IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.— That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
Theology (Religion)
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Don’t Plan Without God " Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass " —Psalm 37:5 Don’t plan without God. God seems to have a delightful way of upsetting the plans we have made, when we have not taken Him into account. We get ourselves into circumstances that were not chosen by God, and suddenly we realize that we have been making our plans without Him— that we have not even considered Him to be a vital, living factor in the planning of our lives. And yet the only thing...
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Rome, Jul. 4, 2008 (CWNews.com) - Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) is considering changes in the Mass, according to an Italian publication. The weekly Panorama reports that the Holy Father has asked the Congregation for Divine Worship to study the possibility of changes that would include using Latin in the Eucharistic Prayer and moving the Sign of Peace to the Offertory. Note: CWN has not been able to confirm the accuracy of the Panorama report. The New Liturgical Movement web site, which brought the Italian report to the attention of English-speaking readers, cautioned that the Panorama report should be...
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B. Hussein Obama has it in for America’s evangelicals. That is evident in his anathema of evangelical leader Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family. Evangelicals stand at the direct opposite of B. Hussein’s creed. He is a moral relativist. That is, for B. Hussein there are no moral absolutes. To state it in other terms, B. Hussein defines morality by “situation ethics.” That twosome was quite popular among liberals a few years ago; the term has since faded out as a frequency. However, it means that the specific situation governs the ethic of that situation. For example, if...
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Moral Conscience: Catholic Teaching for a Strong Faith Understanding conscience is essential for the life of faith. A solid grasp of Catholic teaching about conscience makes it possible to live a moral life. And sadly... ...a defective understanding can destroy your moral life. This is important! For the beginning Catholic, this is an essential issue to understand properly. And I'll tell you plainly: conscience may be the single most misunderstood issue among Catholics today! This article will give you a brief, understandable description of conscience in plain English. You'll gain a sound grasp of the topic. This topic is so...
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The Plain Man's Argument from Design Charles J. Shebbeare Of the various arguments devised in past times to prove the existence of God -- and incidentally to refute a Naturalism like Mr. Russell's -- the clearest and simplest is the familiar "Argument from Design." This argument points to certain facts of Nature which look like evidences of design or arrangement; and draws the conclusion that the world is so like a plan that it must really be one; that is, that it resembles a work of intelligence in too many respects for this resemblance to be accidental. At the...
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During each program, “A Muslim Journey to Hope” presents the true stories of people who have had a life-changing experience. Each story is true, and each story is different. Yet they are as different as the lives of each person: Women and men. Young and old. Rich and poor. From many countries in the world. But each story tells how each of these people has found hope. Link is to Testimony #47 at muslimjourneytohope dot com by a man simply identified as “Afshin”. body of comment An Authentic Encounter with Jesus
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Declare Your Freedom Today's Scripture "You have been set free from sin..." (Romans 6:18). Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Today we celebrate Independence Day in America. July 4, 1776 was the day America declared independence from Britain, but the battle for freedom went on until 1783—seven years later. Even though they declared their freedom in 1776, they had to stand and fight for many years before the British would accept and recognize the United States of America. In the same way, we have to be determined to stand against the opposing forces in our lives. We have to...
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One of God’s Great "Don’ts" " Do not fret— it only causes harm " —Psalm 37:8 Fretting means getting ourselves "out of joint" mentally or spiritually. It is one thing to say, "Do not fret," but something very different to have such a nature that you find yourself unable to fret. It’s easy to say, "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him" ( Psalm 37:7 ) until our own little world is turned upside down and we are forced to live in confusion and agony like so many other people. Is it possible to "rest in the Lord"...
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Q. Why do Catholics have to confess their sins to a priest instead of praying straight to God?A. In obedience to Christ. John 20:19-23 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22...
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Subject: Devotional "Hope you are Hated" Date: Jul 3, 2008 12:07 PM John 7:7 "The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil." In John chapter 7 Jesus is already a wanted man and this is made obvious by the fact the Jews are in hot pursuit of Jesus to kill him. It is time for the Feasts of Booths and everyone is on their way up to the feast, but Jesus is waiting and listening for his Father's voice. Jesus' brothers are enticing him to go public with his...
