know, there might be something there for you.”
I had no idea what that meant. We drove to the shop on their property that this supposed book was. I stepped out of the car, barefoot on the gravel and walked into the shop. There I see Dakota, holding a sign. I frantically looked around to figure out what was going on. I see Anna crouched in a corner covering her smiling mouth. I looked at his sign and read the homecoming proposal which used lyrics and titles from Beatles songs, my favorite band.
“Oh, Dakota! Of course yes!”
I gave him an awkward hug and turned around to realize that my mother didn’t need a book at all.
Dakota was sweet. In an innocent way. He had casually asked before if we could date, but being the reserved and shy individual I was, I had always declined. After the dance, we drifted, not for any particular reason. I heard he had started dating a different girl. She was older by two years. Was I hurt? Not particularly. Was I jealous? Maybe a little more so. They went to prom together and she was definitely way prettier than me. It happens, I thought, we aren’t meant to be. A romantic relationship would definitely change our entire chemistry.
Summer came and we were out working together on his family’s farm. We spent hours in the fields, talking, singing, and sweating. Just good friends again. It was normal and felt right. We spent a week together in late July on a church trip. We worked on a homeless shelter with our youth group and had a fun yet powerful time together. My mom, dad, and brother were on this trip as well, along with many of our church friends. After the week was done on Saturday, we drove back to our town. I remember waving goodbye to his family in their Suburban as they left the church parking lot. I didn’t realize how significant that goodbye would be.
A few days went by and we had casual texting conversations about work and school starting in the next few weeks. He texted me Tuesday night that his dad really needed some help the next morning bright and early. I wanted to sleep in. He texted “Don’t worry about it, we’ll get it covered.” A decision I’d soon regret.
Wednesday morning, I go to the church with my mom to do a couple of things with her. I can’t even recall what it was. We were getting into our car when we heard loud sirens throughout our small town. Mom and I looked at each other. Sirens are never a good sign. We get in the car, curious, but praying whoever needs the ambulance is okay. My mom gets a phone call. It’s one of our family friends. She says Dakota and his older brother have been in a bad car accident. That heavy feeling that makes your heart sink to your stomach instantly hit me. “They’re okay, they’re okay, they’re okay.” I kept telling myself. The ambulance was going fast, and Dakota is strong. He’s practically invincible. My mother’s friend tells us that we should stop by Dakota’s house to grab the boys clean clothes and bring them to the emergency room. We drive in silence, except for maybe a short prayer that the boys are okay. We get to the house and my mom quickly runs up the stairs to the boys’ bedroom. I stay downstairs. I observe the dining room. Dirty laundry in the baskets. Dirty dishes on the counter. Dakota’s name on a marker board along with a list of chores to do. We speed to the emergency room in the nearby town. On the way we received a text from Dakota’s older brother, John. He said he was doing okay but he wasn’t sure about Dakota. We should be keeping their family in our prayers. The panic was rising in my throat. I had been nervous about things before. This was different. It was like a nauseating churn that started in my stomach. Like my soul was shaking out of my physical body. We got to the hospital, parked and my mom said I should stay in the car. Probably wanting to protect me from any scarring sights within the ER. I wanted to go in. Could I see him? She insisted that I stay in the car. I stayed. Frozen at first. Then rocking back and forth. My palms were shaking and itchy in the center.
“This can’t be happening. Not Dakota. He’s like my best friend. Kids don’t die. He’s too young. Too smart. He has an incredibly successful life ahead of him.”
I was eyeing the automatic door for any sign of someone that I recognized. The ten minutes I waited felt like an hour. Ten minutes of restless uncertainty. Then I see my mom. She had one of the hardest faces that I had ever seen her make. She opened the driver’s side door and I immediately asked “What’s going on. Is he ok?!”
She looks at me dead in the eyes, shaking her head, “He didn’t make it, Jasmine”
A million emotions and questions flood my brain. I started blubbering and sobbing while hitting the dashboard. “No, no, no. Why!? Why him?” My mom breaks down with me, not able to get out a single word. The family friend who delivered the phone call joins us in the car. She says Dakota’s in a better place now. I’m in a state of shock and disbelief. Hot tears will not stop streaming down my cheeks. We were silent on the way back home. I ran upstairs to my room and shut the door. I cried into a pillow for the rest of the afternoon. I skipped dinner. There was a candlelight vigil that evening at a church. I barely had the strength to go, but my mom said it would be good for me. I brought my water bottle. I ate nothing and only drank water to replenish my tears the next two days. Saturday morning, I went to a different church with my family to see Dakota’s family. The church’s youth were making survivor bracelets out of parachute cord. Dakota had made them during his depressive episodes during his 9th grade year, when we somewhat drifted. Dakota and I took Spanish class together our freshman year. One day he asked me what my favorite color was. I told him blue. The next day he gave me a blue bracelet he had made. He said he accidentally made one too small. I was instantly brought back to that moment while standing in the church with dozens of people learning how to braid the cord. When I got home, I tore apart my vanity in search for the bracelet he had made for me. I put it on my right hand. I wore the bracelet everyday for an entire year. I had a Dakota original.
Dakota’s brother, John, who was entering his senior year, invited many of us friends to go out to the place where the accident happened. It was a blind intersection that I had previously been weary of earlier that summer. The corn was high and there were no road signs for a yield or stop. John explained how they had just got in the truck after working the field about a half mile south and were going to take their lunch break. He said they had just started going down the road, picking up speed, when he heard a small voice tell him to put his seatbelt on. John put his seatbelt on, but Dakota didn’t. John said he felt as if there was something around the corner, but ultimately did not slow down near the intersection. A driver, going 50 miles per hour, t-boned them in the intersection. According to John, the truck rolled and Dakota was thrown through the windshield. John found his phone and quickly called 911. He found Dakota and blood was coming from his mouth. He had a large wound on his forehead where he had smashed the dashboard. John pulled him into the field of soybeans, opposite the corn, and tried performing CPR. Dakota was mumbling and sputtering blood before his breathing stopped. The paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. They said he was internally decapitated.
The wake for Dakota was on Sunday night. I had a tough time finding the strength to go. We waited in line behind dozens of people for close to an hour. When I finally got up to him, my heart sank again. There he was. His skin was pale. His hair was not right. His mother, who was right by, said it was okay to touch him. I reached for his hair to move it how he usually wore it. As I parted it, I saw the large scar covered by gobs of makeup that the hair was covering on his forehead. I put it back.
His funeral was the next day. Monday. At 1:18PM, his birthday date. I felt sick the whole morning. My whole family got in the car and my mom was talking to my younger siblings. I was silent. I was going to one of my best friends’ funerals. The church where the funeral was held was absolutely packed. Parked cars took up the surrounding blocks. The church had multiple floors and rooms with casted video of the celebration of life. I was considered close enough to sit in the sanctuary in the front half of the pews. I sat with my gifted teacher and other friends from the gifted program. What a terrible way to end your summer. Saying hello to people you haven’t seen in a few months at a funeral. I remember the funeral. There were songs and the service was led in large by Dakota’s own mother. To this day I have no idea how she had the strength to do that. I remember a few of the songs that were sung, but I’ll never forget the sound of the casket closing. The last goodbye. The final SLAM. His face would never again have sunlight shown upon it. Never again would a person touch him, hold him, hug him.
My family tried to get out to the burial but the crowd was just too insanely large to get around. I had the final say that we could go home. I’d come back another time.
The next day, I went to the scene of the accident. It was an intersection 5 miles east of my house. Someone had put up a make-shift cross at the intersection. I brought a big University of Kansas patch from one of our gifted trips to place at the cross. He loved basketball, and especially the Jayhawks. On the back of the patch I had written “I love you”. That night, there was a big storm. I sat up straight in bed and started crying as the wind whistled by my windows. The patch.
When I woke up, I found a reason to leave home and went back out to the intersection. I ran up to the cross and found my patch wrapped tightly around the base with some old barbed wire. I burst into tears of relief. I have no idea who saved my patch.
The next two weeks were spent preparing for school and fall practice. I had decided to do tennis that fall instead of volleyball. On the first day of school, I rode the bus into the town with my school. We drove past the intersection and I burst into tears. I cried four more times that day. Each time in the class he should have been in with me. I was distraught. I have no other way to describe how absolutely depressed I was walking the halls. Teachers were not the same. There was an absence in our sophomore class. An absence on our football team. In our audition choir. In our youth group. And in me. I tried my best to get through it. I started journaling a little bit after the accident to help organize my thoughts. To remember all the little details I could about him. To write them down so they didn’t disappear.
My sophomore year was brutal. I was playing tennis in the fall with a small team of girls who helped to create a safe and calm environment for me. I spent all of my hours in the team vehicle listening to two Lifehouse albums on repeat. I’d look out the window and reflect. What was life? What was my purpose? Why did this happen?
I didn’t have an answer. I bottled it up. It seemed that a lot of my class who weren’t very close with Dakota had a lot easier time going back to their normal lives. I was missing a friend. There was a contact in my phone from whom I’d never received another text. I had unfinished business. We had talked all summer about how our math class and Spanish II classes would be so fun this year. The bracelet I wore everyday was getting a stark tan line.
The semester rolled on. One of my other close friends moved to Colorado. And my last best friend, Anna, was in her own self-discovery phase. She wasn’t as close to Dakota and I was more or less a depressed teen at that time. I cried at school. In the bathrooms. In the locker room or a small music practice room. Am I just that sensitive? Why is no one else dealing with this grief like I am? I tried to distract myself with various activities. It worked for the most part. In the spring, I went out for softball. I loved softball. I had been playing it for years. I even had helped “assistant coach” a little girls rec league with Dakota and his family a few summers beforehand. Softball was hard but I needed the challenge. I worked hard at the sport and found myself on the varsity team after multiple players were out for the season due to injury or illness. In the last regular season game, on May 9th on our home field, I broke my leg. I had a high impact with the catcher while trying to steal home. The ump called me safe and we won the game by a run rule as I crumpled to the ground. I remember thinking I could stand up, but the weirdest tingling started down my leg around my knee. My coach carried me off the field like a baby. I pulled my helmet off and one tear slid down my cheek. They put me on a stretcher while the athletic trainer checked my knee.
“Yep, you fractured a bone. We should get you in to the ER for an X-ray”
“Fracture? Like my bone broke?”
“Yes that’s what a fracture is”
I started sobbing. Not from the pain. From the overwhelming feeling of becoming an invalid for an uncertain amount of time. I slid in the back of my mom’s vehicle as we drove down to the county ER. We got there, I was still in uniform. Just hysterical. I had no idea what was going on as I had never had an injury like this before. The ER lady took X-rays of my right leg. The images came back and showed a tibial plateau fracture. I wouldn’t be walking for a while. They helped cut me out of my softball pants and sent me home with lots of pain killers. The next few days I spent vomiting from the strong norco drug. I had a surgery a few days later where they placed hardware in my knee and put me in a straight-leg brace. I was miserable. It was hot and scratchy and I had my finals coming up. I went back to school the next Wednesday or Thursday to collect some class work to do at home. As I lived on the downstairs couch for close to three weeks I found myself asking again “Why did this happen?” I finished the school year by doing my final projects and giving my German foreign exchange student friend a final hug. I remember thinking “This is a nicer way to say goodbye to someone forever”.
I couldn’t walk for most of the summer and I started painful physical therapy. I was frequenting 3 times a week for a long while to build back my strength and relearn to walk. As soon as I was weight-bearing, I started working outside again. Doing what I could with one crutch. Dakota’s dad hired me to help manage the field workers and I could do some wood stacking decently enough. On the 1 year anniversary of Dakota’s death, I went to the gravesite for a small ceremony. It was the first time I had been there. The intersection where he died was my frequent mourning spot, almost daily on my drive to and from school. The gravestone was large and obviously very expensive. It has a beautiful picture of him and the quote “You got this”, that he used often as a self-reassuring phrase. At some point after the 1-year, I stopped wearing the bracelet he made me. Was it time to let go? How long does one mourn?
The rest of my high school journey was tainted with the memories of him and the phantom memories of where I imagined him being. At my graduation, we had an honorary memorial and scholarship dedicated to him and his character. Then I went to college. I was already dating who would become my husband a number of years later.
Years have passed. There is no happy ending. I'm still here. Aging. Growing older while I can still see the face of my 15 year old friend. He isn’t growing. He’s in the ground. Resting. It feels like a lifetime until I can see him again. I’ve had dreams of him. Unprompted visions of him were prevalent for about 2 years after he passed. You would think this story would get easier after the number of times I’ve played in my head over all of these years. But it hasn’t. I’m in the acceptance stage of grief. I’ve lived life, gotten married, laughed again, and see a bright future for myself. Though I do often think, Where would Dakota be now? Would we have become closer friends? Would he be married? He would have made a good father.
Again, I have no answers to these questions that I suppose may eternally sit with me. I do have some answers though. I’ve learned how to not take people for granted. I’ve learned how to recognize depressive symptoms and how to be a listening ear for someone who feels hopeless. I’ve learned how to find purpose in helping people. I’ve learned patience. Sometimes patience is agonizing, which means the reward is definitely worth the wait.
submitted by pianoplayerjas to sadstories [link] [comments]
One night at a Christmas party, us “kids” were watching a movie while the adults played games and hung out in the other room. At some point, his head ended up on my lap. I remember touching his hair, but ultimately deciding I did NOT want someone to see this and assume the worse. Another time, we were alone in the basement. The basement was the place of all our friend hangouts. The video and board games were down there, along with the nerf guns. One night we were on the couch showing each other memes from our iPod touches. We were laughing and joking, then he handed me his iPod to read the next one. Except this wasn’t a meme: it was his notes app. On the screen it said “I think you are beautiful”. I instantly blushed and tried to hide my face. “Me?.....” I looked at him, also blushing red and he nodded. I told him thank you. It was the first time any boy had told me I was beautiful. In my own eyes, I was not. I had a big tooth gap because my parents couldn’t afford braces, and I wore glasses. I don’t know what he saw, but I appreciated the flattering compliment.
We entered high school where once again, your life shifts. You are faced with new teachers, new course materials, new teammates, and new challenges. We remained close friends through this time, by taking enough classes together and being involved with the same friends. It was nearing the fall homecoming season and I was nervous about getting a date. I saw many older boys asking girls to be their dates and I wondered if I would even have one my freshman year. Leave it up to my best friend Anna to set me up.
I clearly remember it was a Sunday night and I was watching football. My mom tells me she got a text from Dakota’s mom that there was a book she needed to grab from their house. She told me I needed to go with her. Without any context, I was annoyed she was making ME drive her there since I did not want to leave home. They lived about 5 minutes away so I figured the faster we leave the quicker I can get back home. Mom told me I should brush my hair.
“Why?”
“Well because you should look a little presentable.”
“It’s fine right, we’re just grabbing a book really quick, right?”
“Yes but you don’t want to leave the house looking like you do.”
I huffed and opened our sliding glass door going outside to the car.
“You should at least put some shoes on!”
“I’m FINE, Can we just go and get this over with”
I angrily and annoyed drove/ sped down the paved road to their house, all the while questioning my mother why she really needed me to go with her.
“I don’t know, there might be something there for you.”
I had no idea what that meant. We drove to the shop on their property that this supposed book was. I stepped out of the car, barefoot on the gravel and walked into the shop. There I see Dakota, holding a sign. I frantically looked around to figure out what was going on. I see Anna crouched in a corner covering her smiling mouth. I looked at his sign and read the homecoming proposal which used lyrics and titles from Beatles songs, my favorite band.
“Oh, Dakota! Of course yes!”
I gave him an awkward hug and turned around to realize that my mother didn’t need a book at all.
Dakota was sweet. In an innocent way. He had casually asked before if we could date, but being the reserved and shy individual I was, I had always declined. After the dance, we drifted, not for any particular reason. I heard he had started dating a different girl. She was older by two years. Was I hurt? Not particularly. Was I jealous? Maybe a little more so. They went to prom together and she was definitely way prettier than me. It happens, I thought, we aren’t meant to be. A romantic relationship would definitely change our entire chemistry.
Summer came and we were out working together on his family’s farm. We spent hours in the fields, talking, singing, and sweating. Just good friends again. It was normal and felt right. We spent a week together in late July on a church trip. We worked on a homeless shelter with our youth group and had a fun yet powerful time together. My mom, dad, and brother were on this trip as well, along with many of our church friends. After the week was done on Saturday, we drove back to our town. I remember waving goodbye to his family in their Suburban as they left the church parking lot. I didn’t realize how significant that goodbye would be.
A few days went by and we had casual texting conversations about work and school starting in the next few weeks. He texted me Tuesday night that his dad really needed some help the next morning bright and early. I wanted to sleep in. He texted “Don’t worry about it, we’ll get it covered.” A decision I’d soon regret.
Wednesday morning, I go to the church with my mom to do a couple of things with her. I can’t even recall what it was. We were getting into our car when we heard loud sirens throughout our small town. Mom and I looked at each other. Sirens are never a good sign. We get in the car, curious, but praying whoever needs the ambulance is okay. My mom gets a phone call. It’s one of our family friends. She says Dakota and his older brother have been in a bad car accident. That heavy feeling that makes your heart sink to your stomach instantly hit me. “They’re okay, they’re okay, they’re okay.” I kept telling myself. The ambulance was going fast, and Dakota is strong. He’s practically invincible. My mother’s friend tells us that we should stop by Dakota’s house to grab the boys clean clothes and bring them to the emergency room. We drive in silence, except for maybe a short prayer that the boys are okay. We get to the house and my mom quickly runs up the stairs to the boys’ bedroom. I stay downstairs. I observe the dining room. Dirty laundry in the baskets. Dirty dishes on the counter. Dakota’s name on a marker board along with a list of chores to do. We speed to the emergency room in the nearby town. On the way we received a text from Dakota’s older brother, John. He said he was doing okay but he wasn’t sure about Dakota. We should be keeping their family in our prayers. The panic was rising in my throat. I had been nervous about things before. This was different. It was like a nauseating churn that started in my stomach. Like my soul was shaking out of my physical body. We got to the hospital, parked and my mom said I should stay in the car. Probably wanting to protect me from any scarring sights within the ER. I wanted to go in. Could I see him? She insisted that I stay in the car. I stayed. Frozen at first. Then rocking back and forth. My palms were shaking and itchy in the center.
“This can’t be happening. Not Dakota. He’s like my best friend. Kids don’t die. He’s too young. Too smart. He has an incredibly successful life ahead of him.”
I was eyeing the automatic door for any sign of someone that I recognized. The ten minutes I waited felt like an hour. Ten minutes of restless uncertainty. Then I see my mom. She had one of the hardest faces that I had ever seen her make. She opened the driver’s side door and I immediately asked “What’s going on. Is he ok?!”
She looks at me dead in the eyes, shaking her head, “He didn’t make it, Jasmine”
A million emotions and questions flood my brain. I started blubbering and sobbing while hitting the dashboard. “No, no, no. Why!? Why him?” My mom breaks down with me, not able to get out a single word. The family friend who delivered the phone call joins us in the car. She says Dakota’s in a better place now. I’m in a state of shock and disbelief. Hot tears will not stop streaming down my cheeks. We were silent on the way back home. I ran upstairs to my room and shut the door. I cried into a pillow for the rest of the afternoon. I skipped dinner. There was a candlelight vigil that evening at a church. I barely had the strength to go, but my mom said it would be good for me. I brought my water bottle. I ate nothing and only drank water to replenish my tears the next two days. Saturday morning, I went to a different church with my family to see Dakota’s family. The church’s youth were making survivor bracelets out of parachute cord. Dakota had made them during his depressive episodes during his 9th grade year, when we somewhat drifted. Dakota and I took Spanish class together our freshman year. One day he asked me what my favorite color was. I told him blue. The next day he gave me a blue bracelet he had made. He said he accidentally made one too small. I was instantly brought back to that moment while standing in the church with dozens of people learning how to braid the cord. When I got home, I tore apart my vanity in search for the bracelet he had made for me. I put it on my right hand. I wore the bracelet everyday for an entire year. I had a Dakota original.
Dakota’s brother, John, who was entering his senior year, invited many of us friends to go out to the place where the accident happened. It was a blind intersection that I had previously been weary of earlier that summer. The corn was high and there were no road signs for a yield or stop. John explained how they had just got in the truck after working the field about a half mile south and were going to take their lunch break. He said they had just started going down the road, picking up speed, when he heard a small voice tell him to put his seatbelt on. John put his seatbelt on, but Dakota didn’t. John said he felt as if there was something around the corner, but ultimately did not slow down near the intersection. A driver, going 50 miles per hour, t-boned them in the intersection. According to John, the truck rolled and Dakota was thrown through the windshield. John found his phone and quickly called 911. He found Dakota and blood was coming from his mouth. He had a large wound on his forehead where he had smashed the dashboard. John pulled him into the field of soybeans, opposite the corn, and tried performing CPR. Dakota was mumbling and sputtering blood before his breathing stopped. The paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. They said he was internally decapitated.
The wake for Dakota was on Sunday night. I had a tough time finding the strength to go. We waited in line behind dozens of people for close to an hour. When I finally got up to him, my heart sank again. There he was. His skin was pale. His hair was not right. His mother, who was right by, said it was okay to touch him. I reached for his hair to move it how he usually wore it. As I parted it, I saw the large scar covered by gobs of makeup that the hair was covering on his forehead. I put it back.
His funeral was the next day. Monday. At 1:18PM, his birthday date. I felt sick the whole morning. My whole family got in the car and my mom was talking to my younger siblings. I was silent. I was going to one of my best friends’ funerals. The church where the funeral was held was absolutely packed. Parked cars took up the surrounding blocks. The church had multiple floors and rooms with casted video of the celebration of life. I was considered close enough to sit in the sanctuary in the front half of the pews. I sat with my gifted teacher and other friends from the gifted program. What a terrible way to end your summer. Saying hello to people you haven’t seen in a few months at a funeral. I remember the funeral. There were songs and the service was led in large by Dakota’s own mother. To this day I have no idea how she had the strength to do that. I remember a few of the songs that were sung, but I’ll never forget the sound of the casket closing. The last goodbye. The final SLAM. His face would never again have sunlight shown upon it. Never again would a person touch him, hold him, hug him.
My family tried to get out to the burial but the crowd was just too insanely large to get around. I had the final say that we could go home. I’d come back another time.
The next day, I went to the scene of the accident. It was an intersection 5 miles east of my house. Someone had put up a make-shift cross at the intersection. I brought a big University of Kansas patch from one of our gifted trips to place at the cross. He loved basketball, and especially the Jayhawks. On the back of the patch I had written “I love you”. That night, there was a big storm. I sat up straight in bed and started crying as the wind whistled by my windows. The patch.
When I woke up, I found a reason to leave home and went back out to the intersection. I ran up to the cross and found my patch wrapped tightly around the base with some old barbed wire. I burst into tears of relief. I have no idea who saved my patch.
The next two weeks were spent preparing for school and fall practice. I had decided to do tennis that fall instead of volleyball. On the first day of school, I rode the bus into the town with my school. We drove past the intersection and I burst into tears. I cried four more times that day. Each time in the class he should have been in with me. I was distraught. I have no other way to describe how absolutely depressed I was walking the halls. Teachers were not the same. There was an absence in our sophomore class. An absence on our football team. In our audition choir. In our youth group. And in me. I tried my best to get through it. I started journaling a little bit after the accident to help organize my thoughts. To remember all the little details I could about him. To write them down so they didn’t disappear.
My sophomore year was brutal. I was playing tennis in the fall with a small team of girls who helped to create a safe and calm environment for me. I spent all of my hours in the team vehicle listening to two Lifehouse albums on repeat. I’d look out the window and reflect. What was life? What was my purpose? Why did this happen?
I didn’t have an answer. I bottled it up. It seemed that a lot of my class who weren’t very close with Dakota had a lot easier time going back to their normal lives. I was missing a friend. There was a contact in my phone from whom I’d never received another text. I had unfinished business. We had talked all summer about how our math class and Spanish II classes would be so fun this year. The bracelet I wore everyday was getting a stark tan line.
The semester rolled on. One of my other close friends moved to Colorado. And my last best friend, Anna, was in her own self-discovery phase. She wasn’t as close to Dakota and I was more or less a depressed teen at that time. I cried at school. In the bathrooms. In the locker room or a small music practice room. Am I just that sensitive? Why is no one else dealing with this grief like I am? I tried to distract myself with various activities. It worked for the most part. In the spring, I went out for softball. I loved softball. I had been playing it for years. I even had helped “assistant coach” a little girls rec league with Dakota and his family a few summers beforehand. Softball was hard but I needed the challenge. I worked hard at the sport and found myself on the varsity team after multiple players were out for the season due to injury or illness. In the last regular season game, on May 9th on our home field, I broke my leg. I had a high impact with the catcher while trying to steal home. The ump called me safe and we won the game by a run rule as I crumpled to the ground. I remember thinking I could stand up, but the weirdest tingling started down my leg around my knee. My coach carried me off the field like a baby. I pulled my helmet off and one tear slid down my cheek. They put me on a stretcher while the athletic trainer checked my knee.
“Yep, you fractured a bone. We should get you in to the ER for an X-ray”
“Fracture? Like my bone broke?”
“Yes that’s what a fracture is”
I started sobbing. Not from the pain. From the overwhelming feeling of becoming an invalid for an uncertain amount of time. I slid in the back of my mom’s vehicle as we drove down to the county ER. We got there, I was still in uniform. Just hysterical. I had no idea what was going on as I had never had an injury like this before. The ER lady took X-rays of my right leg. The images came back and showed a tibial plateau fracture. I wouldn’t be walking for a while. They helped cut me out of my softball pants and sent me home with lots of pain killers. The next few days I spent vomiting from the strong norco drug. I had a surgery a few days later where they placed hardware in my knee and put me in a straight-leg brace. I was miserable. It was hot and scratchy and I had my finals coming up. I went back to school the next Wednesday or Thursday to collect some class work to do at home. As I lived on the downstairs couch for close to three weeks I found myself asking again “Why did this happen?” I finished the school year by doing my final projects and giving my German foreign exchange student friend a final hug. I remember thinking “This is a nicer way to say goodbye to someone forever”.
I couldn’t walk for most of the summer and I started painful physical therapy. I was frequenting 3 times a week for a long while to build back my strength and relearn to walk. As soon as I was weight-bearing, I started working outside again. Doing what I could with one crutch. Dakota’s dad hired me to help manage the field workers and I could do some wood stacking decently enough. On the 1 year anniversary of Dakota’s death, I went to the gravesite for a small ceremony. It was the first time I had been there. The intersection where he died was my frequent mourning spot, almost daily on my drive to and from school. The gravestone was large and obviously very expensive. It has a beautiful picture of him and the quote “You got this”, that he used often as a self-reassuring phrase. At some point after the 1-year, I stopped wearing the bracelet he made me. Was it time to let go? How long does one mourn?
