#Christianity
there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
And Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth; for he will be great before the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared." And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years." And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time." And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and they wondered at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he made signs to them and remained dumb. And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she hid herself, saying, "Thus the Lord has done to me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men."
Uplifting Faith (Isaiah 46)
https://johnager.co.uk/2023/09/23/uplifting-faith-isaiah-46/
The Conception of St. John the Baptist
September 23 #ChristianFeastDay
This came to pass fifteen months before the birth of Christ, after the vision of the Angel that Zacharias, the father of the Forerunner, saw in the Temple while he executed the priest's office in the order of his course during the feast of the Tabernacles, as tradition bears witness. In this vision, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Zacharias and said to him, "Thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John" (Luke 1:13). Knowing that Elizabeth was barren, and that both he and she were elderly, Zacharias did not believe what the Angel told him, although he had before him the example of Abraham and Sarah, of Hannah, mother of the Prophet Samuel, and of other barren women in Israel who gave birth by the power of God. Hence, he was condemned by the Archangel to remain speechless until the fulfilment of these words in their season, which also came to pass (Luke 1:7-24).
#Christianity #OrthodoxChristian #OrthodoxChristianity #ChristianOrthodoxy #DailyReadingsApp #JohnTheBaptist #AngelsAreReal
Our Soup Kitchen is in need of large yoghurt tubs, as well as loaves of bread. Please drop off anything you can spare to the office during the week. #Church #Outreach #Christianity
@Pontifex Have I done something excommunicable yet? I haven't caught up with your Lore.
#LasNavidades #ChristmasCameEarlyAndStayed
#Christianity
#qed
A church in Texas actually helping trans kids? 😲 Did they actually start believing all that stuff about "loving your neighbor" and all that? https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2023/09/texas-church-launches-program-to-help-fund-transgender-kids-healthcare/
#Texas #LGBT #LGBTQ #LGBTQIA #Trans #Transgender #Christianity #Church #HRT #FtWorth #FtWorthTX #DFW #DallasFtWorth
From yesterday: “The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy and the Path to a Shared American Future” looks to the deep #history of bigotry in a policy of religious colonialism that dates back to the 1400s. At the same time, it also looks toward a less racist future. https://www.texasobserver.org/the-origins-of-white-christian-supremacy/
#books #religion #Christianity #racism #WhiteSupremacy #Fascism #Colonialism
I wrote a new short blog post about cybernetics, feedback loops, and the prevalence of evil. Basically, I use theories from cybernetics as analogies to talk about evil works in the world. You can read it here: https://write.as/nathaniel-metz/feedback-loops-and-evil
A little chapel in the mountains outside #Batroun #Lebanon 🇱🇧
#WindowFriday #VensterVrijdag #FensterFreitag #TravelPhotography #reisen #urlaub #写真 #マストドン写真部 #ChurchArchitecture #SmartphonePhotography #Christianity #MiddleEast #Religion
I’ll cry on your shoulder
Before the day’s through
And you’ll hold me tight
Say you already knew
All I can say is I love you
And all I can cry is I need you
And I’ll beg forgiveness from you
Many times, before they day is through
Link to full poem:
https://elameadows.wordpress.com/2023/04/16/your-shoulder/
#poem #poetry #poemoftheday #photography #cwh #fire #flames #camping #religion #christian #christianity #jesus #god #bible #exvangelical #writing #poems #love #mentalhealth #spiritual #spirituality #parenting
Ἔτι καὶ ἔτι ἐν εἰρήνῃ τοῦ Κυρίου δεηθῶμεν.
Again and again, in peace, let us pray to the Lord.
( Κύριε, ἐλέησον. )
( Lord, have mercy. )
Ἀντιλαβοῦ, σῶσον, ἐλέησον καὶ διαφύλαξον ἡμᾶς, ὁ Θεός, τῇ σῇ χάριτι.
Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and protect us, O God, by Your grace.
( Κύριε, ἐλέησον. )
( Lord, have mercy. )
Τῆς παναγίας, ἀχράντου, ὑπερευλογημένης, ἐνδόξου, δεσποίνης ἡμῶν Θεοτόκου καὶ ἀειπαρθένου Μαρίας μετὰ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων μνημονεύσαντες, ἑαυτοὺς καὶ ἀλλήλους καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ζωὴν ἡμῶν Χριστῷ τῷ Θεῷ παραθώμεθα.
