Hi Guys,
Will try not to bore you. I was wondering if anyone has similar symptoms or if their progression sounds like mine.
So last year September, I woke up to this aching feeling when carrying my handbag on my right hand. Within a week, the whole hand was affected. I had pain lifting anything and I started using ibrupofen everyday to control the pain. It was that bad.
That same month, I noticed my vision became very blurry. I started having this shaky and tremor in my legs with slight cramps.
Somehow, my right leg was twitching uncontrollably too. I had shortness of breath when lying down (this has been on and off) with really bad fatigue. I was always tired.
September - Weak shoulder and arm, Painful hands
By October, noticed twitching in my neck and difficulty swallowing. Like I had to push the food down to swallow it properly. This time, I also noticed some cramps in my left fingers and hands. This continued on slowly. I still had strength.
October- Weak Left arm, swallowing issues.
November: I started twitching in my tongue. My tongue dances around. Soon, I would get mouth aches after talking for over an hour and my head felt weak, my neck could not hold itself up and would fall. I was using braces in my hands, legs and neck. This time, they did an EMG on all four limbs which came back clean. This was exactly two months since the symptoms started. I had a clean ANA profile as well.
November - Tongue twitching,neck collapse.
December - Nothing new, the symptoms just got worse. So, I decided to take a blood test. All came back ok except my iron which was extremely low and high copper.
So, I started supplementing iron. This somehow would stop the tongue dancing around for like an hour and soon it would return. This was too much to bear. So, I did the below treatments
Treatments
Feroglobin - 1 tsb per day Glu Scavenger - 1 Folic Acid - 1 Glutathione - 1 Vitamin E - 1 Vitamin D - 1 Ashwaghanda Lions Mane Lserine- 2x a day I also did a phospholipid exchange
Alas, the day I started Tudca mixed with fulvic and humic acid (omnyne on Amazon) , my life changed forever. My symptoms went down by over 90%. No longer had tongue twitching or facial weakness, I could not even notice the weakness. The pain almost went.
I have been on Tudca ever since. Realised the fulvic acid is what makes the Tudca effective so I bought Fulvic Acid separately and this was a game changer. Barely noticed any weakness. It helps with the pain and cramps too and I almost go by everyday without any pain or issues.
however, after a week of stress (I baked a lot and had a lot of guests so I had to be on my feet for close to 10 hours a day) I noticed my left leg has not become weak. The whole thing is all over my body now from head to toe. I am now experiencing similar symptoms as I did in Septembe October only this time, Tudca and acids are keeping it at bay and it did not get so bad like I had in September with my right side.
Problem is my next neuron appointment is in October and quite frankly w/o the Tudca, I think I would be in a much worse state by now. My legs are slowly better and my grip strength sometimes gets so bad but once I supplement with feroglobin, I get better.
I have asked every single person they seem not to even think this relates to the three big words or MS. MRI clean too.
Please help me.

There is a lot of material that speaks to the influences of Gurdjieff and the source of his knowledge. I have seen many arguments from people trying to label G as either being Christian or Muslim, a Sufi or Neo-Platonist, being influenced heavily by Iamblichus... the list goes on. For a long time, I myself wondered about the source of his knowledge and tried to determine which of the prior mentioned was the origin but never concluded.
I recently came across the Ikhwān aṣ-Ṣafā (The Brethren of Purity) who wrote the Epistles of the Brethren of Purity, a treatise consisting of fifty-two epistles dealing with subjects such as mathematics, natural sciences, psychology, and theology. Here are a few of the characteristics of the brotherhood:

• The members/authors of the document are unknown as the Muslim community at the time (9th/10th century CE) regarded the material as heretical;
  
• They drew on various religious texts (Torah, Qu'ran, and Bible), and sciences as a means of developing their understanding of the soul and God. This included topics like music, magic and astronomy;
  
• They covered themes such as matter and form, metallurgy, meteorology, a study of the essence of nature, the classes of plants and animals, the composition of the human body and its embryological constitution, a cosmic grasp of the human being as microcosm, and the investigation of phonetic and structural properties of languages.
  
• They heeded the legacies of the Stoics and Pythagoras, Hermes, Gerasa, Euclid, Ptolemy, Galen, Proclus, Porphyry, and Iambliuchus;
  
• They encountered veracity in every religion and thus did not exclude material or members from non-Muslim sects or religions;
  
• They were driven by a quest for wisdom and impetus not reducible to eclecticism. Their syncretism was grounded in their aspiration to establish a spiritual refuge that transcended secretarian divisions.
  

This list is not exhaustive list but gives a good impression of the ideas of the brotherhood and I think it is easy to see the overlaps with G's material and his approach to knowledge, his indifference to various sects and religions, his interest in the sciences and languages. This brotherhood also reminds me of the "world brotherhood" covered in the chapter of Professor Skridlov in Meetings with Remarkable Men. Furthermore, Beelzabubs' tales also cover a diverse range of the above-mentioned topics.
In my opinion, G would have undoubtedly come across the Rasā'il Ikhwān al-ṣafā'and I am convinced this laid the foundation for his outlook and undertakings - not to say he did not have other influences.
While this is not a thorough write-up, I thought I'd share my opinion of what I think was a strong influence in G and I would strongly encourage those who are interested to look further into the works of the Brethren of Purity.

I (18F) lost it tonight at my mother (49F) after she continually called me fat. I was cooking myself dinner in the kitchen when my brother (15M) asked me what the marks on my arm were, I explained that they were stretch marks and how they form from loosing or gaining weight quickly. I have been actively trying to loose weight as I had fallen into a depression and gained an unhealthy amount of it, I am now atleast 8kgs in the past 4 months though excessive exercise and healthy eating. However I still have a lot of weight I need to loose but I’m happy with my progress, my mother butted in and said it was because I had gained weight that I had these marks and I said while that was true I think that me loosing weight now is causing more of that. She laughed at me, she has made fun of my weight for years and said to me that my weight will never be what it use to be and that I’m doomed to be fat for the rest of my life. I kinda just snapped at this moment, I felt like she was undermining my progress and me trying to be healthier I was crying as I told her how she was setting my progress back by treating me like this and that she had no clue how it felt to look in the mirror and feel gross about the way your body now looks and how much you’ve let yourself go at my age, at 18 I shouldn’t be worried about how my body looks and should be focused more on my academics and start of my adult life. She laughed again and told me it isn’t her fault that I’m fat and I told her to f—k off and leave me alone and she got really offended. I was told by my father I took it to far by telling her to f—k off because now she was upset and crying, I feel sad now and I think I might’ve been wrong. So AITA for standing up for myself?

Hong Kong Dharma Talk by Master Lu
2016-07-03
Editor’s note: Dharma Master Jun Hong Lu has a powerful Dharma eye. He can clearly diagnose karma sources by reading the patient’s totem. The participants ask questions at the Dharma Convention, and Master Lu answers them by reading their totems. For living individuals, please tell Master Lu their zodiac and birth year; for deceased individuals, please tell Master Lu their names and death year. Master Lu will acquire their totems through these messages. By reading their totems, Master Lu will find the causes of their illness, helping them treat their diseases.
Patient's wife: This is my husband. He was born in 1969, and his zodiac sign is a rooster. Since being diagnosed with ALS in 2013, he has lost all mobility in his limbs.
Master Lu: No strength in the waist, the whole spine looks like completely paralyzed.
Patient's wife: Yes.
Master Lu: Ouch! Two spirits are pulling him, two rope-like wires pulling his waist, just pulling it upward, so he often gets cramps.
Patient's wife: Yes, yes.
Master Lu: He can still live for one year and three months. You have to tell him to change himself and recite Buddhist scriptures well. I'm telling you, he's here to pay his debt. This is his mother, isn't it?
Patient's wife: His mother.
Master Lu: You tell his mother to recite Buddhist scriptures for him properly. He is here to pay off his karmic debt, and he will be passing away very soon, so you have to recite the Little House to him now. His mother was very strict with him since he was a child, scolding and beating him constantly. Your mother-in-law is very fierce. As soon as the debt is paid off, he will pass away. Thus, I told you (the audience in the convention hall) to take it easy on yourselves about everything. Even if you know that your wife owes you debt, you should not force her to desperately pay. Many wives say, "Ouch, my husband owes me." They abuse their husbands every day, and one day the husband runs away because it's paid off. Do you understand?
Patient's wife: Understand.
Master Lu: You tell his mother to recite the Little House for him every day, a total of 384 sheets, this is the first set so far.
Patient's wife: I have already burned 800 Little House for his karmic creditors, and released 7000 fish.
Master Lu: Well, he's getting a little better. You tell him to take calcium tablets, and eat lecithin. Also, he has poison in his body and is often constipated.
Patient's wife: Yes, yes.
Master Lu: His brain is often messed up.
Patient's wife: Yes, yes, yes.
Master Lu: He often has painful feelings. Keep his mother from bothering him. What do you know, granny? You cast spell over his head, as if you were really doing something. Do you want me to get rid of your soul ah?
Patient's wife: She didn't learn any spells.
Master Lu: You see she just scratched over her son's head like this. Don't scratch, do you understand? Really, alas! (He) owes her. Do you know who his mother's face looks like, do you know? Like an official of the underworld ah? I tell you, (the mother) is to ask for debts. When her son is about to pay off his debt, he will be taken away. (The mother is) very powerful. Alas, you just let fate take its course. In your family, mother has the highest status, and the second is your husband, you are the third.
Patient's wife: Yes yes.
Master Lu: If you have a dog in your family, you will become the fourth. Do you understand? Recite Buddhist scriptures properly!
Patient's wife: Master, how many more Little Houses do we need to recite for him? How many fish to liberate for him?
Master Lu: 18,000 fish.
Patient's wife: Okay.
Master Lu: Continue reciting Little Houses for him until you reach the target of about 890 sheets.
Patient's wife: Now we have finished 800 sheets.
Master Lu: Keep reciting until he recovers. He will be able to stand up later, but he is weak and needs crutches.
Patient's wife: Okay.
Master Lu: If reciting Buddhist scriptures well he can stand up. No big problem. He just has a severe atrophy.
Patient's wife: Yes, yes, yes.
Master Lu: His muscles are all atrophied. With time, all muscles will completely close up.
Patient's wife: He is now having difficulty swallowing, and eating is a problem.
Master Lu: There is a way to help him. Serve him great compassion water every morning, and then ask his mother to give him a throat massage by hand. When you do massage for your husband, you recite the Great Compassion Mantra. Every time he can not swallow, you do massage for him with your mouth reciting the Great Compassion Mantra. You try, each time you can help him to be able to swallow. This is a temporary solution.
Patient's wife: Okay, thank you, Master!
Statement by translator
The dialogue was translated from Chinese into English by meaning, not word by word. If there is anything that is not rational or in line with the true meaning of the Chinese version, I pray for forgiveness from the Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, Dharma protectors and Master Jun Hong Lu.
Propagation
It would be greatly appreciated if you would forward this presentation to all sentient beings you know, sick or healthy. You will accumulate immeasurable merits and virtues. Saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-floor pagoda!
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Contact
Buddhist practitioner: Lily
Email: [sunnypurplelily@gmail.com](mailto:sunnypurplelily@gmail.com)
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原文如下：
2016年7月3日 中国香港《玄艺综述》大型现场解答会看图腾
病人妻子：这是我的丈夫。他是1969年属鸡的，2013年医院检查出渐冻症，现在已经发展到四肢没有任何的活动能力。
台长师父：腰没有力量，整个脊背完全瘫掉一样。
病人妻子：对。
台长师父：哎哟！两个灵性拉他的，两根绳子一样的铁丝拉他的腰，就是往上牵，所以他经常会抽筋。
病人妻子：是的是的。
台长师父：他还能活一年零三个月。你要叫他变化，好好地念经。我告诉你，他是来还债的。这是他妈妈是吧？
病人妻子：他妈。
台长师父：你叫他妈好好帮他念经，这个孩子是来还债的，他很快就要走的，所以你现在要给他念小房子。妈妈从小对他很严格，骂啊、打啊什么都要做的。你这个婆婆很厉害的，还完了，这个孩子就走掉了。所以我叫你们自己什么事情要悠着点，就是知道这个老婆来还债的，你也不要怎么样，就是知道怎么样，你也不要拼命地去叫人家还。很多老婆说：“哎哟，我老公欠我的。”对他整天不好、整天不好，到最后有一天老公跑掉了，因为还完了。听得懂吗？
病人妻子：明白了。
台长师父：你叫他妈妈每天要念小房子，一共要念384张，这是目前第一拨。
病人妻子：我已经为他烧送了800张小房子了，放生7000条鱼。
台长师父：嗯，他好了一点点。你叫他要吃钙片，还要叫他吃卵磷脂。还有他身上有毒，经常便秘。
病人妻子：是的是的。
台长师父：脑子已经经常转不过弯来。
病人妻子：对对对。
台长师父：经常有痛苦感觉，叫他的妈妈不要再乱弄他了。你懂什么，老婆婆？还要搞这种法术呢，头上拉拉下来，像真的一样，你要不要我把你魂弄掉啊？
病人妻子：她没学什么法术。
台长师父：你看她刚才在她儿子头上这么抓。不要抓，听得懂吗？真的，唉！欠她的。你知道他妈妈……你看看他妈妈的脸像谁，你们知道吗？像不像地府的官啊？我告诉你，就是来要债，把她儿子弄弄弄，还债，还得差不多了，把他带走。很厉害的，弄到最后还是她。你就是……唉，你就随缘吧，你就这种孩子了，没办法。你们家里，老大是他妈，老二是你老公，你是老三。
病人妻子：是的是的。
台长师父：如果你们家再养条狗，你就变老四了。听得懂吗？好好念经了！
病人妻子：师父，我们再为他念多少小房子？放多少鱼？
台长师父：放18000条鱼。
病人妻子：好的。
台长师父：小房子要帮他不停地念，最后大概要念到890张。
病人妻子：现在已经达到800张了。
台长师父：还要念，念到他好。他以后能站起来，但是浑身无力，要拄拐棍的。
病人妻子：好的。
台长师父：他如果好好念经，能站起来的，没什么大问题，他只是萎缩症很厉害。
病人妻子：对对对。
台长师父：他的肌肉都在萎缩，萎缩到后来完全收起来了。
病人妻子：他现在的吞咽都很困难，吃饭都成问题了。
台长师父：有一个方法，每天早上给他喝大悲水，然后叫他妈妈给他做手部按摩。你给你老公做，手部按摩的时候给他念《大悲咒》，每一次吞不下去，你就手帮他这里按摩，嘴巴里念《大悲咒》。你试试看，每一次帮你叫他吞得下去，这是暂时的办法。
病人妻子：好的，感恩师父！
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Disclaimer of Liability:
The contents of the presentation and answers, including text, images, and other information obtained from Dharma practitioners, are provided strictly for reference purposes. Due to the unique nature of individual karma, results similar to those experienced by the authors may not be replicated. The experiences and advice shared should not be construed as medical advice or a diagnosis.
In the event of an emergency, it is crucial to promptly contact your doctor or emergency services by dialing 911. Relying on any information found in the answers is done solely at your own risk. The translator and answerer bear no responsibility for the consequences. By using or misusing the contents, you accept liability for any personal injury, including death. It is imperative to exercise caution and seek professional medical guidance for health-related concerns.

