simplisticfaith27

[simplisticfaith27]

[simplisticfaith27]

Hey bro, something convicting I found from our brother who biblically said we should "do what Jesus said to do, which is to just give him my whole life - to wave goodbye to the selfish lifestyle I was living, stop wasting time and money on things that are not necessary or useful for the mission my Master has given me, and strive forward with all my heart like I actually believe this stuff and like Jesus is really everything to me, learning to obey all he commanded, honestly seeking to prioritize my neighbor's needs as though they were my own, trying to help as many people as I can to be ready to give Jesus an account with whatever gifts and abilities God has given me, and staying awake and ready for my Master to return at any time - all the way to the end." I firmly agree with that. I wonder, am I on that standard? I do have a weekly Wednesday assembling, but I am still not devoted enough, I still waste time, and yesterday I missed another assembling with a brother. Am I worthy of Christ? I still spend too much money on sweets. I believe 1 Cor 10:31 is the key verse: "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."

Check this out.

There is no list of things you have to do to be worthy of God’s favor. Jesus did everything to make you worthy. Now God wants you to grow in relationship with Him. Relationships are about continually growing your love for someone. We are going to get to heaven and our love for Christ will grow for all eternity. Just thank God for where He has you now and trust Him to take you where He wants to take you.

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and i made myself this image to make me feel better

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Many cry to the Lord that they may win riches, that they may avoid losses; they cry that their family may be established, they ask for temporal happiness, for worldly dignities; and, lastly, they cry for bodily health, which is the patrimony of the poor. For these and suchlike things many cry to the Lord; hardly one cries for the Lord Himself! How easy it is for a man to desire all manner of things from the Lord and yet not desire the Lord Himself! As though the gift could be sweeter than the Giver!

- Thomas Aquinas

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I know you don't rely on religious arguments against abortion. But I thought I'd offer my two cents on when the body is "infused" with a soul. The term almost implies the soul exists before conception. If I'm not mistaken, Christianity doesn't teach the pre-existence of the soul. The soul begins to exist the moment the body begins to exist, e.g. conception.

On whether Numbers 5:11-31 describes an abortion, compare translations of Num. 5:21-22 on Biblehub. Out of dozens of translations the NIV is the only one that uses the term "miscarry." The rest mention the shriveling of a body part, but the Hebrew word for it is vague. The same word is used to describe where Ehud stabbed King Eglon, but also where God injured Jacob. Thus some versions translate it as womb/abdomen, but a majority translate it as thigh. Also important to note that pregnancy wasn't a requirement for the ritual. Pregnant or not, the faithful wife received no harm. Pregnant or not, the unfaithful wife was found out.

Again, I know we don't have to rely on scripture to be prolife. There are many secular prolife arguments from science. But I thought you might want this in your arsenal if someone wants to argue for abortion from scripture.

Excellent point about the body and soul not being separate. Consistent with Theology of the Body.

I also found this article that goes into extreme depth about the many, many reasons that the Nehemiah passage does not describe abortion/forced miscarriage and the many, many other much more likely possibilities.

As long as we're discussing Biblical arguments against abortion, let's look at two New Testament ones.

The Annunciation: Mary's conception is the beginning of God coming into the world. If she'd had an abortion at any point in her pregnancy, she would have been destroying Jesus.

The Visitation: Elizabeth's son leapt in her womb upon the arrival of the Lord. This proves that he was a separate person, and that Jesus was a person long before birth. Since Elizabeth was in her sixth month of pregnancy at the time of Mary's Annunciation, Jesus is no more than three months' gestation at this time.

And to expand it to other religious arguments against abortion, since I'm Catholic, anyone who wants to argue for abortion on religious grounds had better read Evangelium Vitae first. God gave His Church teaching authority, and His Church clearly teaches that abortion is a grave evil. (When this is written by a Pope who lived through Nazi-occupied Poland and Communist-occupied Poland, you had better believe he has first-hand experience with the horrors that result when you don't value all human life.)

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Complacency is a deadly foe of all spiritual growth. Acute desire must be present or there will be no manifestation of Christ to His people. He waits to be wanted. Too bad that with many of us He waits so long, so very long, in vain.

- A.W. Tozer

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I will never not be amazed at how God calls me back to Him, no matter how far I’ve strayed. How He loves me; to grip my sleeve and bring me into an embrace, even when I have sinned against Him. I am in awe that someone could love me that much.

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Reader, are you mourning over . . .     the weakness of your faith,     the coldness of your love,     your manifold spiritual declensions?     Fear not. He knows your frame! He will give 'feeble faith' tender dealing. He will carry in His arms those that are unable to walk, and will conduct the burdened ones through a path less rough and rugged than others.     When "the lion" or "the bear" comes--you may trust the true David, the tenderest of Shepherds!

—John MacDuff [Audio] [More gems]

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Resources on the Affects of Porn

Why consuming porn is an escalating behavior 

How porn affects sexual taste

How porn changes the brain

Porn is changing for the worst - and fast.

How porn fuels sex trafficking

How porn warps ideas about sex

Porn leads to violence

The “industry” is fucked

True accounts via ex-”performers” of the brutality

Isolation post-porn 

Why women get into porn and how it’s not a free choice

Popular male performers are known to rape/abuse on screen

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The Bible: You, the church, are like a bride and God will be like a husband to you

Atheists: Clearly this religion was invented to make straight men comfortable

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“If your boyfriend expects you to give him a doctoral defense on the virtue of chastity, something is wrong. Your feelings should be enough to earn his respect, and there's no need to apologize for having morals. All he needs to know is that he doesn't deserve the total gift of your body unless he has made the total gift of himself to you in marriage. No matter what he thinks of this, don't let any guy make you feel like he's doing you an immeasurable favor by not having sex with you. It is his duty as a gentleman, and you owe him nothing for doing what he ought to do.“

-Jason and Crystalina Evert, How to Find Your Soulmate Without Losing Your Soul

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“The horrible controversial statements of the Church” - Fr. Sciarappa