Commemorating our most holy, pure, blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.
( Σοί, Κύριε. )
( To You, O Lord. )
Ὅτι σὸν τὸ κράτος καὶ σοῦ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία καὶ ἡ δύναμις καὶ ἡ δόξα, τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων.
For Yours is the dominion, and Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages.
( Ἀμήν. )
(Amen)
#Christianity #OrthodoxChristianity #ChristianOrthodoxy #ChristianPrayer #GreekOrthodox #GreekOrthodoxy #GreekCatholic
Θεὸς Κύριος καὶ ἐπέφανεν ἡμῖν. Εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου.
#Christianity
'The Resurrection of Christ / 'The Ascension of Christ' by Rembrandt (1636-1639) #art #arts #artist #artists #christian #christianity #artlover #artlovers #inspiration #motivation #spiritual #spirituality #christ #artnet #artmuseum #artmuseums #museum #museums #arthistory #painting #paintings
I grew up as a Christian. My father was an Anglican minister. The problem I have with other Christians I've met is the hypocrisy. Many of them seem full of hatred and judgement and pay no heed to the actual teachings of Christ, which surely should be the basis of Christian faith. In the end I walked away from the Church. #christianityisbigotry #christianity
If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Romans 14:8 #Bible #Christianity #belonging
#Christianity is a 2000-year extension of a state of spiritual emergency that Jesus thought would last a year or two.
1 skin, 2 skin, 3 skin… The stand out moment from tonight’s #Bible study group, which focused on Psalm 22 by David of ‘David and Goliath’ fame, was the reference to an unusual form of currency…
1 Samuel 18:27 David took his men with him and went out and killed two hundred Philistines and brought back their foreskins. They counted out the full number to the king so that David might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.
In the West, we substitute #science for wisdom to fill a gap #Christianity failed to fill but express the same bifurcation #karma as our ancestors since we never evolved better wisdom.
A reminder that #translation is not just matching equivalents to words, but requires understanding the source culture.
I was confused by the phrase "the Son of God indicated (to) stubborn resistance" in the introduction to the text I am translating (where the same #Syriac might have "to" or not).
Then I remembered the #medieval authorial practice of self-deprecation, and the scribe is saying not that Christ revealed what stubbornness looks like, but rather that Christ revealed theology to the author, who characterizes himself as "stubborn resistance."
(The same realization cleared up several other confusions in the same section. It's a thing.)
#theology #Christianity #Shbadnaya
Tennessee Evangelist Pastor and His Wife Hit With Multiple Child Rape and Sexual Battery Charges
DATELINE: MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — A man who preaches across the country, including in Tennessee, is behind bars for child rape. Benjamin Garlick faces 12 charges, including five counts of aggravated rape of a child 8 years old or younger
https://newsviews.online/2023/09/21/tennessee-evangelist-pastor-and-his-wife-hit-with-multiple-child-rape-and-sexual-battery-charges/
#Christianity #Tennessee
It's never struck me before but the first time we were called #Christians was when the multitude of the Greek Hellenists converted in Acts 11:19-26. I always thought it was much later than that.
Just listening to Mere #Christianity by CS Lewis
In The Origins of White, Christian Supremacy, author Robert P. Jones locates the roots of modern bigotry in the 1400s, taking the #history of hate even further back than the 1619 Project.
From our magazine, @drdrbrockman reviews this provocative new offering from Simon & Schuster:
https://www.texasobserver.org/the-origins-of-white-christian-supremacy/
#books #culture #politics @bookstodon #WhiteSupremacy #racism #religion #Christianity
How much of religious people trying to force other people to live according to their religious beliefs is because they need the kind of reinforcement that everyone living according to their beliefs gives to their religious beliefs?