The rest of my high school journey was tainted with the memories of him and the phantom memories of where I imagined him being. At my graduation, we had an honorary memorial and scholarship dedicated to him and his character. Then I went to college. I was already dating who would become my husband a number of years later.
Years have passed. There is no happy ending. I'm still here. Aging. Growing older while I can still see the face of my 15 year old friend. He isn’t growing. He’s in the ground. Resting. It feels like a lifetime until I can see him again. I’ve had dreams of him. Unprompted visions of him were prevalent for about 2 years after he passed. You would think this story would get easier after the number of times I’ve played in my head over all of these years. But it hasn’t. I’m in the acceptance stage of grief. I’ve lived life, gotten married, laughed again, and see a bright future for myself. Though I do often think, Where would Dakota be now? Would we have become closer friends? Would he be married? He would have made a good father.
Again, I have no answers to these questions that I suppose may eternally sit with me. I do have some answers though. I’ve learned how to not take people for granted. I’ve learned how to recognize depressive symptoms and how to be a listening ear for someone who feels hopeless. I’ve learned how to find purpose in helping people. I’ve learned patience. Sometimes patience is agonizing, which means the reward is definitely worth the wait.
2024.05.11 02:42 JustSomeRandomGuy09 Is this grounds for contacting APS?
I just found out that an old friend of mine has been living with bedbugs for at least FIVE YEARS, if not even longer. She is 77yo and is the legal guardian of her autistic 18yo grandson. I fell out of contact with both of them for a long time and reached out to her again because her grandson is supposed to be graduating from HS very soon and she'd mailed me an invitation to the ceremony. I called and she let me stop by to visit her duplex apartment and...words can't even begin to describe how disgusted I feel about this entire situation.
I didn't immediately pick up on it, but the moment I stepped through the door I saw bug droppings and blood spots stained on both of their clothes. Friend otherwise looked and acted fine, but grandson seemed very itchy and had bags under his eyes. We talked for a while, and I got up to use their bathroom, and on the way passed the bedrooms...which is when I KNEW. Both were absolutely f*cking filthy. Dead and living bugs were on the walls, floor, and ceiling, as were their droppings and a couple of blood spots. Sheets were the same story, but worse. I don't even want to know how long it's been since they were washed or changed out. Beds themselves were absolutely coated in LAYERS UPON LAYERS of bug droppings, and there were what looked to be hundreds of their casts tangled up in cobwebs around the bedposts and in various other areas of the rooms. One room was cluttered up and as I would later find out had been evacuated by my friend, who had been sleeping on the floor of her living room for who knows how long, but friend's grandson was still sleeping in the other bed. I made it into the bathroom and saw bug droppings scattered around on the walls and even in the bathtub. Did my business, GTFO'd from the bathroom, speedwalked back into the living room and didn't sit down again for the rest of my visit.
I made up some BS that I had an appointment and needed to leave soon, but did ask my friend in as polite and casual a tone as I could manage if she "has bedbugs". She said they'd had them since they moved in (five years ago), but that it was "under control". Nothing in that house indicated to me that it was in any way under control. I didn't even see any pesticides or beg bug remedy products, only isopropyl alcohol. I even tried bringing it up with the grandson, but antisocial as he is he shrugged, mumbled, and shut himself away in that disgusting room (which, granted, he was obviously trying his absolute best to keep it tidy and give it identity but the bugs were just WAY too out of control), basically blowing me off and clearly not wanting to talk about it. With nothing else to say or do, I said my goodbyes, and GTFO'd from that apartment. I am now rigorously cleaning everything I took with me, which thankfully wasn't a lot and I hadn't been there long, but knowing BBs I am ever-vigilant for a possible infection given the state of that place.
I'm seriously considering contacting APS because of this. There's not much else I can think to do because I don't even live in their city and haven't been in contact with them in so long, let alone anyone in their family. The only caveat that's stopped me from immediately getting a hold of APS is that aside from choosing to live like this, both my friend and her grandson acted entirely normal and are definitely capable of taking care of themselves. Her grandson is high-functioning and gets good grades in school, and they even own and properly care for a cat. My friend did tell me that she was recently starting to experience memory issues due to her age, but, again, they've had these bugs for five years (possibly even longer if they had them before moving into that apartment) at this point. They're just, for a reason I cannot fathom, choosing to live in the filth that these bugs are creating for them. They have to be keeping it a secret from their landlord, whose information I'm in the process trying to track down so he knows about this before it spreads to the neighbors and other buildings, if it somehow hasn't already. The landlord frequently hires professionals to deal with pests, so I don't understand why they would just never tell him about the bugs. They have to be in deep denial to think that this is okay, but is it enough to get APS or even the local Health Department involved and them be able to do something about it? I can't stand to know that they're undergoing the mental toll that the bugs have to have been inflicting on them, even if they're not showing it. My gut is screaming at me yes, but having not resorted to APS before, I want to be sure it's the right call to make.
submitted by JustSomeRandomGuy09 to Bedbugs [link] [comments]
I didn't immediately pick up on it, but the moment I stepped through the door I saw bug droppings and blood spots stained on both of their clothes. Friend otherwise looked and acted fine, but grandson seemed very itchy and had bags under his eyes. We talked for a while, and I got up to use their bathroom, and on the way passed the bedrooms...which is when I KNEW. Both were absolutely f*cking filthy. Dead and living bugs were on the walls, floor, and ceiling, as were their droppings and a couple of blood spots. Sheets were the same story, but worse. I don't even want to know how long it's been since they were washed or changed out. Beds themselves were absolutely coated in LAYERS UPON LAYERS of bug droppings, and there were what looked to be hundreds of their casts tangled up in cobwebs around the bedposts and in various other areas of the rooms. One room was cluttered up and as I would later find out had been evacuated by my friend, who had been sleeping on the floor of her living room for who knows how long, but friend's grandson was still sleeping in the other bed. I made it into the bathroom and saw bug droppings scattered around on the walls and even in the bathtub. Did my business, GTFO'd from the bathroom, speedwalked back into the living room and didn't sit down again for the rest of my visit.
I made up some BS that I had an appointment and needed to leave soon, but did ask my friend in as polite and casual a tone as I could manage if she "has bedbugs". She said they'd had them since they moved in (five years ago), but that it was "under control". Nothing in that house indicated to me that it was in any way under control. I didn't even see any pesticides or beg bug remedy products, only isopropyl alcohol. I even tried bringing it up with the grandson, but antisocial as he is he shrugged, mumbled, and shut himself away in that disgusting room (which, granted, he was obviously trying his absolute best to keep it tidy and give it identity but the bugs were just WAY too out of control), basically blowing me off and clearly not wanting to talk about it. With nothing else to say or do, I said my goodbyes, and GTFO'd from that apartment. I am now rigorously cleaning everything I took with me, which thankfully wasn't a lot and I hadn't been there long, but knowing BBs I am ever-vigilant for a possible infection given the state of that place.
I'm seriously considering contacting APS because of this. There's not much else I can think to do because I don't even live in their city and haven't been in contact with them in so long, let alone anyone in their family. The only caveat that's stopped me from immediately getting a hold of APS is that aside from choosing to live like this, both my friend and her grandson acted entirely normal and are definitely capable of taking care of themselves. Her grandson is high-functioning and gets good grades in school, and they even own and properly care for a cat. My friend did tell me that she was recently starting to experience memory issues due to her age, but, again, they've had these bugs for five years (possibly even longer if they had them before moving into that apartment) at this point. They're just, for a reason I cannot fathom, choosing to live in the filth that these bugs are creating for them. They have to be keeping it a secret from their landlord, whose information I'm in the process trying to track down so he knows about this before it spreads to the neighbors and other buildings, if it somehow hasn't already. The landlord frequently hires professionals to deal with pests, so I don't understand why they would just never tell him about the bugs. They have to be in deep denial to think that this is okay, but is it enough to get APS or even the local Health Department involved and them be able to do something about it? I can't stand to know that they're undergoing the mental toll that the bugs have to have been inflicting on them, even if they're not showing it. My gut is screaming at me yes, but having not resorted to APS before, I want to be sure it's the right call to make.
2024.05.10 18:35 bubbageee H: A bunch Foils and/or Hyperspace cards W: Specifics listed (Mostly Rares, a few Uncommons and Legendaries)
Things I have:
Hyperspace Foil: Strike True
Hyperspace: Legendary: Cunning
Uncommon: The Force is With Me Wing Leader Distant Patroller Prepare For Takeoff Karabast TIE Advanced
Common: IG-88 x2 Catacombs of Cadera Consular Security Force Guardian of the Whills Resilient Superlaser Technician Tactical Advantage Resupply Cantina Braggart Ardent Sympathizer Auzituck Liberator Gunship AT-ST TIE/LN Fighter Viper Probe Droid Medal Ceremony Underworld Thug
Foil: Rare: Obi-Wan Kenobi Agent Kallus Red Three Don't Get Cocky Wedge Antilles
Uncommon: Devotion Power Failure Karabast Bamboozle x2
Common: Guardian of the Whills Cargo Juggernaut Homestead Militia x2 Death Star Stormtrooper Disabling Fang Fighter x2 Wampa Auzituck Liberator Gunship x2 Crafty Smuggler x2 Fleet Lieutenant x2 Medal Ceremony
I don't want any foil cards.
Things I do want:
Hyperspace: Kestro City Security Complex Energy Conversion Lab Jedha City
Normal:
Legendary: Command x2 Home One x2 Vigilance x3 Aggression x3 Cunning x2 Force Lightning x2 Millennium Falcon x2 Superlaser Blast Black One x3 Mace Windu
Rare: Del Meeko x2 Gideon Hask x2 Count Dooku x2 Search Your Feelings Jedi Lightsaber x2 Regional Governor x2 Electrostaff x2 It Binds All Things x2
Emperor's Royal Guard x3 Rukh The Emperor's Legion Admiral Ackbar Wedge Antilles U-Wing Reinforcement x3 General Krell Traitorous x3
Seventh Sister Emperor Palpatine Fallen Lightsaber x2 Red Three K-2SO x3 Heroic Sacrifice x2 For A Cause I Believe In x2 Saw Gerrera x2 Wolffe Bombing Run x2 Smoke and Cinders
Jabba the Hutt Fett's Firespray x2 I Had No Choice Lando Calrissian Bodhi Rook x2 Strafing Gunship x2 Sneak Attack x2 Don't Get Cocky
Galactic Ambition You're My Only Hope x2
Uncommon: Fighters for Freedom Force Throw
Yoda The Force is with me x2 Devotion x2
Colonel Yularen
-updated following trade-
submitted by bubbageee to SWU_Trades [link] [comments]
Hyperspace Foil: Strike True
Uncommon: The Force is With Me Wing Leader Distant Patroller Prepare For Takeoff Karabast TIE Advanced
Common: IG-88 x2 Catacombs of Cadera Consular Security Force Guardian of the Whills Resilient Superlaser Technician Tactical Advantage Resupply Cantina Braggart Ardent Sympathizer Auzituck Liberator Gunship AT-ST TIE/LN Fighter Viper Probe Droid Medal Ceremony Underworld Thug
Uncommon: Devotion Power Failure Karabast Bamboozle x2
Common: Guardian of the Whills Cargo Juggernaut Homestead Militia x2 Death Star Stormtrooper Disabling Fang Fighter x2 Wampa Auzituck Liberator Gunship x2 Crafty Smuggler x2 Fleet Lieutenant x2 Medal Ceremony
Things I do want:
Hyperspace: Kestro City Security Complex Energy Conversion Lab Jedha City
Normal:
Legendary: Command x2 Home One x2 Vigilance x3 Aggression x3 Cunning x2 Force Lightning x2 Millennium Falcon x2 Superlaser Blast Black One x3 Mace Windu
Rare: Del Meeko x2 Gideon Hask x2 Count Dooku x2 Search Your Feelings Jedi Lightsaber x2 Regional Governor x2 Electrostaff x2 It Binds All Things x2
Emperor's Royal Guard x3 Rukh The Emperor's Legion Admiral Ackbar Wedge Antilles U-Wing Reinforcement x3 General Krell Traitorous x3
Seventh Sister Emperor Palpatine Fallen Lightsaber x2 Red Three K-2SO x3 Heroic Sacrifice x2 For A Cause I Believe In x2 Saw Gerrera x2 Wolffe Bombing Run x2 Smoke and Cinders
Jabba the Hutt Fett's Firespray x2 I Had No Choice Lando Calrissian Bodhi Rook x2 Strafing Gunship x2 Sneak Attack x2 Don't Get Cocky
Galactic Ambition You're My Only Hope x2
Uncommon: Fighters for Freedom Force Throw
Yoda The Force is with me x2 Devotion x2
Colonel Yularen
-updated following trade-
2024.05.10 15:11 Bearman637 The Narrow Way - Balancing Extremes in Christian Doctrine
Christian doctrine can be better understood by examining sets of opposite errors and finding the biblical truth that lies between them. By carefully studying these errors and their corresponding truths, believers can develop a more balanced perspective of their faith that is consistent with the teachings of the New Testament and the ante-Nicene Church Fathers (50-200AD). I will quote these early church bishops alongside scripture to demonstrate this was their understanding and not some novel invention. Below is a high level outline of the errors I will address.
Summary:
2. Cheap Grace (Salvation in wilful deliberate sin): This error separates faith from works, suggesting that one's actions have no bearing on their final salvation. "Once saved always saved" is a facet of this error. So also is treating sin as a transactional thing (eg a mentality of "I will sin then repent later"). People who hold this error often separate Christians into two classes, "carnal" Christians who believe in Jesus for forgiveness but don't want to obey him, and "mature" Christians who do obey him. There is no distinction like this in historical Christianity. There are immature Christians, and mature Christians but anyone who rejects submission to the teachings of Jesus is outside the faith. Jesus clearly warned about these people being wolves amongst sheep, for by their fruits we will know them. Bad trees bring forth bad fruit.
The biblical truth that balances these errors is that forgiveness (justification in Paul's usage) is by faith alone
It is essential to understand that while good works are necessary evidence of genuine faith, they are not the means by which salvation is earned. Salvation is a gift of God's grace, received through faith in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). Good works are the fruit and outworking of this saving faith (Ephesians 2:10), demonstrating the reality of the believer's transformation in Christ (Titus 2:11-14). In other words, we are saved by faith alone, but saving faith is never alone; it always produces good works (love / fruit) as a result of the Holy Spirit's work in the believer's life (Philippians 2:12-13)."
Irenaeus (130-200AD, bishop and disciple of Polycarp who was a Discple of the apostle John) said the following on the issue which perfectly captures the meaning of Pauls epistles:
6. Hedonism: This error elevates the pursuit of pleasure as the highest good, neglecting the importance of self-control, self-sacrifice for others, and the pursuit of holiness.
The biblical perspective that balances these errors is that Christians should receive God's earthly gifts with gratitude and exercise self-control, preferring others above themselves
This error ignores the ongoing reality of the struggle against temptation and the need for vigilance in the life of a believer, claiming that a true believer is incapable of making mistakes or succumbing to temptation and sinning. This error neglects the need for mercy and patience amongst Christians as they grow in maturity in Christ. While believers might occasionally stumble (James 3:2), it's crucial to distinguish between temporary setbacks and a lifestyle of persistent, unrepentant sin.
By emphasizing the power of God's grace and the possibility of Christlikeness, we embrace a balanced perspective that acknowledges the struggle against temptation while affirming God's power to enable believers to live lives pleasing to Him, avoiding the extremes of believing that Christians are either incapable of sinning or that sin is inevitable.
8. Inevitability of sin:
This error denies the transformative power of the Holy Spirit and the ability of believers to live a life pleasing to God, asserting that loving obedience is impossible and sin is inevitable, even after conversion. Those who hold to this error might say things like, 'We will never be sinless in this life,' or 'we sin in thought, word and deed every day' or 'our righteousness is filthy rags' which suggests that believers are doomed to a life of continuous sin and fails to recognize the transformative power of abiding in Christ and walking by the Spirit. It also denies the fruit of the Spirit in ones life is the actual righteousness of God, not ones own and it isn't filthy rags. John 15 says God is pleased by this fruit and we prove to be Christs disciples by abiding in Him and doing His works.
This is the most dominant error amongst believers so I will spend more time unpacking this one. It is rooted in the traditions and novel interpretations of some prominent protestant reformers and not the new testament, or the early church fathers witness.
Those who hold to this error often cite 1 John 1:8 as evidence for their position, which states,
In fact, just a few verses later, John writes,
Furthermore, throughout his epistle, John emphasizes the transformative power of God's love and the believer's union with Christ
Here are some quotations from the disciples of the disciples to prove my point:
Remember, love is the opposite of sin. Sin the opposite of love. We cannot walk and abide in love and sin. Nor can we abide in sin and profess to love God. They are polar opposites. You walk in one or the other, light or darkness. Whoever abides in love abides in God and God in Him. This is how we can assure our hearts before Him, because as He is so are we in this world. Focus on the positive - love, not on sin aversion.
submitted by Bearman637 to Christianity [link] [comments]
Summary:
A. Forgiveness Errors 1. Merit - Forgiveness by works (either religious ceremonies or moral achievements) 2. Cheap Grace - Salvation in willful unrepentant sin B. Rule of Life Errors 3. Legalism - Chrisitans must obey the law of Moses 4. Antinomianism (Lawlessness) - As Christians are freed from the law of Moses, they are free from all moral obligation. C. Relationship to the World Errors 5. Asceticism - Pleasure and enjoyment is sin. 6. Hedonism - Pleasure and enjoyment is the highest good. D. Relationship to Sin & Righteousness Errors 7. Mistakelessness - Its impossible for genuine christians to sin or stumble, obedience is inevitable. 8. Inevitability of Sin - Its impossible for genuine Christians to obey God and live righteously, sin is inevitable.
A) Forgiveness Errors
1. Merit (Forgiveness/Justification by works): This error promotes the idea that salvation (forgiveness of sins) can be earned through good works and obedience, or religious ceremonies and performances neglecting the simplicity of faith and Gods grace. In Pauls time, this was faith in sacrificing bulls and animals to pay for their sins. In modern times its things like penance "do x y and z, and only then will you be forgiven". While repentance does include restoration of the wrong where possible, high church traditions do not normally mean returning a stolen good to someone if you were a thief, they mean do "x" religious practice "x" amount of times to be forgiven. This is not biblical and goes against the concept of being forgiven by Gods grace freely without needing to merit it.2. Cheap Grace (Salvation in wilful deliberate sin): This error separates faith from works, suggesting that one's actions have no bearing on their final salvation. "Once saved always saved" is a facet of this error. So also is treating sin as a transactional thing (eg a mentality of "I will sin then repent later"). People who hold this error often separate Christians into two classes, "carnal" Christians who believe in Jesus for forgiveness but don't want to obey him, and "mature" Christians who do obey him. There is no distinction like this in historical Christianity. There are immature Christians, and mature Christians but anyone who rejects submission to the teachings of Jesus is outside the faith. Jesus clearly warned about these people being wolves amongst sheep, for by their fruits we will know them. Bad trees bring forth bad fruit.
The biblical truth that balances these errors is that forgiveness (justification in Paul's usage) is by faith alone
Romans 3:28 - For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.but genuine faith will inevitably result in a life of loving obedience to Christ through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, leading to ultimate salvation.
1 Clement 32:4 (LSV - Clement was a hearer of Paul and Peter, a bishop of the Roman church in the 1st century) 4 And we who through His will have been called in Christ Jesus are justified, not by ourselves, or through our wisdom, or understanding, or godliness, or the works that we have done in holiness of heart, but by faith, by which all men from the beginning have been justified by Almighty God, to whom be glory through the ages of the ages. Amen.
James 2:14-26 - What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. ...Christians are justified (ie "forgiven and reconciled to God" in Paul's sense) by faith in Christ, not by works of the law
Galatians 5:13-14 - For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Galatians 2:16 - Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.but true faith will naturally produce good works as evidence of the believer's transformed life
Titus 3:8 - The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.While forgiveness is by grace through faith alone, a living faith is never alone but is always accompanied by good works, resulting in ultimate salvation (justification in James' usage).
It is essential to understand that while good works are necessary evidence of genuine faith, they are not the means by which salvation is earned. Salvation is a gift of God's grace, received through faith in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). Good works are the fruit and outworking of this saving faith (Ephesians 2:10), demonstrating the reality of the believer's transformation in Christ (Titus 2:11-14). In other words, we are saved by faith alone, but saving faith is never alone; it always produces good works (love / fruit) as a result of the Holy Spirit's work in the believer's life (Philippians 2:12-13)."
Ephesians 2:8-9 -For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:10 - For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Titus 2:11-14 - For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
B) Rule of Life Errors
3. Legalism: This error teaches Christians are still bound to the Law of Moses. Sabbatarians fall under this category, as well as the Hebrew Roots movement. These teach we must keep the Torah in totality holding the mosaic law as Gods only and chief expression of His righteous requirement given to men. It rejects the fulfilment of the laws purpose which was to point men to Christ. It also ignores the Holy Spirits role of leading us in all things, having written the law of God on our hearts (Ezekiel 36:26-27) and shedding abroad Gods love in us (Romans 5). It denies we are no longer under the letter of the law but follow the Spirit (Romans 7:6)Ezekiel 36:26-27 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them."4. Antinomianism (Lawlessness): This error correctly teaches we are free from the law of Moses (Romans 7) but doesn't assert we are still bound under the Law of Christ. It leads to open sin and living selfishly to the "flesh". Everyone doing what they think is right in their own eyes like in the book of judges. These people will vehemently assert Romans 7 is a description of the normal Christian life (instead of Pauls life under Judaism before coming to Christ) wanting to do whats right but always living in sin, and deny Romans 8.
Romans 5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 7:6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.
Romans 8:3-4 - For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.The biblical truth is we are freed from the law of Moses (torah - first 5 books of the bible) to serve Jesus doing all He taught (which far exceeds the righteousness described in the Law of Moses). This is summed up in one word - Love. But not some generic love, Jesus is the standard of our love according to the book of John. He gave us a new commandment to love as He loved. Romans 13 says love is the fulfilling of the law.
Irenaeus (130-200AD, bishop and disciple of Polycarp who was a Discple of the apostle John) said the following on the issue which perfectly captures the meaning of Pauls epistles:
A Demonstration of the Apostolic PreachingWe do this by not loving this world (1 John 2) but loving Christ above all and our neighbour as our self which we can do by following His Spirit.
Chp96 God has summed up again for Himself in us the faith of Abraham, we ought not to turn back any more-- I mean, to the first legislation. For we have received the Lord of the Law, the Son of God; and by faith in Him we learn to love God with all our heart, and our neighbour as ourselves. Now the love of God is far from all sin, [289] and love to the neighbour worketh no ill to the neighbour. (Cf. Rom xiii. 10) Wherefore also we need not the Law as a tutor. Behold, with the Father we speak, and in His presence we stand, being children in malice , [290] and grown strong in all righteousness and soberness. For no longer shall the Law say, Do not commit adultery, to him who has no desire at all for another's wife; and Thou shalt not kill, to him who has put away from himself all anger and enmity; (and) Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's field or ox or ass, to those who have no care at all for earthly things, but store up the heavenly fruits: nor An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, to him who counts no man his enemy, but all men his neighbors, and therefore cannot stretch out his hand at all for vengeance. It will not require tithes of him who consecrates all his possessions to God, [291] leaving father and mother and all his kindred, and following the Word of God. And there will be no command to remain idle for one day of rest, to him who perpetually keeps sabbath, [292] that is to say, who in the temple of God, which is man's body, does service to God, and in every hour works righteousness.
1 John 2:15 - Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.The Spirit of God never leads us into sin but is contrary to the the selfish desires of the flesh that result in sin (Galatians 5:16-17).
Galatians 5:16-17 - I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.Practically it just means walking with a clear conscience always and keeping a pure heart before God, resisting temptation and in short - loving him.
1 Tim 1:5 - The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.Praying and study scripture frequently are means by which we can relate to God, as our salvation is primarily relational not transactional. Viewing salvation as transactional is what leads to the majority of these errors I am addressing. Love (goodwill) fulfils the command of righteousness before God. Jesus said in John 15, apart from Him we can do nothing but if we abide in Him we will bare much fruit.
John 15:4-5 - Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.Love obeys all the teachings of Jesus, and these are not hard teachings to those indwelt by the Spirit of God (1 John 5).
1 John 5:3 - For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
C) Relationship to The World Errors
5. Asceticism: This error promotes extreme self-denial and the rejection of worldly pleasures as a means to attain righteousness, often leading to a legalistic and works-based approach to spirituality. It views pleasure as intrinsically evil.6. Hedonism: This error elevates the pursuit of pleasure as the highest good, neglecting the importance of self-control, self-sacrifice for others, and the pursuit of holiness.
The biblical perspective that balances these errors is that Christians should receive God's earthly gifts with gratitude and exercise self-control, preferring others above themselves
Philippians 4:11-13 - Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.Believers are called to live lives of holiness and devotion to God, not indulging in sinful pleasures
Romans 12:10 - Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
1 Peter 1:14-16 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."At the same time, they should not embrace extreme asceticism, which can lead to pride and a false sense of righteousness
Titus 2:11-12 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,
Colossians 2:20-23 - If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— "Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch" (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.God's earthly gifts, when enjoyed with gratitude and moderation, are not inherently evil but are meant to be received with thanksgiving
1 Timothy 4:4 - For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
D) Relationship to Sin & Righteousness Errors
7. Mistakelessness:This error ignores the ongoing reality of the struggle against temptation and the need for vigilance in the life of a believer, claiming that a true believer is incapable of making mistakes or succumbing to temptation and sinning. This error neglects the need for mercy and patience amongst Christians as they grow in maturity in Christ. While believers might occasionally stumble (James 3:2), it's crucial to distinguish between temporary setbacks and a lifestyle of persistent, unrepentant sin.
James 3:2 - For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.Stumbling is easy as a human, but if we can exercise self control in speech (by the Spirit) we can be complete and fully trained like Jesus, for He to became human:
Luke 6:40 - A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.Through the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, believers can experience victory over sin and become like Christ in this world (Luke 6:40) but we still may make mistakes.
1 John 3:7 - Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.If stumbling occurs, it should be met with repentance, seeking forgiveness, and learning from one's mistakes - changing how one lives.
1 John 3:24 - Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
1 John 4:17 - By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.
By emphasizing the power of God's grace and the possibility of Christlikeness, we embrace a balanced perspective that acknowledges the struggle against temptation while affirming God's power to enable believers to live lives pleasing to Him, avoiding the extremes of believing that Christians are either incapable of sinning or that sin is inevitable.
