Posts by ixthis

The story of his sea voyages has held a special fascination for every generation.Tim Severin's Brendan Voyage makes interesting reading. The voyages of adventure is an appropriate analogy of the spiritual journey that each of us is challenged to undertake. Brendan's companions notice that his heart has been stirred. He is caught by a vision. A place beyond his present shores is calling to his yearning spirit. Does he know with a certainty that he must go? 'We will go with you,' they say, 'We will journey where you journey. Your God is our God - for life or death, we follow.' Brendan climbs the mountain alone and searches his heart to test the truth of what he feels. And this was Brendan's mountain prayer:

Shall I abandon the comforts and benefits of my home,
seeking the island of promise our fathers knew long ago,
sail on the face of the deep where no riches or fame
or weapons protect you, and nobody honors your name?
Shall I take leave of my friends
and my beautiful native land,
tears in my eyes
as my knees mark my final prayer in the sand?
King of the mysteries, can I trust You on the sea?

Christ of the heavens,
and Christ of the ravenous ocean wave,
I will hold fast to my course
through the dangers I must brave.
King of the mysteries, angels will watch over me,
Christ of the mysteries, when I trust You on the sea.

Brendon's example speaks to us each:

Have I the courage to leave the familiar and journey into the unknown?

To journey beyond the way I have prayed.

The life I have lived, the sensible and the secure?

To trust God to take me beyond these familiar shores?

Lord I pray that in You,
I'll break ground both fresh and new.
As a student let me stand.
Break the hardness of the land
with your forgiving hand.

Source: Celtic Daily Prayer

10

I need a JW & a Christian please.

by NomadSoul in

alright, bare with me.

i searched the forum for a similar topic but i didn't find any.. if you know of such a thread please let me know.

if not i need a jw and a christian to debate the following topic:.

ixthis

Commentary by an Eastern Orthodox Christian:

Jesus Christ was always the "Messiah" ... He IS the "Word" - the second person of the Holy Trinity - thus He has always existed with the Father and with the Holy Spirit ...

The entire Old Testament is a collection of prophetic books that "announce" and "prepare" humanity to receive the Word in "the flesh"...

So, He becomes "the Word" incarnate at the moment that the Mother of God, the Theotokos, accepts the invitation from the Archangel Gabriel - Luke 1:26 (this is known as "The Annunciation" feast and celebrated March 25 on the Orthodox Liturgical calendar):

The Hymns (from the early church) that are sung on this date are:

Today is the beginning of our salvation,
The revelation of the eternal mystery!
The Son of God becomes the Son of the Virgin
As Gabriel announces the coming of Grace.
Together with him let us cry to the Theotokos:
Rejoice, O Full of Grace,
The Lord is with You!

"Today is the beginning of our salvation", says the hymn, that is the beginning of the "Messiah" role in the flesh. Thus, it is the Annunciation that is the point that God the Word is "Messiah", He "saves us" at the point He takes on our nature and unites it to His nature - to save us from death.

64

Devotional to the Bridegroom - Christ

by ixthis in

scripture.

awake!

ixthis

The Creation of Adam and Eve ...

He calls personally: "The Lord called Adam," the text says, "and said to him, "Adam, where are you?'"...

What has happened?

I left you in one condition whereas now I find you in another; I left you clad in glory, whereas now I find you in nakedness. "Where are you?'" How did this happen to you? Who has brought you to this changed condition? What kind of robber and brigand has robbed you like this in an instant of all the substance of your wealth and cast you into such indigence? Whence has come the nakedness you are experiencing? Who is responsible for depriving you of that wonderful garment you had the good fortune to wear? What is this sudden transformation? What tempest has all at once in this way sunk all your precious cargo? What has happened to make you try to hide yourself from the one who has been so kind to you and placed you in a position of such importance? Who is it you are now endeavouring to avoid through fear? Surely, after all, no one has cause to accuse you? Surely, after all, no witnesses are testifying against you? Whence comes the fear and dread that overwhelms you? "'I head the sound,'" the text says, "as you walked in the garden, I was afraid because I am naked, and I hid'" Whence comes the knowledge of your nakedness? Tell me: what is new and surprising? Who could ever have told you of this, unless you have become the guilty cause of your own shame, unless you have eaten from that one tree I told you not to eat from?

-- St John Chrysostom.

64

Devotional to the Bridegroom - Christ

by ixthis in

scripture.

awake!

ixthis

Christ our God, the source of wisdom & Bridegroom of the Church, ...

You called the Apostles to follow You and to become fishers of men, giving them authority to cast out unclean spirits & to heal every disease & infirmity. You commissioned them to make disciples of all nations and to feed your sheep. On the day of Pentecost, You sent the Holy Spirit to fortify them, enabling them to fill people's lives with Your saving love.

Continue to act today, loving Saviour, for the good of Your Holy Church. Send Your Holy Spirit upon dedicated men and women; inspire them to respond to Your Great Commission & to serve You as missionaries, for the building up of Your Body, the Church.

Through the prayers of all the holy missionary saints, strengthen all who are preparing to serve Your Holy Church in humility and love.

For You are a loving and merciful God, and unto You we give glory, together with Your eternal Father, & Your all-holy, good & life-giving Spirit, now & ever and unto ages of ages.