Hello all! On today’s Contradiction Corner we’re so pleased to have with us Governing Body member Jeffery Winder.
Critical thinker: Hello Jeffery!
gbJW: Hello.
Critical thinker: Jeffery we wanted to ask you a question
gbJW: ok, please go ahead
Critical thinker: In the most recent annual meeting of October 2023, you stated that when it comes to receiving “new light”, the governing body essentially goes back thru all the watchtowers from 1879 to present to research certain topics, correct?
gbJW: yes, that’s correct.
Critical thinker: And Holy Spirit guides the governing body when going thru this process in researching all that information then, correct?
gbJW: yes, we lovingly accept Jehovah’s guidance when he directs us in our study
Critical Thinker: So the literature from the inception of the organization has all been approved by Jehovah since it serves as a reference point for current matters?
gbJW: yes, that’s correct
Critical thinker: Ok, then may I present to you a question regarding a quote from a watchtower from 1931?
gbJW: yes, by all means.
Critical thinker: the quote I am referencing is from November 1st 1931 WT on page 327. It says: “The Watchtower recognizes the truth as belonging to Jehovah, and not to any creature. The Watchtower is not the instrument of any man or set of men, nor is it published according to the whims of men. No man's opinion is expressed in The Watchtower.”
Critical thinker: That’s a pretty straightforward statement, correct?
gbJW: yes, and its truth stands to this very day. Jehovah uses the governing body as his spokesperson on earth, the director of his organization and we teach the adherents by means of what Jehovah gives to us, his governing body.
Critical thinker: so essentially, what is written in the pages of the watchtower and other publications can be taken as coming from God himself?
gbJW: yes, that is correct and we lovingly accept that responsibility he’s bestowed upon us.
Critical thinker: may I present you with another quote?
gbJW: yes, go ahead
Critical thinker: This quote comes from the February 2017 Watchtower on page 20 if I’m not mistaken, paragraph 12. It’s referencing the “Beliefs Clarified” section of the Watchtower index. It states, “Of course, Jesus did not tell us that his faithful slave would produce perfect spiritual food.”
Critical thinker: So when I compare what was said in the 1931 watchtower to what was said in the 2017 watchtower, how would you explain that? Is the spiritual food that comes from Jehovah sometimes incorrect? The quote from 1931 doesn’t leave any room for ambiguity does it?
gbJW: 👀
Critical Thinker: I’m noticing a perplexed look on your face? Are you ok?
gbJW: 😐
Critical Thinker: If I may, I’d like to present to you the definition of contradiction. It’s, “a statement of a position opposite to one already made.”
Critical Thinker: would you say those two articles contradict each other?
gbJW: Well, we are not embarrassed about adjustments that are made, nor do is an apology needed for not getting things exactly right previously. We understand this is how Jehovah operates by revealing matters gradually.
Critical Thinker: Sooo, the literature IS opinion based and could be rightfully described as being published at the whims of men?
gbJW: sir, this is a Wendy’s
Critical Thinker: 😂 good one Jeff!
Critical Thinker: But no, seriously, how can you explain that?
gbJW:
Critical Thinker: Jeffery, it looks as though your handler is saying it’s time to cut the interview.
Critical Thinker: We want to thank Jeffery Winder for being the little dic in today’s ContraDiction Corner! We love you very much Jeffery!
Critical Thinker: To all of you out there, please join us next time as we get another dic from upstate New York to join at the corner, ContraDiction Corner!! Bye for now!

I play the flute. I have anxiety. In my head I hold two firm shapes of my breath. Breath that now reeks of nicotine. Breath that crackles and whines out of my throat. A fragile breath that is honestly, just mine.
A circular breath. One that leaves my body in perpetuity. One married to to song. A single breath so vast and powerful it holds me against my will and blames me for not treasuring it. A breath that reminds me of my teachers and my mother. This breath that uses me more than I could ever use it.
A square breath. Simple. Effective. One I inflict upon myself. A breath that I sought out and have to force myself to believe in. A breath that makes the world stop. A thing of my own whims. A prayer to a god that I didn't know I worshipped. A tool.
Heart and mind I call it. Each one used to battle the other. I don't perform anymore, but my flatmates are as terrifying an audience as I can muster facing at the moment. Hiding behind our paper thin walls and silently judging me for playing notes as loud and high as I could possibly cast them. Heart and mind I called it. This. Movement and its end. A strength of will. Sitting still. Playing notes as loud and high as I could possibly cast them. Pissing the shit out of my flatmate while they try to have sex with their girlfriend.
I'm tired of breathing. Not that I want to die. But I would rather not have to always know the cadence of my own breath. I would rather not have to be like this forever. I would rather be able to breathe one long breath and never have to breath again. Instead I am stuck with the short ones. Because people have to live. And no matter the shape of my breath, it all becomes wind.

It’s all I think about all day, everyday. I’m not sick nor am I old in fact I’m healthy and young. But yet all I think about all day is death and my inability to stop it. The fact that me my girlfriend my family and especially I will die. For the past year I’ve done nothing but distance my self from the lord as I study for school exams and it’s haunting me. I’ve always been like this and I go through periods but this is the worst. Usually I have anxiety and stuff but I’m totally fine now but I’ll be in the car driving and I’ll just think about how I’m actually going to be dead in a sense that half the time I don’t even comprehend I will be out of my body and cease to exist. And I’ll just start shaking or screaming or just like 2 seconds and then bang back to normal, same when I’m trying to sleep fine, fine watching a video or something and then boom oh wait you’re gonna die and you can’t stop it and every second you pass being an idiot on your phone or doing anything it’s gone and even if you spend it properly it’ll pass and then you’ll die and guess what I can’t sleep and I lose it inside once again but again only for like 3-5 mins then bang back to normal. I’m sorry I’m dragging this on it’s haunting me. I’ll be talking to someone and not be interested at all I’ll be overtaken by the part that we’re gonna die soon and why aren’t they worried don’t they care don’t then not want to die why aren’t they going to church why are they so calm whilst I can’t keep it together. I don’t know what to do I don’t even know what’s wrong with me I just feel like people aren’t as aware of what’s really happening and the time we don’t get back and the fact we live once and what the heck goes on when we die and how’s it’s going to be and how surreal life is. By the way I am not insane ahah I’m totally normal and fine I’m just in my head and I’ve been like this since I was young I’d just like some advice or idek it just feels nice to see if anyone else is like me. Anyways thank you for reading.
God bless you all,

Introduction
When it comes to selecting the best school for your child, the choices can be overwhelming. Noida, a bustling hub of educational institutions, offers numerous options, each with its unique strengths. Among these, Delhi World Public School (DWPS) stands out as a premier choice. In this guide, we'll explore what makes DWPS exceptional, comparing it to other prominent schools like Delhi Public School (DPS), Shiv Nadar School, and Pathways School.

Academic Excellence

Delhi World Public School (DWPS)

DWPS prides itself on a robust academic curriculum designed to foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The school’s innovative teaching methodologies ensure that students not only excel in exams but also develop a lifelong love for learning. With a low student-to-teacher ratio, personalized attention is guaranteed, allowing every child to reach their full potential.