8. Inevitability of sin:
This error denies the transformative power of the Holy Spirit and the ability of believers to live a life pleasing to God, asserting that loving obedience is impossible and sin is inevitable, even after conversion. Those who hold to this error might say things like, 'We will never be sinless in this life,' or 'we sin in thought, word and deed every day' or 'our righteousness is filthy rags' which suggests that believers are doomed to a life of continuous sin and fails to recognize the transformative power of abiding in Christ and walking by the Spirit. It also denies the fruit of the Spirit in ones life is the actual righteousness of God, not ones own and it isn't filthy rags. John 15 says God is pleased by this fruit and we prove to be Christs disciples by abiding in Him and doing His works.
This is the most dominant error amongst believers so I will spend more time unpacking this one. It is rooted in the traditions and novel interpretations of some prominent protestant reformers and not the new testament, or the early church fathers witness.
Those who hold to this error often cite 1 John 1:8 as evidence for their position, which states,
1 John 1:8 - If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.However, this verse must be understood in its proper context. In 1 John 1:8, John is addressing the false teaching that denies the reality of sin and the need for a Savior
1 John 1:6 - If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.Referring to the Gnostic idea that the spiritual realm is entirely separate from the material realm and that one's actions in the physical world do not affect one's spiritual standing. John is not suggesting that believers are doomed to a life of continuous sin.
1 John 1:10 - If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
In fact, just a few verses later, John writes,
1 John 2:1a - My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.indicating that the goal of the Christian life is to avoid sin, not to embrace its inevitability. He goes on to say,
1 John 2:1b - But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.acknowledging that while believers may still stumble, they have the provision of Christ's forgiveness and advocacy if they do.
Furthermore, throughout his epistle, John emphasizes the transformative power of God's love and the believer's union with Christ
1 John 3:6 - No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.which enables them to overcome sin and live a life of obedience. This aligns with the broader New Testament teaching that believers have been set free from the dominion of sin and can live a life pleasing to God through the power of the Holy Spirit
1 John 3:9 - No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
1 John 5:18 - We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.
Romans 6:11-14 - So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.Thus, the error of the inevitability of sin is based on a misinterpretation of 1 John 1:8 and fails to account for the overall message of 1 John and the broader New Testament teaching on the transformative power of God's grace in the life of a believer. It also opposes the earliest extra biblical witnesses on the issue, the very disciples of the disciples.
Galatians 5:16 - But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
Here are some quotations from the disciples of the disciples to prove my point:
Ignatius to the Ephesians 14:2 (1st century Bishop and martyr, direct disciple of the apostle John)Irenaeus (130-200AD, bishop and disciple of Polycarp who was a disciple of the apostle John):
2 No man professing faith sins, and no man possessing love hates. The tree is manifest from its fruit; so they that profess to be Christ’s will be seen through their actions. For the work is not a thing of profession now, but is seen then when one is found in the power of faith to the end.
Polycarp to the Philippians 3:1-3 (1st century Bishop and another martyr, another direct disciple of the apostle John) These things, brothers, I write to you concerning righteousness, not at my own instance, but because you first invited me. 2 For neither am I, nor is any other like me, able to follow the wisdom of the blessed and glorious Paul, who when he was among you in the presence of the men of that time accurately and steadfastly taught the word of truth, and also when he was absent wrote letters to you, from the study of which you will be able to build yourselves up into the faith given to you, 3 “which is the mother of us all” when faith follows, and love of God, and Christ, and neighbor goes before. For if one is in this company, he has fulfilled the command of righteousness, for he who has love is far from all sin.
A Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching
Chp86 And that not by the much speaking of the law, but by the brevity of faith and love, men were to be saved, Isaiah says thus: A word brief and short in righteousness: for a short word will God make in the whole world. (Cf. Isa. x. 23) And therefore the apostle Paul says: Love is the fulfilling of the law: for he who loves God has fulfilled the law. Moreover the Lord, when He was asked which is the first commandment, said: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy strength. [270] And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments, He says, all the hangeth and the prophets. So then by our faith in Him He has made our love to God and our neighbour to grow, making us godly and righteous and good. And therefore a short word has God made on the earth in the world.
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The balanced biblical view is that loving obedience is possible through the power of the Holy Spirit, but temptation remains a reality that believers must resistPhilippians 2:12-13 - Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.The New Testament teaches that believers have been set free from the dominion of sin and can live a life of righteousness through Christ and will never be tempted beyond what they can bare.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.However, it also acknowledges the ongoing fight against temptation and the possibility of making mistakes, emphasizing the need for repentance if one stumbles and reliance on God's grace
Romans 6:11-14 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
1 John 2:1 - My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.Importantly, the Bible warns that believers will be judged according to their deeds
Romans 2:6-11 - He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality.and will have to give an account for their lives, including both their sins and their righteousness
2 Corinthians 5:10 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.This truth should motivate Christians to take their sanctification seriously and strive to live a life that is pleasing to God. The New Testament also warns that those who persistently live according to the flesh, even if they profess faith, will face condemnation
Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.While salvation is by grace through faith alone, these warnings underscore the importance of living out one's faith through obedience and good deeds, demonstrating the reality of one's transformation in Christ.
Galatians 6:7-8 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Hebrews 10:26-31 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Remember, love is the opposite of sin. Sin the opposite of love. We cannot walk and abide in love and sin. Nor can we abide in sin and profess to love God. They are polar opposites. You walk in one or the other, light or darkness. Whoever abides in love abides in God and God in Him. This is how we can assure our hearts before Him, because as He is so are we in this world. Focus on the positive - love, not on sin aversion.
1 John 1: 5-7 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
1 John 4:12-18 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
Summary
In summary, the balanced biblical perspective on Christian doctrine can be encapsulated by the phrase "faith working through love," as stated by Paul inGalatians 5:6 - For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.This concise expression captures the essential relationship between faith, works, and the transformative power of God's love in the life of a believer. It effectively addresses the various errors discussed, emphasizing that genuine faith in Christ will naturally express itself through love for God and others, leading to a life of obedience and good works. By understanding and embracing this principle, Christians can develop a more accurate and balanced understanding of their faith, rooted in the teachings of the New Testament and the ante-Nicene Church Fathers.
2024.05.10 15:09 Bearman637 The Narrow Way - Balancing Extremes in Christian Doctrine
Christian doctrine can be better understood by examining sets of opposite errors and finding the biblical truth that lies between them. By carefully studying these errors and their corresponding truths, believers can develop a more balanced perspective of their faith that is consistent with the teachings of the New Testament and the ante-Nicene Church Fathers (50-200AD). I will quote these early church bishops alongside scripture to demonstrate this was their understanding and not some novel invention. Below is a high level outline of the errors I will address.
Summary:
2. Cheap Grace (Salvation in wilful deliberate sin): This error separates faith from works, suggesting that one's actions have no bearing on their final salvation. "Once saved always saved" is a facet of this error. So also is treating sin as a transactional thing (eg a mentality of "I will sin then repent later"). People who hold this error often separate Christians into two classes, "carnal" Christians who believe in Jesus for forgiveness but don't want to obey him, and "mature" Christians who do obey him. There is no distinction like this in historical Christianity. There are immature Christians, and mature Christians but anyone who rejects submission to the teachings of Jesus is outside the faith. Jesus clearly warned about these people being wolves amongst sheep, for by their fruits we will know them. Bad trees bring forth bad fruit.
The biblical truth that balances these errors is that forgiveness (justification in Paul's usage) is by faith alone
It is essential to understand that while good works are necessary evidence of genuine faith, they are not the means by which salvation is earned. Salvation is a gift of God's grace, received through faith in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). Good works are the fruit and outworking of this saving faith (Ephesians 2:10), demonstrating the reality of the believer's transformation in Christ (Titus 2:11-14). In other words, we are saved by faith alone, but saving faith is never alone; it always produces good works (love / fruit) as a result of the Holy Spirit's work in the believer's life (Philippians 2:12-13)."
Irenaeus (130-200AD, bishop and disciple of Polycarp who was a Discple of the apostle John) said the following on the issue which perfectly captures the meaning of Pauls epistles:
6. Hedonism: This error elevates the pursuit of pleasure as the highest good, neglecting the importance of self-control, self-sacrifice for others, and the pursuit of holiness.
The biblical perspective that balances these errors is that Christians should receive God's earthly gifts with gratitude and exercise self-control, preferring others above themselves
This error ignores the ongoing reality of the struggle against temptation and the need for vigilance in the life of a believer, claiming that a true believer is incapable of making mistakes or succumbing to temptation and sinning. This error neglects the need for mercy and patience amongst Christians as they grow in maturity in Christ. While believers might occasionally stumble (James 3:2), it's crucial to distinguish between temporary setbacks and a lifestyle of persistent, unrepentant sin.
By emphasizing the power of God's grace and the possibility of Christlikeness, we embrace a balanced perspective that acknowledges the struggle against temptation while affirming God's power to enable believers to live lives pleasing to Him, avoiding the extremes of believing that Christians are either incapable of sinning or that sin is inevitable.
8. Inevitability of sin:
This error denies the transformative power of the Holy Spirit and the ability of believers to live a life pleasing to God, asserting that loving obedience is impossible and sin is inevitable, even after conversion. Those who hold to this error might say things like, 'We will never be sinless in this life,' or 'we sin in thought, word and deed every day' or 'our righteousness is filthy rags' which suggests that believers are doomed to a life of continuous sin and fails to recognize the transformative power of abiding in Christ and walking by the Spirit. It also denies the fruit of the Spirit in ones life is the actual righteousness of God, not ones own and it isn't filthy rags. John 15 says God is pleased by this fruit and we prove to be Christs disciples by abiding in Him and doing His works.
This is the most dominant error amongst believers so I will spend more time unpacking this one. It is rooted in the traditions and novel interpretations of some prominent protestant reformers and not the new testament, or the early church fathers witness.
Those who hold to this error often cite 1 John 1:8 as evidence for their position, which states,
In fact, just a few verses later, John writes,
Furthermore, throughout his epistle, John emphasizes the transformative power of God's love and the believer's union with Christ
Here are some quotations from the disciples of the disciples to prove my point:
Remember, love is the opposite of sin. Sin the opposite of love. We cannot walk and abide in love and sin. Nor can we abide in sin and profess to love God. They are polar opposites. You walk in one or the other, light or darkness. Whoever abides in love abides in God and God in Him. This is how we can assure our hearts before Him, because as He is so are we in this world. Focus on the positive - love, not on sin aversion.
submitted by Bearman637 to TrueChristian [link] [comments]
Summary:
A. Forgiveness Errors 1. Merit - Forgiveness by works (either religious ceremonies or moral achievements) 2. Cheap Grace - Salvation in willful unrepentant sin B. Rule of Life Errors 3. Legalism - Chrisitans must obey the law of Moses 4. Antinomianism (Lawlessness) - As Christians are freed from the law of Moses, they are free from all moral obligation. C. Relationship to the World Errors 5. Asceticism - Pleasure and enjoyment is sin. 6. Hedonism - Pleasure and enjoyment is the highest good. D. Relationship to Sin & Righteousness Errors 7. Mistakelessness - Its impossible for genuine christians to sin or stumble, obedience is inevitable. 8. Inevitability of Sin - Its impossible for genuine Christians to obey God and live righteously, sin is inevitable.
A) Forgiveness Errors
1. Merit (Forgiveness/Justification by works): This error promotes the idea that salvation (forgiveness of sins) can be earned through good works and obedience, or religious ceremonies and performances neglecting the simplicity of faith and Gods grace. In Pauls time, this was faith in sacrificing bulls and animals to pay for their sins. In modern times its things like penance "do x y and z, and only then will you be forgiven". While repentance does include restoration of the wrong where possible, high church traditions do not normally mean returning a stolen good to someone if you were a thief, they mean do "x" religious practice "x" amount of times to be forgiven. This is not biblical and goes against the concept of being forgiven by Gods grace freely without needing to merit it.2. Cheap Grace (Salvation in wilful deliberate sin): This error separates faith from works, suggesting that one's actions have no bearing on their final salvation. "Once saved always saved" is a facet of this error. So also is treating sin as a transactional thing (eg a mentality of "I will sin then repent later"). People who hold this error often separate Christians into two classes, "carnal" Christians who believe in Jesus for forgiveness but don't want to obey him, and "mature" Christians who do obey him. There is no distinction like this in historical Christianity. There are immature Christians, and mature Christians but anyone who rejects submission to the teachings of Jesus is outside the faith. Jesus clearly warned about these people being wolves amongst sheep, for by their fruits we will know them. Bad trees bring forth bad fruit.
The biblical truth that balances these errors is that forgiveness (justification in Paul's usage) is by faith alone
Romans 3:28 - For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.but genuine faith will inevitably result in a life of loving obedience to Christ through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, leading to ultimate salvation.
1 Clement 32:4 (LSV - Clement was a hearer of Paul and Peter, a bishop of the Roman church in the 1st century) 4 And we who through His will have been called in Christ Jesus are justified, not by ourselves, or through our wisdom, or understanding, or godliness, or the works that we have done in holiness of heart, but by faith, by which all men from the beginning have been justified by Almighty God, to whom be glory through the ages of the ages. Amen.
James 2:14-26 - What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. ...Christians are justified (ie "forgiven and reconciled to God" in Paul's sense) by faith in Christ, not by works of the law
Galatians 5:13-14 - For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Galatians 2:16 - Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.but true faith will naturally produce good works as evidence of the believer's transformed life
Titus 3:8 - The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.While forgiveness is by grace through faith alone, a living faith is never alone but is always accompanied by good works, resulting in ultimate salvation (justification in James' usage).
It is essential to understand that while good works are necessary evidence of genuine faith, they are not the means by which salvation is earned. Salvation is a gift of God's grace, received through faith in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). Good works are the fruit and outworking of this saving faith (Ephesians 2:10), demonstrating the reality of the believer's transformation in Christ (Titus 2:11-14). In other words, we are saved by faith alone, but saving faith is never alone; it always produces good works (love / fruit) as a result of the Holy Spirit's work in the believer's life (Philippians 2:12-13)."
Ephesians 2:8-9 -For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:10 - For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Titus 2:11-14 - For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
B) Rule of Life Errors
3. Legalism: This error teaches Christians are still bound to the Law of Moses. Sabbatarians fall under this category, as well as the Hebrew Roots movement. These teach we must keep the Torah in totality holding the mosaic law as Gods only and chief expression of His righteous requirement given to men. It rejects the fulfilment of the laws purpose which was to point men to Christ. It also ignores the Holy Spirits role of leading us in all things, having written the law of God on our hearts (Ezekiel 36:26-27) and shedding abroad Gods love in us (Romans 5). It denies we are no longer under the letter of the law but follow the Spirit (Romans 7:6)Ezekiel 36:26-27 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them."4. Antinomianism (Lawlessness): This error correctly teaches we are free from the law of Moses (Romans 7) but doesn't assert we are still bound under the Law of Christ. It leads to open sin and living selfishly to the "flesh". Everyone doing what they think is right in their own eyes like in the book of judges. These people will vehemently assert Romans 7 is a description of the normal Christian life (instead of Pauls life under Judaism before coming to Christ) wanting to do whats right but always living in sin, and deny Romans 8.
Romans 5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 7:6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.
Romans 8:3-4 - For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.The biblical truth is we are freed from the law of Moses (torah - first 5 books of the bible) to serve Jesus doing all He taught (which far exceeds the righteousness described in the Law of Moses). This is summed up in one word - Love. But not some generic love, Jesus is the standard of our love according to the book of John. He gave us a new commandment to love as He loved. Romans 13 says love is the fulfilling of the law.
Irenaeus (130-200AD, bishop and disciple of Polycarp who was a Discple of the apostle John) said the following on the issue which perfectly captures the meaning of Pauls epistles:
A Demonstration of the Apostolic PreachingWe do this by not loving this world (1 John 2) but loving Christ above all and our neighbour as our self which we can do by following His Spirit.
Chp96 God has summed up again for Himself in us the faith of Abraham, we ought not to turn back any more-- I mean, to the first legislation. For we have received the Lord of the Law, the Son of God; and by faith in Him we learn to love God with all our heart, and our neighbour as ourselves. Now the love of God is far from all sin, [289] and love to the neighbour worketh no ill to the neighbour. (Cf. Rom xiii. 10) Wherefore also we need not the Law as a tutor. Behold, with the Father we speak, and in His presence we stand, being children in malice , [290] and grown strong in all righteousness and soberness. For no longer shall the Law say, Do not commit adultery, to him who has no desire at all for another's wife; and Thou shalt not kill, to him who has put away from himself all anger and enmity; (and) Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's field or ox or ass, to those who have no care at all for earthly things, but store up the heavenly fruits: nor An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, to him who counts no man his enemy, but all men his neighbors, and therefore cannot stretch out his hand at all for vengeance. It will not require tithes of him who consecrates all his possessions to God, [291] leaving father and mother and all his kindred, and following the Word of God. And there will be no command to remain idle for one day of rest, to him who perpetually keeps sabbath, [292] that is to say, who in the temple of God, which is man's body, does service to God, and in every hour works righteousness.
1 John 2:15 - Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.The Spirit of God never leads us into sin but is contrary to the the selfish desires of the flesh that result in sin (Galatians 5:16-17).
Galatians 5:16-17 - I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.Practically it just means walking with a clear conscience always and keeping a pure heart before God, resisting temptation and in short - loving him.
1 Tim 1:5 - The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.Praying and study scripture frequently are means by which we can relate to God, as our salvation is primarily relational not transactional. Viewing salvation as transactional is what leads to the majority of these errors I am addressing. Love (goodwill) fulfils the command of righteousness before God. Jesus said in John 15, apart from Him we can do nothing but if we abide in Him we will bare much fruit.
John 15:4-5 - Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.Love obeys all the teachings of Jesus, and these are not hard teachings to those indwelt by the Spirit of God (1 John 5).
1 John 5:3 - For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
C) Relationship to The World Errors
5. Asceticism: This error promotes extreme self-denial and the rejection of worldly pleasures as a means to attain righteousness, often leading to a legalistic and works-based approach to spirituality. It views pleasure as intrinsically evil.6. Hedonism: This error elevates the pursuit of pleasure as the highest good, neglecting the importance of self-control, self-sacrifice for others, and the pursuit of holiness.
The biblical perspective that balances these errors is that Christians should receive God's earthly gifts with gratitude and exercise self-control, preferring others above themselves
Philippians 4:11-13 - Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.Believers are called to live lives of holiness and devotion to God, not indulging in sinful pleasures
Romans 12:10 - Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
1 Peter 1:14-16 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."At the same time, they should not embrace extreme asceticism, which can lead to pride and a false sense of righteousness
Titus 2:11-12 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,
Colossians 2:20-23 - If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— "Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch" (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.God's earthly gifts, when enjoyed with gratitude and moderation, are not inherently evil but are meant to be received with thanksgiving
1 Timothy 4:4 - For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
D) Relationship to Sin & Righteousness Errors
7. Mistakelessness:This error ignores the ongoing reality of the struggle against temptation and the need for vigilance in the life of a believer, claiming that a true believer is incapable of making mistakes or succumbing to temptation and sinning. This error neglects the need for mercy and patience amongst Christians as they grow in maturity in Christ. While believers might occasionally stumble (James 3:2), it's crucial to distinguish between temporary setbacks and a lifestyle of persistent, unrepentant sin.
James 3:2 - For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.Stumbling is easy as a human, but if we can exercise self control in speech (by the Spirit) we can be complete and fully trained like Jesus, for He to became human:
Luke 6:40 - A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.Through the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, believers can experience victory over sin and become like Christ in this world (Luke 6:40) but we still may make mistakes.
1 John 3:7 - Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.If stumbling occurs, it should be met with repentance, seeking forgiveness, and learning from one's mistakes - changing how one lives.
1 John 3:24 - Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
1 John 4:17 - By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.
By emphasizing the power of God's grace and the possibility of Christlikeness, we embrace a balanced perspective that acknowledges the struggle against temptation while affirming God's power to enable believers to live lives pleasing to Him, avoiding the extremes of believing that Christians are either incapable of sinning or that sin is inevitable.
8. Inevitability of sin:
This error denies the transformative power of the Holy Spirit and the ability of believers to live a life pleasing to God, asserting that loving obedience is impossible and sin is inevitable, even after conversion. Those who hold to this error might say things like, 'We will never be sinless in this life,' or 'we sin in thought, word and deed every day' or 'our righteousness is filthy rags' which suggests that believers are doomed to a life of continuous sin and fails to recognize the transformative power of abiding in Christ and walking by the Spirit. It also denies the fruit of the Spirit in ones life is the actual righteousness of God, not ones own and it isn't filthy rags. John 15 says God is pleased by this fruit and we prove to be Christs disciples by abiding in Him and doing His works.
This is the most dominant error amongst believers so I will spend more time unpacking this one. It is rooted in the traditions and novel interpretations of some prominent protestant reformers and not the new testament, or the early church fathers witness.
Those who hold to this error often cite 1 John 1:8 as evidence for their position, which states,
1 John 1:8 - If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.However, this verse must be understood in its proper context. In 1 John 1:8, John is addressing the false teaching that denies the reality of sin and the need for a Savior
1 John 1:6 - If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.Referring to the Gnostic idea that the spiritual realm is entirely separate from the material realm and that one's actions in the physical world do not affect one's spiritual standing. John is not suggesting that believers are doomed to a life of continuous sin.
1 John 1:10 - If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
In fact, just a few verses later, John writes,
1 John 2:1a - My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.indicating that the goal of the Christian life is to avoid sin, not to embrace its inevitability. He goes on to say,
1 John 2:1b - But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.acknowledging that while believers may still stumble, they have the provision of Christ's forgiveness and advocacy if they do.
Furthermore, throughout his epistle, John emphasizes the transformative power of God's love and the believer's union with Christ
1 John 3:6 - No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.which enables them to overcome sin and live a life of obedience. This aligns with the broader New Testament teaching that believers have been set free from the dominion of sin and can live a life pleasing to God through the power of the Holy Spirit
1 John 3:9 - No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
1 John 5:18 - We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.
Romans 6:11-14 - So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.Thus, the error of the inevitability of sin is based on a misinterpretation of 1 John 1:8 and fails to account for the overall message of 1 John and the broader New Testament teaching on the transformative power of God's grace in the life of a believer. It also opposes the earliest extra biblical witnesses on the issue, the very disciples of the disciples.
Galatians 5:16 - But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
Here are some quotations from the disciples of the disciples to prove my point:
Ignatius to the Ephesians 14:2 (1st century Bishop and martyr, direct disciple of the apostle John)Irenaeus (130-200AD, bishop and disciple of Polycarp who was a disciple of the apostle John):
2 No man professing faith sins, and no man possessing love hates. The tree is manifest from its fruit; so they that profess to be Christ’s will be seen through their actions. For the work is not a thing of profession now, but is seen then when one is found in the power of faith to the end.
Polycarp to the Philippians 3:1-3 (1st century Bishop and another martyr, another direct disciple of the apostle John) These things, brothers, I write to you concerning righteousness, not at my own instance, but because you first invited me. 2 For neither am I, nor is any other like me, able to follow the wisdom of the blessed and glorious Paul, who when he was among you in the presence of the men of that time accurately and steadfastly taught the word of truth, and also when he was absent wrote letters to you, from the study of which you will be able to build yourselves up into the faith given to you, 3 “which is the mother of us all” when faith follows, and love of God, and Christ, and neighbor goes before. For if one is in this company, he has fulfilled the command of righteousness, for he who has love is far from all sin.
A Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching
Chp86 And that not by the much speaking of the law, but by the brevity of faith and love, men were to be saved, Isaiah says thus: A word brief and short in righteousness: for a short word will God make in the whole world. (Cf. Isa. x. 23) And therefore the apostle Paul says: Love is the fulfilling of the law: for he who loves God has fulfilled the law. Moreover the Lord, when He was asked which is the first commandment, said: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy strength. [270] And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments, He says, all the hangeth and the prophets. So then by our faith in Him He has made our love to God and our neighbour to grow, making us godly and righteous and good. And therefore a short word has God made on the earth in the world.
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The balanced biblical view is that loving obedience is possible through the power of the Holy Spirit, but temptation remains a reality that believers must resistPhilippians 2:12-13 - Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.The New Testament teaches that believers have been set free from the dominion of sin and can live a life of righteousness through Christ and will never be tempted beyond what they can bare.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.However, it also acknowledges the ongoing fight against temptation and the possibility of making mistakes, emphasizing the need for repentance if one stumbles and reliance on God's grace
Romans 6:11-14 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
1 John 2:1 - My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.Importantly, the Bible warns that believers will be judged according to their deeds
Romans 2:6-11 - He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality.and will have to give an account for their lives, including both their sins and their righteousness
2 Corinthians 5:10 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.This truth should motivate Christians to take their sanctification seriously and strive to live a life that is pleasing to God. The New Testament also warns that those who persistently live according to the flesh, even if they profess faith, will face condemnation
Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.While salvation is by grace through faith alone, these warnings underscore the importance of living out one's faith through obedience and good deeds, demonstrating the reality of one's transformation in Christ.
Galatians 6:7-8 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Hebrews 10:26-31 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Remember, love is the opposite of sin. Sin the opposite of love. We cannot walk and abide in love and sin. Nor can we abide in sin and profess to love God. They are polar opposites. You walk in one or the other, light or darkness. Whoever abides in love abides in God and God in Him. This is how we can assure our hearts before Him, because as He is so are we in this world. Focus on the positive - love, not on sin aversion.
1 John 1: 5-7 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
1 John 4:12-18 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
Summary
In summary, the balanced biblical perspective on Christian doctrine can be encapsulated by the phrase "faith working through love," as stated by Paul inGalatians 5:6 - For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.This concise expression captures the essential relationship between faith, works, and the transformative power of God's love in the life of a believer. It effectively addresses the various errors discussed, emphasizing that genuine faith in Christ will naturally express itself through love for God and others, leading to a life of obedience and good works. By understanding and embracing this principle, Christians can develop a more accurate and balanced understanding of their faith, rooted in the teachings of the New Testament and the ante-Nicene Church Fathers.
2024.05.10 08:41 Bearman637 The Narrow Way - Balancing Extremes in Christian Doctrine
Christian doctrine can be better understood by examining sets of opposite errors and finding the biblical truth that lies between them. By carefully studying these errors and their corresponding truths, believers can develop a more balanced perspective of their faith that is consistent with the teachings of the New Testament and the ante-Nicene Church Fathers (50-200AD). I will quote these early church bishops alongside scripture to demonstrate this was their understanding and not some novel invention. Below is a high level outline of the errors I will address.