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Back in my pro-choice days, I read that in certain ancient societies it was common for parents to abandon unwanted newborns, leaving them to die of exposure. I found these stories to be as perplexing as they were horrifying. How could this happen? I could never understand how entire cultures could buy into something so obviously terrible, how something that modern society understands to be an unthinkable evil could be widely accepted among large groups of people. Because of my deep distress at hearing of such crimes against humanity, I found it irritating when pro-lifers would refer to abortion...
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Living in the Rain Today's Scripture "Just as the rain and snow descend from the skies and don't go back until they've watered the earth, making things grow and blossom…so will the words that come out My mouth not come back empty-handed. They'll do the work I sent them to do" (Isaiah 55:10-11, Message). Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Rain is symbolic of God's blessing, favor, and refreshing. His Word is like rain that causes us to flourish and blossom in every area of life. The scripture says we should live like a well-watered garden, vibrant and growing....
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The Concentration of Personal Sin " Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips . . . " —Isaiah 6:5 When I come into the very presence of God, I do not realize that I am a sinner in an indefinite sense, but I suddenly realize and the focus of my attention is directed toward the concentration of sin in a particular area of my life. A person will easily say, "Oh yes, I know I am a sinner," but when he comes into the presence of God he cannot get away...
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There is a skeptic I have been witnessing to. He has many questions. I offered to answer them all if he took the trouble to write them down. I have included my answers to his questions. Brothers and sisters in Christ, I welcome your comments and suggestions.
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The three o’clock traffic in downtown Lakeland wasn’t bad. I decided to ride by Lake Mirror since it was such a beautiful afternoon. The sun warmed the gentle breeze as it blew across the water where Blinky the one eyed alligator once lived and enjoyed celebrity status in the downtown area. Somewhere around here is the site of the old building where my grandmother worked. She was the first female manager in the Kress department store chain and I spent many a day hanging out here, looking for Blinky, and watching the people come and go. This is my past....
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ISSUE: Catholic Bibles contain seven more Old Testament (46) books than Protestant Bibles (39). Catholics refer to these seven books as the “deuterocanon”[1] (second canon), while Protestants refer to them as “apocrypha,” a term used pejoratively to describe non-canonical books. Protestants also have shorter versions of Daniel and Esther. Why are there differences?RESPONSE: Catholic Bibles contain all the books that have been traditionally accepted by Christians since Jesus’ time. Protestant Bibles contain all those books, except those rejected by the Protestant Reformers in the 1500’s. The chief reason Protestants rejected these biblical books was because they did not support Protestant...
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Wednesday, July 02, 2008 Castrillón satisfied with SSPX answer SSPX will give heed to the five points From the blog of Andrea Tornielli (Vatican correspondent for Il Giornale): I have learned from secure sources that, contrary to what has appeared in certain articles, the response of the Fraternity [of Saint Pius X - FSSPX/SSPX] to the letter of Cardinal Castrillón has not in fact been negative. The Cardinal is satisfied with it, has responded to Fellay, and has promptly delivered the letter of the Fraternity to Benedict XVI. After the deadline of the end of June, the Lefebvrists [sic] ask...
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Willing Obedience Today's Scripture "If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land" (Isaiah 1:19). Today's Word from Joel and Victoria God wants you to have the best in life. He wants to give you the good of the land. God tells us in His Word how to activate His promises in our lives. Notice this verse doesn't say that just obedience will cause you to eat the good of the land, it says we have to be willing and obedient. God isn't just concerned with our actions. He's looking at the motives of...
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The Conditions of Discipleship " If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also . . . . And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me . . . . So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple" —Luke 14:26-27, 33 If the closest relationships of a disciple’s life conflict with the claims of Jesus Christ, then our Lord requires instant obedience to Himself. Discipleship means personal, passionate devotion to a Person—...
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Infallibility: Keeping the Faith The topic of infallibility in the Catholic Church is an ironic one: although intended to provide clarity, it is one of the most misunderstood topics within Catholicism. At least, humbly speaking, it was a big sticking point for me when I was a beginning Catholic. But once I understood it, I saw that it flows from a deep and beautiful faith in the active presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church. What infallibility means First of all, let's start with the purpose of infallibility: "It is this Magisterium's task to preserve God's people from deviations...