Delhi Public School (DPS)

DPS is renowned for its rigorous academic standards and has a legacy of producing high achievers. The curriculum is comprehensive and designed to prepare students for competitive exams. However, the larger class sizes may sometimes limit individual attention.

Shiv Nadar School

Shiv Nadar School emphasizes an inquiry-based learning approach, encouraging students to explore and question. Their curriculum is designed to integrate real-world applications, which is commendable. Yet, the innovative methods might not suit every child's learning style.

Pathways School

Pathways School offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, known for its global recognition and academic rigor. This school is ideal for parents seeking an international curriculum. However, it can be more challenging for students unfamiliar with the IB system.

Holistic Development

Delhi World Public School (DWPS)

At DWPS, holistic development is a core principle. The school offers a plethora of extracurricular activities, from sports to arts, ensuring that students develop well-rounded personalities. State-of-the-art facilities, including a modern sports complex and performing arts center, provide students with opportunities to explore and excel in their interests.

Delhi Public School (DPS)

DPS also offers a variety of extracurricular activities, though the emphasis tends to lean more towards academics. Their sports facilities are excellent, but participation in arts and other activities can be competitive due to the large student body.

Shiv Nadar School

Shiv Nadar School excels in promoting creativity and critical thinking through its extensive arts and cultural programs. The school’s focus on technology and innovation is impressive, fostering a forward-thinking environment.

Pathways School

Pathways School offers a balanced approach to extracurricular activities with a strong emphasis on community service and leadership programs. Their global outlook ensures that students are prepared for international challenges, though this might sometimes overshadow local cultural engagement.

Infrastructure and Facilities

Delhi World Public School (DWPS)

DWPS boasts a modern campus equipped with the latest educational technology. Smart classrooms, well-stocked libraries, and science and computer labs provide a conducive learning environment. The school’s infrastructure supports both academic and extracurricular excellence, ensuring students have access to top-tier resources.

Delhi Public School (DPS)

DPS has extensive facilities, including science labs, libraries, and sports complexes. However, due to the large number of students, these facilities can sometimes be crowded.

Shiv Nadar School

Shiv Nadar School’s campus is designed to inspire creativity and innovation, with open learning spaces and advanced technology integration. The facilities are top-notch, supporting their unique educational approach.

Pathways School

Pathways School offers a lush, green campus with excellent infrastructure tailored to the IB curriculum. The school’s facilities are designed to support a wide range of activities, from academics to sports and arts.

Community and Values

Delhi World Public School (DWPS)

DWPS emphasizes a strong sense of community and values, nurturing students to become responsible and compassionate citizens. The school’s focus on ethical education and community service ensures that students develop a balanced perspective towards life.

Delhi Public School (DPS)

DPS has a well-established community network and emphasizes discipline and academic achievement. However, the competitive environment can sometimes overshadow personal development.

Shiv Nadar School

Shiv Nadar School fosters a progressive community culture with a strong emphasis on individuality and innovation. Their values promote diversity and inclusivity, which is highly commendable.

Pathways School

Pathways School cultivates a global mindset, encouraging students to be world citizens. Their focus on internationalism is strong, though it might sometimes lack local cultural integration.

Conclusion

Choosing the right school in Noida requires careful consideration of various factors, including academic excellence, holistic development, infrastructure, and community values. Delhi World Public School (DWPS) emerges as a standout option, offering a balanced and enriching educational experience. While other schools like Delhi Public School, Shiv Nadar School, and Pathways School have their strengths, DWPS provides a unique blend of academic rigor, personal attention, and holistic development that sets it apart. For parents seeking a nurturing and forward-thinking environment for their children, DWPS is undoubtedly an excellent choice.
Introduction
When it comes to selecting the best school for your child, the choices can be overwhelming. Noida, a bustling hub of educational institutions, offers numerous options, each with its unique strengths. Among these, Delhi World Public School (DWPS) stands out as a premier choice. In this guide, we'll explore what makes DWPS exceptional, comparing it to other prominent schools like Delhi Public School (DPS), Shiv Nadar School, and Pathways School.

Academic Excellence

Delhi World Public School (DWPS)

DWPS prides itself on a robust academic curriculum designed to foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The school’s innovative teaching methodologies ensure that students not only excel in exams but also develop a lifelong love for learning. With a low student-to-teacher ratio, personalized attention is guaranteed, allowing every child to reach their full potential.

Delhi Public School (DPS)

DPS is renowned for its rigorous academic standards and has a legacy of producing high achievers. The curriculum is comprehensive and designed to prepare students for competitive exams. However, the larger class sizes may sometimes limit individual attention.

Shiv Nadar School

Shiv Nadar School emphasizes an inquiry-based learning approach, encouraging students to explore and question. Their curriculum is designed to integrate real-world applications, which is commendable. Yet, the innovative methods might not suit every child's learning style.

Pathways School

Pathways School offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, known for its global recognition and academic rigor. This school is ideal for parents seeking an international curriculum. However, it can be more challenging for students unfamiliar with the IB system.

Holistic Development

Delhi World Public School (DWPS)

At DWPS, holistic development is a core principle. The school offers a plethora of extracurricular activities, from sports to arts, ensuring that students develop well-rounded personalities. State-of-the-art facilities, including a modern sports complex and performing arts center, provide students with opportunities to explore and excel in their interests.

Delhi Public School (DPS)

DPS also offers a variety of extracurricular activities, though the emphasis tends to lean more towards academics. Their sports facilities are excellent, but participation in arts and other activities can be competitive due to the large student body.

Shiv Nadar School

Shiv Nadar School excels in promoting creativity and critical thinking through its extensive arts and cultural programs. The school’s focus on technology and innovation is impressive, fostering a forward-thinking environment.

Pathways School

Pathways School offers a balanced approach to extracurricular activities with a strong emphasis on community service and leadership programs. Their global outlook ensures that students are prepared for international challenges, though this might sometimes overshadow local cultural engagement.

Infrastructure and Facilities

Delhi World Public School (DWPS)

DWPS boasts a modern campus equipped with the latest educational technology. Smart classrooms, well-stocked libraries, and science and computer labs provide a conducive learning environment. The school’s infrastructure supports both academic and extracurricular excellence, ensuring students have access to top-tier resources.

Delhi Public School (DPS)

DPS has extensive facilities, including science labs, libraries, and sports complexes. However, due to the large number of students, these facilities can sometimes be crowded.

Shiv Nadar School

Shiv Nadar School’s campus is designed to inspire creativity and innovation, with open learning spaces and advanced technology integration. The facilities are top-notch, supporting their unique educational approach.

Pathways School

Pathways School offers a lush, green campus with excellent infrastructure tailored to the IB curriculum. The school’s facilities are designed to support a wide range of activities, from academics to sports and arts.

Community and Values

Delhi World Public School (DWPS)

DWPS emphasizes a strong sense of community and values, nurturing students to become responsible and compassionate citizens. The school’s focus on ethical education and community service ensures that students develop a balanced perspective towards life.

Delhi Public School (DPS)

DPS has a well-established community network and emphasizes discipline and academic achievement. However, the competitive environment can sometimes overshadow personal development.

Shiv Nadar School

Shiv Nadar School fosters a progressive community culture with a strong emphasis on individuality and innovation. Their values promote diversity and inclusivity, which is highly commendable.

Pathways School

Pathways School cultivates a global mindset, encouraging students to be world citizens. Their focus on internationalism is strong, though it might sometimes lack local cultural integration.

Conclusion

Choosing the right school in Noida requires careful consideration of various factors, including academic excellence, holistic development, infrastructure, and community values. Delhi World Public School (DWPS) emerges as a standout option, offering a balanced and enriching educational experience. While other schools like Delhi Public School, Shiv Nadar School, and Pathways School have their strengths, DWPS provides a unique blend of academic rigor, personal attention, and holistic development that sets it apart. For parents seeking a nurturing and forward-thinking environment for their children, DWPS is undoubtedly an excellent choice.

Christians are to love The Lord their God with all their Heart and Soul and Strength and Mind. This is the basis of Christianity. What does it mean to love God with your soul? What is the soul? Soul has a lot to do with identity. I would like to talk about identity politics; however, there is a learning curve. Someone may need to understand The Soul.
Discovering The Soul
When someone is talking about The Soul, which Soul are they referencing? Plato and The Soul? Abstract Philosophy God and the Soul? The Bible, and how The Bible references The Soul? Working to explain The Soul and The Bible, I have worked to do so in a way that your average person may be able to understand, and find or feel their soul. He are starting with a perception, we postulate that the Soul is a person, and has to do with decision making and identity, and given scripture, and various media or cultural references of The Soul, we may be able to see if we are right, and a bigger picture.
Given you understand what The Soul is in the Bible, someone may begin to understand exorcism. They may understand Identity Politics, and what it actually is in spiritual warfare. They may come out with greater understanding of creation and God.
The Basis of Christianity

• 5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.. (Deuteronomy 6:5)
• He answered, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" (Luke 10:27)

Song to Preface this: Heuy Lewis "Heart and Soul."
What is a Soul? A soul is a person. Given a The King of Salem had 50 Souls, he had fifty persons or servants. How did they identify themselves? Possibly as a servant of The King of Salem in some way. Loving The Lord with all your SOUL, may have to do with identity. Who was someone serving? Was someone a Servant of "Something Else" or a Servant of God? A child of God? A son of God? These may be good things to be as a Christian looking to love God with your Soul or identity.
A couple years ago I lived in walking distance from Duke University. Given someone was a Duke fan, or Duke Alumni, or had a lot of Duke Paraphernalia, they may have loved Duke University. How did they love Duke University? They loved Duke with their Soul or Identity. Someone with a Duke T-Shirt may be saying something about who he is, or was, or would like to be. When Duke wins or has done well in basketball, someone who loved Duke with their Soul or identity, they may have rejoiced? They felt good? In their soul, they rejoice, and feel a sense of happiness. That is where the soul is. Given anyone has been a sports fan at some point, and has identified as a fan of ___________ their soul rejoices when their team does well. Given I was to look up Soul in a Bible concordance, there are many of these feeling or sensing type verses where the soul is a place inside someone where there is passion. Someone loving God with Their Soul in a world of materialism and commercialism may have given up their Nike and Adidas, to be more as "Plain as John the Baptist?"
Given a musician signed a record contract, and said record contract was very strict, did said musician "Sell their Soul?" Given a musician has to sing all the songs said record company tells them to, and be at A or B place at a certain time, as said record company tells them to, and said musician has very little free will, would that be "Selling The Soul?" Given the record company was a servant of "The Purple Gang," or Kabbalists, or some other group not serving God, that may have been someone selling their soul to the devil? When we get the basics of what the Bible describes the Soul to be, there are a lot of interesting topics that come up. The Truth hurts. Knowledge brings sorrow. Ignorance is bliss? Their is freedom in The Lord.
The Soul and Identity.
True Statements:

• The Song of Songs is in the Bible as a representation of God's Love for Israel or The Church.
• In the New Testament, The Church is a Bride for Christ.
• Christ is to man as a man is to woman or Christ is the head of man as man is the head of woman. (1 Corinthians 11:3)

Marriage has been an important part of The Bible and Faith and growing in understanding.