#Republican Running on “Protecting” #Kids From #LGBTQ People Charged with #Child #Cruelty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnrOjxp_n6g
#Republican #JohnRaymond is running for a seat in #Louisiana’s state legislature on a platform of protecting children from LGBTQ people. However, there’s an issue with his campaign message. #Raymond has been charged with four counts of #childcruelty following multiple allegations of physical #abuse during his tenure as the headmaster of a #christian academy.
#religion #christianity
In the morning we are filled with Your mercy, O Lord, and we rejoice and delight in all of our days. Let us delight therefore even in the days that you make us lowly and for the years that we have seen evils. And look upon Your servants and upon Your works and lead their sons aright. And let the light of the Lord our God be upon us, and the works of our hands may You guide aright. Yea, the works of our hands may You guide aright.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
You are more holy than all the Powers of Heaven, More honored than all, you are our foundation, O Theotokos, Mistress of the World. Entreat the Savior to save us from the multitude of stumbling blocks and rescue from danger those who pray to you, as you are the good one.
It is good to give praise to the Lord and to chant Your name, O Exalted One. To proclaim Your mercy in the morning and Your truth in the night!
#OrthodoxChristian #Orthros #Matins #MorningPrayer #Christianity #ChristianPrayer
John the Baptist said if you have 2 tunics (underwear) give 1 to someone who has none. How far should this logic should extend in our lives?
Should the person with 2 houses give 1 away?
What about cars?
Tents?
Beds?
It seems unlikely that John was only talking about clothing. Yet the American Christian often looks to make a profit on everything they have too much of. Craigslist & FB Marketplace are easy ways to profit off those that don’t have what they do.
everyday at sunset I pray for peace. specifically I pray for an end to gun violence. I imagine others are doing the same.
#UMC Hollering for Change: Black clergywomen support one another
@cleopas I've found quite a few. Not hundreds, but definitely a few dozen dedicated posters that keep my feed full of the Lord. You can check my Follows to see if there's any you'd like to follow. I'm on my phone (and vacation) or I'd cross reference some of my favourites. Scanning the #Christian #Christianity and #Theology hashtags helps find new posters too.
Claude Goudimel - Psalm 51 from Genevan Psalter
International Peacemakers- The Lord's Prayer
-- The Gospels Were Not Written by Eyewitnesses --
(from TMM)
#Christianity #Jesus #gospels #apologetics #NewTestament #Bible #skepticism
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjv78Up753o
-- There's No Way The Gospel Authors Could Have Known About GREEN GRASS! --
(from Viced Rhino)
#gospels #NewTestament #Christianity #apologetics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKuaqi6J9Ps
-- Does God Cause Suffering? ft The Non-Alchemist Deep Drinks Podcast with David McDonald --
(at Deep Drinks Podcast)
#apologetics #Christianity #philosophy #theodicy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcqfiNpbr2Q
As always, brutal!
-- Testify's Failed Attempt at Rescuing Christianity --
(from Atheologica)
#Christianity #gospels #apologetics #historicity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPRo4rSSXd4
prayer is empowering
Testify's Failed Attempt at Rescuing Christianity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPRo4rSSXd4
#CounterApologetics #Atheism #Christianity #Resurrection #ComparativeReligion #BiblicalCriticism #Miracles
International Peacemakers Worship & Commissioning Service
Honfleur - Calvary by French painter Camille Corot (1796-1875).
The site of the #Calvary, a shrine built in 1628 at the top of a cliff overlooking the medieval town of #Honfleur, was popular in the nineteenth century among tourists, pilgrims, and people offering prayers for men at sea. Corot painted this work during a trip to Normandy, probably in 1830.
https://stellar-art.pixels.com/featured/honfleur-calvary-1830-camille-corot.html
Today I learned more about the life story of Origen, probably one of the most important and earliest #Theologians in the history of the #Church. He died some time after being stretched by three inches on the wheel, tortured by the Romans. Quite an interesting person. #Theology #Christianity
Psalm 50 Genevan Psalter - setting by Claude Goudimel
I wish that "The Power and the Glory" was on here. The Whisky Priest is one of my favorite literary characters. But I am looking forward to reading some of his thrillers.