Summary:
2. Cheap Grace (Salvation in wilful deliberate sin): This error separates faith from works, suggesting that one's actions have no bearing on their final salvation. "Once saved always saved" is a facet of this error. So also is treating sin as a transactional thing (eg a mentality of "I will sin then repent later"). People who hold this error often separate Christians into two classes, "carnal" Christians who believe in Jesus for forgiveness but don't want to obey him, and "mature" Christians who do obey him. There is no distinction like this in historical Christianity. There are immature Christians, and mature Christians but anyone who rejects submission to the teachings of Jesus is outside the faith. Jesus clearly warned about these people being wolves amongst sheep, for by their fruits we will know them. Bad trees bring forth bad fruit.
The biblical truth that balances these errors is that forgiveness (justification in Paul's usage) is by faith alone
It is essential to understand that while good works are necessary evidence of genuine faith, they are not the means by which salvation is earned. Salvation is a gift of God's grace, received through faith in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). Good works are the fruit and outworking of this saving faith (Ephesians 2:10), demonstrating the reality of the believer's transformation in Christ (Titus 2:11-14). In other words, we are saved by faith alone, but saving faith is never alone; it always produces good works (love / fruit) as a result of the Holy Spirit's work in the believer's life (Philippians 2:12-13)."
Irenaeus (130-200AD, bishop and disciple of Polycarp who was a Discple of the apostle John) said the following on the issue which perfectly captures the meaning of Pauls epistles:
6. Hedonism: This error elevates the pursuit of pleasure as the highest good, neglecting the importance of self-control, self-sacrifice for others, and the pursuit of holiness.
The biblical perspective that balances these errors is that Christians should receive God's earthly gifts with gratitude and exercise self-control, preferring others above themselves
This error ignores the ongoing reality of the struggle against temptation and the need for vigilance in the life of a believer, claiming that a true believer is incapable of making mistakes or succumbing to temptation and sinning. This error neglects the need for mercy and patience amongst Christians as they grow in maturity in Christ. While believers might occasionally stumble (James 3:2), it's crucial to distinguish between temporary setbacks and a lifestyle of persistent, unrepentant sin.
By emphasizing the power of God's grace and the possibility of Christlikeness, we embrace a balanced perspective that acknowledges the struggle against temptation while affirming God's power to enable believers to live lives pleasing to Him, avoiding the extremes of believing that Christians are either incapable of sinning or that sin is inevitable.
8. Inevitability of sin:
This error denies the transformative power of the Holy Spirit and the ability of believers to live a life pleasing to God, asserting that loving obedience is impossible and sin is inevitable, even after conversion. Those who hold to this error might say things like, 'We will never be sinless in this life,' or 'we sin in thought, word and deed every day' or 'our righteousness is filthy rags' which suggests that believers are doomed to a life of continuous sin and fails to recognize the transformative power of abiding in Christ and walking by the Spirit. It also denies the fruit of the Spirit in ones life is the actual righteousness of God, not ones own and it isn't filthy rags. John 15 says God is pleased by this fruit and we prove to be Christs disciples by abiding in Him and doing His works.
This is the most dominant error amongst believers so I will spend more time unpacking this one. It is rooted in the traditions and novel interpretations of some prominent protestant reformers and not the new testament, or the early church fathers witness.
Those who hold to this error often cite 1 John 1:8 as evidence for their position, which states,
In fact, just a few verses later, John writes,
Furthermore, throughout his epistle, John emphasizes the transformative power of God's love and the believer's union with Christ
Here are some quotations from the disciples of the disciples to prove my point:
Remember, love is the opposite of sin. Sin the opposite of love. We cannot walk and abide in love and sin. Nor can we abide in sin and profess to love God. They are polar opposites. You walk in one or the other, light or darkness. Whoever abides in love abides in God and God in Him. This is how we can assure our hearts before Him, because as He is so are we in this world. Focus on the positive - love, not on sin aversion.
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Summary:
A. Forgiveness Errors 1. Merit - Forgiveness by works (either religious ceremonies or moral achievements) 2. Cheap Grace - Salvation in willful unrepentant sin B. Rule of Life Errors 3. Legalism - Chrisitans must obey the law of Moses 4. Antinomianism (Lawlessness) - As Christians are freed from the law of Moses, they are free from all moral obligation. C. Relationship to the World Errors 5. Asceticism - Pleasure and enjoyment is sin. 6. Hedonism - Pleasure and enjoyment is the highest good. D. Relationship to Sin & Righteousness Errors 7. Mistakelessness - Its impossible for genuine christians to sin or stumble, obedience is inevitable. 8. Inevitability of Sin - Its impossible for genuine Christians to obey God and live righteously, sin is inevitable.
A) Forgiveness Errors
1. Merit (Forgiveness/Justification by works): This error promotes the idea that salvation (forgiveness of sins) can be earned through good works and obedience, or religious ceremonies and performances neglecting the simplicity of faith and Gods grace. In Pauls time, this was faith in sacrificing bulls and animals to pay for their sins. In modern times its things like penance "do x y and z, and only then will you be forgiven". While repentance does include restoration of the wrong where possible, high church traditions do not normally mean returning a stolen good to someone if you were a thief, they mean do "x" religious practice "x" amount of times to be forgiven. This is not biblical and goes against the concept of being forgiven by Gods grace freely without needing to merit it.2. Cheap Grace (Salvation in wilful deliberate sin): This error separates faith from works, suggesting that one's actions have no bearing on their final salvation. "Once saved always saved" is a facet of this error. So also is treating sin as a transactional thing (eg a mentality of "I will sin then repent later"). People who hold this error often separate Christians into two classes, "carnal" Christians who believe in Jesus for forgiveness but don't want to obey him, and "mature" Christians who do obey him. There is no distinction like this in historical Christianity. There are immature Christians, and mature Christians but anyone who rejects submission to the teachings of Jesus is outside the faith. Jesus clearly warned about these people being wolves amongst sheep, for by their fruits we will know them. Bad trees bring forth bad fruit.
The biblical truth that balances these errors is that forgiveness (justification in Paul's usage) is by faith alone
Romans 3:28 - For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.but genuine faith will inevitably result in a life of loving obedience to Christ through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, leading to ultimate salvation.
1 Clement 32:4 (LSV - Clement was a hearer of Paul and Peter, a bishop of the Roman church in the 1st century) 4 And we who through His will have been called in Christ Jesus are justified, not by ourselves, or through our wisdom, or understanding, or godliness, or the works that we have done in holiness of heart, but by faith, by which all men from the beginning have been justified by Almighty God, to whom be glory through the ages of the ages. Amen.
James 2:14-26 - What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. ...Christians are justified (ie "forgiven and reconciled to God" in Paul's sense) by faith in Christ, not by works of the law
Galatians 5:13-14 - For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Galatians 2:16 - Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.but true faith will naturally produce good works as evidence of the believer's transformed life
Titus 3:8 - The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.While forgiveness is by grace through faith alone, a living faith is never alone but is always accompanied by good works, resulting in ultimate salvation (justification in James' usage).
It is essential to understand that while good works are necessary evidence of genuine faith, they are not the means by which salvation is earned. Salvation is a gift of God's grace, received through faith in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). Good works are the fruit and outworking of this saving faith (Ephesians 2:10), demonstrating the reality of the believer's transformation in Christ (Titus 2:11-14). In other words, we are saved by faith alone, but saving faith is never alone; it always produces good works (love / fruit) as a result of the Holy Spirit's work in the believer's life (Philippians 2:12-13)."
Ephesians 2:8-9 -For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:10 - For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Titus 2:11-14 - For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
B) Rule of Life Errors
3. Legalism: This error teaches Christians are still bound to the Law of Moses. Sabbatarians fall under this category, as well as the Hebrew Roots movement. These teach we must keep the Torah in totality holding the mosaic law as Gods only and chief expression of His righteous requirement given to men. It rejects the fulfilment of the laws purpose which was to point men to Christ. It also ignores the Holy Spirits role of leading us in all things, having written the law of God on our hearts (Ezekiel 36:26-27) and shedding abroad Gods love in us (Romans 5). It denies we are no longer under the letter of the law but follow the Spirit (Romans 7:6)Ezekiel 36:26-27 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them."4. Antinomianism (Lawlessness): This error correctly teaches we are free from the law of Moses (Romans 7) but doesn't assert we are still bound under the Law of Christ. It leads to open sin and living selfishly to the "flesh". Everyone doing what they think is right in their own eyes like in the book of judges. These people will vehemently assert Romans 7 is a description of the normal Christian life (instead of Pauls life under Judaism before coming to Christ) wanting to do whats right but always living in sin, and deny Romans 8.
Romans 5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 7:6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.
Romans 8:3-4 - For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.The biblical truth is we are freed from the law of Moses (torah - first 5 books of the bible) to serve Jesus doing all He taught (which far exceeds the righteousness described in the Law of Moses). This is summed up in one word - Love. But not some generic love, Jesus is the standard of our love according to the book of John. He gave us a new commandment to love as He loved. Romans 13 says love is the fulfilling of the law.
Irenaeus (130-200AD, bishop and disciple of Polycarp who was a Discple of the apostle John) said the following on the issue which perfectly captures the meaning of Pauls epistles:
A Demonstration of the Apostolic PreachingWe do this by not loving this world (1 John 2) but loving Christ above all and our neighbour as our self which we can do by following His Spirit.
Chp96 God has summed up again for Himself in us the faith of Abraham, we ought not to turn back any more-- I mean, to the first legislation. For we have received the Lord of the Law, the Son of God; and by faith in Him we learn to love God with all our heart, and our neighbour as ourselves. Now the love of God is far from all sin, [289] and love to the neighbour worketh no ill to the neighbour. (Cf. Rom xiii. 10) Wherefore also we need not the Law as a tutor. Behold, with the Father we speak, and in His presence we stand, being children in malice , [290] and grown strong in all righteousness and soberness. For no longer shall the Law say, Do not commit adultery, to him who has no desire at all for another's wife; and Thou shalt not kill, to him who has put away from himself all anger and enmity; (and) Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's field or ox or ass, to those who have no care at all for earthly things, but store up the heavenly fruits: nor An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, to him who counts no man his enemy, but all men his neighbors, and therefore cannot stretch out his hand at all for vengeance. It will not require tithes of him who consecrates all his possessions to God, [291] leaving father and mother and all his kindred, and following the Word of God. And there will be no command to remain idle for one day of rest, to him who perpetually keeps sabbath, [292] that is to say, who in the temple of God, which is man's body, does service to God, and in every hour works righteousness.
1 John 2:15 - Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.The Spirit of God never leads us into sin but is contrary to the the selfish desires of the flesh that result in sin (Galatians 5:16-17).
Galatians 5:16-17 - I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.Practically it just means walking with a clear conscience always and keeping a pure heart before God, resisting temptation and in short - loving him.
1 Tim 1:5 - The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.Praying and study scripture frequently are means by which we can relate to God, as our salvation is primarily relational not transactional. Viewing salvation as transactional is what leads to the majority of these errors I am addressing. Love (goodwill) fulfils the command of righteousness before God. Jesus said in John 15, apart from Him we can do nothing but if we abide in Him we will bare much fruit.
John 15:4-5 - Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.Love obeys all the teachings of Jesus, and these are not hard teachings to those indwelt by the Spirit of God (1 John 5).
1 John 5:3 - For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
C) Relationship to The World Errors
5. Asceticism: This error promotes extreme self-denial and the rejection of worldly pleasures as a means to attain righteousness, often leading to a legalistic and works-based approach to spirituality. It views pleasure as intrinsically evil.6. Hedonism: This error elevates the pursuit of pleasure as the highest good, neglecting the importance of self-control, self-sacrifice for others, and the pursuit of holiness.
The biblical perspective that balances these errors is that Christians should receive God's earthly gifts with gratitude and exercise self-control, preferring others above themselves
Philippians 4:11-13 - Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.Believers are called to live lives of holiness and devotion to God, not indulging in sinful pleasures
Romans 12:10 - Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
1 Peter 1:14-16 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."At the same time, they should not embrace extreme asceticism, which can lead to pride and a false sense of righteousness
Titus 2:11-12 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,
Colossians 2:20-23 - If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— "Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch" (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.God's earthly gifts, when enjoyed with gratitude and moderation, are not inherently evil but are meant to be received with thanksgiving
1 Timothy 4:4 - For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
D) Relationship to Sin & Righteousness Errors
7. Mistakelessness:This error ignores the ongoing reality of the struggle against temptation and the need for vigilance in the life of a believer, claiming that a true believer is incapable of making mistakes or succumbing to temptation and sinning. This error neglects the need for mercy and patience amongst Christians as they grow in maturity in Christ. While believers might occasionally stumble (James 3:2), it's crucial to distinguish between temporary setbacks and a lifestyle of persistent, unrepentant sin.
James 3:2 - For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.Stumbling is easy as a human, but if we can exercise self control in speech (by the Spirit) we can be complete and fully trained like Jesus, for He to became human:
Luke 6:40 - A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.Through the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, believers can experience victory over sin and become like Christ in this world (Luke 6:40) but we still may make mistakes.
1 John 3:7 - Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.If stumbling occurs, it should be met with repentance, seeking forgiveness, and learning from one's mistakes - changing how one lives.
1 John 3:24 - Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
1 John 4:17 - By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.
By emphasizing the power of God's grace and the possibility of Christlikeness, we embrace a balanced perspective that acknowledges the struggle against temptation while affirming God's power to enable believers to live lives pleasing to Him, avoiding the extremes of believing that Christians are either incapable of sinning or that sin is inevitable.
8. Inevitability of sin:
This error denies the transformative power of the Holy Spirit and the ability of believers to live a life pleasing to God, asserting that loving obedience is impossible and sin is inevitable, even after conversion. Those who hold to this error might say things like, 'We will never be sinless in this life,' or 'we sin in thought, word and deed every day' or 'our righteousness is filthy rags' which suggests that believers are doomed to a life of continuous sin and fails to recognize the transformative power of abiding in Christ and walking by the Spirit. It also denies the fruit of the Spirit in ones life is the actual righteousness of God, not ones own and it isn't filthy rags. John 15 says God is pleased by this fruit and we prove to be Christs disciples by abiding in Him and doing His works.
This is the most dominant error amongst believers so I will spend more time unpacking this one. It is rooted in the traditions and novel interpretations of some prominent protestant reformers and not the new testament, or the early church fathers witness.
Those who hold to this error often cite 1 John 1:8 as evidence for their position, which states,
1 John 1:8 - If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.However, this verse must be understood in its proper context. In 1 John 1:8, John is addressing the false teaching that denies the reality of sin and the need for a Savior
1 John 1:6 - If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.Referring to the Gnostic idea that the spiritual realm is entirely separate from the material realm and that one's actions in the physical world do not affect one's spiritual standing. John is not suggesting that believers are doomed to a life of continuous sin.
1 John 1:10 - If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
In fact, just a few verses later, John writes,
1 John 2:1a - My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.indicating that the goal of the Christian life is to avoid sin, not to embrace its inevitability. He goes on to say,
1 John 2:1b - But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.acknowledging that while believers may still stumble, they have the provision of Christ's forgiveness and advocacy if they do.
Furthermore, throughout his epistle, John emphasizes the transformative power of God's love and the believer's union with Christ
1 John 3:6 - No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.which enables them to overcome sin and live a life of obedience. This aligns with the broader New Testament teaching that believers have been set free from the dominion of sin and can live a life pleasing to God through the power of the Holy Spirit
1 John 3:9 - No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
1 John 5:18 - We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.
Romans 6:11-14 - So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.Thus, the error of the inevitability of sin is based on a misinterpretation of 1 John 1:8 and fails to account for the overall message of 1 John and the broader New Testament teaching on the transformative power of God's grace in the life of a believer. It also opposes the earliest extra biblical witnesses on the issue, the very disciples of the disciples.
Galatians 5:16 - But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
Here are some quotations from the disciples of the disciples to prove my point:
Ignatius to the Ephesians 14:2 (1st century Bishop and martyr, direct disciple of the apostle John)Irenaeus (130-200AD, bishop and disciple of Polycarp who was a disciple of the apostle John):
2 No man professing faith sins, and no man possessing love hates. The tree is manifest from its fruit; so they that profess to be Christ’s will be seen through their actions. For the work is not a thing of profession now, but is seen then when one is found in the power of faith to the end.
Polycarp to the Philippians 3:1-3 (1st century Bishop and another martyr, another direct disciple of the apostle John) These things, brothers, I write to you concerning righteousness, not at my own instance, but because you first invited me. 2 For neither am I, nor is any other like me, able to follow the wisdom of the blessed and glorious Paul, who when he was among you in the presence of the men of that time accurately and steadfastly taught the word of truth, and also when he was absent wrote letters to you, from the study of which you will be able to build yourselves up into the faith given to you, 3 “which is the mother of us all” when faith follows, and love of God, and Christ, and neighbor goes before. For if one is in this company, he has fulfilled the command of righteousness, for he who has love is far from all sin.
A Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching
Chp86 And that not by the much speaking of the law, but by the brevity of faith and love, men were to be saved, Isaiah says thus: A word brief and short in righteousness: for a short word will God make in the whole world. (Cf. Isa. x. 23) And therefore the apostle Paul says: Love is the fulfilling of the law: for he who loves God has fulfilled the law. Moreover the Lord, when He was asked which is the first commandment, said: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy strength. [270] And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments, He says, all the hangeth and the prophets. So then by our faith in Him He has made our love to God and our neighbour to grow, making us godly and righteous and good. And therefore a short word has God made on the earth in the world.
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The balanced biblical view is that loving obedience is possible through the power of the Holy Spirit, but temptation remains a reality that believers must resistPhilippians 2:12-13 - Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.The New Testament teaches that believers have been set free from the dominion of sin and can live a life of righteousness through Christ and will never be tempted beyond what they can bare.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.However, it also acknowledges the ongoing fight against temptation and the possibility of making mistakes, emphasizing the need for repentance if one stumbles and reliance on God's grace
Romans 6:11-14 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
1 John 2:1 - My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.Importantly, the Bible warns that believers will be judged according to their deeds
Romans 2:6-11 - He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality.and will have to give an account for their lives, including both their sins and their righteousness
2 Corinthians 5:10 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.This truth should motivate Christians to take their sanctification seriously and strive to live a life that is pleasing to God. The New Testament also warns that those who persistently live according to the flesh, even if they profess faith, will face condemnation
Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.While salvation is by grace through faith alone, these warnings underscore the importance of living out one's faith through obedience and good deeds, demonstrating the reality of one's transformation in Christ.
Galatians 6:7-8 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Hebrews 10:26-31 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Remember, love is the opposite of sin. Sin the opposite of love. We cannot walk and abide in love and sin. Nor can we abide in sin and profess to love God. They are polar opposites. You walk in one or the other, light or darkness. Whoever abides in love abides in God and God in Him. This is how we can assure our hearts before Him, because as He is so are we in this world. Focus on the positive - love, not on sin aversion.
1 John 1: 5-7 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
1 John 4:12-18 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
Summary
In summary, the balanced biblical perspective on Christian doctrine can be encapsulated by the phrase "faith working through love," as stated by Paul inGalatians 5:6 - For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.This concise expression captures the essential relationship between faith, works, and the transformative power of God's love in the life of a believer. It effectively addresses the various errors discussed, emphasizing that genuine faith in Christ will naturally express itself through love for God and others, leading to a life of obedience and good works. By understanding and embracing this principle, Christians can develop a more accurate and balanced understanding of their faith, rooted in the teachings of the New Testament and the ante-Nicene Church Fathers.
2024.05.09 17:37 Tmp_Guest_1 Chocolate, just a harmless joy?
 | *Disclaimer, this is Satire* submitted by Tmp_Guest_1 to exjw [link] [comments] this is not a real Watchtowerarticle, and made up for giggles and laughs. i wanted to proof how easily you can make any topic a biblical matter and give it a bad conotation and push a certain agenda if i want so. years ago someone made a similar article in another language so i wanted to try it myself. just watch how easy it is not to say that chocolate is forbidden, but using language to manipulate and fool people into believing a given narrative as watchtower does. watch that i never wrote anywhere that its forbidden nor that its a DF offense, but coerce and trap the reader to come to the conclusion i want. even watch how the picture of refusing chocolate is never saying that chocolate is forbidden, but the general statement is marking and highlighting my narrative. and how effective this manipulation tactic is. its exactly what Watchtower did all these years with their worldly beard correlations. they never openly wrote about it, atleast for the rank and file to read, but they smeared it everywhere they could to fit their narrative. so here we go, enjoy the read. Chocolate, just a harmless joy?In the blissful aroma and taste of chocolate, many find solace and joy. Yet, behind its tantalizing allure lies a dark history, deeply rooted in pagan Aztec practices. As faithful truthseeker, it behooves us to delve into the hidden perils of this seemingly innocent indulgence and uncover its ancient origins, laden with spiritual dangers.Chocolate, once revered as the "food of the gods" by the Aztecs, was not merely a culinary delight but a sacred offering to their deities. Their civilization, steeped in ritualistic worship, held cocoa in highest esteem, believing it possessed mystical powers. Such reverence for a substance reveals a profound spiritual significance, one that transcends mere sustenance and delves into the realm of the supernatural. The Aztecs, in their fervent devotion, conducted rituals involving cocoa beans, often as offerings in sacrificial ceremonies. This macabre practice, entwined with their belief in appeasing divine entities through bloodshed, reflects a worldview diametrically opposed to the teachings of Jehovah. "The life of the flesh is in the blood,"(Lev17:11) and such acts of offering were abhorrent in the eyes of the true God. Furthermore, the consumption of chocolate was intricately linked to pagan festivals and rites, serving as a conduit for spiritual communion with their gods. As Jehovah's chosen people, we are admonished to avoid participation in the "table of demons"(1. Chor 10:20,21) for one cannot partake of both the cup of Jehovah and the cup of demons. Moreover, the Aztec civilization's demise did not mark the end of chocolate's association with pagan practices. The European conquest of the Americas saw the introduction of cocoa to the Old World, where it underwent further commercialization. Yet, its pagan roots remained deeply entrenched, manifesting in the celebrations and rituals surrounding its consumption. After the flood in Noahs time, somehow pagans and apostates of the true whorship created new cults, some that may or may not revolved around the usage of chocolate. Even in modern times, chocolate continues to be intertwined with pagan festivities, such as Valentine's Day and Halloween, or a simple birhdaycake where its consumption is heralded as a symbol of love and indulgence. However, as discerning servants of Jehovah, we must not be swayed by the trappings of worldly customs, but rather uphold the sanctity of our worship and abstain from all forms of idolatry. Furthermore, the physical dangers of chocolate cannot be denied. Its addictive properties, stemming from the presence of stimulants such as theobromine, sugar and caffeine, have ensnared many in a cycle of dependency. Excessive consumption has been linked to various health ailments, including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, posing a grave threat to both body and mental health. Marc S.(Name changed) a brother from Wallkill says: "i was so heavily involved in my early years as teen to fool around with a hot fudge fountain of chocolate, it teared me mentally down by extreme weight gain loosing many teeth, but worst of all my whorship towards Jehovah was suffering". How did Marc applied biblical principles to turn around his life? "it hit me when i was reading in my bible study about giving Jehovah my first fruits. Now me and my family can find more joy in Jehovahs work in these last days. on top, all the money that went to chocolate eating, was better used for donations for the worldwide work. Now i can say, that my ministry is truely fully accomplished by giving all my fruits to Jehovah and his organisation" Will we make Jehovah proud and let the angels celebrate in heaven, if we are able to explain our believes and stand firm, even under pressure or when alone? The origins of chocolate in pagan Aztec rituals serve as a stark reminder of the spiritual dangers inherent in its consumption. As faithful servants of Jehovah, let us remain vigilant in upholding the purity of our worship and abstain from all forms of idolatry. May we find true satisfaction and spiritual nourishment in the teachings of God's Word, which alone have the power to sustain us unto everlasting life. |
2024.05.09 05:38 Ill_Muscle_6259 Here's what happened at today's SA Senate meeting (5/8/24)
Hi all,
Here's what happened at the last senate meeting of the semester. As always, let me know if you have any questions.
*I am not affiliated with SA in any way.*
*This information may be inaccurate and is definitely incomplete. Read at your own risk!*
Attendance: 12/23
The Senate meeting minutes from last meeting were approved (although you already had them from me) unanimously. Meeting notes: April 24, 2024
No committee reports.
Result - Approved (7Y/5A/0N)
Result: Approved (9Y/3A/0N)
Gavin says that each student gets 5 minutes with one extension, no Q and A.
Ben’s statement: he wants the university to drop the charges of the student protests that were charged with “loitering, trespassing, and disorderly conduct”. His resolution did not get placed on the table, he made it as neutral as possible, in regards to free speech for protestors.
SUNY SA Delegate Tiffany: Talks about her email with another SA delegate, says it’s SA’s choice. The delegate believes that it should be put on the table. She mentions that 1400 undergrads signed the petition for divestment and Becky was only voted in by 700 votes. “Don’t let controversy stop you from speaking up”.
UB MSA President: claims that Becky is taking a stance by not letting senators vote on the divestment resolution.
UB OAS President: Continued discrimination on Palestine related issues. “Bias and injustice”. Here in full support of the divestment resolution. Wednesday night the protestors complied, and were still brutalized while praying. Broke her heart to see friend get beat up, hijab ripped off. Becky does not represent students.
UB JSU Member: Been here for 4 years. Since Oct 7th there has been more antisemitism, been called Nazi, k*ke. One pro Palestine protester yelled during a moment of silence for the holocaust and oct 7th, terror threats have been made.
UB LASA President: Brutalization of protestors is not ok. On brand for UB for this point. Ellicott was design against protesting. Not the only school in the SUNY system that goes against their own students. Supports brothers and sisters in this organization.
UB LASA VP: Grew up in NYC. BLM protests are very similar to Wednesday protest. Does not feel safe on campus after this UBPD. Everyone is afraid of the UBPD. Understand that Becky cannot chose sides, feel like being voices are immediately being silenced, as a fellow student of color.
UB JSU Member: Called a Nazi, told go back to Germany. Wednesday could not get to lab for thesis work. Feels unsafe on this campus as a Jew, sees parallel to grandfather going to Auschwitz for trying to go to work.
UB JSU President: Should not have to feel unsafe. Students feel that they are comfortable with terror threats. “Clear what environment you created”. The bull was painted with the phrase "We love being Jewish" and was vandalized. Jew hatred has increased on campus. Conversations are being held on campus. Conversation is continually rejected (CONTEXT: protestors were asked not to interact with counter protestors). Asked not to remain overnight. Free speech has rules. Sad that it has come to this point. Harassed, doxxed, followed, feels like grandparents during WWII.