Woman is meek before her husband. Man is meek before God. A woman loving her husband with her heart and soul may have taken his name. She is forging a new identity as Mrs. _____________. A married woman with a hyphenated last name is one foot in, one foot out? Who or what does she love more? Her husband or Feminism? Maybe she didn't quite want to leave her family and her old identity behind as a single female or "Daughter of?" Feminists tend towards socialism. Is a woman really married to her husband or more married to The State? Woman is meek before her husband. A man is meek before God.
Looking at the Soul like this, someone may be able to see God. (And Satan.) The Truth hurts. Knowledge brings sorrow. Ignorance is bliss?
Spirits
Given we are coming into an understanding of The Soul, what are Spirits? Spirits effect motivations. Here is a short list of some spirits mentioned.

• Deaf and dumb spirit (Mark 9:17-29)
• Lying spirit (II Chronicles 18:20-22)
• Perverse spirit (Isaiah 19:14; Romans 1:17-32)
• Seducing spirit (I Timothy 4:1)
• More at: https://www.christcenteredmall.com/teachings/evil-spirits.htm

What are these Spirits doing? They are influencing. They are effecting motivations. Someone with a seducing spirit or spirit of prostitution may have been on tinder in the wrong way? Someone with a lying tongue may have been a habitual liar? Someone with one of these spirits, their character may have been molded a certain way. Their soul, who they are, may have been molded to something. Part of their identity, even if it was subconscious, may have been molded to something. Some Spirits are generational. They may have been passed down from Generation to Generation. There may have been generational curses on some families. (Deuteronomy 5:9) Some spirits someone may have picked up by being in sin, and being unrepentant. Someone's Soul or character may have been molded around something.
Given someone has God's Holy Spirit, they say "Jesus is Lord." They may tend to think about God, and talk about God a lot, and be prone to God-centric activities. Their Soul, and God's Holy Spirit, overtime, may have entwined. They are "One with God" leading towards an understanding of Theosis.

Hi guys,
Has someone else already pointed out the "reveal" about Nico Robin hinted during the last chapter?
Vegapunk knows about the Ancient Kingdom thanks to Ohara's studies. Its history is linked to Joyboy, the first pirate, who had power similar to Nika, the sun god of the giants, whos body was rubber-like and fought while smiling.
Now we know that Robin always knew about all of this.
This explains why she joined the crew in that strage manner. She's the only one that auto-invited herself in and she assisted Luffy in his fight against Crocodile even if she was working for him at the time, of her own accord.
Like Vegapunk, she should know that in the old devil fruits encyclopedia a gum gum fruit does not exist.
Thus, she always knew that Luffy was the closest man to Joyboy, the one who could have inherited his will.

Last year i got in a relationship with a young girl that was lost. She wanted to find Jesus, and I helped her in that progress. I brought her in contact with people from my church and insisted they help her and give her extra attention. The person that would guide her to her baptism knew about our relationship and was involved. He gave her the attention that she needed, but when I asked for help I got rejected. I struggled with the situation, but everytime I tried to seek help, their was no time. The few times that they made time, it felt ungenuine and didnt really help me. Instead, I heared that her baptistteacher, was talking behind my back. (note that this guy wants to become a priest and was talking about all of his students when I was with him.) I did my best for her to become christian and can be included in our community. But through out this process I felt rejected myself.
At her baptism, I wasnt even invited and I heard that her teacher was taking the credit for bringing her to the church.
I feel so disgusted by this whole proces. I became recentfull to this guy and to the church. I dont feel the church is a safe place to be and the struggles that you have seem to be your own problems (at least for a man). Priest never seem to have time for you. Because of this person I am starting to feel real hate inside of me. I tried to clear my heart, but this is coming back time after time again. I thought of talking with the archbisschop, but I am afraid that I will make a fool of my self or that he will not take me serieus like everybody else. It is really infecting my relationship with God. Thinking about to leave the church.
What should I do?
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“jUsT lOsE wEiGhT” bitch don’t u think im trying 😭 jesus lmao do you expect fat people to lose weight overnight? “stop making excuses” well stop being so worked up over a fat person existing bro put your energy into something else?? if their existence isn’t affecting your life in any way then just ignore them, damn
also, god forbid a fat person wants a conventionally attractive partner. don’t we all? there are billions of people in the world and there’s somebody for everyone. are u just mad that a fattie pulled a hottie and u didn’t? ofc u can’t pull anyone w that behavior lol
and why does a fat person feeling confident in their own skin bother people so much? if they feel like a baddie just let them be. i acknowledge that there are fat people who are confident to the point of entitlement and delusion about the state of their health, saying their bloodwork and how they feel on the inside is all that matters or whatever when eventually, it’ll bite them in the ass especially when they’re older. but if a fat person feels good about themself, why do y’all feel the need to knock them down? they’re not hurting anybody??? who knows, maybe that confidence could give them the push to be healthier 🤷‍♀️ you really don’t know what’s going on in their mind so don’t think that you know how all fat people act/think lol
and ofc, body shaming in any form is gross. anybody who body shames whether they’re skinny, fit, chubby, or fat, is a garbage person. so don’t come in here being like “bUt SkInNy ShAmInG!! 😡😡😡” BRO ANY KIND OF SHAMING OVER SOMETHING YOU CAN’T CHANGE IN 5 MINUTES IS BAD 😭 a bunch of y’all abuse ur anonymity here on reddit to project ur insecurities and shit on other people who aren’t even affecting ur lives in any way which is real loser behavior if u ask me

Gabriel, Lord of Patience:

Its essence is the fixation of states and responding to unforeseen situations.
Fixation: Allows the user to fix something into its current state, effectively locking it inside of temporal stasis.
Eternal World: A World System Skill that brings everything in the user's domain to an absolute halt, isolating, and locking them in place and nullifying all kinds of attacks. It is powered by the target’s power
Fate Weaving: This ability allows the user to peer into the past, present and future and manipulate their selves to alter events. (this one is not mine)
Temporal Manipulation: The user can manipulate time freely.
Info Management: Great Sage sub-skills but on the ultimate level
Cosmic Order: restore the target to their original state
Cultivation: a ritual that strengthens the target’s Ego to reach higher place through holding items that they originally possessed, it is a very slow and time-consuming process that requires the target to always be in control of themselves while in it. The plus side is that the target can still do daily activities like before the ritual without much difference

Raguel, Lord of Charity:

Its essence is Support that lies in the Enlargement of Effect that freely manipulates all energy or Amplification
Energy Domination: manipulate all energy of the world at will, amplify something infinite, giving them limitless power. When used on a person it can be used to either increase their strength to or past the limit of their bodies, resulting in living things being burned alive by their body heat or otherwise falling apart. When used on an attack, the result is unmistakably catastrophic, increasing its power to the absolute limit and creating the strongest offensive power. The true purpose of this one is the ability to uplift the state of one’s being to a higher place, when used on gear, it can make them a God Grade Equipment
Reality Vision: overseer the world’s events, and even potentially see one’s fate, also has Thought Acceleration effects
World Leap: a dog water version of Dimensional Leap
Luck Domination: idc about this one, you could made an explanation for it or whatever (Multilayer Barrier integrated into this)
Faith System
Wish Granting: manifest desires into reality, the limits being the strength of the desire itself. Also, it has unlimited potential as the user can realize anything.
Power Distribution
Art
Eden: a world of grassland filled with all types of vegetables, once consume the food in this world, the consumer will get their wounds healed and increase their power to an all-time high, reaching the pinnacle of their being at the present moment
Any suggestions or feedback are welcome.

Once high and mighty and among the immortals now sent down to earth to be punished and live as a mortal. The Greek gods? They exist and when one of them angers zeus the king of the olympuans, they pay the price. This is what happened this time, Zeus had given his orders but upon them being ignored the one who had defied them paid the price and was sent to live down among the mortals. Not only that but it is now her job to overcome the consequences of her actions and fix what has gone wrong with the help of a hero. Who would this hero be?
Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed that little snippet, I was recently thinking of doing a roleplay between a disgraced olympian who has been banished to earth as punishment and a hero (demigod most likely) who will help her regain her place back on Mount olympus. Now this will be a slow burn roleplay and the goddess is not decided and it is up to my partner who they think would fit best. This is not related to the percy jackson fandom but instead is a completely different plot altogether in a completely different universe based on similar logic but minus camp half blood.
This will be a long term roleplay and will be a slow burn, how it progresses and how their dynamic changes and develops can be discussed and changed accordingly to what my partner prefers. As for my preferences I like to write in 3rd person, I would prefer my partner to be literate or semi literate, I usually prefer a couple replies a day and I am usually fairly active. Everything else is up for discussion. See you soon!

I swear to god if TTPD wins album of the year and not this i’ll be AMAZED there’s not a single song on this album that is skippable. There’s no genre either it’s EDM, R&B, Pop, Hip-hop, Folk at same time but none of those at all simultaneously. Like she’s singing in a void creating something new.
A lot of the scales are borrowed from music of other cultures like how the phrygian scale common in middle eastern music was used at the end of blue. The beat on Diner was crazy. All of the songs are EXTREMELY WELL PRODUCED. Finneas was amazing.
This level of fineness on the production is usually found on hip hop albums but here we have it in whatever genre she just created. The transitions between the loud parts and silent parts are perfect and build upon one another.
Not only is the album unskippable all the moments are too. Like there’s not even a single part that isn’t satisfying melodically, lyrically, musically, ANY-ally.
Lyricism is CRAZY there’s no comparison.
It’s tied together insanely well with same melodies being used for different songs. The way lyrics from other songs pop up and kinda change the meaning of those songs.
She made an insanely good decision with the split of the songs where she can tell long stories and put 2-3 different distinct songs in a single track having different tempo, beat, instrument while remaining on the same topic which is also why i think it is short if it was conventionally split this would have around 17-18 songs.
The way each song has her feelings but then always transitions completely to her now changed feelings or perception about the same situations.
Not only that but despite each song being a very different topic:-
i) Skinny: Body image, fame, bullying
ii) Lunch: Queer anthem, chill, sexuality
iii) Chihiro: People changing, plot of spirited away, vulnerability in a relationship or the lack thereof
iv) Birds of a feather: homophobia, societal pressure, long lasting love, that dream love of your life
v) Wild flower: ex best friend, betrayal/guilt, confession
vi) The greatest: Self appreciation, dissapointment
vii)L’amour da Ma Vie: Jesse, satisfaction, goodwill
viii) Diner: stalker, obsession, frightening
ix) Bittersuite: Attraction
x) Blue: I think this summarized her whole life beautifully or where she is at in life
Despite all these different topics with all these different songs which are very very different from each other and have distinct and different parts within them the whole album has some sort of theme i can’t pinpoint but you can see how it is all connected i have never ever seen an artist summarize this much stuff about their life and still convey so many feelings and so much detail especially the use of colors in this song was amazing
i have never invested this much time writing about an artist but this album turned me from a casual fan to a diehard and i’m very much anti celebrity worship type of person but billie is just too beautiful which made me waste so much time writing this when i have a lot going on in life.
love the album and relate to a lot of parts can’t wait to relate to birds of a feather one day