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From the FR Religion Moderator: Ecumenic threads are closed to antagonism. To antagonize is to incur or to provoke hostility in others.Therefore “anti” posters must not try to finesse the guidelines by asking loaded questions, using inflammatory taglines, gratuitous quote mining or trying to slip in an “anti” or “ex” article under the color of the “ecumenic” tag. Posters who try to tear down other’s beliefs or use subterfuge to accomplish the same goal are the disrupters on ecumenic threads and will be booted from the thread and/or suspended. The Situation in the Church and Relations with Rome A transcription...
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Jeff had so many Operating Under the Influence breakings of the law that he spent too many years of his young life behind bars. “I’m the black sheep of the family,” he said one Friday evening when I visited him in jail. Many of my Friday evenings were spent in that ugly visitors’ room. But it was worth it. At least that’s what Jeff told me. He had no other ones to call on him except one young woman, Yonna. “The rest of my family made something of themselves, but the bottle got to me over and over again.” However,...
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The Archbishop of Canterbury has rounded on rebel Anglicans seeking to bypass his authority over issues such as homosexuality and women priests. Dr Rowan Williams adopted unusually forthright language to accuse the hardline traditionalists of lacking legitimacy One of his staff even suggested the rebels were becoming a "Protestant sect". The Archbishop's comments follow the creation at the weekend of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (Foca), a global network for millions of Anglicans unhappy at the ordination of the openly homosexual Bishop of New Hampshire, Gene Robinson. Dr Williams called for patience from those who want to create an...
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Many people have been taught — quite wrongly — that there will not be any Christians here on Earth when The Tribulation begins. Those misguided Christians are basing their hopes on a "get out of jail free card" called a "Pre-Tribulational Rapture." The idea that The Rapture — the sudden, bodily "snatching away" of Christians up into Heaven — will occur prior to The Tribulation is a prophetic equivalent of a "prosperity gospel" that gives people a false sense of hope and security. That false sense could easily usher in the great "falling away." For several months, I've been doing...
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Love the Word Today's Scripture "Great peace have those who love Your law and nothing shall make them stumble" (Psalm 119:65). Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Everything you need in this life is found in the Word of God--direction, healing, peace, joy and provision. No matter what situation you maybe facing today, you can live in peace and victory by knowing God's Word and applying it your life. Notice this verse says that the people who love God's Word have great peace. How do you show your love for God and His Word? By studying it, meditating on...
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The Inevitable Penalty " You will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny " —Matthew 5:26 There is no heaven that has a little corner of hell in it. God is determined to make you pure, holy, and right, and He will not allow you to escape from the scrutiny of the Holy Spirit for even one moment. He urged you to come to judgment immediately when He convicted you, but you did not obey. Then the inevitable process began to work, bringing its inevitable penalty. Now you have been "thrown into...
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Blessed Junípero Serra1713 - 1784[ Chronology | The Man | Biography | Birth to Missionary | Travels ] Chronology 1713. . Miguel Jose Serra, born at Petra on the Island of Mallorca, Spain.1729. . At the age of 16 he entered the service of the Catholic Church. He soon entered the Order of St. Francis of Assisi, and and took a new first name, Junípero, that of St. Francis' beloved original companion friar.1749. . Father Serra volunteered to serve the Franciscan missions in the new world. He left Cadiz, Spain and sailed for Vera Cruz, Mexico, at the age al...
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She grew up wanting to be a priest - maybe from the time she was just 5 years old, she said. She served as an altar girl in her home parish, loving to be close to the sacramental action and mystery of the Mass. But Roman Catholic girls might as well dream of flying to the moon on arm power alone as finding their priestly way into the patriarchal church. So, Mary Elizabeth Conroy, growing up in western Massachusetts in a strong, devoted and somewhat traditional family, more or less learned to bury her ambition. She attended Marymount College, a...
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In 2006, Baylor University published the results of a survey indicating more Americans claim affiliation with Christianity than with any other religion. In fact, the report claimed that “82 percent of Americans are Christians” (see Tooley, 2006). Sadly, the vast majority claiming Christianity as their religion, have no respect for what their law (the New Testament) or their lawgiver (the Christ) teach. One year after Baylor University published their findings, the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life surveyed 35,000 Americans. Seventy percent of those surveyed answered in the affirmative that “many religions can lead to eternal life” (Van Biema,...
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Believing that God has called them to a "new work", Primates at the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) announced tonight that they have launched a movement of Confessing Anglicans that will, in effect, be a rival Anglican Communion. Tomorrow, when orthodox Anglicans meet for their final day of pilgrimage, 1,200 representatives including 303 bishops of the Anglican Communion representing more than 70% of the Communion, will announce the formation of a new Anglican body that will affirm "'the faith once for all delivered to the saints"' as a bulwark against the growing and rampant liberalism in the mostly Western church....