Amen.

64

Devotional to the Bridegroom - Christ

by ixthis in

scripture.

awake!

ixthis

The Bride adores her beloved ...

8 The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes, leaping over the mountains, bounding over the hills.
9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, there he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, looking through the lattice.
10 My beloved speaks and says to me: "Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away,
11 for behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone.
12 The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree ripens its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away.
14 O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the crannies of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice,
for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.

64

Devotional to the Bridegroom - Christ

by ixthis in

scripture.

awake!

ixthis

Scripture Awake! Awake! Behold the Bridegroom Cometh

THIS THREAD IS DEDICATED To our Bridegroom  Lord Jesus Christ

The purpose of this thread is to inspire us to glorify our Lord Jesus Christ through our understanding of Him through poetry, hymns or images. Please no debates or discussions ...

O Lord, by They Holy Spirit enlighten Thy people that all may know Thy love

O Merciful Lord, let all mankind,
from Adam to the end of time,
come to know Thee,
that Thou art good and merciful,
that all nations may rejoice in Thy peace,
and behold the light of Thy countenance.
Thy gaze is tranquil and meek
and draws the soul to Thee.

- St. Silouan.

14

Original Sin

by ixthis in

good-morning friends, i noticed on another thread the question "what is cardinal sin".

the replies, naturally, follow a latinised philosophy originating through the catholic church ... i wanted to propose an alternative "view" to "sin".

one that many people on this forum may not have ever considered ... this view originates from the orthodox christian church and it really is not an "alternative view" as it is the thinking and teaching of the authentic and early church.

ixthis

godrulz - yes, I know God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit, One Holy Trinity ... it is because I know my Lord in my heart that being Orthodox is not a religion or ritual but is The Way that allows the Full Glorification of God and Full Union with God ... for that is what the word actually means, Ortho+Doxa = Right+Glorification ...

Yes, I agree (and so does the correct interpretations of Scripture thus teach) ... that sin is completely a choice - it is not an inherited defect. We do inherit "death" as a consequence of "sin" ... that is a deep theological issue that requires sober minds and respectful and mature tones to discuss :) Happy to go there if others dont "crap" all over the discussion with off-topic remarks.

14

Original Sin

by ixthis in

good-morning friends, i noticed on another thread the question "what is cardinal sin".

the replies, naturally, follow a latinised philosophy originating through the catholic church ... i wanted to propose an alternative "view" to "sin".

one that many people on this forum may not have ever considered ... this view originates from the orthodox christian church and it really is not an "alternative view" as it is the thinking and teaching of the authentic and early church.

ixthis

godrulz said: It sounds like my comments are relevant. Orthodox and Catholic both affirm 'original sin', do they not?

Hi godrulz, no ... the Orthodox and the Catholics are not the same on this matter.

The original and current catechism from the Orthodox Church uses the word "προπατορικ? αμαρτ?α" (literally, "ancestral sin").Eastern Orthodox teaching says:

"It can be said that while we have not inherited the guilt of Adam's personal sin, because his sin is also of a generic nature, and because the entire human race is possessed of an essential, ontological unity, we participate in it by virtue of our participation in the human race. 'The imparting of Original Sin by means of natural heredity should be understood in terms of the unity of the entire human nature, and of the homoousiotitos of all men, who, connected by nature, constitute one mystic whole. Inasmuch as human nature is indeed unique and unbreakable, the imparting of sin from the first-born to the entire human race descended from him is rendered explicable: "Explicitly, as from the root, the sickness proceeded to the rest of the tree, Adam being the root who had suffered corruption" (St Cyril of Alexandria)

In other words, we inherit (in our DNA) the consequence of Adam and Eve personal sinning in that "choice" is imprinted onto our DNA and all of humanity now has the inclination towards sin; and death.

The truth of the Church is that what is important to know is not what Adam and Eve did but how it affects us - that is, we are now all mortal and prone to death. Christ's Resurrection redeems us from death and prevails against the gates of Hades.

14

Original Sin

by ixthis in

good-morning friends, i noticed on another thread the question "what is cardinal sin".

the replies, naturally, follow a latinised philosophy originating through the catholic church ... i wanted to propose an alternative "view" to "sin".

one that many people on this forum may not have ever considered ... this view originates from the orthodox christian church and it really is not an "alternative view" as it is the thinking and teaching of the authentic and early church.

ixthis

GodRulz: I do not believe Augustinian/Catholic original sin is biblical. Does the WT teach this view? Most of 'Christendom' does believe it, so I am in a minority in my circles. The post is too long, so I am not sure what your point of view is, but it sounds interesting. What is your faith background and where are you at now?

Hi, could you read the first TWO paragraphs of my original post ... you will find that this thread is not about Augustinian/Catholic origins and also it indicates what my faith background is ... it also indicates that you replied purely on the Subject Title and not through what was posted ... you would be suprised how what is in that first post has nothing to do with what you have heard ever before.

Is it the WT point of view? No but it IS that of the One Holy and Catholic Apostolic church.

seraphinajade, I sympathise with your question, however, are you posting questions about mental illness because you think it is linked to the topic of Ancestoral sin? If that is the case perhaps we can have a discussion here otherwise happy to talk via mail ...?