So I have been thinking, and there is a concept that is just not really explored, the deeper consequences of the existance of an object (potentially obtainable on paper) that has tremendous power (power that is, at the very least, crudely but instantly usable for most if not all of the potential owers of such an object)
Yeah I know, it is not the thing most related to dragons... but you can see the ties if pay enough attention.
In fiction, such an object is often desired by the villain(s) and the heroes(who want to stop the villains from reaching it), but if you think about it, almost everyone would want to obtain such a thing (to be safe, to be the best, for honour and glory, to protect what they love, to have almost ultimate freedom), even if they do not the means.
So because of such an artefact's existence, we have a sort of challenge/opportunity that the world has to offer:
Go all in and risk everything, use all that you have and more to obtain ultimate power and realize your dreams/end all of your nightmares
Now, of course, that is an extreme, but the more informations you have on the all-powerful artefacts that makes it more concrete in your mind or closer to obtain (the location of such a thing), and the more this opportunity arise.
So I am asking, why is there not far more people trying to get closer to the artefact, why is there not a mass of people near the old temple, why is there no one that makes a suicide attempt on the heroes or villains to steal the object of power? If you have almost nothing to lose and everything to gain, the choice makes sense.
Now for a more philosophical/self reflecting approach...
Power exist in various form, but not all are equal.
You can have a lot of money or even political power, but these are far from being the closest form of power to you.
So in the "dull" real life (where technology brings a lot of comfort but is not great enough for... you will see), you could have so much money or have control/lead an entire country that saying you have the power of a god (a god being a very, very, very high amount of power) is not false.
But that is the fundamental thing, you have the power of god, but you are not necessarily a god.
But what if you could be closer to that?
A tool is useful craft, something that can change how you think and one that you can learn how to use it, similar to how you train your body. A tool is form of power very close to you, so close it could be called an extension of your being. So where does all of that reasoning lead?
The powerful artefact is an all powerful tool, meaning instead of having the power of god but greatly separated from your being, you have godlike power at in your very hands, and that will affect you more than anything in your life.
The only way to go even higher would be for you to literally become a god.
So thank you for reading this, and if you want to say something (like why is there no dragons?), you can write your words below.

I am not even talking about scriptural problems within the bible, You don't have to open a single bible to start seeing the problems,
1-) The Problem of Salvation and Faith (Why the plan of salvation is ridiculous, and has failed)
I.The ridiculousness of the plan
A. Demanding blood for remission of sins Heb 9:22 - Why is this the terms that god insists upon? Isn't he the architect of the parameters regarding sin, punishment, and forgiveness? Is he not able to forgive sin without blood sacrifice? Can he not say, “No blood sacrifice necessary, I just forgive you?”
B. God sacrificing himself to himself to save us from himself by creating a loophole in the architecture for condemnation he engineered in the first place? This is your solution for a problem in which you yourself are the problem. It’s like a doctor stabbing people to be able to operate and save them.
C. Dying for someone else's crime does not equal justice in any court.
D. The sacrifice was not a sacrifice at all :

1. Jesus is said to be eternal
2. He spent a few days in misery out of his billions of years plus of existence
3. He spent a minutiae of a fraction of his existence suffering knowing he would be resurrected after the ordeal and spend eternity in divine luxury, and that somehow provides him justification to sentence us to trillions of years of eternity suffering without end?
4. Jesus is a supernatural immortal who suffered temporary mortal punishment and then sentences mortals to supernatural eternal punishment if they do not receive his sacrifice.
5. Why is three days of punishment followed by eternity in glory sufficient for all the horrible deeds any man has ever committed, but billions of years suffered in hell by a good moral person who does not believe due to lack of evidence is not sufficient?

2-) Nature of The Christian god
I. He is supposed to be an all Powerful and All mighty being and yet he died on a cross by his own creation (If you see someone claiming to be god and then you saw him hie before your very eyes, How on earth are you supposed to conclude anything else other than "This guy is a liar"?)
Modern Christians would respond to this saying "Only the Human part died, The Divine part wasn't affected"
Which again, doesn't make any sense :
A. Even when assuming a human sacrifice is somehow necessary for salvation, The sacrifice of 1 Human being can never be Enough to atone for the sins of all of mankind since Adam and Eve till the return of jesus.
I found a Coptic pope explaining this issue in detail, Here is a link to his book, https://st-takla.org/books/en/pope-shenouda-iii/nature-of-christ/propitiation-and-redemption.html
Quoting from it : "The belief in the One Nature of the Incarnate Logos is essential, necessary and fundamental for redemption. Redemption requires unlimited propitiation sufficient for the forgiveness of the unlimited sins of all the people through all ages. There was no solution other than the Incarnation of God the Logos to offer this through His Divine Power.
Thus, if we mention two natures and say that the human nature alone performed the act of redemption, it would have been entirely impossible to achieve unlimited propitiation for man's salvation. Hence comes the danger of speaking of two natures, each having its own specific tasks. In such case, the death of the human nature alone is insufficient."
It's very clear that saying only the human part died doesn't make any sense, Even according to the Christian theology itself.
B. The Trinity is based on a false idea
I know, It's a classic Argument against Christianity but you can't deny that it's an actual damning argument against the Christian theology.

1. God is all knowing but Jesus wasn't all knowing (mark 13:32)
2. Jesus is supposed to be god, but he is praying to himself to save himself with cries and tears?? (Luke 22:41-44)
3. Jesus is god but we can't say he is good because only god is good?? (Luke 18:18-19)
4. God can't be tempted by evil (James 1:13) but yet jesus was tempted by satan?? (Matthew 4:1)
5. Jesus is god but he can't do a thing on his own?? (John 5:31) 6.Jesus is supposed to be the same as the father, But their teachings are different? (John 7:16)

And so many more, Throught the bible i can't help but notice the intense number of verses which clearly states Jesus can't be god.
3-) The Problem of a Historical Jesus (Why we don’t know the actual historical Jesus)
I. No contemporary historical evidence,
A. No historian alive during Jesus day wrote about Jesus despite ample opportunity

1. The kings coming to his birth
2. Herod’s slaughter of baby boys
3. The overthrowing of money changers
4. Jesus triumphant entry into Jerusalem where he is declared king by the whole town.
5. Darkness covering the whole earth for hours on Jesus’ Death
6. The earthquakes at Jesus’ death
7. The rending of the temple veil at Jesus’ Death
8. The resurrection of Jesus that was seen by 500 witnesses.(Only Paul claims that, even tho he never met jesus)

II. The Gospels are contradicting, late hearsay accounts
A. Mark, the earliest gospel, was written at least after 70 A.D. (referencing fall of temple) by a non-eyewitness, and makes numerous cultural and geographical errors that a Jewish writer would not have made such as locations of rivers, cultural customs regarding divorce, locations of towns or Jesus quoting from the greek Septuagint etc. (see geographical and historical errors in this link, https://holtz.org/Library/Philosophy/Metaphysics/Theology/Christianity/Criticism/Bible%20Problems%20by%20Packham%201998.htm#ERRORS )
B. The other gospels all copied from Mark. Luke and Matthew contain over 70% of Mark and mainly make changes in attempts to fix blatant errors made in Mark and to correct Mark’s poor grammar.The writer of Luke even reveals to us in Luke 1:2 that he was not an eyewitness, but that the story has been passed down to him.
C. Four where chosen by the church father Iraeneus because he believed the earth was founded on four pillars and so too, should the gospels be founded by only four accounts.
Iraenus also revealed the names of the Gospels in the late second century, without any reason to assume they where the authentic authors - no one knows who actually wrote them!
D. John was initially considered heretical by the early church because of its variation from the synoptic but was overwhelmingly popular amongst Christians and so was included.
E. The book of Revelations was also considered heretical by many :
For centuries The Revelation was a rejected book. In the 4th century, St.John Chrysostom and other bishops argued against it. Christians in Syria also reject it. The Synod of Laodicea: c. 363, rejected The Revelation. In the late 380s, Gregory of Nazianus produced a canon omitting The Revelation. Bishop Amphilocus of Iconium, in his poem Iambics for Seleucus written some time after 394, rejects The Revelation. When St.Jerome translated the Bible into Latin, producing the Vulgate bible c. 400, he argued for the Veritas Hebraica, meaning the truth of the Jewish Bible over the Septuagint translation. At the insistence of the Pope, however, he added existing translations for what he considered doubtful books: among them The Revelation. The Church in the East never included the Revelation.
4-) The early church did not seem to know anything about a historical Jesus. Huge amounts of disagreement over Jesus in the first hundred years :

1. Some churches didn’t even believe he had a physical body, prompting Paul to write about that very issue.
   
2. There was an enormous debate between all the major early churches as to whether Jesus was divine or not, this was settled at the council of Nicea by the Roman Emperor Constantine.
   

5-) Which Bible?
A. Over 450 English versions of the bible All are translated using different methods and from entirely different manuscripts
B. Thousands of manuscripts disagreeing with each other wildly in what verses and even books they contain.
C. Different translations teach entirely different things in places, some often leaving out entire chapters and verses or containing footnotes warning of possible error due to uncertainty about the reliability of the numerous manuscripts.
Take a look at this example, 1- Revised standard version 2- Revised standard version Catholic edition 3- NEW revised standard version Updated edition 4- NEW revised standard version Catholic edition 5- NEW revised standard version, Anglicised 6- NEW revised standard version, Anglicised Catholic edition
How many attempts would it take to finally get it right ?!
6-) The Morality of the bible
I don't like using Morality as an argument because i believe it's a subjective thing, But I cannot help but notice how the morals of the OT and the NT are completely contradictory
In the OT god was Angry, Vengeful, Demands war, order genocides, Ordered the killing of children and even the ripping open of pregnant women.
But in the NT he somehow became loving, a father figure, saying if anyone hits you you shouldn't even respond back.

• In Conclusion: I don't think Christianity can be accepted as the truth by any logical person (Even most convert stories i heard were basically "I saw jesus in a dream" or "The holy spirit held my hand")

There is so many Theological confusion, A salvation idea that makes 0 sense, Lack of any form of historical critirea of knowing what is true manuscripts and what is hearsays (The authors of the gospels are all Anynomous),
There is even disagreement within Christianity itself about what stories go into the bible (Many stories have been found out to be false like John 8:1-11 and Mark 16:18)
https://textandcanon.org/does-the-woman-caught-in-adultery-belong-in-the-bible/
The lack of consistency on literally everything makes it one of the least convincing religion in my opinion.

"Why Did Jesus Die on the Cross?"