UB Student Voices SUNY SA Exec Director: Becky had the nerve to say that the campus is safe. Exercise their first amendment right, SA is the one who has created this environment by not letting conversation happen on campus.
Motion to limit discussion to 3 mins, consent unanimously.
UB SA Senate Affairs Director: Commend everyone for being here and sharing your narrative. Conversations with both of you personally. Peaceful protests, encouraging protests from both sides. Condemns any kind of hatred and people who have felt unsafe. Continue to fight for what you believe.
UB student: Jewish student. 3 of my parents are holocaust survivors, grandmother is Palestinian. He can see antisemitism as it pops up in 1930s Germany, certain words and phrases are antisemitic. People need to know what words mean. BDS means no tomatoes or touch screens or cancer treatments. We should all learn.
UB student: Hate towards Jewish community from some students vs hate towards Brown people from UB administration. Someone who does not feel safe with the current police force. Rebuild relationship with the UBPD, Amherst. People are dying right now in Gaza. Family grown up with genocide by being descended by African slaves.
UB student: Mixed race Jewish student. Misinfo spread on social media about his heritage. Quote and fact check your numbers. Asked where all the Jewish people in the middle east. Hamas’s goal is to genocide all the Jews. Tired of hearing false narratives and nothing rooted in false narratives. Wants people to sit down and research.
UB SA delegate: Sorry for anyone experiencing hate/hate crime. The city of children (in Palestine) should not exist. Killing needs to stop, that is the #1 priority.
UB SA Student Affairs: All the people in this room are doing the right things. Turning into a conversation where. Directing anger at each other rather than the issue at hand. No resolution being voted on today. Nothing more to discuss. Doing things the right way by these protests. Only way to work towards a solution for everyone. Keep dialogue open.
Becky: SA president. This room is the perfect example for SA people neutral. SJP and JSU are both SA clubs. Becky’s feelings have no impact. She is black, nothing stems from personal bias. Misinfo going around. Would like to clarify something. The signatures were not a condition for the resolution being passed. Show that student support this. SA needs to have neutrality. Legally required to not do anything. Say as many buzzwords as you want, cannot yell at the law. EO 157, state law. Applies until the SC or NYS says it doesn’t. Protecting SA by getting sued. None of the clubs will not exist. She does not want to take the risk. She is sorry if she may have provided misinformation. Told both sides the exact same story. I’ve said the same thing. This (the open discussion) is voices being heard. Does not mean rights being violated. When I get emails, this does not change what I have to follow as president. My job is to keep the SA running. This may be hard to understand. Many other ways to go about it. This is not where it will occur. This is not a Becky stance. Sorry for disappointing people on both sides.
UB JSU: A vote would bring more division on campus. Talked to almost all of you. Some of you ignored us, want an open discussion.
UB Vegans VP: We are asking for a vote. If we care about free and open discussions, we would have the vote. There is no neutrality we can take on this issue. Response on Wednesday made me feel safe on this issue. Students were being randomly being ID checked during peaceful candlelight vigil.
Becky: Law does not care about this issue. SA is not the one with the power to change that. If your goal is to get something done, you don’t give up when one path fails. There are other ways to get to the goal if SA does not work.
Will: EO 157 targets the act of calling for divestment.
Becky: I act as a legal filter, do it with people who are actual lawyers.
Kayla: Lobbying to Kathy Hochul might be the better solution here. No wiggle room that they give us. Wants to work with campus to make sure that it is a safe place for Jewish students. Threatened by BLM protests when she participated, wants to be there for everyone.
Tiffany: There are two different risks to take, which one is more important? The law can change + push for the law to change.
Becky: UBPD is separate from SA. Separate actions needed for the UPD issue. Ben’s resolution was dropped and was not cleared, not the resolution that was passed. UPD to act differently is different from divestments. Does not want resolutions that will not do anything.
UB Student: Increase in Jew hatred if BDS is passed. All my friends have experienced Jew hatred. Open discussion is needed.
Discussion ends at 6:51.
No announcements.
Adjournment - 6:51
Thanks to everyone for a great semester. P.S. - I won my argument with the administration over the UBCSR election. The Spectrum put together a full article you can read.
That's all from me for now. As always, if you have any questions please let me know.
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Here's what happened at the last senate meeting of the semester. As always, let me know if you have any questions.
*I am not affiliated with SA in any way.*
*This information may be inaccurate and is definitely incomplete. Read at your own risk!*
TLDR
- Lots and lots of discussion about divestment
- SA calls upon UB to improve their broad based fee surveying efforts and to stop using buses to transport arrested people
The Meeting
The meeting was called to order at: 5:09Attendance: 12/23
The Senate meeting minutes from last meeting were approved (although you already had them from me) unanimously. Meeting notes: April 24, 2024
No committee reports.
Old Business
Resolution #24 - Broad Based Fees - Denied Unanimously (12Y/0A/0N)New Business
Resolution #26 - Broad Based Fees - This resolution calls for UB to overhaul their survey taking process when it comes to getting student opinions about fee increases.
Becky brings up concerns that no action will be taken after this resolution. Jacob recommends forming a committee for this item. Cole recommends getting SA to amplify this survey. Kayla recommends passing the resolution as a sentiment that SA expresses. Becky recommends contacting the office that sent the email and setting up a meeting.Result - Approved (7Y/5A/0N)
Resolution #27 - Transportation Fees - This resolution calls for UB to stop using the Stampede to transport arrested people.
The person who put this forward is "open to criticism" about the resolution. If the senators agree with this sentiment, they should pass it. Becky says that the only alternative would be putting students into a cop car. Becky doesn’t know if there is an alternative. Becky does not approve of students being arrested like criminals. Gavin says that a resolution may not be the best way to do this. The person who put this forward says that the students are dissatisfied with the action take and SA should express their support. The Student Affairs director says he has no issues with this resolution.Result: Approved (9Y/3A/0N)
Open Discussion
Here's what the scene looked like. On the right side of the room, there were about 7-10 people all in support of Israel. The majority of them were from JSU/are Jewish. On the left side of the room were about 15-20 people in support of Palestine, holding up signs calling for Becky to put forward the divestment resolution. The signs talked about how the divestment petition got 1400+ undergrad signatures while Becky was elected with 700 votes. Here's a brief summary of almost everyone's statements (I will add context if needed).Gavin says that each student gets 5 minutes with one extension, no Q and A.
Ben’s statement: he wants the university to drop the charges of the student protests that were charged with “loitering, trespassing, and disorderly conduct”. His resolution did not get placed on the table, he made it as neutral as possible, in regards to free speech for protestors.
SUNY SA Delegate Tiffany: Talks about her email with another SA delegate, says it’s SA’s choice. The delegate believes that it should be put on the table. She mentions that 1400 undergrads signed the petition for divestment and Becky was only voted in by 700 votes. “Don’t let controversy stop you from speaking up”.
UB MSA President: claims that Becky is taking a stance by not letting senators vote on the divestment resolution.
UB OAS President: Continued discrimination on Palestine related issues. “Bias and injustice”. Here in full support of the divestment resolution. Wednesday night the protestors complied, and were still brutalized while praying. Broke her heart to see friend get beat up, hijab ripped off. Becky does not represent students.
UB JSU Member: Been here for 4 years. Since Oct 7th there has been more antisemitism, been called Nazi, k*ke. One pro Palestine protester yelled during a moment of silence for the holocaust and oct 7th, terror threats have been made.
UB LASA President: Brutalization of protestors is not ok. On brand for UB for this point. Ellicott was design against protesting. Not the only school in the SUNY system that goes against their own students. Supports brothers and sisters in this organization.
UB LASA VP: Grew up in NYC. BLM protests are very similar to Wednesday protest. Does not feel safe on campus after this UBPD. Everyone is afraid of the UBPD. Understand that Becky cannot chose sides, feel like being voices are immediately being silenced, as a fellow student of color.
UB JSU Member: Called a Nazi, told go back to Germany. Wednesday could not get to lab for thesis work. Feels unsafe on this campus as a Jew, sees parallel to grandfather going to Auschwitz for trying to go to work.
UB JSU President: Should not have to feel unsafe. Students feel that they are comfortable with terror threats. “Clear what environment you created”. The bull was painted with the phrase "We love being Jewish" and was vandalized. Jew hatred has increased on campus. Conversations are being held on campus. Conversation is continually rejected (CONTEXT: protestors were asked not to interact with counter protestors). Asked not to remain overnight. Free speech has rules. Sad that it has come to this point. Harassed, doxxed, followed, feels like grandparents during WWII.
UB Student Voices SUNY SA Exec Director: Becky had the nerve to say that the campus is safe. Exercise their first amendment right, SA is the one who has created this environment by not letting conversation happen on campus.
Motion to limit discussion to 3 mins, consent unanimously.
UB SA Senate Affairs Director: Commend everyone for being here and sharing your narrative. Conversations with both of you personally. Peaceful protests, encouraging protests from both sides. Condemns any kind of hatred and people who have felt unsafe. Continue to fight for what you believe.
UB student: Jewish student. 3 of my parents are holocaust survivors, grandmother is Palestinian. He can see antisemitism as it pops up in 1930s Germany, certain words and phrases are antisemitic. People need to know what words mean. BDS means no tomatoes or touch screens or cancer treatments. We should all learn.
UB student: Hate towards Jewish community from some students vs hate towards Brown people from UB administration. Someone who does not feel safe with the current police force. Rebuild relationship with the UBPD, Amherst. People are dying right now in Gaza. Family grown up with genocide by being descended by African slaves.
UB student: Mixed race Jewish student. Misinfo spread on social media about his heritage. Quote and fact check your numbers. Asked where all the Jewish people in the middle east. Hamas’s goal is to genocide all the Jews. Tired of hearing false narratives and nothing rooted in false narratives. Wants people to sit down and research.
UB SA delegate: Sorry for anyone experiencing hate/hate crime. The city of children (in Palestine) should not exist. Killing needs to stop, that is the #1 priority.
UB SA Student Affairs: All the people in this room are doing the right things. Turning into a conversation where. Directing anger at each other rather than the issue at hand. No resolution being voted on today. Nothing more to discuss. Doing things the right way by these protests. Only way to work towards a solution for everyone. Keep dialogue open.
Becky: SA president. This room is the perfect example for SA people neutral. SJP and JSU are both SA clubs. Becky’s feelings have no impact. She is black, nothing stems from personal bias. Misinfo going around. Would like to clarify something. The signatures were not a condition for the resolution being passed. Show that student support this. SA needs to have neutrality. Legally required to not do anything. Say as many buzzwords as you want, cannot yell at the law. EO 157, state law. Applies until the SC or NYS says it doesn’t. Protecting SA by getting sued. None of the clubs will not exist. She does not want to take the risk. She is sorry if she may have provided misinformation. Told both sides the exact same story. I’ve said the same thing. This (the open discussion) is voices being heard. Does not mean rights being violated. When I get emails, this does not change what I have to follow as president. My job is to keep the SA running. This may be hard to understand. Many other ways to go about it. This is not where it will occur. This is not a Becky stance. Sorry for disappointing people on both sides.
UB JSU: A vote would bring more division on campus. Talked to almost all of you. Some of you ignored us, want an open discussion.
UB Vegans VP: We are asking for a vote. If we care about free and open discussions, we would have the vote. There is no neutrality we can take on this issue. Response on Wednesday made me feel safe on this issue. Students were being randomly being ID checked during peaceful candlelight vigil.
Becky: Law does not care about this issue. SA is not the one with the power to change that. If your goal is to get something done, you don’t give up when one path fails. There are other ways to get to the goal if SA does not work.
Will: EO 157 targets the act of calling for divestment.
Becky: I act as a legal filter, do it with people who are actual lawyers.
Kayla: Lobbying to Kathy Hochul might be the better solution here. No wiggle room that they give us. Wants to work with campus to make sure that it is a safe place for Jewish students. Threatened by BLM protests when she participated, wants to be there for everyone.
Tiffany: There are two different risks to take, which one is more important? The law can change + push for the law to change.
Becky: UBPD is separate from SA. Separate actions needed for the UPD issue. Ben’s resolution was dropped and was not cleared, not the resolution that was passed. UPD to act differently is different from divestments. Does not want resolutions that will not do anything.
UB Student: Increase in Jew hatred if BDS is passed. All my friends have experienced Jew hatred. Open discussion is needed.
Discussion ends at 6:51.
No announcements.
Adjournment - 6:51
Final Thoughts
I was hoping to see a resolution about UBF's investment portfolio, but it wasn't put up to a vote.Thanks to everyone for a great semester. P.S. - I won my argument with the administration over the UBCSR election. The Spectrum put together a full article you can read.
That's all from me for now. As always, if you have any questions please let me know.
2024.05.08 04:44 coleminerman [URA #7][Republic Patriots][Glee Anselm] URA Exercise and Speech by the Minister of War
Minister of War T’sona Maxeem oversaw a recent “war games” exercise performed by the URA Navy and the NRDF in the vicinity of Glee Anselm this week, which reporters of all news channels, especially ANN, were given front-row seats to. They made sure to show off the capabilities of many of their newer, more cutting-edge designs, many of which, for both groups, were developed on the planet below. It was a spectacular sight, showcasing the might of the Republic’s defenders, and clearly visible even from the ground, or at least, waters of Glee Anselm. That is, if you had a telescope or macrobinoculars, of course.
After the exercise was concluded, Maxim visited Glee Anselm personally for a ceremony, in which she met with and awarded medals to local veterans of the Zsinj War and the Isard Campaign. Afterwards, she gave a speech to the gathered crowd.
An excerpt from the speech:
“This New Republic has, thanks to the efforts of our people, stood its ground against the first few tests it has been pushed through. A large part of our weathering of these tests has been our technological edge, keeping our brave soldiers safe and ensuring their victory over their enemies. Now, our struggle enters a new stage. Our enemy is not destroyed, simply humbled. We are entering a new form of conflict with our enemy. Not one of fleets and armies and battles, but one of vigilance, security, and, of course, technology. To stay on top of things, to overcome this new challenge against our great democracy, we must continue to hold the technological edge. For even if we do not develop on our own, our enemy will surely do so without us. Glee Anselm was one of the founding worlds of the URA. With the help of your people, your scientists, your labs, the URA, and the Republic as a whole as a result, has always stayed one step ahead of our enemies. So I urge you to remember this when you cast your votes. It is your work back home that ensures our Republic lasts, and our soldiers make it back to their homes in one piece. For the Republic!”
submitted by coleminerman to SW_Senate_Campaign [link] [comments]
After the exercise was concluded, Maxim visited Glee Anselm personally for a ceremony, in which she met with and awarded medals to local veterans of the Zsinj War and the Isard Campaign. Afterwards, she gave a speech to the gathered crowd.
An excerpt from the speech:
“This New Republic has, thanks to the efforts of our people, stood its ground against the first few tests it has been pushed through. A large part of our weathering of these tests has been our technological edge, keeping our brave soldiers safe and ensuring their victory over their enemies. Now, our struggle enters a new stage. Our enemy is not destroyed, simply humbled. We are entering a new form of conflict with our enemy. Not one of fleets and armies and battles, but one of vigilance, security, and, of course, technology. To stay on top of things, to overcome this new challenge against our great democracy, we must continue to hold the technological edge. For even if we do not develop on our own, our enemy will surely do so without us. Glee Anselm was one of the founding worlds of the URA. With the help of your people, your scientists, your labs, the URA, and the Republic as a whole as a result, has always stayed one step ahead of our enemies. So I urge you to remember this when you cast your votes. It is your work back home that ensures our Republic lasts, and our soldiers make it back to their homes in one piece. For the Republic!”
2024.05.07 20:46 Doctorbatman3 Gamers Guild AZ 3k May the 4th Tournament Report and Personal Match up Analysis
 | Gamers Guild in Tempe AZ hosted a tournament this weekend for May the 4th with over 3k worth of prizes for top 8 (12 Boxes split, case to first - 2 for 2nd to 4th - 1 5th to 8th). Before I get into the thick of it I have to shout out Gamers Guild for not only a wonderful event but for keeping the prizing and entry the same as when the event was announced. For some context, when this tournament was announced the prizing was equivelant to roughly 1k. Between then and last weekend box prices basically doubled to the point where now the prize pool is equivelant to 3k. Instead of back tracking and changing the prizing or entry ($50), they stood by the community and kept their word. At every opprotunity Gamers Guild makes the decision that benefits the players, for which I cannot be more grateful. Now to the fun stuff. submitted by Doctorbatman3 to starwarsunlimited [link] [comments] Grand finals was not played, a split accured at top 4 and we played out that last round before ending Top 8 Breakdown - 3x Sabine Cunning 1x Sabine Aggression 2x Leia Red (1 Tarkin 1 Kestro) 1x Han Green 1x Krennic Green I do not have the exact match count for each top 8 match played but I do know the results at least. Sabine(Y) VS Krennix Green - Sabine(Y) Sabine(Y) VS Leia (Kestro) - Sabine(Y) Sabine(Y) VS Han Green - Sabine(Y) Sabine(R) VS Leia (Tarkin) - Sabine(R) Bringing us to our top 4 of 3 Sabine Cunnings and 1 Sabine Aggression. A fun note, all 3 of the Sabine Cunning players consisted of Myself and my 2 teammates who all where on the same list +/- a few cards. We worked very hard to come up with a list that stacked up well into the entire meta and we fully believe we succeeded in that. At this point in the event we split the top 4 prizing for 3 Boxes each, and then played out one more round. Sabine(Y) VS Sabine (Y) - Sabine (Y) Sabine(R) VS Sabine(Y) - Sabine (Y) At this point I lost the mirror to my teammate while our other team member won their match putting our grand finals to a mirror match. We did not play out the last round as we really didnt feel a need to at that point. I wish I had more information on the breakdown for decks in swiss to share but what I can and will do is now delve into my own personal match ups. I was the only person to be undefeated after 5 rounds of swiss and I have a lot to share about my deck and experiences saturday. 5-0 after Swiss Top 4 after Cut Here is the deck! While I would like to focus on the match ups instead of this being a deck tech, there a few interesting things I will make sure to not throughout and I will be responsive to questions in the comments. ROUND 1 - Sabine(Y) VS Sabine(Y) - Sabine(Y) 2-0 For what would be a precurser to my bracket run, round one was brutal. I was paired vs my teammate which is rough enough as is, but round one I really would like not to sweat as much as I had to. Normally I feel very confident In any Sabine mirror due to our 3 main decked Bamboozles. No one else is likely to be playing them or even expecting them EXCEPT for one of only 2 other people you've spent weeks in the think tank with. Despite this I still had a plan, race. There are not any real specific plays to point to for how I won this matchup, In all honesty my cards just lined up better than his. It sucks to beat a teammate but I had full confidence he would win out. ROUND 2 - Sabine(Y) VS Sabine(Y) - Sabine(Y) 2-0 Another mirror??? and its NOT my other teammate?? Sabine(Y) has been picking up steam here in AZ so its not shocking to see it just unexpected. Unfortunately for them, I have Bamboozle and they do not, they don't even know I have it. Game 1 was a typical 2 drop into 2 drop on both sides with my opponent on the Initiative, His A wing my Sabine unit. turn 2 he wing leaders the A Wing Which promptly gets Bamboozled free with a discard. I follow up with Falcon to clean the A-wing up and from that point the tempo is too far in my favor. Game 2 was even faster, They start space I dodged to ground with double 1 drops. They play a red and attack my base for 4. I double attack their base, Drop medal ceremony and falcon to clean up the Red Three. At this point im holding back a Bamboozle and leia for the next turns so I can slow anything they would like to do and continue the race. The match ends soon after. Bamboozle is the ace in this match up, the fear that you may lose your entire play and then some to a 2 cost card (OR FREE) is a lot of pressure to face. Even when it is not defeating upgrades, often time even just the tap is more than enough. ROUND 3 - Sabine(Y) VS Krennic Green - Sabine(Y) 2-0 Game one was fairly back and forth, A lot of healing was had on my opponents side but unfortunantley for them I was able to keep consistent threats on the board for repetetive damage. I had to fight through 2 Vigilance, their leader, and a Cargo Juggernaut but they just could not remove enough threats. Every heal was answered with damage already on board. Game 2 was pretty devastating for them but a great example of just how explosive the deck can be when your opponent stumbles even a little bit. It was very quick so I remeber basically every play. They opened with a Probe droid so I dodged to space with an X wing. Next turn they Power of the Dark side it, I respond with Falcon and Deal 3 leaving them at 5 going into next round (2 leader pings). They open with Power again Killing the Falcon but leaving me wide open to do whatever I would like. They made a mistake here and attacked my base with the Probe droid before I played out my leader making it even more likely she lives to the next turn. I ping then flip and wing leader my Leader to hit for 5 putting them at 11 now. Turn 4 now, its pivitol that I leave myself in a position to win pretty much immediatly into the next turn. Or so I thought, As the turn played out I was able to get another 7 in with both my swings putting them at 18, Krennic came out put them to 16, I played For a cause hitting for 4 and then Ending the game for exact lethal with Sneak Attack + Fleet lieutenant. The best answer to Vigilance is just killing them before they can cast it I guess. ROUND 4 - Sabine(Y) VS Boba Green - Sabine(Y) 2-0 This is the deck that beats aggro right? Maybe if you're playing a bad aggro deck but certainly not this list. While it can be rough at times and Boba can have the answers, we have more than enough tricks to keep us in it and can very easily exploit the 25 health base. My opponent is first (I didnt win a dice roll all day) so my strategy is a simple lane dodge. Its crucial I keep either a flexible or resilient hand vs Boba. Another key piece to this match up is tapping Boba on his flip turn. This is such a key piece our teammate was saying we should even consider keeping awkward hands just to guarantee tapping Boba. Like Obi-Wan to Luke during the trench run my teammates voice came down from the heavens and told me to keep my hand. While normally I wouldnt hesitate to go for a double 1 drop play, especially when they go space with cartel like he did, but I was patient and held back the Leia playing only spec force. This slowed my damage down for sure but not by much, and all of it was made up for when my opponent went for the Leader flip turn hopping to untap and Overwhelming Barrage me. Leia said no and its on to game 2. Theres not a lot to report with this one, I ran away in space and my opponents removal did not line up. ROUND 5 - Sabine(Y) VS Sabine(R) - Sabine(Y) 2-1 I really want to shoutout my opponent, they traveled from Reno to attend this event and they really helped to make it memorable for me and my crew. I have nothing but amazing things to say about my opponent and we both walked away learning a lot from each other. While in general I believe that my deck is the fastest deck and will always win a straight race, Aggression made took me for a ride. Mono red seems very good at keeping up with yellow and their ace card aggression lines up very well into me. One of the things that makes Bamboolze and Leia so good is that they can advance my game state at the same time as I am stymieing my opponents. Well it turns out Aggression Does that really really well. Deal 4 + Untap a unit is absolutely brutal in terms of tempo. I was able to squeek in the last points of damage each round I won but it was always by just 1 action all 3 games. These decks line up into each very well making for a super cool match up. We talked a lot after that round and while we both very much like the Mono red option, Yellow lines up better into the field. They are taking our list to some big events coming up and I could not be more excited to see how they do. TOP 8 ROUND 1 - Leia Red(Kestro) VS Sabine(Y) - Sabine(Y) 2-0 Leia Leia Leia, what can I say about her? I have a lot of mixed thoughts on this deck. I think I am currently on the side of Leia not being that great of a deck. Not necessarily because its weak, but other decks can do what it does without the weaknesses that Leia suffers. In this match up they are the control deck, I am much much faster than them and my units pretty much all line up equally or better into theirs. In game one I am able to run away on the ground with Leia Spec force T1 into their Partisan Insurgent. They have no trades available without first playing a red unit, leaving me wide open to fleet lieutenant the insurgent and take control of the arena. From there the race is mine and I end the game on T4. Game 2 was very very close, their cards lined up into mine much better this game making it extremely hard to keep units on the board. I had already commited to the race here and just dug my heels in deeper. It was very nearly not enough as I put my opponent to 24 with no cards left in my hand and a wing leader + buffed sabine left. After a very difficult turn I manage to calculate the damage and put us in a spot where I cannot be killed by any 1 action only 2. With me at 18 life and them with a 4 attack and 5, even a rebel assault was not lethal but I was at the mercy of my top deck. They put me into lethal range but fortunantly for me Heroic Sacrific came off the top to clinch the victory. The 30 Health base makes this match up much scarier than normal. A few Leias have been running 30 health recently and that has changed my thoughts on the match up pretty heavily. I still think we are very favored but not to the extent if they where playing Tarkin Town. TOP 8 ROUND 2 - Sabine(Y) VS Sabine(Y) - Sabine (Y) 2-1 The final match of the tournament, at this point with 3/3 of our team in top 4, we couldn't have been happier. Seeing as it was 3 teammates, we opted to split with the 4th player on board as well. My round 5 Opponent was in the top cut with us making it an easy choice. We did decide to play it out atleast. I proceeded to get pretty exposed here. We talked and practiced together constantly but weren't really running Sabine mirrors over and over against each other. This lead to us all kind of coming to different conclusions on how to deal with the mirror and gaps in our plans. All day I did very little trading and focused entirely on squeezing the absolute maximum damage every turn. Even in aggro mirrors I always took the role of the aggro deck. This teammate was the opposite, they LOVE trading and they are very good at it. Its very easy to make a wrong move trading and find yourself short the damage you need or losing your tempo entirely. In a few tournaments leading up to this I had struggled with the trading gameplan against other aggro decks. Sadly I wasnt really capable of recognizing this going into the event so I never really practiced with that in mind. All that to say, my gameplan crumbled to them. Looking back I certainly see some mistakes, and there was a pretty big misplay in game 2 that may or may not have won me the game. However my opponent did not make mistakes and was able to capitalize earning them a well deserved victory. The other top 4 match wrapped up shortly after leaving only 2 Sabine(Y) players in the finals. This round was not played, and the honorary victory went to the Teammate who beat me in top 8. Well that was a lot of text, I hope by sharing my experiences all of us can potentially learn something and become better at this game as a community. Again massive shout outs to Gamers Guild AZ for consistently hosting great events and having the communities back from day 1. The AZ Scene would not be what it is without Gamers Guild! Secondly the Mono Red Sabine Player, he really deserve a shout out aswell for being such a cool dude. This guy is taking the 3 boxes they won back to their community and making sure it gets into their hands at a fair price. If thats not one of the sweetest things I dont know what is, these boxes sell for 250 easily but somethings are far more important than that. Final Thoughts I love this game so much, the depth is astounding. The fact the meta can shift as much as it has and will continue to in just one set is very impressive to me. The balance is very good with only a few outliers, one of those being the deck we played this weekend. It boggles my mind that Sabine(Y) is so slept on. I have numerous downvotes in this sub from talking about how Sabine(Y) is far superior to (G). Slowly but surely people are coming around but even the Yellow lists that have done well seem to be missing key pieces that elevate them over Green. The Sabine(Y) at Kissime for example was running something like 1 greedo, 0 sneak attacks and while it was a solid list, its missing what makes Yellow not only good but oppressive. The amount of reach we have is unparalleled for the cost. Cards like Suprise Strike and For a cause are great but when paired with Sneak Attack + Fleet Lieutenant, you can very easily suprise your opponent with more damage than they can come back from. On top of that the utility present in the list between Leia and Bamboozle lets us leverage extreme tempo plays that most decks are not equipped to deal with. We truely believe this is the BEST deck in the format with a 55%+ win rate vs the entire current meta. This could change with shifts or new discoveries so I will not claim it is the best deck of the set. If you do not believe me please play it yourself and witness what it can do personally. A small disclaimer, this deck is not easy. You will constant be given multiple options that all seem equally correct but are not. This is not just a turn your cards sideways and you win deck, while it can like any other aggro deck do that, this deck wins with planning and outmanouvering your opponent more than anything else. Thank you for taking the time to read this, even if it was only a little bit. I will be active in the comments and welcome any and all discussion. I love talking and learning about this game so please do so with me! Edit: it was brought to my attention I left off 4 boxes in the prize pool. Making the prizing roughly closer to 4k can 3. Case to first 2 to 2-4th and 1 to 5th-8th. Edit2: Sideboarding is something Ive been asked a few times about so I will breifly go into it. Aggro - Remove all 3 For a Cause. Add 1 Medel Ceremony and 2 Rebel Assault. Midrange - Lets just call this Boba as none of the other Midrange decks really matter to me. Remove 2 Medal Ceremony. Add 2 Rebel Assault. Control: Bamboozle stays or goes only if they are playing Childsen. I bring in 2 Choppers 1 Medal ceremony and 2 Fang Fighters. Its a little less obvious what to take out VS these match ups but definently Auzituck. Now that Chopper is not in the side deck though It makes siding a little easier. Spark of Rebellion is also a card that is apparently good in these match ups but it has never been useful for me specifically. I cant comment on how good it is or isnt but I have sideboard space so its there. |