St David's cathedral
YOU CAN FIND IT HERE:
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/st-davids-cathedral-patricia-hofmeester.html
By https://buff.ly/3i3uCm2 #WallArt #homedecor #fineart #BuyIntoArt #AYearForArt #LoveArt #BuyArtNotCandy #photography @PatriciaPhotos
#Wales #cathedral #medieval #Pembrokeshire #StDavids #ancient #christianity
Life has had me very busy lately! Finally catching up on all of the gardening and weeding the heat wave kept us from. It's still hot...92 today, but it beats 99!
ART
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/tree-of-life-spiritual-circle-art-sharon-cummings.html
#flowerart #floralart #art #artwork #mastoart #fediart #artist #artists #AYearForArt #colorful #nature #garden #gardening #gardens #summer #botanical #botany #flower #flowers #flowerfriday #floral #cottage #tree #trees #treeoflife #Celtic #spirituality #spiritual #jewish #judaica #christian #christianity
Christian Socialists Are Reclaiming Faith from the Right
For these Christians, religion is no opiate—it’s a profound call to action.
Sarah Collins Rudolph interview (16th Street Baptist Church Bombing survivor)
#UCC Justice and Witness Executive Associate, the Rev. Bentley deBardelaben-Phillips, introduces the 2023s Neighbors In Need special mission offering. This year the offering benefits environmental justice, and includes a nationwide poster creation contest by UCC youth.
#Christianity #UCC #ClimateCrisis
UCC Neighbors In Need 2023 - Poster Contest Winner Interviewed
The 2023 Neighbors In Need special mission offering is under way, and this year benefits environmental justice. As part of the campaign, UCC local church youth nationwide were encouraged to create and submit art work for a poster contest for the campaign. The winning poster was created by Alexis Misselhorn of Trinity UCC of St. Louis, Mo.
“Forgiveness doesn’t work if the person in question isn’t held accountable for their actions, nor does it work when they figure they did nothing wrong.”
Forgiveness isn’t sweeping hurts, wrongs, and sins under the carpet of our consciences. It is not pretending that what the offender did was all right. Neither is forgiveness, overlooking or pretending that those hurts, never happened.
#Deconstructing the #Fundamentals: The #Resurrection | #Belief It Or Not
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyGPx9_8seE&list=WL
What is the #evidence for the resurrection of #Jesus?
#sundayschool #easter #christianity #atheism #atheist #myths #gospels
Be joyful always, pray at all times, be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus.
-- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 #Bible #Christianity #Prayer
#AfricanArt #prayer #Christianity #acrylicpainting or #artprints
Painting of the Day. Prayer IV
> > https://www.artcameroon.com/prayer-4-african-christian/
*Christians kneel in prayer, their faces serene and peaceful. It is #ChristianArt painting that will bring peace and tranquility to any space.
Why do so many “safe places” on the internet come with the fine print of “unless you’re a Christian”? 🫠 #christianity #wwjd
"'… The entire system is rife with abuse. And not just from the top down, sure there are abusive church leaders, but church leaders are abused by their congregants as well. Church people are just sh*tty to each other.'"
Really, is it that bad?
"A representative from his former church ... has accused him of being an unrepentant adulterer."
aahhh!
Believe me, I know this culture. I know nothing about him but I cannot fault his decision to leave it all.
Just saw a post claiming that if Christianity is progressive then it is heretical because God doesn't change.
While it's true God doesn't change, that doesn't mean his people have been good at following his commands. A Christian people who are not progressing the cause of the widow, orphan, immigrant, and unheard are not living a biblically defined Christianity. And as Christianity has failed to do that for millennia, it might look progressive to follow God's commands now (at least in some areas).
you're welcome to join me for church today!
we're just getting started.
https://www.youtube.com/live/DlmeCmRLcv8?si=Hj4CtrOxVnGN0OuO
Topic: Courage to Live God's Will
And Christianity + corruption is a central part of this story because, as French notes, "The contagious corruption of a broken president and a broken party has turned the hearts of millions of Christians away from scripture’s clear moral commands."
This is all good and I'm grateful that French is talking about it, though I think he doesn't acknowledge how his own Christian Republican commitments have helped create this situation.
KenPaxton #Texas #corruption #Christianity
/2
A recurring word in David French's consideration of the case of Ken Paxton in Texas: the word "corrupt" or "corruption," which is found 7 times in this short essay.