The main reason Jesus died on the cross was to defeat Satan and set us free from his oppressive rule. Everything else that Jesus accomplished was to be understood as an aspect and consequence of this victory (e.g., Recapitulation, Moral Influence, etc.).
This understanding of why Jesus had to die is called the Christus Victor (Latin for “Christ is Victorious”) view of the atonement. But, what exactly was Christ victorious from, and why? To find out the answers to these questions, we have to turn to the Old Testament, as that's what the apostles would often allude to in order to properly teach their audience the message they were trying to convey (Rom. 15:4).
The OT is full of conflict between the Father (YHVH) and false gods, between YHVH and cosmic forces of chaos. The Psalms speak of this conflict between YHVH and water monsters of the deeps (an ancient image for chaos) (Psa. 29:3-4; 74:10-14; 77:16, 19; 89:9-10; 104:2-9, etc).
The liberation of Israel from Egypt wasn’t just a conflict between Pharaoh and Moses. It was really between YHVH and the false gods of Egypt.
Regardless of whether you think the aforementioned descriptions are literal or metaphorical, the reality that the Old Testament describes is that humanity lived in a “cosmic war zone.”
The Christus Victor motif is about Christ reigning victorious over wicked principalities and Satan's kingdom, and is strongly emphasized throughout the New Testament. Scripture declares that Jesus came to drive out "the prince of this world” (John 12:31), to “destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8), to “destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14) and to “put all enemies under his feet” (1 Cor 15:25). Jesus came to overpower the “strong man” (Satan) who held the world in bondage and worked with his Church to plunder his "palace" (Luke 11:21-22). He came to end the reign of the cosmic “thief” who seized the world to “steal, and to kill, and to destroy” the life YHVH intended for us (John 10:10). Jesus came and died on the cross to disarm “the principalities and powers” and make a “shew of them openly [i.e., public spectacle]” by “triumphing over them in [the cross]” (Col. 2:15).
Beyond these explicit statements, there are many other passages that express the Christus Victor motif as well. For example, the first prophecy in the Bible foretells that a descendent of Eve (Jesus) would crush the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:15). The first Christian sermon ever preached proclaimed that Jesus in principle conquered all YHVH's enemies (Acts 2:32-36). And the single most frequently quoted Old Testament passage by New Testament authors is Psalm 110:1 which predicts that Christ would conquer all YHVH’s opponents. (Psalm 110 is quoted or alluded to in Matthew 22:41-45; 26:64, Mark 12:35-37; 14:62, Luke 20:41-44; 22:69, Acts 5:31; 7:55-56, Romans 8:34, 1st Corinthians 15:22-25, Ephesians 1:20, Hebrews 1:3; 1:13; 5:6, 10; 6:20; 7:11, 15, 17, 21; 8:1; 10:12-13, 1st Peter 3:22, and Revelation 3:21.) According to New Testament scholar Oscar Cullman, the frequency with which New Testament authors cite this Psalm is the greatest proof that Christ’s “victory over the angel powers stands at the very center of early Christian thought.”
Because of man's rebellion, the Messiah's coming involved a rescue mission that included a strategy for vanquishing the powers of darkness.
Since YHVH is a God of love who gives genuine “say-so” to both angels and humans, YHVH rarely accomplishes His providential plans through coercion. YHVH relies on His infinite wisdom to achieve His goals. Nowhere is YHVH's wisdom put more on display than in the manner in which He outsmarted Satan and the powers of evil, using their own evil to bring about their defeat.
Most readers probably know the famous story from ancient Greece about the Trojan Horse. To recap the story, Troy and Greece had been locked in a ten-year-long vicious war when, according to Homer and Virgil, the Greeks came up with a brilliant idea. They built an enormous wooden horse, hid soldiers inside and offered it to the Trojans as a gift, claiming they were conceding defeat and going home. The delighted Trojans accepted the gift and proceeded to celebrate by drinking themselves into a drunken stupor. When night came and the Trojan warriors were too wasted to fight, the Greeks exited the horse, unlocked the city gates to quietly let all their compatriots in, and easily conquered the city, thus winning the war.
Historians debate whether any of this actually happened. But either way, as military strategies go, it’s brilliant.
Now, there are five clues in the New Testament that suggest YHVH was using something like this Trojan Horse strategy against the powers when he sent Jesus into the world:
1) The Bible tells us that YHVH's victory over the powers of darkness was achieved by the employment of YHVH’s wisdom, and was centered on that wisdom having become reality in Jesus Christ (Rom. 16:25, 1 Cor. 2:7, Eph. 3:9-10, Col. 1:26). It also tells us that, for some reason, this Christ-centered wisdom was kept “secret and hidden” throughout the ages. It’s clear from this that YHVH's strategy was to outsmart and surprise the powers by sending Jesus.
2) While humans don’t generally know Jesus’ true identity during his ministry, demons do. They recognize Jesus as the Son of God, the Messiah, but, interestingly enough, they have no idea what he’s doing (Mark 1:24; 3:11; 5:7, Luke 8:21). Again, the wisdom of YHVH in sending Jesus was hidden from them.
3) We’re told that, while humans certainly share in the responsibility for the crucifixion, Satan and the powers were working behind the scenes to bring it about (John 13:27 cf. 1 Cor. 2:6-8). These forces of evil helped orchestrate the crucifixion.
4) We’re taught that if the “princes of this world [age]” had understood the secret wisdom of YHVH, “they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Cor 2:8 cf. vss 6-7). Apparently, Satan and the powers regretted orchestrating Christ’s crucifixion once they learned of the wisdom of YHVH that was behind it.
5) Finally, we can begin to understand why the powers came to regret crucifying “the Lord of glory” when we read that it was by means of the crucifixion that the “handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us [i.e., the charge of our legal indebtedness]” was “[taken] out of the way [i.e., canceled]” as the powers were disarmed. In this way Christ “triumph[ed] over” the powers by "his cross” and even “made a shew of them openly” (Col. 2:14-15). Through Christ’s death and resurrection YHVH's enemies were vanquished and placed under his Messiah's feet, and ultimately His own in the end (1 Cor. 15:23-28).
Putting these five clues together, we can discern YHVH's Trojan Horse strategy in sending Jesus.
The powers couldn’t discern why Jesus came because YHVH's wisdom was hidden from them. YHVH's wisdom was motivated by unfathomable love, and since Satan and the other powers were evil, they lacked the capacity to understand it. Their evil hearts prevented them from suspecting what YHVH was up to.
What the powers did understand was that Jesus was mortal. This meant he was killable. Lacking the capacity to understand that this was the means by which YHVH would ultimately bring about the defeat of death (and thus, pave the road for the resurrection itself), they never suspected that making Jesus vulnerable to their evil might actually be part of YHVH's infinitely wise plan.
And so they took the bait (or "ransom"; Matt. 20:28, Mark 10:45, 1 Tim. 2:5-6). Utilizing Judas and other willing human agents, the powers played right into YHVH’s secret plan and orchestrated the crucifixion of the Messiah (Acts 2:22-23; 4:28). YHVH thus brilliantly used the self-inflicted incapacity of evil to understand love against itself. And, like light dispelling darkness, the unfathomably beautiful act of YHVH's love in sending the willing Messiah as a "ransom" to these blood-thirsty powers defeated them. The whole creation was in principle freed and reconciled to YHVH, while everything written against us humans was nailed to the cross, thus robbing the powers of the only legal claim they had on us. They were “spoiled [i.e., disempowered]” (Col. 2:14-15).
As happened to the Trojans in accepting the gift from the Greeks, in seizing on Christ’s vulnerability and orchestrating his crucifixion, the powers unwittingly cooperated with YHVH to unleash the one power in the world that dispels all evil and sets captives free. It’s the power of self-sacrificial love.

Why Penal Substitution Is Unbiblical

For the sake of keeping this already lengthy post as short as possible I'm not going to spend too much time on why exactly PSA (Penal Substitutionary Atonement) is inconsistent with Scripture, but I'll go ahead and point out the main reasons why I believe this is so, and let the reader look further into this subject by themselves, being that there are many resources out there which have devoted much more time than I ever could here in supporting this premise.

"Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:"-1 Corinthians 5:7

The Passover is one of the two most prominent images in the New Testament given as a comparison to Christ's atonement and what it accomplished, (the other most common image being the Day of Atonement sacrifice).
In the Passover, the blood of the lamb on the door posts of the Hebrews in the book of Exodus was meant to mark out those who were YHVH's, not be a symbol of PSA, as the lamb itself was not being punished by God in place of the Hebrews, but rather the kingdom of Egypt (and thus, allegorically speaking, the kingdom of darkness which opposed YHVH) was what was being judged and punished, because those who were not "covered" by the blood of the lamb could be easily identified as not part of God's kingdom/covenant and liberated people.
Looking at the Day of Atonement sacrifice (which, again, Christ's death is repeatedly compared to throughout the New Testament), this ritual required a ram, a bull, and two goats (Lev. 16:3-5). The ram was for a burnt offering intended to please God (Lev. 16:3-4). The bull served as a sin offering for Aaron, the high priest, and his family. In this case, the sin offering restored the priest to ritual purity, allowing him to occupy sacred space and be near YHVH’s presence. Two goats taken from "the congregation” were needed for the single sin offering for the people (Lev. 16:5). So why two goats?
The high priest would cast lots over the two goats, with one chosen as a sacrifice “for the Lord” (Lev. 16:8). The blood of that goat would purify the people. The second goat was not sacrificed or designated “for the Lord.” On the contrary, this goat—the one that symbolically carried the sins away from the camp of Israel into the wilderness—was “for Azazel” (Lev. 16:8-10).
What—or who—is Azazel?
The Hebrew term azazel (עזאזל) occurs four times in Leviticus 16 but nowhere else in most people's canon of the Bible, (and I say "most people's canon," because some people do include 1 Enoch in their canon of Scripture, which of course goes into great detail about this "Azazel" figure). Many translations prefer to translate the term as a phrase, “the goat that goes away,” which is the same idea conveyed in the King James Version’s “scapegoat.” Other translations treat the word as a name: Azazel. The “scapegoat” option is possible, but since the phrase “for Azazel” parallels the phrase “for YHVH” (“for the Lord”), the wording suggests that two divine figures are being contrasted by the two goats.
A strong case can be made for translating the term as the name Azazel. Ancient Jewish texts show that Azazel was understood as a demonic figure associated with the wilderness. The Mishnah (ca. AD 200; Yoma 6:6) records that the goat for Azazel was led to a cliff and pushed over, ensuring it would not return with its death. This association of the wilderness with evil is also evident in the New Testament, as this was where Jesus met the devil (Matt. 4:1). Also, in Leviticus 17:1-7 we learn that some Israelites had been accustomed to sacrificing offerings to "devils" (alternatively translated as “goat demons”). The Day of Atonement replaced this illegitimate practice.
The second goat was not sent into the wilderness as a sacrifice to a foreign god or demon. The act of sending the live goat out into the wilderness, which was unholy ground, was to send the sins of the people where they belonged—to the demonic domain. With one goat sacrificed to bring purification and access to YHVH and one goat sent to carry the people’s sins to the demonic domain, this annual ritual reinforced the identity of the true God and His mercy and holiness.
When Jesus died on the cross for all of humanity’s sins, he was crucified outside the city, paralleling the sins of the people being cast to the wilderness via the goat to Azazel. Jesus died once for all sinners, negating the need for this ritual.
As previously stated, the goat which had all the sin put on it was sent alive off to the wilderness, while the blood of the goat which was blameless was used to purify the temple and the people. Penal substitution would necessitate the killing of the goat which had the sin put on it.
Mind you, this is the only sacrificial ritual of any kind in the Torah in which sins are placed on an animal. The only time it happens is this, and that animal is not sacrificed. Most PSA proponents unwittingly point to this ritual as evidence of their view, despite it actually serving as evidence to the contrary, because most people don't read their Old Testament and don't familiarize themselves with the "boring parts" like Leviticus (when it's actually rather important to do so, since that book explains how exactly animal offerings were to be carried out and why they were done in the first place).
In the New Testament, Christ's blood was not only meant to mark out those who were his, but also expel the presence of sin and ritual uncleanness so as to make the presence of YHVH manifest in the believer's life. Notice how God's wrath isn't poured out on Christ in our stead on this view, but rather His wrath was poured out on those who weren't covered, and the presence of sin and evil were merely removed by that which is pure and blameless (Christ's blood) for the believer.
All this is the difference between expiation and propitiation.