2024.05.07 19:29 Kind-Claim-2577 From Ancient Rituals to Modern Comfort: The Evolution of Candle Usage
 | Candles have been a source of light, warmth, and ambiance for millennia, transcending their utilitarian origins to become symbols of comfort, spirituality, and relaxation in modern times. From ancient rituals to contemporary comforts, the evolution of candle usage mirrors the evolution of human civilization itself, reflecting changes in culture, technology, and societal values. In this blog, we will delve into the rich history of candles, tracing their journey from sacred ceremonies and practical illumination to their diverse roles in today's world. submitted by Kind-Claim-2577 to u/Kind-Claim-2577 [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/2f1jwl8fh1zc1.jpg?width=4928&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=27c52713621d3dc3d80b506da18c0d76a44737b2 Ancient Origins:The use of candles dates back to ancient civilizations, where they played a vital role in religious ceremonies, rituals, and daily life. In ancient Egypt, candles made from animal fat or beeswax were used in temples to honor the gods and guide spirits to the afterlife. Similarly, in ancient Rome, candles were integral to religious rites, symbolizing purity and enlightenment.Medieval Europe:During the Middle Ages, candles remained predominantly religious symbols, illuminating churches and monasteries during evening prayers and ceremonies. However, as candle-making techniques improved and access to materials expanded, candles became more accessible to the general population. Tallow candles, made from animal fat, were commonly used by the lower classes, while beeswax candles were reserved for the wealthy elite due to their higher cost and superior quality.The Renaissance and Beyond:The Renaissance marked a period of innovation and artistic expression, leading to advancements in candle-making techniques and designs. Beeswax candles adorned with intricate carvings and embellishments became status symbols, gracing the tables of nobility and adding elegance to grand events. Meanwhile, the invention of the candle wick made from cotton revolutionized candle-making, resulting in cleaner, more consistent burning.Industrial Revolution:The Industrial Revolution brought about significant changes in candle production, with the introduction of mass manufacturing techniques and the use of paraffin wax, a byproduct of petroleum refining. Paraffin candles quickly became the preferred choice for their affordability and availability, eventually surpassing beeswax candles in popularity. The advent of gas and electric lighting further diminished the practical necessity of candles, relegating them to secondary roles as decorative items and mood enhancers.Revival of Interest:Despite the widespread availability of electric lighting, candles experienced a resurgence in popularity during the late 20th century, fueled by a growing interest in wellness, mindfulness, and self-care. Scented candles infused with essential oils became synonymous with relaxation and aromatherapy, offering individuals a simple yet effective way to unwind and de-stress after a long day. Additionally, candles regained their status as decorative accents, with artisanal candle makers producing handcrafted creations that appealed to consumers seeking unique, artisanal products.Modern Applications:Today, candles serve multiple purposes beyond mere giving light. They are used to create ambiance in homes, restaurants, and spas, adding warmth and intimacy to any space. Scented candles are employed not only for their aromatic properties but also for their ability to evoke memories, uplift moods, and enhance well-being. From calming lavender to invigorating citrus, candle fragrances cater to a diverse range of preferences and purposes.Furthermore, candles continue to hold significance in various cultural and religious traditions, symbolizing hope, spirituality, and remembrance. Whether lit during ceremonies, rituals, or personal reflections, candles retain their timeless appeal as conduits of light and symbolism. Candles in Hospitality and Spa IndustriesIn the world of hospitality and spa industries, creating a serene and inviting atmosphere is essential for ensuring guest satisfaction and relaxation. Among the myriad of elements that contribute to ambiance, candles play a pivotal role in setting the mood, enhancing sensory experiences, and promoting a sense of tranquility. Let's explore how candles are utilized in hospitality and spa settings to elevate guest experiences to new heights.1. Creating a Welcoming AtmosphereUpon entering a hotel lobby or spa reception area, guests are greeted by a warm and inviting ambiance, often accentuated by the soft glow of candles. Whether placed strategically on reception desks, lounge areas, or coffee tables, candles immediately signal a sense of hospitality and relaxation, making guests feel welcome and at ease from the moment they arrive. https://preview.redd.it/6jt186yjh1zc1.jpg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9ec835f9a399c412dbe15d5bab4dff370775d87f 2. Enhancing Relaxation and Well-beingIn spa environments, candles are not merely decorative accents but powerful tools for promoting relaxation and well-being. Scented candles infused with calming essential oils, such as lavender, chamomile, or eucalyptus, fill treatment rooms with soothing aromas, helping guests unwind and de-stress before their treatments. The flickering flame of candles adds to the ambiance, creating a tranquil atmosphere conducive to relaxation and mindfulness.3. Setting the Mood for RomanceFor hotels catering to couples on romantic getaways or special occasions, candles are indispensable for setting the mood for romance. Whether adorning dining tables during candlelit dinners or scattered around luxurious suites, candles create an intimate and enchanting atmosphere that enhances the romantic experience for guests.4. Promoting Brand Identity and Signature ScentsCandles can also serve as a reflection of a hotel or spa's brand identity and unique offerings. Many luxury hotels and spas develop signature scents that encapsulate their brand essence and evoke a sense of luxury and exclusivity. By infusing their spaces with these signature scents through candles, they create a sensory experience that resonates with guests and reinforces brand recognition.5. Adding a Touch of SophisticationIn addition to their therapeutic and mood-enhancing benefits, candles contribute to the aesthetic appeal of hospitality and spa environments. Whether placed in stylish candle holders, lanterns, or decorative vessels, candles add a touch of elegance and sophistication to interior decor, elevating the overall ambiance and visual appeal of the space.6. Enhancing Guest Engagement and SatisfactionBy incorporating candles into their ambiance and guest experience offerings, hotels and spas can enhance guest engagement and satisfaction. Guests appreciate the attention to detail and thoughtful touches that candles provide, whether it's a scented candle burning in their room upon arrival or a candle-lit yoga session at the spa. These small gestures leave a lasting impression and contribute to positive guest reviews and loyalty.Candles in Contemporary Religious CeremoniesCandles have long held a sacred place in religious rituals and ceremonies, serving as symbols of spirituality, reverence, and divine presence. Today, candles continue to play a central role in religious practices around the world, enriching worship experiences and fostering a sense of connection to the divine. Let's explore the enduring significance of candles in contemporary religious ceremonies.1. Symbolism of Light and IlluminationIn many religious traditions, light is synonymous with divine presence, enlightenment, and spiritual awakening. Candles, with their flickering flames and radiant glow, symbolize the eternal light of God and serve as a tangible reminder of His presence among worshippers. Lighting candles during religious ceremonies signifies the dispelling of darkness and the ushering in of spiritual illumination and clarity.2. Enhancing Sacred SpacesCandles are often used to adorn sacred spaces, such as altars, shrines, and sanctuaries, adding a sense of reverence and holiness to the environment. Whether arranged in ornate candelabras or simple candle holders, candles create a focal point for worship and meditation, drawing worshippers' attention to the divine and facilitating a sense of connection with the sacred. https://preview.redd.it/o8deompoh1zc1.jpg?width=4052&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a41f1995d34ad99fe473165ffba15f147fa8dae8 3. Rituals of Prayer and DevotionIn many religious traditions, candles are an integral part of prayer and devotional practices. Lighting candles as an offering or act of devotion is a common ritual in various faiths, symbolizing the offering of one's intentions, petitions, and gratitude to the divine. The act of lighting candles in prayer fosters a sense of intimacy and communion with the divine, creating a sacred space for personal reflection and spiritual connection.4. Commemoration and RemembranceCandles are often lit in remembrance of loved ones who have passed away, serving as symbols of hope, remembrance, and eternal life. Religious ceremonies such as vigils, memorials, and funeral services frequently incorporate candles to honor the memory of the departed and provide comfort to the bereaved. The gentle glow of candles serves as a beacon of light in times of darkness, offering solace and reassurance to those who mourn.5. Festivals and CelebrationsCandles play a prominent role in religious festivals and celebrations, marking significant milestones in the spiritual calendar. From the lighting of the Hanukkah menorah to the Diwali festival of lights, candles are used to symbolize triumph over adversity, the victory of light over darkness, and the renewal of faith and hope. The collective act of lighting candles during festivals fosters a sense of unity and community among worshippers, reinforcing shared beliefs and traditions.Conclusion:The evolution of candle usage reflects the dynamic interplay between tradition and innovation, spirituality and practicality, throughout human history. From their origins in ancient rituals to their modern-day role as sources of comfort and ambience, candles have endured as timeless symbols of light, warmth, and connection. As we embrace the myriad benefits of candles in our daily lives, we honor their rich heritage while embracing their potential to enhance our modern comforts and rituals. You can get the best candles online from TrueGether, the best eBay alternative. All sorts of candles, including the scented candles, are available on the site. You can also buy candle moulds from here. Book your candles today to decorate your home for every occasion. |
2024.05.07 03:59 ThrowRA_lantern MIL is still bitter and in denial… of course she still thinks I’m at fault too!
My SO and I are essentially No Contact, except for important events. At the last birthday event, MIL pulled my SO aside in private to say he looks “miserable” and proceeded to blame me and my family for it, and that this meant he should be with his family more. He brushed it off but she kept ranting about us and how we’ve made him forget his “duties” and “priorities”. He immediately ended the conversation and walked away. Truth is, he’s hyper vigilant and detached from her (maybe even resentful) and that’s why he looks “miserable”. Of course she’s oblivious to this. 🙄
This annoyed me a bit because how am I to blame?! My SO and I are both healthy, happy, and our relationship is wonderful. I have a supportive, no-fuss family that lives simply (MIL has met them plenty and should know this!). My family’s also pro-therapy, so when faced with challenges or hard times we encourage accountability, growth and healing. My SO insists we are a safe space.
Yet during that brief talk, MIL kept accusing and complaining about me and my family as “CHAOTIC”. “OP’s too chaotic and high maintenance, you do too much for her and I bet she’s forcing you to serve her!!” (not true… projecting much?) / “You shouldn’t be around that chaotic family of hers, look how miserable you are!!”. She elaborated saying she was referring to my social life + hobbies and that my family has a gathering once a month (games night, coffee catchups, sunday roast, etc). 🤡
It’s actually HIS family that’s the chaotic one!! During my SO’s childhood, MIL kept having affairs on FIL because she resented his laziness and his career success (she’s a struggling workaholic). They “fixed” their marriage by pretending it didn’t happen and things improved anyway because my SO started compensating for his father’s shortcomings (being provider, gift-giver, handyman, builder and doing most chores). Eventually, my SO was compensating for everyone (MIL started dumping piles of dirty laundry into his room at midnight insisting it had to be done immediately and he’d be up til 3am, leaving for work 6am next day while she sleeps in til 9am and his sister is off sleeping around / partying) all while juggling a corporate job, a Masters degree and other commitments. His family kept getting into big debt so he’d constantly organise their finances. Obviously they were very happy with that arrangement!
Then I came into the picture and his sister’s troublemaking behaviour worsened. MIL used every narc tactic in the book (and still does) to get my SO to pay up and fix his sister’s (self-inflicted) legal/financial/personal problems. She would punish him by increasing his rent if he didn’t comply accordingly.
The worst one was at our graduation: his sister was so distraught (being a 23 y/o unemployed high school dropout) that she refused to attend the ceremony. Instead, she went missing (a common occurrence) and returned PREGNANT from a random hookup and then blamed my SO! MIL sided with his sister who was bawling and demanded he pay for the abortion + other medical bills! Instead he gave resources for the abortion process and therapy but this enraged MIL and SIL (as they’re anti-therapy). MIL punished him by increasing his rent but it was too high he just moved out instead. We still visited to be polite and to see his dad. We even tried pacifying them, lots of compliments, fancy gifts (they’re quite materialistic), etc but nothing improved and they took it all for granted anyway so we stopped doing that. It was such a difficult time because they were also spreading lies about my SO “betraying” and “abusing” them, meaning my SO faced many random nasty confrontations from extended family. That was CHAOTIC.
Eventually, we went No Contact. MIL started being really negative and unsupportive- from our job promotions, any achievements, date nights, holidays, etc. Then she had an absolute meltdown/tantrum over my SO fixing my car! Enraged, she said “what makes YOU so special?!” and that both her and SIL should be entitled to “princess treatment” from him too, etc and she even had the audacity to scream “He works for ME not YOU!”. My SO put his foot down and they spoke in private before we left and began No Contact. To this day, MIL really changed her entitled, bitter views/expectations- she just pretends to be nicer now.
So if she thinks MY family are chaotic, she needs to take a good hard look in the mirror!!
Anyway, she made silly comments that weren’t that deep to need a full blown rant like this, but I just felt the need to do it anyway so I can move forward and forget about it.
submitted by ThrowRA_lantern to JUSTNOMIL [link] [comments]
This annoyed me a bit because how am I to blame?! My SO and I are both healthy, happy, and our relationship is wonderful. I have a supportive, no-fuss family that lives simply (MIL has met them plenty and should know this!). My family’s also pro-therapy, so when faced with challenges or hard times we encourage accountability, growth and healing. My SO insists we are a safe space.
Yet during that brief talk, MIL kept accusing and complaining about me and my family as “CHAOTIC”. “OP’s too chaotic and high maintenance, you do too much for her and I bet she’s forcing you to serve her!!” (not true… projecting much?) / “You shouldn’t be around that chaotic family of hers, look how miserable you are!!”. She elaborated saying she was referring to my social life + hobbies and that my family has a gathering once a month (games night, coffee catchups, sunday roast, etc). 🤡
It’s actually HIS family that’s the chaotic one!! During my SO’s childhood, MIL kept having affairs on FIL because she resented his laziness and his career success (she’s a struggling workaholic). They “fixed” their marriage by pretending it didn’t happen and things improved anyway because my SO started compensating for his father’s shortcomings (being provider, gift-giver, handyman, builder and doing most chores). Eventually, my SO was compensating for everyone (MIL started dumping piles of dirty laundry into his room at midnight insisting it had to be done immediately and he’d be up til 3am, leaving for work 6am next day while she sleeps in til 9am and his sister is off sleeping around / partying) all while juggling a corporate job, a Masters degree and other commitments. His family kept getting into big debt so he’d constantly organise their finances. Obviously they were very happy with that arrangement!
Then I came into the picture and his sister’s troublemaking behaviour worsened. MIL used every narc tactic in the book (and still does) to get my SO to pay up and fix his sister’s (self-inflicted) legal/financial/personal problems. She would punish him by increasing his rent if he didn’t comply accordingly.
The worst one was at our graduation: his sister was so distraught (being a 23 y/o unemployed high school dropout) that she refused to attend the ceremony. Instead, she went missing (a common occurrence) and returned PREGNANT from a random hookup and then blamed my SO! MIL sided with his sister who was bawling and demanded he pay for the abortion + other medical bills! Instead he gave resources for the abortion process and therapy but this enraged MIL and SIL (as they’re anti-therapy). MIL punished him by increasing his rent but it was too high he just moved out instead. We still visited to be polite and to see his dad. We even tried pacifying them, lots of compliments, fancy gifts (they’re quite materialistic), etc but nothing improved and they took it all for granted anyway so we stopped doing that. It was such a difficult time because they were also spreading lies about my SO “betraying” and “abusing” them, meaning my SO faced many random nasty confrontations from extended family. That was CHAOTIC.
Eventually, we went No Contact. MIL started being really negative and unsupportive- from our job promotions, any achievements, date nights, holidays, etc. Then she had an absolute meltdown/tantrum over my SO fixing my car! Enraged, she said “what makes YOU so special?!” and that both her and SIL should be entitled to “princess treatment” from him too, etc and she even had the audacity to scream “He works for ME not YOU!”. My SO put his foot down and they spoke in private before we left and began No Contact. To this day, MIL really changed her entitled, bitter views/expectations- she just pretends to be nicer now.
So if she thinks MY family are chaotic, she needs to take a good hard look in the mirror!!
Anyway, she made silly comments that weren’t that deep to need a full blown rant like this, but I just felt the need to do it anyway so I can move forward and forget about it.
2024.05.06 18:14 mangled-rat Statement from President of DSU about the Shooting. Arrests have been made.
 | submitted by mangled-rat to Delaware [link] [comments] |
2024.05.06 10:43 Agreeable-Ad4806 Exploration of Purva Bhadrapada Nakshatra Part 1
Preface: This is for Vedic Sidereal Astrology
Like Part 1 of Ashwini, this will be about the deeper, more conceptual and traditional meanings of Purva Bhadrapada Nakshatra. The predictive elements will be the focus in Part 2.
Anyway, I hope y'all enjoy.
Meaning
Purva Bhadrapada signifies an auspicious juncture along the soul's evolutionary journey. It manifests subsequent to the attainment of numerous siddhis, the significant expansion of consciousness, and the attainment of insight into realized truth about the nature of the universe. When an individual yearns for spiritual advancement with fervor, it garners the attention of higher beings, a circumstance of significance as elucidated by Adi Guru Sankaracharya, who regarded it as one of the greatest blessings of human existence. The safeguarding provided by Maha Purusha Ashrya, along with the guiding hand of divine beings, constitutes one of the three rare gifts, the others being human-ness (Manusya-twam) and the aspiration towards liberation (Mumukshatwam). Divine Guidance is bestowed upon fulfillment of these rare gifts to human individuals. This protective guidance equips the aspirant with the capability to stand independently as they become self-reliant. It signifies the culmination of trials and qualifies the aspirant for the gifts of further wisdom, power, and spiritual bliss.
The emergence of truth-consciousness subsequent to the dissolution of deceptive constructs, orchestrated in Shatabhisha uncovers to the individual a plethora of creative opulence. The newfound state also entails the opportunity. Peril of succumbing to either an ecstatic inundation of divine euphoria or, conversely, encountering assaults from the concealed adversaries of obscurity, such as vain-glory and megalomania, may precipitate a setback on the path to spiritual enlightenment. Yet in the following stage of egoic evolution, the individual moves towards a state of singular devotion to the divine creative imperative, surpassing all personal concerns and nearly achieving total detachment from any vestiges of material influence that may contaminate the psyche. This arduous process of reorientation occurs within the context of Purva Bhadrapada, demanding a commitment to transcendence amidst the complexities of existential pensivity.
Purva Bhadrapada Nakshatra is the stage of cosmic evolution where the forces of creation and dissolution collide, echoing the journey of earthly limitations and divine transcendence. This nakshatra serves as a gateway to higher realms of consciousness in which the ego undergoes a process of purification and surrender, ultimately merging with the cosmic fabric of existence. It's a time of penance, sacrifice, and duty. If looked at from the scope of human life, it is that moment when one faces their mortality, fully acknowledging the inevitable approach of death soon-to-come. Purva Bhadrapada is the twenty-fifth Nakshatra of the twenty-seven and overlaps with Aquarius and Pisces Rashis, spanning from 20º00' Aquarius to 3º20' Pisces. This is still going to be important. While not directly corresponding to these Rashis, there will inevitably be an intermingling of energies, making the transition from Aquarius to Pisces an important area of significance for this asterism. The overlap can also be characterized through shared overlap with Saturn, Jupiter, and the Navamsa rulers, which can only be derived accurately when using the sidereal zodiac.
The term "Purva Bhadrapada" can broken into three parts: "Purva" meaning "earlier" or "former", "Bhadra" meaning "auspicious"or "lucky", and "Pada" meaning "feet", "steps", or possibly even implying a stool or pillar. Strung together, Purva Bhadrapada can be translated into "the former (one) with lucky steps." These mostly refer to this asterism's ruling deity, which I will discuss later. However, in the Vedas, both Uttara Bhadrapada and Purva Bhadrapada fall under the common name "Prostyapadas," which is another compound word consisting of "Prostya" and "Padas." "Prostya" refers to "a bull", "a fish", and may even suggest qualities such as strength, mightiness, growth, and creative fertility. The bull is in reference to light and purity as a vehicle where abundance is unhindered, whereas the fish is associated with salvation and good fortune. Purva Bhadrapada's alternative name is Purvaproshthapada, and this roughly means "(the one who possesses) lucky feet of the stool," and this indicates a fixed and stable nature, not unlike a quadruped who can remain fixed firmly in place despite external forces trying to push it over. (Side note: Purva Bhadrapada in no way translates to ‘the burning pair’; This Nakshatra is indeed heavily linked with fire, but I have no idea where this specific phrase I keep seeing came from in terms of translation). Additionally, with the consideration of both, Purva and Uttara Bhadrapada refer to the period where the land receives rain in profusion. Purva refers to the earlier phase of the month, whereas Uttara signifies the latter. Under the heavy rain when the land is wet and the atmosphere is moist, there is luxuriant growth. Uttara and Purva Bhadrapada, together, represent the beginning of a new upsurge of creative activities. But as the individual is no longer concerned with their personal development in view of the vast expansion of consciousness under Shatabhisha, Purva Bhadrapada is of a special nature. It works to prepare the ego for its final union with the universal consciousness in the accomplishment of one's final destiny. And through the various driving forces behind this asterism, advancement towards this goal is supported.
Symbols
Purva Bhadrapada's main symbol is the front two legs of a funeral cot or bed, aptly representing the first step towards our departure from the world. It is closely linked to its overlap with the transition from Aquarius and Pisces rashis in this way (if you're still trying to use tropical signs with the nakshatras, this is something that will not make any sense to you), as Pisces, affiliated with the 12th house, signifies death and the dissolution of the self. The 12th house also deals with sleep and bed pleasures, which relate to the final pada of this asterism. The point of leaving Aquarius and entering Pisces, is intimately connected with the transition from the natural 11th and 12th houses, representing the departure from fulfilling one's duty of supporting society into the retirement of death.
Another one of this Nakshatra’s symbols is a man with two faces, one belonging to a gentle, civilized, and well-cultured man, while the other one shown as being intensely angry, violent, destructive, and evil. This symbolism is meant to represent extreme polarity, though this polarity does not seem to be mutually restrictive in the sense that it has to be either or. Oftentimes, the depiction of these faces is portrayed to be one and the same, possibly even implying one inner and one outer, spiritual and physical, or the conflicting nature of mankind as a whole.
The third symbol of Purva Bhadrapada is two swords crossed like they are opposing each other in battle (sometimes just a sword, but it makes little difference). This part of Purva Bhadrapada's symbolism relates to the process of self defense, attack, self-reliance, and cutting, which is meant to be protective, destructive, and linked with pains, injuries, accidents, violent deaths, and endings.
There is also another symbol of this Nakshatra being a single ray of light, which I will cover more later on in relation to Ajaekeapada. For now, just know that it relates to the focus, clarity, and single-minded determination inherent to this Asterism. The single ray of light is that of the minimal light of hope or purity experienced at the precipice of death, yet this is simultaneously contrasted by the clear enlightenment of a single path. It acts like a beacon, leading one out of the darkness and into transcendence.
Ruling Deity
The ruling deity of Purva Bhadrapada Nakshatra is Ajaekapada. The significance of Ajaikapada is discernible from the composition of his name, made up of three components: Aja-Eka-Pada, collectively denoting a "one-footed unborn goat or ram." The one-footed aspect of his symbolism is very important to first understand. Vedic literature categorizes living entities based on the number of their feet, with humans deemed bipedal, animals quadrupeds, and reptiles possessing numerous "sideways" appendages. Notably, the designation of "one-footed" beings is absent, as those who stand alone without external support represent spiritual entities untainted by materiality, radiating their own luminance. They embody a purified consciousness associated with Tapasya, liberated from all ignorance and obscurities. Such one-footed beings epitomize divinity, united in their awareness of the supreme and omnipresent source. Puranic narratives further illustrate this symbolism. Dhruva, a significant figure in Hindu mythology, was the son of King Uttanapada. Despite being the eldest son, Dhruva was denied his birthright to inherit his father's throne due to the favoritism of his stepmother, Suruchi, towards her own son, Uttama. This denial of his rightful inheritance and neglect fueled Dhruva's resolve to seek divine intervention and prove his worth through rigorous penance and devotion to Lord Vishnu. This is what led the wise sage, Narada, to advise him to forsake his royal abode, retreat to the depths of the forest, and engage in penance while standing on one leg. This act of penance directed by Narada is emblematic of spiritual asceticism and detachment from worldly entanglements. Dhruva, after enduring thousands of years of penance to lord Vishnu, standing on one foot, was granted rulership of his own eternal abode. This successful completion of his austere practices not only restored his Royal inheritance and enabled him to rule for an extended period, but it also elevated him to the status of the divine star. This divine appointment entrusted him with the crucial responsibility of maintaining the Earth's stability and guiding its evolution according to the divine plan. The outcome of Dhruva's singular penance illustrates the importance of unwavering focus, concentration on the ultimate reality, and self-assurance. Additionally, it signifies the bestowment of responsibility for the preservation of creation.