French conjoins the word corruption to another C- word — Christianity — since, as he points out, Paxton claims to be a big-time, exemplary Christian for whom regular churchgoing (another C-word) (Southern Baptist, in his case) is supremely important.
#KenPaxton #Texas #corruption #Christianity
/1
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/07/opinion/columnists/paxton-gop-corrupt.html
My history of the #USA is a little sketchy. But, during the 1600s many "Britain folk" who called themselves Christians migrated to what was to be called #America (land of the free)
They developed a slavery economy.
Now, the USA still identifies as a Christian country (though perhaps that's not representative of a majority?)
I have read the New Testament of the #Christian Bible.
My question is, what part of the teachings of Jesus advocated slavery? 🤔
A gentle reminder to all Christians that Socialism, anti-Capitalism, and helping the needy were all tenants of Jesus's teachings, and blaming the poor for their poverty is the most unChristianly thing you can do. #christianity
Good morning, Christians of the fediverse!
For your meditations this morning, consider the following:
1. Think back on everything God has done for you and given to you over your life. Even when you didn't realise it at the time.
2. Can you remember a time in your life when you felt completely secure, and were convinced that no matter what, everything would turn out all right because there was no doubt that God was in control?
Is there anything preventing you from having that feeling again (or for the first time, if you've never felt it before)?
Adding to Pascal's wager:
Believe in Jesus && Jesus is real == Heaven.
Believe in Jesus && Jesus is not real == nothing.
Don't believe in Jesus && Jesus in not real == nothing.
Don't believe in Jesus && Jesus is real == Christian Hell
but.....
Believe in Jesus && Jesus is not real && Karmic Rebirth is real && You treated non-Christians with love and respect == Positive rebirth
Believe in Jesus && Jesus is not real && Karmic Rebirth is real && You treated non-Christians with disdain as if they were going to Christian Hell == Negative rebirth in one of many various Buddhist hells
etc. et. al.
Call for Papers | Christianity at the Frontiers. Some Case Studies from the Roman and Late Antique Periods | Frontière·s, supplément 3
Coord. : Dominic Moreau (Univ. Lille, HALMA, PI of the DANUBIUS Project)
🔹https://publications-prairial.fr/frontiere-s/index.php?id=510
Restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral as of mid-August, 2023
#Paris #France 🇫🇷
#FotoMontag #PhotoMonday #fotografia #photographie #UrbaneFotografie #UrbanPhotography #ArchitecturePhotography #ArchitecturalHistory #architectuur #arkitektur #ChurchArchitecture #SmartphonePhotography #写真 #マストドン写真部 #TravelPhotography #reisen #urlaub #christianity #catholicism #medievodons #MedievalStudies
fresh beautiful curves
french kissed music to my ears
she's bold and brassy!
ART
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/french-horn-life-musical-instrument-art-sharon-cummings.html
#art #artwork #fediart #mastoart #poetry #writing #haiku #AYearForArt #artist #colorful #colorfulart #writingcommunity #life #poet #poets #christian #christianity #buddhism #celtic #writinglife #writers #writerslife #french #frenchhorn #horns #brass #classical #classicalmusic #music #musica #musical #musician #musicians
kaleidoscope dreams
life is an ever changing
beauty and a beast!
#575prompt - beast
#MastoPrompt - kaleidoscope
ART
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/spiritual-art-tree-of-life-sharon-cummings.html
#art #artwork #fediart #mastoart #poetry #writing #haiku #AYearForArt #artist #colorful #colorfulart #writingcommunity #life #poet #poets #christian #christianity #buddhism #celtic #writinglife #writers #writerslife #tree #trees #treeoflife #spirituality #spiritual #healing #religion #religious #judaism #jewish
Many people find the begats in the Old Testament to be pretty boring. A lot of people who start reading the #Bible stop there because they just can't bring themselves to get through it. Others skim that section to get through it as quickly as possible.
I'll admit, it IS kinda boring, and I was one who skimmed it.