The Content of Paul's Gospel Message

When the New Testament writers talked about “the gospel,” they referred not to the Protestant doctrine of justification sola fide–the proposition that if we will stop trying to win God’s favor and only just believe that God has exchanged our sin for Christ’s perfect righteousness, then in God’s eyes we will have the perfect righteousness required both for salvation and for assuaging our guilty consciences–but rather they referred to the simple but explosive proposition Kyrios Christos, “Christ is Lord.” That is to say, the gospel was, properly speaking, the royal announcement that Jesus of Nazareth was the God of Israel’s promised Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
The New Testament writers were not writing in a cultural or linguistic vacuum and their language of euangelion (good news) and euangelizomai would have been understood by their audience in fairly specific ways. Namely, in the Greco-Roman world for which the New Testament authors wrote, euangelion/euangelizomai language typically had to do with either A) the announcement of the accession of a ruler, or B) the announcement of a victory in battle, and would probably have been understood along those lines.
Let’s take the announcements of a new ruler first. The classic example of such a language is the Priene Calendar Inscription, dating to circa 9 BC, which celebrates the rule (and birthday) of Caesar Augustus as follows:
"It was seeming to the Greeks in Asia, in the opinion of the high priest Apollonius of Menophilus Azanitus: Since Providence, which has ordered all things of our life and is very much interested in our life, has ordered things in sending Augustus, whom she filled with virtue for the benefit of men, sending him as a savior [soter] both for us and for those after us, him who would end war and order all things, and since Caesar by his appearance [epiphanein] surpassed the hopes of all those who received the good tidings [euangelia], not only those who were benefactors before him, but even the hope among those who will be left afterward, and the birthday of the god [he genethlios tou theou] was for the world the beginning of the good tidings [euangelion] through him; and Asia resolved it in Smyrna."
The association of the term euangelion with the announcement of Augustus’ rule is clear enough and is typical of how this language is used elsewhere. To give another example, Josephus records that at the news of the accession of the new emperor Vespasian (69 AD) “every city kept festival for the good news (euangelia) and offered sacrifices on his behalf.” (The Jewish War, IV.618). Finally, a papyrus dating to ca. 498 AD begins:
"Since I have become aware of the good news (euangeliou) about the proclamation as Caesar (of Gaius Julius Verus Maximus Augustus)…"
This usage occurs also in the Septuagint, the Greek translations of the Jewish Scriptures. For instance LXX Isaiah 52:7 reads, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news (euangelizomenou), who publishes peace, who brings good news (euangelizomenos) of salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.'" Similarly, LXX Isaiah 40:9-10 reads:

"…Go up on a high mountain, you who bring good tidings (ho euangelizomenos) to Sion; lift up your voice with strength, you who bring good tidings (ho euangelizomenos); lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Ioudas, “See your God!” Behold, the Lord comes with strength, and his arm with authority (kyrieias)…."-NETS, Esaias 40:9-10

This consistent close connection between euangelion/euangelizomai language and announcements of rule strongly suggests that many of the initial hearers/readers of the early Christians’ evangelical language would likely have understood that language as the announcement of a new ruler (see, e.g., Acts 17:7), and, unless there is strong NT evidence to the contrary, we should presume that the NT writers probably intended their language to be so understood.
However, the other main way in which euangelion/euangelizomai language was used in the Greco-Roman world was with reference to battle reports, announcements of victory in war. A classic example of this sort of usage can be found in LXX 2 Samuel 18:19ff, where David receives word that his traitorous son, Absalom, has been defeated in battle. Euangelion/euangelizomai is used throughout the passage for the communications from the front.
As already shown throughout this post, the NT speaks of Jesus’s death and resurrection as a great victory over the powers that existed at that time and, most importantly, over death itself. Jesus’ conquest of the principalities and powers was the establishment of his rule and comprehensive authority over heaven and earth, that is, of his Lordship over all things (again, at that time).
This was the content of Paul's gospel message...

Justification, and the "New" Perspective on Paul

The following quotation is from The Gospel Coalition, and I believe it to be a decently accurate summary of the NPP (New Perspective on Paul), despite it being from a source which is in opposition to it:

The New Perspective on Paul, a major scholarly shift that began in the 1980s, argues that the Jewish context of the New Testament has been wrongly understood and that this misunderstand[ing] has led to errors in the traditional-Protestant understanding of justification. According to the New Perspective, the Jewish systems of salvation were not based on works-righteousness but rather on covenantal nomism, the belief that one enters the people of God by grace and stays in through obedience to the covenant. This means that Paul could not have been referring to works-righteousness by his phrase “works of the law”; instead, he was referring to Jewish boundary markers that made clear who was or was not within the people of God. For the New Perspective, this is the issue that Paul opposes in the NT. Thus, justification takes on two aspects for the New Perspective rather than one; initial justification is by faith (grace) and recognizes covenant status (ecclesiology), while final justification is partially by works, albeit works produced by the Spirit.