Ajaekapada's unborn nature is also important in the sense of being “untouched” by materially. Aja signifies the unborn but not quite how you may think. Instead of only being literally unborn in the sense where higher beings do not experience the plight of karma, birth, or rebirth, it also representative of a goat or ram-like figure. In Hinduism, goats hold significant symbolic value, both as providers of sustenance through their milk-producing abilities and as participants in sacrificial rituals. The act of milking a goat or cow is considered sacred, symbolizing the nurturing and life-sustaining qualities associated with the divine. Milk carries symbolic importance in Hindu tradition, representing purity, nourishment, and prosperity. Furthermore, goats are implicated in ancient Vedic rituals, such as yajnas (fire ceremonies, where sacrificial offerings are made to gods like Agni. These rituals involve the offering of various materials, including grains, ghee, fruits, and sometimes animals, into a sacred fire as a means of seeking blessings and promoting cosmic harmony. Valued for its simplicity, harmlessness, and ability to sustain itself with minimal resources while providing for others, the goat embodies qualities conducive to sacrificial offerings. Additionally, goats/rams are associated with the primal and untamed forces of creation and renewal, making them suitable candidates for rituals aimed at seeking blessings, atonement, or fulfilling vows. So, in a way, Aja is both the literal unborn marked by divinity, and the sacred sacrificed, existing as one. I think this makes a lot of sense in terms of how often this nakshatra is associated with saviorism, such as with the predominant Christ symbolism I see permeating the West and how Yeshua was sacrificed to “save humanity”. Moreover, beginnings in general are closely linked with Brahma, the cosmic creator. The beginning-ness and unborn quality of this Ajaekapada is indicating that the presiding deity of Purva Bhadrapada is immersed in acts of primacy and all forthcoming manifestative endeavors.
Furthermore, Eka conveys the notion of singularity, denoting an entity characterized by infinity and a lack of motion or speed— unmatched and supreme, suggesting the cessation of duality, intrinsic to the manifestative principle. Under Purva Bhadrapada, duality begins to dissipate, integrating both spirit and matter as one. Ajaekapada is also indicative of unrefined creative energy necessary for the production of of the different levels of existence, such as the lower Lokas (hell) and the higher Lokas (heaven). The unity birthed in Purva Bhadrapada creates a sense of inner security. The qualifier "Eka" preceding "pada" elevates the significance of the term, with "pada" signifying either the foot of humans or animals, or a singular ray of light.
The deity Ajaekapada thus represents the concept of an unborn, single-footed goat/ram-like entity emitting a solitary ray of light. Purva Bhadrapada imparts a self-reliant nature, but this comes with significant creative responsibilities. Ajaekapada is invoked primarily for safety, protection, and the alleviation of worldly afflictions. The hymns within the Atharva Veda associate him with a state inherent in the neophyte's evolutionary journey. Possessing the power of wisdom and other potent impulses, Ajaekapada is capable of liberating individuals from the entanglements of human relationships and the pursuit of materialistic experiences. However, the unleashing of such latent potentials can prove perilous if adequate preparatory measures are neglected, especially if the energy source remains improperly harnessed.
The array of forces under Ajaekapada's dominion harbors significant destructive potential, particularly shown by his depiction as being fiercely adorned with a garland of skulls, a corpse beneath his foot, tiger skin around his waist, and a wrathful expression, not to mention his second form as a fiery serpent (this makes me think of Kali, and while I really want to make this association, I feel for not it would be unfounded to do so; you can consider on your own though). Make no mistake, those unprepared for evolutionary progression will not fair very well in the face of this deity, hence the scriptures cautiously describing his nature and potentialities. Only individuals of profound spiritual inclination are brought into closer communion with this deity.
Born of the union between Bhuta and Daksha (one of the Prajapatis, the progenitors of beings in the universe, often depicted as the father of Sati [the first wife of Lord Shiva] and as a revered sage and patriarch), Ajaekapada emerges as a formidable being alongside his siblings, including Ahirbudhanya, who would later become the ruler of Uttara Bhadrapada. In the narrative where Daksha Prajapati offers ten of his daughters to Dharma (the god of righteousness), Ajaekapada's characteristics are highlighted, albeit indirectly through his shared divine lineage. Ajaekapada's attributes can be inferred from the emergence of radiant deities which he shares relation to, including Vasu Prabhas, who symbolizes splendor and luminosity. Therefore, Ajaekapada may be associated with principles of righteousness, virtue, and cosmic harmony, aligning with the significance housed within the mythological narrative.
While I do think that some of Ajaekapada’s symbolism and meaning has creeped into Western culture, simply out of the universality and timelessness of Vedic wisdom and its accompanying archetypes, I do not think Baphomet (Devil on the tarot card) or the Christian devil accurately portray this deity. In the Western context, Baphomet is often depicted as a goat-headed figure and has been associated with various occult traditions and esoteric symbolisms, namely tarot. I think this figure shares a lot in common in Ajaekapada through their similar emphasis on spiritual evolution and the union of opposites, but baphomet fails to fully capture the significance of Ajaekapada. Ajaekapada is not representative of materialism and does not represent being chained by one’s desires. If anything, he is a sentinel at the gate of death making sure you relinquish your attachments before crossing over. Similarly, the Christian devil is sometimes depicted with goat-like features, drawing on ancient pagan imagery of fertility and wilderness, and this is likely why people made this association, but it is not accurate. See, Ajaekapada is not just some obscure deity; he is a rudra, one of the fiercest forms of Lord Shiva. In the Vedas, they are depicted as storm gods, embodying the forces of nature and the power of destruction and renewal. The Rudras are often described as a group of eleven or sometimes as a larger collective. Each Rudra represents a specific aspect of Shiva's power and attributes, including destruction, healing, protection, and transformation. For Ajaekapada, it is almost as if it is representative of the most destructive form Shiva at the time of his tandava, where the material universe is destroyed. In fact, there are even some interpretations of Vedic mythology that make this connection, but I personally think it isn’t clear enough to draw this connection at this time. If it were the case, though, Ajaekapada would take on a whole new level of significance.
Following the realization of 'bounded infinity' and the Immensity of void', the Rudras become important as an individual's primordial essence becomes receptive to the descent of the superconscient. Anticipating the fulfillment of long-held destiny, there awaits the dawn of this transformation uncertainty. The boundless Void reveals its abundant gifts of subjective experiences imbued with celestial bliss. However, paradoxically, within this realm, any remnants of materiality multiply manifold, leading to calamitous outcomes before the eventual destruction. You might see this as being related to Kali Yuga, where materialism and spiritual ignorance are at their peak in order to balance the previously more righteous Yugas of existence. All seeds of entanglements must be dissolved before the ego embarks on its evolution and self-realization journey. In essence, one must be tempted and tested in order to really know whether they are ready to evolve. Materialism and unrighteousness must be resisted in their full saturation of promise in order to know that the soul is ready to cross the veil to attain enlightenment.
The Rudras stationed at Prostyapadas, representing embodiments of destructive power, vigilantly prevent even the slightest trace of mental impurity from crossing this threshold. Ajaekapada supervises progress under Purva Bhadrapada, ensuring that impersonal creative forces flourish effortlessly while eradicating any lingering material seeds within the depths of the heart. As a product of elemental phenomena, Ajaekapada cannot allow past memories, inclinations, and achievements to dissipate without resistance. The ensuing struggle thereby renders life under Purva Bhadrapada arduous and oftentimes painful. Like I keep saying, initiation requires one’s feet be bathed in the blood their heart— attachments cannot be maintained.
As I mentioned before, Shiva is indirectly going to be related to this Nakshatra. There is way too much to cover in terms of all of what Shiva could signify for this asterism, and I'm sure you're probably still reeling from the previous passage, so I will just keep it brief. Shiva is one of the trimurti and is known as "the destroyer." This aspect of destruction symbolizes the cyclical nature of existence, where old structures make way for new beginnings. In this case, it is at the end of a cycle making way for the dissolution encompassed in the following bridged 12th Rashi of Pisces. In Purva Bhadrapada Nakshatra, Shiva's presence suggests the need to let go of the past and embrace change for spiritual growth. His association shows the power of the transformative forces at play within this celestial realm, inviting us to surrender to the natural flow of life's cycles as we grow to understand them.
Planetary Associations
In the Vimshottari system of astrology, the main celestial body linked with Purva Bhadrapada nakshatra is Jupiter, the great and gentle benefic, Brihaspati– preceptor of the gods. You can look at my other post describing the nature of Jupiter for a description of his essential nature and function, and you’ll see the dichotomy presented there to be quite poignant to understanding this Nakshatra, but in this post, I’m going to go a little bit deeper.
Success in the completion of occult initiation requires an immense amount of Jupiterian energy tempered by Saturn's restraint. In Purva Bhadrapada, the atmosphere is rich in potential for such an activity. Purva Bhadrapada's alignment with Jupiter illuminates the essence of Jupiterian energies, embracing wisdom, expansiveness, and spiritual evolution, which are all integral to the journey of occult initiation. On a more sour side, in ancient astrological traditions, Jupiter is often associated with excess, overindulgence, and the growth of everything indiscriminately. This links it to a lesser-known, destructive side of Jupiter. Just as growth of a tumor in the body will destroy the physical constitution, unencumbered growth of potential regardless of direction, represented by Jupiter’s influence in this asterism, is dangerous for society at large. While Jupiter is primarily seen as an all-benefic influence, its expansive nature can sometimes lead to a lack of necessary moderation or the destruction of weakness characteristic of Saturn. This weakness can include that of negative potentials, resulting in decadent downfall. In Vedic astrology, Jupiter is considered a natural significator of wealth, knowledge, and spirituality. However, when its energy is unchecked or misaligned, it can lead to overconfidence, extravagance, and moral decline. Jupiter's influence in destruction is thus linked to its potential to amplify negative tendencies and contribute to the corruption of individuals and civilizations through the pursuit of excessive desires and worldly pleasures.
But here's where it gets really interesting. From a spiritually-inclined perspective, even the destructive influence of Jupiter should not necessarily viewed as negative. In contrast to the restrictive nature of Saturn, which denies and confines, Jupiter offers abundance and fulfillment. However, this influence will inevitably only serve to reveal the inherent emptiness of such pursuits, auspiciously illuminating the truth about reality. Both debauchery and extravagance, though initially alluring, ultimately lead to the realization of the poverty inherent in materials. When you get everything you want, you may realize that you never really wanted it, and when death is looming closer, you may spiral out of the recognition of a life wasted chasing meaningless and empty trophies of attachment. Regardless of one's wealth, knowledge, or status, all worldly possessions are destined to dissolve and fade into obscurity. Consider those who lived a mere century ago—how many are remembered, and for what reasons? Nothing amassed in life accompanies us beyond death's threshold. Even those still famous to us after centuries will eventually have their names disappear with the cycling of enough Moons. (Purva Bhadrapada is also associated with Jupiter in another way through its overlap with Pisces Rashi, but at that stage, it becomes closer to Uttara Bhadrapada and is less susceptible to the dangers posed by this Nakshatra, simply due to the purity achieved at that point.)
Saturn's overlapping influence on this place of the ecliptic plane shared by Purva Bhadrapada Nakshatra provides protection from the influence of materiality. People often forget that, while harsh, Saturn is ultimately merciful. Shani allows you to make amends for your past karma, and this will prevent the peak of Jupiter's power, an inherently material yet paradoxically spiritual force, to not go so far as to ruin all the spiritual progress made up to that point of egoic evolution. Saturn is also important when you consider the disciplined and detached nature of this Nakshatra, which is to be required when facing the inevitability of death. However, due to the immense power housed in this Nakshatra associated with Jupiter, Saturn, and Ajaekapada (and navamsa lords, which I’ll cover in the next part), the influence of Saturn needs to be very strong to fulfill its duties righteously. Otherwise, it can further corrupt the position of this Nakshatra, leading to selfish and undisciplined destruction, which is one of the reasons this Nakshatra was so feared by the ancient sages. Saturn is also very materialistic, so it can present an almost insurmountable challenge when misaligned.
Any lapse at the height of this Nakshatra is likely to result in severe wreckage and unparalleled despair. Perhaps the reason why this Nakshatra is associated with the Devil in Western society is because of this darker potential to "fall from heaven." Regardless of all the energies working in one’s favor at this stage of advanced spiritual evolution, we are reminded that, as humans, we possess the capacity for both divine greatness and profound darkness. It is in the recognition of this duality that we find the true test of our character and the eternal struggle to maintain balance amidst the cosmic forces of light and shadow.
submitted by Agreeable-Ad4806 to Advancedastrology [link] [comments]
Like Part 1 of Ashwini, this will be about the deeper, more conceptual and traditional meanings of Purva Bhadrapada Nakshatra. The predictive elements will be the focus in Part 2.
Anyway, I hope y'all enjoy.
Purva Bhadrapada signifies an auspicious juncture along the soul's evolutionary journey. It manifests subsequent to the attainment of numerous siddhis, the significant expansion of consciousness, and the attainment of insight into realized truth about the nature of the universe. When an individual yearns for spiritual advancement with fervor, it garners the attention of higher beings, a circumstance of significance as elucidated by Adi Guru Sankaracharya, who regarded it as one of the greatest blessings of human existence. The safeguarding provided by Maha Purusha Ashrya, along with the guiding hand of divine beings, constitutes one of the three rare gifts, the others being human-ness (Manusya-twam) and the aspiration towards liberation (Mumukshatwam). Divine Guidance is bestowed upon fulfillment of these rare gifts to human individuals. This protective guidance equips the aspirant with the capability to stand independently as they become self-reliant. It signifies the culmination of trials and qualifies the aspirant for the gifts of further wisdom, power, and spiritual bliss.
The emergence of truth-consciousness subsequent to the dissolution of deceptive constructs, orchestrated in Shatabhisha uncovers to the individual a plethora of creative opulence. The newfound state also entails the opportunity. Peril of succumbing to either an ecstatic inundation of divine euphoria or, conversely, encountering assaults from the concealed adversaries of obscurity, such as vain-glory and megalomania, may precipitate a setback on the path to spiritual enlightenment. Yet in the following stage of egoic evolution, the individual moves towards a state of singular devotion to the divine creative imperative, surpassing all personal concerns and nearly achieving total detachment from any vestiges of material influence that may contaminate the psyche. This arduous process of reorientation occurs within the context of Purva Bhadrapada, demanding a commitment to transcendence amidst the complexities of existential pensivity.
Purva Bhadrapada Nakshatra is the stage of cosmic evolution where the forces of creation and dissolution collide, echoing the journey of earthly limitations and divine transcendence. This nakshatra serves as a gateway to higher realms of consciousness in which the ego undergoes a process of purification and surrender, ultimately merging with the cosmic fabric of existence. It's a time of penance, sacrifice, and duty. If looked at from the scope of human life, it is that moment when one faces their mortality, fully acknowledging the inevitable approach of death soon-to-come. Purva Bhadrapada is the twenty-fifth Nakshatra of the twenty-seven and overlaps with Aquarius and Pisces Rashis, spanning from 20º00' Aquarius to 3º20' Pisces. This is still going to be important. While not directly corresponding to these Rashis, there will inevitably be an intermingling of energies, making the transition from Aquarius to Pisces an important area of significance for this asterism. The overlap can also be characterized through shared overlap with Saturn, Jupiter, and the Navamsa rulers, which can only be derived accurately when using the sidereal zodiac.
The term "Purva Bhadrapada" can broken into three parts: "Purva" meaning "earlier" or "former", "Bhadra" meaning "auspicious"or "lucky", and "Pada" meaning "feet", "steps", or possibly even implying a stool or pillar. Strung together, Purva Bhadrapada can be translated into "the former (one) with lucky steps." These mostly refer to this asterism's ruling deity, which I will discuss later. However, in the Vedas, both Uttara Bhadrapada and Purva Bhadrapada fall under the common name "Prostyapadas," which is another compound word consisting of "Prostya" and "Padas." "Prostya" refers to "a bull", "a fish", and may even suggest qualities such as strength, mightiness, growth, and creative fertility. The bull is in reference to light and purity as a vehicle where abundance is unhindered, whereas the fish is associated with salvation and good fortune. Purva Bhadrapada's alternative name is Purvaproshthapada, and this roughly means "(the one who possesses) lucky feet of the stool," and this indicates a fixed and stable nature, not unlike a quadruped who can remain fixed firmly in place despite external forces trying to push it over. (Side note: Purva Bhadrapada in no way translates to ‘the burning pair’; This Nakshatra is indeed heavily linked with fire, but I have no idea where this specific phrase I keep seeing came from in terms of translation). Additionally, with the consideration of both, Purva and Uttara Bhadrapada refer to the period where the land receives rain in profusion. Purva refers to the earlier phase of the month, whereas Uttara signifies the latter. Under the heavy rain when the land is wet and the atmosphere is moist, there is luxuriant growth. Uttara and Purva Bhadrapada, together, represent the beginning of a new upsurge of creative activities. But as the individual is no longer concerned with their personal development in view of the vast expansion of consciousness under Shatabhisha, Purva Bhadrapada is of a special nature. It works to prepare the ego for its final union with the universal consciousness in the accomplishment of one's final destiny. And through the various driving forces behind this asterism, advancement towards this goal is supported.
Symbols
Purva Bhadrapada's main symbol is the front two legs of a funeral cot or bed, aptly representing the first step towards our departure from the world. It is closely linked to its overlap with the transition from Aquarius and Pisces rashis in this way (if you're still trying to use tropical signs with the nakshatras, this is something that will not make any sense to you), as Pisces, affiliated with the 12th house, signifies death and the dissolution of the self. The 12th house also deals with sleep and bed pleasures, which relate to the final pada of this asterism. The point of leaving Aquarius and entering Pisces, is intimately connected with the transition from the natural 11th and 12th houses, representing the departure from fulfilling one's duty of supporting society into the retirement of death.
Another one of this Nakshatra’s symbols is a man with two faces, one belonging to a gentle, civilized, and well-cultured man, while the other one shown as being intensely angry, violent, destructive, and evil. This symbolism is meant to represent extreme polarity, though this polarity does not seem to be mutually restrictive in the sense that it has to be either or. Oftentimes, the depiction of these faces is portrayed to be one and the same, possibly even implying one inner and one outer, spiritual and physical, or the conflicting nature of mankind as a whole.
The third symbol of Purva Bhadrapada is two swords crossed like they are opposing each other in battle (sometimes just a sword, but it makes little difference). This part of Purva Bhadrapada's symbolism relates to the process of self defense, attack, self-reliance, and cutting, which is meant to be protective, destructive, and linked with pains, injuries, accidents, violent deaths, and endings.
There is also another symbol of this Nakshatra being a single ray of light, which I will cover more later on in relation to Ajaekeapada. For now, just know that it relates to the focus, clarity, and single-minded determination inherent to this Asterism. The single ray of light is that of the minimal light of hope or purity experienced at the precipice of death, yet this is simultaneously contrasted by the clear enlightenment of a single path. It acts like a beacon, leading one out of the darkness and into transcendence.
Ruling Deity
The ruling deity of Purva Bhadrapada Nakshatra is Ajaekapada. The significance of Ajaikapada is discernible from the composition of his name, made up of three components: Aja-Eka-Pada, collectively denoting a "one-footed unborn goat or ram." The one-footed aspect of his symbolism is very important to first understand. Vedic literature categorizes living entities based on the number of their feet, with humans deemed bipedal, animals quadrupeds, and reptiles possessing numerous "sideways" appendages. Notably, the designation of "one-footed" beings is absent, as those who stand alone without external support represent spiritual entities untainted by materiality, radiating their own luminance. They embody a purified consciousness associated with Tapasya, liberated from all ignorance and obscurities. Such one-footed beings epitomize divinity, united in their awareness of the supreme and omnipresent source. Puranic narratives further illustrate this symbolism. Dhruva, a significant figure in Hindu mythology, was the son of King Uttanapada. Despite being the eldest son, Dhruva was denied his birthright to inherit his father's throne due to the favoritism of his stepmother, Suruchi, towards her own son, Uttama. This denial of his rightful inheritance and neglect fueled Dhruva's resolve to seek divine intervention and prove his worth through rigorous penance and devotion to Lord Vishnu. This is what led the wise sage, Narada, to advise him to forsake his royal abode, retreat to the depths of the forest, and engage in penance while standing on one leg. This act of penance directed by Narada is emblematic of spiritual asceticism and detachment from worldly entanglements. Dhruva, after enduring thousands of years of penance to lord Vishnu, standing on one foot, was granted rulership of his own eternal abode. This successful completion of his austere practices not only restored his Royal inheritance and enabled him to rule for an extended period, but it also elevated him to the status of the divine star. This divine appointment entrusted him with the crucial responsibility of maintaining the Earth's stability and guiding its evolution according to the divine plan. The outcome of Dhruva's singular penance illustrates the importance of unwavering focus, concentration on the ultimate reality, and self-assurance. Additionally, it signifies the bestowment of responsibility for the preservation of creation.
Ajaekapada's unborn nature is also important in the sense of being “untouched” by materially. Aja signifies the unborn but not quite how you may think. Instead of only being literally unborn in the sense where higher beings do not experience the plight of karma, birth, or rebirth, it also representative of a goat or ram-like figure. In Hinduism, goats hold significant symbolic value, both as providers of sustenance through their milk-producing abilities and as participants in sacrificial rituals. The act of milking a goat or cow is considered sacred, symbolizing the nurturing and life-sustaining qualities associated with the divine. Milk carries symbolic importance in Hindu tradition, representing purity, nourishment, and prosperity. Furthermore, goats are implicated in ancient Vedic rituals, such as yajnas (fire ceremonies, where sacrificial offerings are made to gods like Agni. These rituals involve the offering of various materials, including grains, ghee, fruits, and sometimes animals, into a sacred fire as a means of seeking blessings and promoting cosmic harmony. Valued for its simplicity, harmlessness, and ability to sustain itself with minimal resources while providing for others, the goat embodies qualities conducive to sacrificial offerings. Additionally, goats/rams are associated with the primal and untamed forces of creation and renewal, making them suitable candidates for rituals aimed at seeking blessings, atonement, or fulfilling vows. So, in a way, Aja is both the literal unborn marked by divinity, and the sacred sacrificed, existing as one. I think this makes a lot of sense in terms of how often this nakshatra is associated with saviorism, such as with the predominant Christ symbolism I see permeating the West and how Yeshua was sacrificed to “save humanity”. Moreover, beginnings in general are closely linked with Brahma, the cosmic creator. The beginning-ness and unborn quality of this Ajaekapada is indicating that the presiding deity of Purva Bhadrapada is immersed in acts of primacy and all forthcoming manifestative endeavors.
Furthermore, Eka conveys the notion of singularity, denoting an entity characterized by infinity and a lack of motion or speed— unmatched and supreme, suggesting the cessation of duality, intrinsic to the manifestative principle. Under Purva Bhadrapada, duality begins to dissipate, integrating both spirit and matter as one. Ajaekapada is also indicative of unrefined creative energy necessary for the production of of the different levels of existence, such as the lower Lokas (hell) and the higher Lokas (heaven). The unity birthed in Purva Bhadrapada creates a sense of inner security. The qualifier "Eka" preceding "pada" elevates the significance of the term, with "pada" signifying either the foot of humans or animals, or a singular ray of light.
The deity Ajaekapada thus represents the concept of an unborn, single-footed goat/ram-like entity emitting a solitary ray of light. Purva Bhadrapada imparts a self-reliant nature, but this comes with significant creative responsibilities. Ajaekapada is invoked primarily for safety, protection, and the alleviation of worldly afflictions. The hymns within the Atharva Veda associate him with a state inherent in the neophyte's evolutionary journey. Possessing the power of wisdom and other potent impulses, Ajaekapada is capable of liberating individuals from the entanglements of human relationships and the pursuit of materialistic experiences. However, the unleashing of such latent potentials can prove perilous if adequate preparatory measures are neglected, especially if the energy source remains improperly harnessed.
The array of forces under Ajaekapada's dominion harbors significant destructive potential, particularly shown by his depiction as being fiercely adorned with a garland of skulls, a corpse beneath his foot, tiger skin around his waist, and a wrathful expression, not to mention his second form as a fiery serpent (this makes me think of Kali, and while I really want to make this association, I feel for not it would be unfounded to do so; you can consider on your own though). Make no mistake, those unprepared for evolutionary progression will not fair very well in the face of this deity, hence the scriptures cautiously describing his nature and potentialities. Only individuals of profound spiritual inclination are brought into closer communion with this deity.
Born of the union between Bhuta and Daksha (one of the Prajapatis, the progenitors of beings in the universe, often depicted as the father of Sati [the first wife of Lord Shiva] and as a revered sage and patriarch), Ajaekapada emerges as a formidable being alongside his siblings, including Ahirbudhanya, who would later become the ruler of Uttara Bhadrapada. In the narrative where Daksha Prajapati offers ten of his daughters to Dharma (the god of righteousness), Ajaekapada's characteristics are highlighted, albeit indirectly through his shared divine lineage. Ajaekapada's attributes can be inferred from the emergence of radiant deities which he shares relation to, including Vasu Prabhas, who symbolizes splendor and luminosity. Therefore, Ajaekapada may be associated with principles of righteousness, virtue, and cosmic harmony, aligning with the significance housed within the mythological narrative.
While I do think that some of Ajaekapada’s symbolism and meaning has creeped into Western culture, simply out of the universality and timelessness of Vedic wisdom and its accompanying archetypes, I do not think Baphomet (Devil on the tarot card) or the Christian devil accurately portray this deity. In the Western context, Baphomet is often depicted as a goat-headed figure and has been associated with various occult traditions and esoteric symbolisms, namely tarot. I think this figure shares a lot in common in Ajaekapada through their similar emphasis on spiritual evolution and the union of opposites, but baphomet fails to fully capture the significance of Ajaekapada. Ajaekapada is not representative of materialism and does not represent being chained by one’s desires. If anything, he is a sentinel at the gate of death making sure you relinquish your attachments before crossing over. Similarly, the Christian devil is sometimes depicted with goat-like features, drawing on ancient pagan imagery of fertility and wilderness, and this is likely why people made this association, but it is not accurate. See, Ajaekapada is not just some obscure deity; he is a rudra, one of the fiercest forms of Lord Shiva. In the Vedas, they are depicted as storm gods, embodying the forces of nature and the power of destruction and renewal. The Rudras are often described as a group of eleven or sometimes as a larger collective. Each Rudra represents a specific aspect of Shiva's power and attributes, including destruction, healing, protection, and transformation. For Ajaekapada, it is almost as if it is representative of the most destructive form Shiva at the time of his tandava, where the material universe is destroyed. In fact, there are even some interpretations of Vedic mythology that make this connection, but I personally think it isn’t clear enough to draw this connection at this time. If it were the case, though, Ajaekapada would take on a whole new level of significance.