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He Teaches the Way Today's Scripture "I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you" (Psalm 32:8). Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Do you need direction in your life today? Maybe you are facing an important decision in your job, at home, or in your relationships. Know this: God, Himself, will teach you what you should do. He promises to show you the path you should take. He's watching over you and giving you advice every step of the way. See, God's not just...
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Do It Now! " Agree with your adversary quickly . . . " —Matthew 5:25 In this verse, Jesus Christ laid down a very important principle by saying, "Do what you know you must do— now. Do it quickly. If you don’t, an inevitable process will begin to work ’till you have paid the last penny’ ( Matthew 5:26 ) in pain, agony, and distress." God’s laws are unchangeable and there is no escape from them. The teachings of Jesus always penetrate right to the heart of our being.Wanting to make sure that my adversary gives me all my rights...
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The Strictest Discipline " If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell " —Matthew 5:30 Jesus did not say that everyone must cut off his right hand, but that "if your right hand causes you to sin" in your walk with Him, then it is better to "cut it off." There are many things that are perfectly legitimate, but if you are going to concentrate on God you...
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Holy Mass has begun in Rome at St. Peter’s Basilica for the feast of Sts. Peter & Paul. The old new form of papal pallium is being used.  The Holy Father has shifted away from the archeologically correct, but odd, ancient form of pallium which Benedict XVI began to use at the time of his "inauguration" in April 2005. This new but still ancient form of pallium represents an organic midway point between the lond, drapy stole-like pallium and the modern style, used by all the modern popes until Benedict XVI and which is still imposed by the Pope on...
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Chapter I. The foundation of the whole ensuing discourse laid in Rom. viii. 13 -- The words of the apostle opened -- The certain connection between true mortification and salvation -- Mortification the work of believers -- The Spirit the principal efficient cause of it -- What meant by "the body" in the words of the apostle -- What by "the deeds of the body" -- Life, in what sense promised to this duty. That what I have of direction to contribute to the carrying on of the work of mortification in believers may receive order and perspicuity, I shall...
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STATEMENT ON THE GLOBAL ANGLICAN FUTURE Praise the LORD! It is good to sing praises to our God; for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting. The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel. (Psalm 147:1-2) Brothers and Sisters in Christ: We, the participants in the Global Anglican Future Conference, send you greetings from Jerusalem! Introduction The Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), which was held in Jerusalem from 22-29 June 2008, is a spiritual movement to preserve and promote the truth and power of the gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ as we Anglicans...
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STATEMENT ON THE GLOBAL ANGLICAN FUTURE Praise the LORD! It is good to sing praises to our God; for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting. The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel. (Psalm 147:1-2) Brothers and Sisters in Christ: We, the participants in the Global Anglican Future Conference, send you greetings from Jerusalem! Introduction The Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), which was held in Jerusalem from 22-29 June 2008, is a spiritual movement to preserve and promote the truth and power of the gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ as we Anglicans...
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Issue: What does the Catholic Church mean by the phrase, "Outside the Church there is no salvation" (extra ecclesiam nulla salus)? ResponsE: All salvation comes through Jesus Christ, the one Savior of the world (cf. Acts 4:12). His Holy Spirit dispenses those graces through His body, the Church. "He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me" (Lk. 10:16). Quoting from various documents of Vatican II and Pope Paul VI, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (no. 776) explains: As sacrament, the Church is Christ’s instrument. She is...
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this website has several dozen .PDF files for download including baltimore & st.pius x catechisms, chesterton, douay rheems bible, eusubius, butler lives of the saints, st.augustine, tertullian and more also can download .EXE which has catholic catechism second edition, scan for the line "the hismercy catholic catechism ebook" enjoy !
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Christian Atheism The title for this post sounds like an oxymoron, and, of course, it is. How can one be both an atheist and a Christian? Again, I am wanting to push the understanding of the one-versus-two-storey universe. In the history of religious thought, one of the closest versions to what I am describing as a “two-storey” world-view, is that espoused by classical Deism (the philosophy espoused by a number of the American founding fathers).They had an almost pure, two-storey worldview. God, “the Deity,” had created the universe in the beginning, setting it in motion. He had done so in such...