But I always get goosebumps when I read the genealogy of Jesus in Luke 3:23-38 (Maybe because by the time we get there, we actually *know* who many of these people are):
"When Jesus began his work, he was about thirty years old. He was the son, so people thought, of Joseph, who was the son of Heli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Kenan, the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God." (https://my.bible.com/bible/69/LUK.3.GNTD)
In my mind, this is why #Jesus often refers to Himself as "The Son of Man" ("Man" being Adam), and also why Paul sometimes refers to Jesus as "The Second Adam" (Adam's actions introduced sin, evil, and punishment into the world, and through Jesus' actions, we're saved from the consequences of that sin).
YMMV, but to me, that's such a rich history. It makes me feel like I really... belong, you know? :-)
How #WhiteSupremacists’ #Racism is Rooted in #FarRight #Christianity
Even though the Jackson shooter hasn’t been directly linked to Christianity yet, it’s important to note that the racist propaganda that fueled his hate came from far-right Christian groups. Almost every white supremacist post, video, meme, and social media group can be linked to the religious past of our country.
It is especially scary how quietly far-right Christianity can sneak into people’s lives
Diana Butler Bass comments on Timothy Egan's book A Fever in the the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan’s Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them. One thing stood out as she read it:
"It reveals how easily white pastors and churches were enlisted by the Klan, and that 'good' Protestant church people knowingly — and willingly — chose to hate their Black, Jewish, and Catholic neighbors."
#KKK #Klan #bigotry #churches #Christianity
https://dianabutlerbass.substack.com/p/what-i-read-on-summer-vacation
I know a lot of you have Stan blocked* so you might miss this: A Christian who started out claiming that nobody could possibly honestly believe that Trump is a Christian speedruns from "I'm just a liberal Christian with concerns" to "I'm repeating fascist propaganda".
#BlockList #USpol #Trump #Christianity
*understandably
“The fact that Jesus doesn’t command all of his followers to give away everything they have to the poor gives comfort only to the kind of people to whom he would give that command.”
#Christian #Christianity #Theology
A question:
"God/Jesus is with you" means what?
(Other answers can be supplied in replies. Feel free to boost.)
#theology #Christianity #Jesus
Helping Trump In His Time of Need...
8 min video
this is some sublime shit. Ed Trevors pulls a kind and clever commentary here.
Riffing off his theme that Trump don’t need it because God’s plan, let’s decide to just send thoughts and prayers to billionaires and avoid their cartels (I know this is a challenge). They certainly do not need money.
#StainedGlassWindow in the Church of Saint-Séverin, #Paris #France 🇫🇷
#WindowFriday #VensterVrijdag #FensterFreitag #StainedGlass #TravelPhotography #reisen #urlaub #ArtHistory #Christianity
"A Christian is not his own master, since all his time belongs to God."
-Attributed to St. Ignatius of Antioch #Christian #Christianity #Catholic #OrthodoxChristian
Here's a crazy, out of the box question about #ClimateChange: I'm not denying that it's real. You'd have to be a total moron to think it's not real, just look around you and think about the weather patterns where YOU live, and how they've evolved over the past 10 years.
But are we absolutely, 100% sure it's caused by what we think it's caused by? Remembering that correlation doesn't equal causation and all that.
And also thinking of it from my Christian (#Christianity) perspective, which tells me that the Earth wasn't mean to last forever anyway... Although I'm not saying this is just the end times drawing near and we should just live with it, but... Know what I mean?
Could it be that we've identified a problem here (the climate is changing at an alarming pace, causing polar ice caps to melt and all sorts of knock on effects), and it's disastrous and we need to do something about it, but we can't do anything about it unless we know what causes it, so let's find out what causes it? Carbon emissions and deforestation and all that seem logical, and we don't have a better idea, so let's just say that's what causes it so that we can at least take comfort in the fact that we're DOING SOMETHING!
I'm just asking as an uneducated, uninformed outsider. I'm not a scientist, so perhaps we DO have solid scientific reasons for knowing what causes climate change. I'm just trying to approach it from a different perspective.
'Saint Maurice' by Lucas Cranach the Elder (1525) #art #arts #renaissance #arthistory #artlovers #artlover #christian #christianity #illustration #painting #paintings #artnet #artist #artists #inspiration #motivation #history #artnet
I wonder if it occurs to Mr Walters, that one can be a good #Christian without ramming it through the school system?