Following the realization of 'bounded infinity' and the Immensity of void', the Rudras become important as an individual's primordial essence becomes receptive to the descent of the superconscient. Anticipating the fulfillment of long-held destiny, there awaits the dawn of this transformation uncertainty. The boundless Void reveals its abundant gifts of subjective experiences imbued with celestial bliss. However, paradoxically, within this realm, any remnants of materiality multiply manifold, leading to calamitous outcomes before the eventual destruction. You might see this as being related to Kali Yuga, where materialism and spiritual ignorance are at their peak in order to balance the previously more righteous Yugas of existence. All seeds of entanglements must be dissolved before the ego embarks on its evolution and self-realization journey. In essence, one must be tempted and tested in order to really know whether they are ready to evolve. Materialism and unrighteousness must be resisted in their full saturation of promise in order to know that the soul is ready to cross the veil to attain enlightenment.
The Rudras stationed at Prostyapadas, representing embodiments of destructive power, vigilantly prevent even the slightest trace of mental impurity from crossing this threshold. Ajaekapada supervises progress under Purva Bhadrapada, ensuring that impersonal creative forces flourish effortlessly while eradicating any lingering material seeds within the depths of the heart. As a product of elemental phenomena, Ajaekapada cannot allow past memories, inclinations, and achievements to dissipate without resistance. The ensuing struggle thereby renders life under Purva Bhadrapada arduous and oftentimes painful. Like I keep saying, initiation requires one’s feet be bathed in the blood their heart— attachments cannot be maintained.
As I mentioned before, Shiva is indirectly going to be related to this Nakshatra. There is way too much to cover in terms of all of what Shiva could signify for this asterism, and I'm sure you're probably still reeling from the previous passage, so I will just keep it brief. Shiva is one of the trimurti and is known as "the destroyer." This aspect of destruction symbolizes the cyclical nature of existence, where old structures make way for new beginnings. In this case, it is at the end of a cycle making way for the dissolution encompassed in the following bridged 12th Rashi of Pisces. In Purva Bhadrapada Nakshatra, Shiva's presence suggests the need to let go of the past and embrace change for spiritual growth. His association shows the power of the transformative forces at play within this celestial realm, inviting us to surrender to the natural flow of life's cycles as we grow to understand them.
Planetary Associations
In the Vimshottari system of astrology, the main celestial body linked with Purva Bhadrapada nakshatra is Jupiter, the great and gentle benefic, Brihaspati– preceptor of the gods. You can look at my other post describing the nature of Jupiter for a description of his essential nature and function, and you’ll see the dichotomy presented there to be quite poignant to understanding this Nakshatra, but in this post, I’m going to go a little bit deeper.
Success in the completion of occult initiation requires an immense amount of Jupiterian energy tempered by Saturn's restraint. In Purva Bhadrapada, the atmosphere is rich in potential for such an activity. Purva Bhadrapada's alignment with Jupiter illuminates the essence of Jupiterian energies, embracing wisdom, expansiveness, and spiritual evolution, which are all integral to the journey of occult initiation. On a more sour side, in ancient astrological traditions, Jupiter is often associated with excess, overindulgence, and the growth of everything indiscriminately. This links it to a lesser-known, destructive side of Jupiter. Just as growth of a tumor in the body will destroy the physical constitution, unencumbered growth of potential regardless of direction, represented by Jupiter’s influence in this asterism, is dangerous for society at large. While Jupiter is primarily seen as an all-benefic influence, its expansive nature can sometimes lead to a lack of necessary moderation or the destruction of weakness characteristic of Saturn. This weakness can include that of negative potentials, resulting in decadent downfall. In Vedic astrology, Jupiter is considered a natural significator of wealth, knowledge, and spirituality. However, when its energy is unchecked or misaligned, it can lead to overconfidence, extravagance, and moral decline. Jupiter's influence in destruction is thus linked to its potential to amplify negative tendencies and contribute to the corruption of individuals and civilizations through the pursuit of excessive desires and worldly pleasures.
But here's where it gets really interesting. From a spiritually-inclined perspective, even the destructive influence of Jupiter should not necessarily viewed as negative. In contrast to the restrictive nature of Saturn, which denies and confines, Jupiter offers abundance and fulfillment. However, this influence will inevitably only serve to reveal the inherent emptiness of such pursuits, auspiciously illuminating the truth about reality. Both debauchery and extravagance, though initially alluring, ultimately lead to the realization of the poverty inherent in materials. When you get everything you want, you may realize that you never really wanted it, and when death is looming closer, you may spiral out of the recognition of a life wasted chasing meaningless and empty trophies of attachment. Regardless of one's wealth, knowledge, or status, all worldly possessions are destined to dissolve and fade into obscurity. Consider those who lived a mere century ago—how many are remembered, and for what reasons? Nothing amassed in life accompanies us beyond death's threshold. Even those still famous to us after centuries will eventually have their names disappear with the cycling of enough Moons. (Purva Bhadrapada is also associated with Jupiter in another way through its overlap with Pisces Rashi, but at that stage, it becomes closer to Uttara Bhadrapada and is less susceptible to the dangers posed by this Nakshatra, simply due to the purity achieved at that point.)
Saturn's overlapping influence on this place of the ecliptic plane shared by Purva Bhadrapada Nakshatra provides protection from the influence of materiality. People often forget that, while harsh, Saturn is ultimately merciful. Shani allows you to make amends for your past karma, and this will prevent the peak of Jupiter's power, an inherently material yet paradoxically spiritual force, to not go so far as to ruin all the spiritual progress made up to that point of egoic evolution. Saturn is also important when you consider the disciplined and detached nature of this Nakshatra, which is to be required when facing the inevitability of death. However, due to the immense power housed in this Nakshatra associated with Jupiter, Saturn, and Ajaekapada (and navamsa lords, which I’ll cover in the next part), the influence of Saturn needs to be very strong to fulfill its duties righteously. Otherwise, it can further corrupt the position of this Nakshatra, leading to selfish and undisciplined destruction, which is one of the reasons this Nakshatra was so feared by the ancient sages. Saturn is also very materialistic, so it can present an almost insurmountable challenge when misaligned.
Any lapse at the height of this Nakshatra is likely to result in severe wreckage and unparalleled despair. Perhaps the reason why this Nakshatra is associated with the Devil in Western society is because of this darker potential to "fall from heaven." Regardless of all the energies working in one’s favor at this stage of advanced spiritual evolution, we are reminded that, as humans, we possess the capacity for both divine greatness and profound darkness. It is in the recognition of this duality that we find the true test of our character and the eternal struggle to maintain balance amidst the cosmic forces of light and shadow.
2024.05.05 16:29 Yurii_S_Kh The Grandeur of Greek Pascha
 | Xenia Klimova submitted by Yurii_S_Kh to SophiaWisdomOfGod [link] [comments] Pascha is the principal festival of the Greek calendar. Preparations for Pascha begin from Holy Week, and Paschal holidays start on Holy and Great Friday, when the Orthodox have permission to be absent from work and pray in church. Xenia Klimova, an expert in Greek traditions and folklore, senior lecturer at the Department of Philology of Lomonosov Moscow State University, Ph.D in Language and Literature Study, speaks about Paschal dances, traditional cakes and cookies, and other customs associated with the celebration of the Radiant Resurrection of Christ in Greece. https://preview.redd.it/q27h59hyamyc1.png?width=500&format=png&auto=webp&s=11f6d9100e8fc42092d70aea6aab7a810df88f68 —Xenia, how do Greek people prepare for Pascha? —Like in Russia, preparations begin from Holy Week. In Greek it is called «Εβδομάδα των Παθών» (that is, “the Week of Passion”, or “the Passion Week”) or «Μεγάλη εβδομάδα» (“the Great Week”). According to their custom, even those who didn’t keep the fast during Great Lent shouldn’t eat meat and milk products during Holy Week. Many people, especially the elderly, try to fast on only bread and water through this week. On Holy and Great Friday they only drink water into which they add some vinegar because the Savior was given vinegar when He was on the Cross. Bells don’t ring on Holy Week in Greece. As Greeks say: «οι καμπάνες χηρεύουν» (“bells are widowed”). Special preparations commence on Holy and Great Wednesday: people tidy up their homes and collect food for the Paschal meal. In rural areas priests visit villagers’ houses and bless Paschal food. Though in cities priests normally don’t visit homes of the faithful for this purpose, parishioners can come to church to have their Paschal food blessed. Tsoureki —Do they bake kulichi on Holy Thursday, as we do? —Yes, they do. And Greeks have several varieties of Paschal cakes and cookies. For example, «τσουρέκι»—that is, “tsoureki”, which is a sweet rich braided cake topped with sliced almonds. The second most important cake is «Λαμπροκουλλούρα». Pascha in Greek is «το Πάσχα», or «η Λαμπρή», meaning “shining”, “luminous”. Hence the name of Paschal round loaf. It is decorated in a very interesting way: there is a cross in the center, and there are various cosmogonic patterns, like birds, spirals, and herringbone patterns, on either side. Traditionally baking Paschal bread was associated with marriage. Unmarried young women did the baking and thus demonstrated their skills as future housewives. They would arrange fairs on Pascha and choose the best Paschal bread. The maiden who baked it was considered “a good catch” (likewise, the guy who could retrieve the cross from water on the feast of Theophany was regarded as “a man any girl would marry”). Some of interesting examples of the so-called folk etymology are connected with the most important Christian festival. “Pascha” is a lexeme borrowed from Hebrew. But in popular consciousness it is associated with the Greek verb “pascho” (πάσχω), meaning “to suffer”. Therefore, the meaning of the feast is associated with the Passion of Christ on the Cross. —Do they color eggs on Holy Thursday as well? —Yes, by tradition Paschal eggs are red. But nowadays (like in Russia) eggs come in a variety of colors. They say that those who are in mourning dye their eggs blue or dark purple, though I personally have not seen this. Commercial production is developed so much in Greece that colored hard-boiled eggs are sold in supermarkets before Pascha. —Were there any special ceremonies observed on Holy Week? —In Thrace, for instance, on Holy and Great Thursday or Friday people made an effigy of Judas, dressed it in old clothes, carried it around the village and sang ritual songs: Ράτσα, κεράτσα δωσ'μια κληματσίδα να κάψουμε τον Οβριγιό πόχει πολλή κασσίδα. Οβριγιός φορεί φτερό στο κεφάλι το ξερό... “Hey, Kind Lady, Give us a grapevine, We will burn down a Jew With bad eczema, The Jew has a plume on his withered head…” In effect, it is a variation of the ceremony of burning a dummy of “winter” (of Maslennitsa in Russia) on Pancake Week preceding Great Lent. —Are there Paschal holidays in Greece? —Yes, and they last almost a week after Paschal Sunday. But in fact for many they begin from Holy and Great Friday, when people get a day off. When believers want to take their time off on Holy Friday, their employers are very understanding. In schools and higher education institutions Paschal holidays are long enough to allow students living in Athens to travel to their native villages in the regions and back. —How do Greeks celebrate Pascha? —The feast begins the night before Paschal Sunday. Most Greeks come to church only to walk in the procession and then go home to celebrate the festival. Despite this, first and foremost Pascha is a religious festival for them, and they look forward to the moment when the most important event is announced: “Christ Is Risen!” Greeks stock up on large candles beforehand. The Greek for “large candle” (for example, a Paschal or a wedding candle) is λαμπάδα. Thus, some of our terms differ. The Greek for “icon lamp” which usually hangs in front of an icon is καντήλι; the Greek for “censer” is «θυμιατήρι». —Are Paschal candles always red? —In Greece they are not necessarily red. When Greeks come to Russia for Pascha, they ask in amazement: “Why are your candles red?!” —Is the Paschal meal arranged in parishes? —No, Greeks celebrate at home. Following the festal service families gather and go to somebody’s place to eat Paschal soup, μαγειρίτσα, made of lamb pluck. As a rule, they go to the hostess who cooks this dish perfectly. This soup is not too heavy and very tasty, so it is just fine after the service. Then all go to sleep, and next morning they get up and begin the preparations for large-scale celebrations. They roast a lamb or a goat on a spit in the yard. The μαγειρίτσα “magiritsa” Paschal soup In Greece Paschal dinner is the most lavish meal of the year. There is even a special verb in Greek, πασκάζω, meaning approximately “to enjoy hearty and delicious food, as on Pascha”. A wide range of dishes are present on the table: the above-mentioned cakes and cookies, colored eggs, meats… —Do Greeks practice egg-tapping, too? https://preview.redd.it/fokawxb8bmyc1.png?width=257&format=png&auto=webp&s=dc684596f63e8f0221eb3f1ffb28fff6aa5089f4 —Yes, they call it τσουγκρίζω. One member of each family becomes the winner in this “fight”. Many Greeks like to tell stories about how one or another family member tried to trick them by using a wooden colored egg instead of a chicken egg. Greeks are sure to tell you that once one uncle had allegedly beaten everybody, that they had wanted to eat that miraculous egg, but he hid it and his fraud was exposed. Similar horse stories are also widespread in the army. There is a custom in northern Greece (Thrace, Macedonia) which is called χάσκα. Χάσκω means “stare with one’s mouth open”. A Paschal egg is attached to a string and suspended from the ceiling, and the contestants should try and catch it while it is spinning. He who manages to eat this egg is called “a Paschal lucky player”. Formerly, people used to collect eggshells and bury them under fruit trees so that they could produce more fruit. In some regions of Greece people observe the custom of building bonfires on Pascha. Paschal fire is very important to them. Unlike Russians, Greeks don’t bring the fire of Holy and Great Thursday home but take Paschal Flame with them. If you observe the faithful walk home after the midnight service in Athens, carrying candles ignited with this fire, you will find that it is a beautiful sight. At home people would cross their windows, doors, household, animals and fruit trees (not least the trees that wouldn’t bear fruit) with Paschal Flame. Paschal Fire Vigil lamps were lit from it and burned throughout the year or at least over a period of Bright Week. The Paschal Flame is also conveyed to their neighbors—elderly and sick people, and those who couldn’t go to the Paschal service. —How do they celebrate Pascha in Bright Week? —Festivities continue in Bright Week. The first day is called «Δευτέρα της α γάπης»—that is, “Monday of love”. In the Greek regions where blood vengeance was widespread the ritual of αδελφοποιϊα (meaning “sworn brotherhood”, “fraternization”) was performed. Members of the feuding parties would make cuts on their own hands, mix the flowing blood, shake one another’s hands and thus become “blood brothers”. Of course, not only enemies could do it, but this ritual was above all associated with reconciliation.[1] This custom has pagan roots (they would sometimes pour blood out into one cup and take turns drinking it), but the time chosen was Pascha. This tradition is familiar to everybody, though it has not been observed recently. It was very vividly described by Nikos Kazantzakis (1883—1957) in the early twentieth century. Some of my informants recounted how they “had sworn brotherhood” with somebody else decades ago. On Bright Monday dancing parties were arranged in the square in front of the village church attended by the whole village. In insular Greece, lads used to swing lasses or swing together with them in Bright Week. While swinging, they would sing mantinades—folk-style short romantic songs that contained two rhyming fifteen-syllable lines. As a rule, they were sung by guys. Sometimes a youth would compose such songs on the spot at the first try. For example: Κούνια μου, κούνησέ μου την, για να βραδιάσει η μέρα, να ξημερώσει, να τη δω, να πάρει ο νους μου “O swings, rock this girl for me, so that the evening can set in and then dawn come, so that I can see her and lose my heart to her.” And young ladies could respond: Που να χαρείς τα χέρια σου τα μαργαριταρένια που κούνησαν κι άλλες πολλές, τώρα κουνάν και μένα “Admire and be proud of your pearly hands, which have swung many others and are now swinging me.” Sport competitions are held during Paschal fairs. The winner was rewarded with the best Paschal cake baked by the most desirable prospective bride. The festivities are normally arranged by church. Today each village has a folk society, and people try to play folk instruments, sing traditional songs and dance. Pascha in Perachora. The 2000s —Do priests dance too? —Everybody dances on Pascha in Greece, and the priest is always the first to come out dancing. I used to collect local folklore in the village of Perachora in the south of mainland Greece. There are two churches there, and each family is registered in one of these parishes so it attends only one of them. On Bright Monday they would perform a spiral dance, each family in its own parish, headed by their priest. First they danced in a circle inside church, and then went outside and danced around the church. There is a road in the village which connects these two churches. So the two groups of parishioners got on the road dancing, met, danced in front of each other for some while, exchanged greetings, and walked in opposite directions towards each other’s churches while dancing, danced there, and then walked back to their respective parishes to continue their celebrations. Again, a kind of “sworn brotherhood”. Pascha in Perachora. The 2000s Curiously enough, now that all the old priests who used to dance on Pascha are dead, the Church has assigned new young priests to these parishes, but they refuse to dance. And old women from Perachora are absolutely displeased. They complain: “Our fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers danced, all of our priests danced, but these refuse!” —And what do Greeks sing on Pascha? Are there any special songs, like Christmas carols? —As a rule, these are Pascha-themed songs, but here we don’t see as much diversity as we see on the Nativity of Christ or Pancake Week. Judas is often mentioned in songs, but not necessarily. Σήμερα Χριστός Ανέστη καιστουςουρανούςευρέθη... “Today Christ is our Resurrection, and He has ascended into Heaven...” True, there are metaphors and elements of cosmogony in a number of songs. For instance, we can find a metaphor of cosmic jubilation or similes which are a typical feature of folklore: “There are youths, standing like strong trees, and young maidens, like lemon trees adorned with flowers.” But all in all, all the texts are within the limits of Christian tradition. —But there must be some rites in addition to what you’ve mentioned. —For example, in northern Greece, τουλούπα was prepared on Bright Wednesday. It was a torch made of sheep’s wool. A woman would kindle a huge flame and carry it while dancing at the head of a line of dancers. As a matter of fact, sheep are traditional “Paschal” animals. One week before Pascha people would sometimes take their lambs home for a week to fatten them up. They would give them names which were associated with the feast—for example, “Lambros” (from “Lambri”), “Paschalis” etc. Despite varying degrees of religiousness, Pascha is still the most important feast for Greeks. In Greece it is celebrated with a greater magnificence than any other festival. Olga Bogdanova spoke with Xenia Klimova [1] This practice is of course not condoned by the Church, and some holy Greek fathers of the Churchs have spoken against it. |
2024.05.05 11:44 jabeck765 Beware of Blockchain Hacks: Emily Schmitz's Journey to Recovery with Albert Guzman
 | submitted by jabeck765 to reportscamsite [link] [comments] Blockchain Compromise - Beware In the fast-paced world of cryptocurrency, the allure of blockchain technology is undeniable. However, great innovation comes with significance. Like many crypto enthusiasts, Emily Schmitz embraced the promise of blockchain technology, investing in various cryptocurrencies and diligently managing her digital assets. However, her world was turned upside down when she discovered that her wallet had been compromised, and hackers had stolen everything she had worked so hard for. "I felt like my entire world had crumbled," Emily recalls. "I had poured my heart and soul into building my crypto portfolio, only to have it snatched away instantly." With her funds gone and her trust shattered, Emily faced a daunting reality – navigating the complex landscape of blockchain hacks and attempting to recover what was rightfully hers. The Road to Recovery: Emily's Encounter with Albert Guzman Determined to reclaim her stolen assets, Emily embarked on a journey of recovery, seeking experts to assist her in her quest for justice. During this time of desperation, she crossed paths with Albert Guzman, a renowned authority in the field of crypto crime investigation. "From the moment I reached out to Albert, I knew I was in good hands," Emily recounts. "His expertise and dedication were evident from our very first conversation." With Albert by her side, Emily navigated the intricate process of investigating the blockchain hack, tracing the flow of funds, and building a compelling case against the perpetrators. Through meticulous analysis and strategic intervention, Albert uncovered crucial evidence that would ultimately lead to the recovery of Emily's stolen assets. A Triumph of Resilience: Emily Recovers $180,000 with Albert's Help After weeks of tireless effort and unwavering determination, Emily received the news she had longed for – her stolen funds, totaling $180,000, had been successfully recovered. "I couldn't believe it," Emily exclaims. "It felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Albert had not only helped me recover my lost assets but had also restored my faith in the crypto community." Emily's story powerfully reminds us of the importance of remaining vigilant in the face of blockchain hacks and wallet compromises. By seeking experts like Albert Guzman, victims can take proactive steps toward reclaiming their stolen assets and holding cybercriminals accountable for their actions. A Word of Caution to Readers: Stay Mindful of Crypto Transactions As Emily's journey illustrates, the world of cryptocurrency is not without its risks. From blockchain hacks to wallet compromises, the threat of digital asset theft looms. Crypto enthusiasts must exercise caution and employ robust security measures to protect their investments. "Be vigilant, be cautious, and above all, be proactive," Emily advises. "And if you ever find yourself in a situation like mine, don't hesitate to contact knowledge, which is our most excellent defense against blockchain hacks and wallet compromises. Let Emily's story serve as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of expert assistance in overcoming adversity. Contact Information: For media inquiries or assistance with blockchain hacks and wallet compromises, please contact: Albert Guzman, Crypto Crime Investigator Email: [albertcsi@tuta.io](mailto:albertcsi@tuta.io) Instagram: albertcsi Let's work together to protect the integrity of the crypto community and ensure a safer digital future for all. |
2024.05.05 11:29 jabeck765 Beware of Zelle Scam Sites: A Cautionary Tale of Online Fraud and Recovery Success
 | submitted by jabeck765 to reportscamsite [link] [comments] Zelle In today's digital age, convenience often comes hand in hand with risk, especially regarding online financial transactions. Recently, there has been a surge in Zelle scam sites, preying on unsuspecting victims and causing substantial economic losses. However, amidst tales of woe, there shines a beacon of hope – the story of Irie Frieden, who, with Albert Guzman, a CCI expert, successfully recovered $40,000 stolen through a Zelle scam site. The Rise of Zelle Scam Sites: Zelle, a popular digital payment platform, has revolutionized how we transfer money. However, scammers have capitalized on its convenience, creating fake websites and apps that mimic the legitimate Zelle interface. Unwitting users are lured into these fraudulent platforms, where their funds are siphoned away with little chance of recovery. Irie Frieden's Harrowing Experience: like many others, Irie Frieden fell victim to a Zelle scam site. After transferring $40,000 through what she believed to be a legitimate Zelle platform, she soon realized she had been deceived. Panic-stricken and distraught, IrieLikeLike many others, Irie Frieden fell victim to a Zelle scam site. After transferring $40,000 through what she believed to be a legitimate Zelle platform, she soon realized she had been deceived. Panic-stricken and distraught, she sought assistance in reclaiming her stolen funds. The Role of Albert Guzman, the CCI Expert: Enter Albert Guzman, a seasoned CCI (Crypto Crime Investigator) with a stellar track record in recovering stolen assets. Armed with his expertise and determination, Albert took on Irie's case, meticulously tracing the flow of funds and building a compelling case against the scammers. With his guidance, Irie navigated the intricate fund recovery process with renewed hope. The Journey to Recovery: Albert's tenacity and expertise proved instrumental in Irie's journey to recovery. Through diligent investigation and strategic intervention, he successfully identified the perpetrators behind the Zelle scam site and initiated legal proceedings to reclaim Irie's stolen funds. After weeks of tireless effort, Irie received the news she had longed for – her $40,000 had been restored to her account, thanks to Albert's unwavering dedication. Knowledge is our greatest weapon in the fight against online fraud. By staying informed and vigilant, we can collectively create a safer digital landscape for all. Remember, you have the power to protect yourself. Contact Information: For media inquiries or assistance with fund recovery, please contact: Albert Guzman, CCI Expert Email: [albertcsi@tuta.io](mailto:albertcsi@tuta.io) Instagram: albertcsi Let's work together to combat online scams and protect consumers from financial harm. |
2024.05.05 10:07 therealgrooot WTS/ Genshin AR 60 Asia server account
 | Also i have alhaitham with his signature weapon, xiao with his signature weapon and hutao with her signature. submitted by therealgrooot to GenshinTrades [link] [comments] All five stras are build to maximum with perfect to good artifact rolls. Diluc limited five star skin is also availabile in my account. Will be selling this account for 110$ (Price can be negotiated). |
2024.05.04 04:08 uscvball Carol's update
" I’m writing to let you know the steps we’re taking now to ensure students finish their finals in a quiet, safe academic environment – and that our graduating students can enjoy peaceful and joyous commencement ceremonies worthy of their accomplishments.
Freedom of expression is one of our foundational values, and throughout the year, faculty, staff, and students have held lawful marches, vigils, and peaceful demonstrations. But let me be absolutely clear: free speech and assembly do not include the right to obstruct equal access to campus, damage property, or foment harassment, violence, and threats. Nor is anyone entitled to obstruct the normal functions of our university, including commencement.
The university is legally obligated to ensure that students, faculty, and staff can move freely throughout our campus while pursuing their studies, work, and research. Every part of our campuses, including Alumni Park, must be fully accessible and free from vandalism and harassment.
When laws and policies that apply to everyone are repeatedly and flagrantly violated – there must be consequences. This is an intense and highly charged time for the country and for many here at USC – I'm asking everyone to help, abide by all our security measures, and treat each other with empathy and respect. The university has initiated disciplinary review processes for individuals who have violated both our policies and the law. We will take any further actions required to maintain campus safety and security, consistent with our legal obligations. "
Isn't this what she should have said almost 2 weeks ago?
submitted by uscvball to WEARESC_OT [link] [comments]
Freedom of expression is one of our foundational values, and throughout the year, faculty, staff, and students have held lawful marches, vigils, and peaceful demonstrations. But let me be absolutely clear: free speech and assembly do not include the right to obstruct equal access to campus, damage property, or foment harassment, violence, and threats. Nor is anyone entitled to obstruct the normal functions of our university, including commencement.
The university is legally obligated to ensure that students, faculty, and staff can move freely throughout our campus while pursuing their studies, work, and research. Every part of our campuses, including Alumni Park, must be fully accessible and free from vandalism and harassment.
When laws and policies that apply to everyone are repeatedly and flagrantly violated – there must be consequences. This is an intense and highly charged time for the country and for many here at USC – I'm asking everyone to help, abide by all our security measures, and treat each other with empathy and respect. The university has initiated disciplinary review processes for individuals who have violated both our policies and the law. We will take any further actions required to maintain campus safety and security, consistent with our legal obligations. "
Isn't this what she should have said almost 2 weeks ago?