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CHAPTER TWOGOD COMES TO MEET MAN50 By natural reason man can know God with certainty, on the basis of his works. But there is another order of knowledge, which man cannot possibly arrive at by his own powers: the order of divine Revelation.1 Through an utterly free decision, God has revealed himself and given himself to man. This he does by revealing the mystery, his plan of loving goodness, formed from all eternity in Christ, for the benefit of all men. God has fully revealed this plan by sending us his beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy...
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June 26, 2008 STATEMENT REGARDING THE CANONICAL DISCIPLINE OF SISTER LOUISE LEARS, S.C. After a canonical process of several months, Archbishop Raymond Burke has, today, decided the case of Sister Louise Lears, S.C., a member of the “pastoral team” at Saint Cronan Parish, who was accused of four delicts, all connected with her encouragement of, promotion of and participation in the attempted ordination of two women to the Sacred Priesthood at a local synagogue in November of last year. Delicts, which must be published in the Church, are grave and external violations against the Catholic faith or moral teaching. A...
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Held by the Grip of God " I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me" —Philippians 3:12 Never choose to be a worker for God, but once God has placed His call on you, woe be to you if you "turn aside to the right hand or to the left" ( Deuteronomy 5:32 ). We are not here to work for God because we have chosen to do so, but because God has "laid hold of" us. And once He has done so, we never have this thought,...
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A 10 minute video exposing what Miller calls "the Gospel of Accommodation" - that which comforts the sinner and makes him fit for hell.
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Anglican Churches Win on Constitutional Grounds Va. Court Upholds Constitutionality of Virginia Division Statute to End Episcopal Attempt to Seize Control Over Church Property FAIRFAX, Va. (June 27, 2008) – The 11 churches sued by The Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Virginia celebrated today’s Fairfax County Circuit Court ruling that confirms the constitutionality of Virginia Division Statute (Virginia Code § 57-9). The 11 churches named in the lawsuit are members of the Anglican District of Virginia (ADV). “We are pleased with Judge Bellows’ ruling today. After meticulous examination, the judge ruled to uphold the constitutionality of the Virginia Division...
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Abide in Him Today's Scripture "I am the vine, you are the branches. The one who abides in Me, while I abide in him, produces much fruit..." (John 15:5). Today's Word from Joel and Victoria When you abide in something, it becomes your very source for life. Did you know God wants you to live in Him? He wants to be your source. Abiding in God means you rely on Him for everything. You rely on Him for your strength, provision, hope, joy. Like the air you breath, you rely on Him for your very life. When you are...
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The Overshadowing of God’s Personal Deliverance " . . . I am with you to deliver you,’ says the Lord" —Jeremiah 1:8 God promised Jeremiah that He would deliver him personally— ". . . your life shall be as a prize to you . . ." (Jeremiah 39:18 ). That is all God promises His children. Wherever God sends us, He will guard our lives. Our personal property and possessions are to be a matter of indifference to us, and our hold on these things should be very loose. If this is not the case, we will have panic,...
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PARIS (Reuters) - The leader of a breakaway traditionalist Catholic group has rejected a Vatican offer to rejoin Rome, accusing Pope Benedict of trying to silence dissenting voices. Bishop Bernard Fellay, head of the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) that broke with Rome 20 years ago, said conditions set by the Vatican amounted to muzzling the traditionalists who claim to be the only true Catholics since Church reforms in the 1960s.
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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican has pressed the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X to accept five conditions, including respect for the pope and his authority, as part of a reconciliation offer. The conditions were communicated by letter to the head of the society, Bishop Bernard Fellay, by Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, who has conducted an on-again, off-again dialogue with the traditionalists for several years. One of the conditions set forth in Cardinal Castrillon's letter was that the society respond favorably by the end of June. Vatican sources said the deadline indicated some Vatican impatience with the dialogue that...
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The Voices of Babel John Gerard S.J. IF one thing should be clearer than another to students of modern scientific literature, it is that the philosophers of our generation are in process of building an edifice more enduring than bronze, and more lofty, not only than the ancient pyramids of kings, but than anything that men or demigods ever yet contrived to rear upon the earth. The unceasing discoveries of science, not only give us knowledge of the facts of Nature, but, cemented and compacted by exact thought, grow into a stately pile which has already pierced the clouds...
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