I believe what's called the "new perspective" is actually rather old, and that the Reformers' view of Paul is what is truly new, being that the Lutheran understanding of Paul is simply not Biblical.
The Reformation perspective understands Paul to be arguing against a legalistic Jewish culture that seeks to earn their salvation through works. However, supporters of the NPP argue that Paul has been misread. We contend he was actually combating Jews who were boasting because they were God's people, the "elect" or the "chosen ones." Their "works," so to speak, were done to show they were God's covenant people and not to earn their salvation.
The key questions involve Paul’s view(s) of the law and the meaning of the controversy in which Paul was engaged. Paul strongly argued that we are “justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law” (Gal. 2:16b). Since the time of Martin Luther, this has been understood as an indictment of legalistic efforts to merit favor before God. Judaism was cast in the role of the medieval "church," and so Paul’s protests became very Lutheran, with traditional-Protestant theology reinforced in all its particulars (along with its limitations) as a result. In hermeneutical terms, then, the historical context of Paul’s debate will answer the questions we have about what exactly the apostle meant by the phrase "works of the law," along with other phrases often used as support by the Reformers for their doctrine of Sola Fide (justification by faith alone), like when Paul mentions "the righteousness of God."
Obviously an in-depth analysis of the Pauline corpus and its place in the context of first-century Judaism would take us far beyond the scope of this brief post. We can, however, quickly survey the topography of Paul’s thought in context, particularly as it has emerged through the efforts of recent scholarship, and note some salient points which may be used as the basis of a refurbished soteriology.
[Note: The more popular scholars associated with the NPP are E.P. Sanders, James Dunn, and N.T. Wright. Dunn was the first to coin the term "The New Perspective" in a 1983 Manson Memorial Lecture, The New Perspective on Paul and the Law.]
Varying authors since the early 1900's have brought up the charge that Paul was misread by those in the tradition of Martin Luther and other Protestant Reformers. Yet, it wasn't until E.P. Sanders' 1977 book, Paul and Palestinian Judaism, that scholars began to pay much attention to the issue. In his book, Sanders argues that the Judaism of Paul's day has been wrongly criticized as a religion of "works-salvation" by those in the Protestant tradition.
A fundamental premise in the NPP is that Judaism was actually a religion of grace. Sander's puts it clearly:
"On the point at which many have found the decisive contrast between Paul and Judaism - grace and works - Paul is in agreement with Palestinian Judaism... Salvation is by grace but judgment is according to works'...God saves by grace, but... within the framework established by grace he rewards good deeds and punishes transgression." (Paul and Palestinian Judaism, p. 543)
N.T. Wright adds that, "we have misjudged early Judaism, especially Pharisaism, if we have thought of it as an early version of Pelagianism," (Wright, What Saint Paul Really Said, p. 32).
Sanders has coined a now well-known phrase to describe the character of first-century Palestinian Judaism: “covenantal nomism.” The meaning of “covenantal nomism” is that human obedience is not construed as the means of entering into God’s covenant. That cannot be earned; inclusion within the covenant body is by the grace of God. Rather, obedience is the means of maintaining one’s status within the covenant. And with its emphasis on divine grace and forgiveness, Judaism was never a religion of legalism.
If covenantal nomism was operating as the primary category under which Jews understood the Law, then when Jews spoke of obeying commandments, or when they required strict obedience of themselves and fellow Jews, it was because they were "keeping the covenant," rather than out of legalism.
More recently, N.T. Wright has made a significant contribution in his little book, What Saint Paul Really Said. Wright’s focus is the gospel and the doctrine of justification. With incisive clarity he demonstrates that the core of Paul’s gospel was not justification by faith, but the death and resurrection of Christ and his exaltation as Lord. The proclamation of the gospel was the proclamation of Jesus as Lord, the Messiah who fulfilled Israel’s expectations. Romans 1:3-4, not 1:16-17, is the gospel, contrary to traditional thinking. Justification is not the center of Paul’s thought, but an outworking of it:
"[T]he doctrine of justification by faith is not what Paul means by ‘the gospel’. It is implied by the gospel; when the gospel is proclaimed, people come to faith and so are regarded by God as members of his people. But ‘the gospel’ is not an account of how people get saved. It is, as we saw in an earlier chapter, the proclamation of the lordship of Jesus Christ….Let us be quite clear. ‘The gospel’ is the announcement of Jesus’ lordship, which works with power to bring people into the family of Abraham, now redefined around Jesus Christ and characterized solely by faith in him. ‘Justification’ is the doctrine which insists that all those who have this faith belong as full members of this family, on this basis and no other." (pp. 132, 133)
Wright brings us to this point by showing what “justification” would have meant in Paul’s Jewish context, bound up as it was in law-court terminology, eschatology, and God’s faithfulness to God’s covenant.
Specifically, Wright explodes the myth that the pre-Christian Saul was a pious, proto-Pelagian moralist seeking to earn his individual passage into heaven. Wright capitalizes on Paul’s autobiographical confessions to paint rather a picture of a zealous Jewish nationalist whose driving concern was to cleanse Israel of Gentiles as well as Jews who had lax attitudes toward the Torah. Running the risk of anachronism, Wright points to a contemporary version of the pre-Christian Saul: Yigal Amir, the zealous Torah-loyal Jew who assassinated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin for exchanging Israel’s land for peace. Wright writes:
"Jews like Saul of Tarsus were not interested in an abstract, ahistorical system of salvation... They were interested in the salvation which, they believed, the one true God had promised to his people Israel." (pp. 32, 33)
Wright maintains that as a Christian, Paul continued to challenge paganism by taking the moral high ground of the creational monotheist. The doctrine of justification was not what Paul preached to the Gentiles as the main thrust of his gospel message; it was rather “the thing his converts most needed to know in order to be assured that they really were part of God’s people” after they had responded to the gospel message.
Even while taking the gospel to the Gentiles, however, Paul continued to criticize Judaism “from within” even as he had as a zealous Pharisee. But whereas his mission before was to root out those with lax attitudes toward the Torah, now his mission was to demonstrate that God’s covenant faithfulness (righteousness) has already been revealed in Jesus Christ.
At this point Wright carefully documents Paul’s use of the controversial phrase “God’s righteousness” and draws out the implications of his meaning against the background of a Jewish concept of justification. The righteousness of God and the righteousness of the party who is “justified” cannot be confused because the term bears different connotations for the judge than for the plaintiff or defendant. The judge is “righteous” if his or her judgment is fair and impartial; the plaintiff or defendant is “righteous” if the judge rules in his or her favor. Hence:
"If we use the language of the law court, it makes no sense whatsoever to say that the judge imputes, imparts, bequeaths, conveys or otherwise transfers his righteousness to either the plaintiff or the defendant. Righteousness is not an object, a substance or a gas which can be passed across the courtroom. For the judge to be righteous does not mean that the court has found in his favor. For the plaintiff or defendant to be righteous does not mean that he or she has tried the case properly or impartially. To imagine the defendant somehow receiving the judge’s righteousness is simply a category mistake. That is not how the language works." (p. 98)
However, Wright makes the important observation that even with the forensic metaphor, Paul’s theology is not so much about the courtroom as it is about God’s love.
Righteousness is not an impersonal, abstract standard, a measuring-stick or a balancing scale. That was, and still is, a Greek view. Righteousness, Biblically speaking, grows out of covenant relationship. We forgive because we have been forgiven (Matt. 18:21-35); “we love" because God “first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Love is the fulfillment of the law (Rom. 13:8, 10, Gal 5:14, Jam. 2:8). Paul even looked forward to a day when “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10), and he acknowledged that his clear conscience did not necessarily ensure this verdict (1 Cor. 4:4), but he was confident nevertheless. Paul did in fact testify of his clear conscience: “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation [i.e., behavior] in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward” (2 Cor. 1:12). He was aware that he had not yet “attained” (Phil. 3:12-14), that he still struggled with the flesh, yet he was confident of the value of his performance (1 Cor. 9:27). These are hardly the convictions of someone who intends to rest entirely on the merits of an alien righteousness imputed to his or her account.
Wright went on to flesh out the doctrine of justification in Galatians, Philippians, and Romans. The “works of the law” are not proto-Pelagian efforts to earn salvation, but rather “sabbath [keeping], food-laws, circumcision” (p. 132). Considering the controversy in Galatia, Wright writes:
"Despite a long tradition to the contrary, the problem Paul addresses in Galatians is not the question of how precisely someone becomes a Christian, or attains to a relationship with God….The problem he addresses is: should his ex-pagan converts be circumcised or not? Now this question is by no means obviously to do with the questions faced by Augustine and Pelagius, or by Luther and Erasmus. On anyone’s reading, but especially within its first-century context, it has to do quite obviously with the question of how you define the people of God: are they to be defined by the badges of Jewish race, or in some other way? Circumcision is not a ‘moral’ issue; it does not have to do with moral effort, or earning salvation by good deeds. Nor can we simply treat it as a religious ritual, then designate all religious ritual as crypto-Pelagian good works, and so smuggle Pelagius into Galatia as the arch-opponent after all. First-century thought, both Jewish and Christian, simply doesn’t work like that…. [T]he polemic against the Torah in Galatians simply will not work if we ‘translate’ it into polemic either against straightforward self-help moralism or against the more subtle snare of ‘legalism’, as some have suggested. The passages about the law only work — and by ‘work’ I mean they will only make full sense in their contexts, which is what counts in the last analysis — when we take them as references to the Jewish law, the Torah, seen as the national charter of the Jewish race." (pp. 120-122)
The debate about justification, then, “wasn’t so much about soteriology as about ecclesiology; not so much about salvation as about the church.” (p. 119)
To summarize the theology of Paul in his epistles, the apostle mainly spent time arguing to those whom he were sending letters that salvation in Christ was available to all men without distinction. Jews and Gentiles alike may accept the free gift; it was not limited to any one group. Paul was vehement about this, especially in his letter to the Romans. As such, I will finish this post off by summarizing the letter itself, so as to provide Biblical support for the premises of the NPP and for what the scholars I referenced have thus far argued.
After his introduction in the epistle to an already believing and mostly Gentile audience (who would've already been familiar with the gospel proclaimed in verses 3-4), Paul makes a thematic statement in 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” This statement is just one of many key statements littered throughout the book of Romans that give us proper understanding of the point Paul wished to make to the interlocutors of his day, namely, salvation is available to all, whether Jew or Gentile.
In 1:16 Paul sets out a basic theme of his message in the letter to the Romans. All who believed, whether they be Jew or Gentile, were saved by the power of the gospel. The universal nature of salvation was explicitly stated. The gospel saved all without distinction, whether Jew or Greek; salvation was through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Immediately after this thematic declaration, Paul undertakes to show the universal nature of sin and guilt. In 1:18-32 Paul shows how the Gentile is guilty before God. Despite evidence of God and his attributes, which is readily available to all, they have failed to honor YHVH as God and have exchanged His glory for idolatrous worship and self-promotion. As a consequence, God handed them over in judgment (1:18-32). Paul moves to denunciation of those who would judge others while themselves being guilty of the very same offenses (2:1-5) and argues that all will be judged according to their deeds (2:6). This judgment applies to all, namely, Jew and Greek (2:9-10). This section serves as somewhat of a transition in Paul’s argument. He has highlighted the guilt of the Gentiles (1:18ff) and will shortly outline the guilt of the Jew (2:17-24). The universal statement of 2:1-11 sets the stage for Paul’s rebuke of Jewish presumption. It was not possession of the Law which delivered; it was faithful obedience. It is better to have no Law and yet to obey the essence of the Law (2:12-16) than to have the Law and not obey (2:17-3:4). Paul then defends the justice of God’s judgment (3:5-8), which leads to the conclusion that all (Jew and Gentile) are guilty before God (3:9).
Paul argues that it was a mistaken notion to think that salvation was the prerogative of the Jew only. This presumption is wrong for two reasons. First, it leads to the mistaken assumption that only Jews were eligible for this vindication (Paul deals with this misunderstanding in chapter 4 where he demonstrates that Abraham was justified by faith independently of the Law and is therefore the father of all who believe, Jew and Gentile alike). Second, it leads to the equally mistaken conclusion that all who were Jews are guaranteed of vindication. Paul demonstrates how this perspective, which would call God’s integrity into question since Paul was assuming many Jews would not experience this vindication, was misguided. He did this by demonstrating that it was never the case that all physical descendants of Israel (Jacob) were likewise recipients of the promise. In the past (9:6-33) as in the present (at that time; 11:1-10), only a remnant was preserved and only a remnant would experience vindication. Paul also argued that the unbelief of national Israel (the non-remnant) had the purpose of extending the compass of salvation. The unbelief of one group made the universal scope of the gospel possible. This universalism was itself intended to bring about the vindication of the unbelieving group (11:11-16). As a result of faith, all (Jew and Gentile) could be branches of the olive tree (11:17-24). Since faith in Christ was necessary to remain grafted into the tree, no one could boast of his position. All, Jew and Gentile alike, were dependent upon the mercy and grace of God. As a result of God’s mysterious plan, He would bring about the vindication of His people (11:25-27). [Note: It is this author's belief that this vindication occurred around 66-70 AD, with the Parousia of Christ's Church; this author is Full-Preterist in their Eschatology.]

We've been together for 7 years now. The fight itself stemmed from long term problems but was a small thing, ultimately. I have really serious trauma history and can sometimes project the feelings of neglect and abandonment I experienced on others. I'm pretty much always working on this, but it's also a reality of life currently. I was playing a co-op game with him and some friend when I had technical issues that made enjoying the game and communicating impossible. I asked my partner for help but from my perspective they were cold and short with me and not tolerant of my frustration and confusion when troubleshooting. From their perspective I was mean and didn't accept their help. Ultimately when I talked to my brother about it he reminded me that I should have helped my self and taken initiative for myself and that's most healthy. But I got upset and felt like he was abandoning me and having fun without caring about me so I froze and stopped playing before leaving entirely to go cry alone in another room.
After the game ended he came in, but from the outside of the door I heard him say "oh God not again" and he came in and asked if I was okay. Then when I said no and started talking about how I was feeling he berated me for supposedly not wanting to tell him anyway and tried to make an exit. I could tell he didn't want to be there but made the mistake of pining for his emotional validation and support anyway. He told me later that he would only have been able to do that if what I was upset about was something less hurtful than warped projections onto him. Since he was just trying to get through the game and give me space to advocate for myself. We've also talked on the past about not bringing these kinds of emotions to him. Yet I partially feel since I was mid meltdown by myself *trying* to regulate and he came in and tried to help but then became agitated, that he really should have stayed away!! Or left respectfully!! But he started arguing with me, and I just kept getting more upset and crying and accusing him of not loving me like he used to. When things escalated to shouting he got in my face. When I his opinion, I got too loud, he ran at me and grabbed my body and restrained it while placing his hand over my mouth to shut me up. I fought him off me and it took strength and screamed not to touch me!?! Ultimately we shouted until he ran out of the house and didn't come back for 6 hours.
During that time I called my brother and tried to make sense of it all. I realized I had done wrong and betrayed my commitment to not put my anxieties about him abandoning me on his plate and should of kept it all to myself. I reflected on my partners condition lately, which is very poor as he is depressed and recently fired. He has gained dramatic weight over the last 3 years and is basically miserable lately. Both the external world and our relationship have been sour for us leading to constant arguing.
The next day we reconciled and I was upset he wasn't immediately remorseful for grabbing me because it was serious. He said he doesn't think guilt or remorse are useful, only punitive. It's important to me though, I don't know if that's wrong. So I told him I didn't forgive him and asked if he even wanted me to forgive him. He said yes and asked me to be more specific about what showing remorse meant to me. I asked that he sit next to me and held my hands. I told him to say "I'm sorry. I crossed a line I should never cross and hurt you. I will never do anything like this ever again. I betrayed your trust." And he did and it seemed genuine but he also felt the need to keep bringing up why he thought in the moment it was ok to do. He said our roommate said we had been noisy lately so he did "for me" knowing it worries me to upset my roommate. I told him it was ridiculous to say it was for me, even if that was his reasoning and that I would never grab him to make him quiet.
I forgave him, and I think I really do but I want this to never happen again. We made new plans on how to interact when I'm processing big feelings that aren't best shared with him. I'm also making new plans to intervene in my mental and physical health to just take better care of myself to further prove personal responsibility for my own issues. He told me he didn't want to have any more sex for a while because of the seriousness of my accusations (that it was an assault against my physical autonomy) and that we would sleep in separate places and get space. I agreed but it's very bittersweet. The space helps me too but I'm also so sad and the gap between us is suddenly so wide. How do couples who have hurt each other build new understanding, love , and peace? Please, all I want is that.