“God will not entertain the poor in heaven. You will not go there. I will also stand at the entrance to stop you from going there. We have misunderstood the gospel."
Well, somebody's misunderstood the gospel, that's for sure.
https://nilepost.co.ug/2023/08/15/the-poor-will-not-go-to-heaven-archbishop-ssemogerere/
Earlier: “The central premise is that God wants you to be healthy and wealthy.” And that Christian nationalists should rule the world, of course.
From Special Investigative Correspondent @stevanzetti https://texasobserver.org/these-christians-think-god-needs-you-rich-and-to-rule-the-world/
#Extremism #religion #news #politics #USpol #Fascism #Christianity
An elder was asked: “What should a monk do?” “He should apply himself to every good activity and abstain from every evil one”, he replied.
-Sayings of the Desert Fathers #Christian #Christianity #Catholic #OrthodoxChristian
Trinity Church
(Boston Massachusetts, USA)
#Photography #RickQuisenberry #DigitalPhotography # Canon5DMarkII #Christianity #Boston #Church #Massachusetts #RTQ #TrinityChurch #TrinityChurchBoston #HistoricBuildings #UnitedStates
“According to Chaput, people who call themselves Catholic but support abortion, contraception or LGBTQ rights are faithless liars.” #Religion #Christianity #Atheism #Catholic - https://onlysky.media/alee/no-its-not-workism-thats-killing-the-church/ https://onlysky.media/alee/no-its-not-workism-thats-killing-the-church/ #mgshare
Does your spiritual/religious practice bring you joy and improve your life overall?
Bonus Question: Which religion/spiritual practice do you follow? Please comment your answer.
#religion #spiritual #spirituality #atheism #polytheism #monotheism #animism #henotheism #Christianity #Judiasm #Islam #Hinduism #Bahai #Buddhism #Shinto #paganism
Wealthy megachurch televangelists are blending what’s known as the “prosperity gospel” with nationalist #politics. Special Investigative Correspondent @stevanzetti explains why it's more important than ever to understand their influence. https://www.texasobserver.org/these-christians-think-god-needs-you-rich-and-to-rule-the-world/
#news #USpol #Texas #religion #Christianity #extremism #nationalism
"If anyone does not believe that Holy Mary is the Mother of God, he is severed from the Godhead. If anyone should assert that He passed through the Virgin as through a channel, and was not at once divinely and humanly formed in her (divinely, because without the intervention of a man; humanly, because in accordance with the laws of gestation), he is in like manner godless."
-Attributed to St. Gregory the Theologian #Christian #Christianity #Catholic #OrthodoxChristian
I've been on here since November 2022, and I still don't have an #Introduction post. When I first joined, I was a bit lazy, and also couldn't really think of anything to write about myself, and as the time wore on, it just started to feel superfluous, and even a bit silly, to write an introductory post when I've been here for almost a year already.
But here goes:
I was born and bred in #SouthAfrica, and I really love it here. I often post stuff using that hashtag, both slice-of-life type posts, and occasional commentary on local #news. Specifically, I live in the City of #Ekurhuleni.
I'm an independent author, and have written a few books (website link in my bio), but for various reasons, I haven't written anything long-form in some time.
And one of those reasons is that I'm #PartiallySighted (I have #RetinitisPigmentosa), which has progressed quite rapidly in my old age. As such, you might see me using the #accessibillity hashtag from time to time, as I comment on the sorry state of it in websites and software.
For the same reason, I don't read nearly as much as I used to. I'm trying to get into #AudioBooks, but I'm still struggling with them, man. I really battle to focus long enough to finish one. (At this point, I should probably also tag #bookstodon and @bookstodon). :-)
By trade, I'm a Software Developer, and I love technology. But I'm an old-school lover of #technology, so I dislike web apps, struggle with mobile (also see my #disability), and prefer to work on a big monitor with an external keyboard and mouse, rather than a tiny laptop. Unlike most developers, I can't use multiple monitors because I keep losing the mouse cursor. ;-) #programming #development
Because of my interest in tech, I'm also often commenting on the state of the #Fediverse in general and #Mastodon in particular, and what I think should be done (spoiler alert: I think Mastodon is perfect the way it is, and it should be left well enough alone). :-P
Last but not least, I'm a #Methodist Christian, and my #faith is very important to me, so you'll sometimes see me sharing inspirational #Bible passages and discussing things related to #Christianity and Christian #theology.
