Funny...people are upset about Afrikaners arriving on chartered flights after being vetted as legal refugees, but completely silent about the Biden administration flying in illegal migrants under cover of night and dumping them in cities across the US.

Seems democrats only care when migrants aren't white.

Corky,

Sure, some white religious leaders in South Africa disagreed with Trump's take. That's their right.

But the fact remains people are still fleeing. They're not doing that for fun. They're doing it because they don't feel safe.

The danger is real to them.

Corky,

"What Trump thinks is 'right' is whatever benefits Trump first."

I bet the people risking everything to flee South Africa don't see it that way.

They are grateful to be getting out.

As far as they're concerned, they're the ones benefitting.

Laura,

Answer the question instead of acting like a child.

Separation of Church and State.

If the Episcopal Church doesn't want to help, that's their choice.

Trump doesn't need their blessing to do what he thinks is right.

There are claims that white South Africans are being targeted, while the government is now led by the Black majority.

If the racial roles were reversed, wouldn't most people likely see it as racism?

Indulgences were rooted in the belief that paying priests or the Church could reduce a person's time in purgatory.

Martin Luther opposed indulgences because they promised salvation through payments, undermined true repentance, exploited the poor, lacked biblical support, encouraged idolatry by placing trust in money and Church authority, and distorted the Gospel by suggesting Christ's sacrifice was insufficient.

Today, it sounds like many preachers have picked up where indulgences left off.

Some Protestant pastors now teach that financial giving leads to personal blessings, healing, or even salvation.

It's a modern twist on the very abuse Luther condemned.

Rein,

"No wonder MAGA filth hate Pope Leo XIV."

That comment oversimplifies things.

Many Protestants, for instance, have theological differences with Catholicism that go back centuries. There are several major differences in Catholics and Protestants.

A key one is the belief in confession to a priest.

Protestants generally believe you can go directly to God for forgiveness through prayer to Christ, without the need for a human intermediary.

That's not hate. It's doctrinal disagreement.

It's also true that some Protestants feel an unreasonable level of hard feelings towards the Pope for theological reasons, not politics.

Another important distinction is Protestants don't pray to saints, including Saint Augustine. Most reject the idea of asking saints to intercede on their behalf, believing prayer should go directly to God through Jesus Christ alone.

This was the result of the Protestant Reformation in 1517, when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31.

Martin Luther said salvation cannot be bought or earned through indulgences or church rituals. It comes by faith alone in Jesus Christ. Also, the authority of Scripture outweighs that of the Pope.

So when someone invokes Saint Augustine in prayer, as was done in post #125, that reflects a Catholic perspective. Protestants may study Augustine, quote him, and respect his writings, but they don't view saints as heavenly mediators or include them in their prayer life.

My point is not every disagreement is political. Sometimes it's just theology.

Sy,

Why should anyone be talking about my wife at all? It's lacking a basic understanding of boundaries and respect.

If someone thinks it's funny to take shots at someone's family, that says a lot about their character, not mine.

Grow up.

Speak,

I'm curious.

Are you claiming you've never taken more than you needed, never spread something false, or acted without empathy?

Because unless you're the one perfect person walking the earth, your argument lacks both credibility and self-awareness.

And unless you're a Christian (I suspect you've never accepted that label for yourself) then that last bit of finger-pointing isn't even yours to make.

Actually, there's a Catch 22 with Christians. We're all hypocrites. It comes with the territory. We all fall short of the higher ground we look up to.

So I ask...are you holding people to a standard you don't follow and judging them as you go?

Donner,

"even the same planet."

Probably so.

Donner,

El Salvador?

Where did that come from? No...don't answer.

I joked about being abducted by aliens from outer space...not illegal aliens.

I'm not smoking the same thing you are so we're on different wavelengths.

(Hint: that's a joke)

Donner,

My comment was a joke about being abducted.

Get a sense of humor.

Donner,

"Ha. Remember that whole "do unto others as you would have others do unto you"?

If you judge others, make sure your hands are clean and you're not guilty yourself.

Jesus said it better

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
" Matthew 7:1"2

Laura,

Did they teach you to talk like that in finishing school?

It's not very lady-like.

Laura,

They'd bring you back.

Speak,

Would be great if you and a few others here would be abducted and not brought back.

As some of you know, I keep up with UAP news and follow the latest developments. What was once the domain of "kooks" and fringe theorists has now moved into serious, mainstream discussion even by our own Congress and the potential threat to our national security.

The newly elected Pope, Leo XIV, has deep ties to Peru. He began his missionary work and later became a citizen.

Interestingly, in recent years Peru has seen a noticeable uptick in UAP sightings. It's enough their government has reactivated a formal investigative body (DIFAA) to study them.

Peru is also home to some of the most baffling ancient stonework on Earth. There are sites with massive granite, limestone, and basalt blocks that are cut with such precision that modern engineers say would be extremely difficult to reproduce even with today's tools. Perfectly flat planes, tightly matched edges, and symmetrical drilled holes all dating back more than 2,000 years. We don't know the techniques or tools they used.

I'm not suggesting there's any connection between the Pope's Peruvian roots and these mysteries.

But in the broader context of strange things we're seeing these days with UAPs and phenomena that seem to defy explanation, I do find it interesting.

Dan,

You left out a good one.

1 Corinthians:
"Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers,
nor men who practice homosexuality,
nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers
will inherit the kingdom of God."

And then Jesus in Matthew:
"You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.'
But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully
has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

So...how many straight men haven't looked at a woman with lust?

Doesn't that put both gay and straight people in the same boat when it comes to sin?

I think Jesus' point was we're all sinners.

Snoofy,

"Setting aside you still can't tell me which bathroom the trans women are supposed to use."

Actually, I've already laid out what I think is a workable solution in the past.

It's unfortunate that this issue is being fought in the courts instead of letting society work it out like it's always been.

At this point, the only clear line seems to be weiner/no weiner.

If that's too difficult, then maybe the answer is find somewhere else to go.

Right,

To clarify. Historically these men may have presented as a woman and and others may have accepted or referred to them as such.

But...did they or anyone else actually believe they literally are the other gender?

That's doubtful when you read historical accounts.

Right,

Men have been dressing and living as women for hundreds of years. Thats nothing new.

What's changed is the claim: "I have literally become the other gender."

That's where my issue lies.

Historically, did transgender individuals truly believe they became the opposite sex, or did they acknowledge their biological reality while choosing to live differently?

Snoofy,

Funny how people who mock religion suddenly become biblical scholars when it suits their argument.

Quoting scripture out of context to push a political agenda shows you're just using it as a weapon.

Stop getting all your info..
I meant

Dan,

"How about gay people? Ever a peep?"

In those days the #1 topic I heard most about was abortion.

Gays were rarely talked about and in fact it was an open secret some men were "probably" gay.

It was just inappropriate to bring up the subject.

There was never any sermons on it. It was becoming a topic people understood that sexual orientation can't really be changed.

The motto was "hate the sin...not the sinner"

Maybe you should get out and find out for yourself and get all your information from atheists and hate filled liberals