Oh, I'm also a husband to the most wonderful wife any man could ever hope for, and a foster father to two beautiful teenage girls, but I don't tend to mention them much, because privacy.
Phew! Quite a wide range, hey? So feel free to give me a follow, if you like. Just be warned that you're unlikely to agree with EVERYTHING I post. :-D
Aug 13
Church and State | Texas's immigration policy and Church Crisis
7 min video
Church leaders find out what happens to religion in the service of a political party.
This is totally fascinating on #US #Christianity. In spite of the perception, the country is actually becoming less religious.
Well, this step happened pretty quickly. This is the silly stage. The next stage will be earnest worship.
A new AI app lets users ‘text’ with Jesus. Some call it blasphemy.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2023/08/12/text-with-jesus-chatgpt-ai/
#Jesus #Christianity #Religion #AI #LLM #HolyGhostInTheMachine
@scalzi isn't this what happens when the history of #Christianity is whitewashed?
"The Crusades weren't that bad. They were done in the name of Christ!"
"The Conquistadors weren't that bad. They were working in the service of Christ!"
"White man's burden!"
etc...
It's all the same IMO
For the 67% of my followers who started following me this last weekend, expecting more incisive analysis of Terms of Service from major companies, you won't find that here, but I can offer you something better:
Incisive analysis of #Christianity and #Islam in the #medieval #MiddleEast including sources in various languages.
(If that's a disappointment, sorry but I'm used to that.) 😉
"It is impossible for a man to be freed from the habit of sin before he hates it, just as it is impossible to receive forgiveness before confessing his trespasses."
-Attributed to St. Ignatius of Antioch #Christian #Christianity #Catholic #OrthodoxChristian
Huttunen, N. (31 Mar. 2020). Early Christians Adapting to the Roman Empire. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004428249 #OpenAccess #OA #BiblicalStudies #Bible #Christian #Writings #AncientPhilosophy #Ancient #Philosophy #Theology #Christianity #RomanEmpire #Roman #Empire #Religion @philosophy @antiquidons @bookstodon (25)
The Daily Art app this week featured this fascinating, beautiful illuminated manuscript. I felt like it was worth sharing.
The illumination is from northern Ethiopia, some time around the late 14th or early 15th century.
The style is somewhat reminiscent of Eastern / Orthodox / Byzantine style, but obviously quite different too.
The writing around the edge is apparently Ge'ez - old Ethiopian church language. But I believe the script (or a derivation thereof) is used in modern Amharic.
I'm unsure of Daily Art's subscription model now (I've an old lifetime subscription from before they changed it), but I think it still has some free tier. It's a great way to see art from around the world, in styles you might not otherwise encounter.
https://www.getdailyart.com/en/24503/unknown-artist/illuminated-gospel
@medievodons@a.gup.pe @histodons@a.gup.pe
#Ethiopia #Africa #Art #MedievalArt #Illumination #Manuscripts #IlluminatedManuscripts #Christianity
Self-described Christian nationalist prophets, an election conspiracist, and the wealthiest pastor in America collide for a week of right-wing politics. Our Special Investigative Correspondent @stevanzetti was there: https://www.texasobserver.org/gods-army-gathers-in-fort-worth/
#news #politics #USpol #Texas #extremism #fascism #religion #Christianity
Forgiveness does not mean excusing."
-Attributed to C. S. Lewis #Christian #Christianity #Catholic #OrthodoxChristian
What I find concerning most people don't want to do the work of researching complex Biblical topics. They just follow along with whatever person they like. Reminder: you will stand alone before Christ, so understand what you believe. #Christianity
O merciful God, grant me to covet with an ardent mind those things which may please Thee, to search them wisely, to know them truly, and to fulfil them perfectly, to the laud and glory of Thy Name. Amen. #Christianity #Catholic #Prayer