Dare To Ask Talk And News About Our Differences 
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While it is the official position that Catholics are to venerate Mary, the practice is that many worship Mary. From the Rosary to prayer that is offered to Mary, that is worship that belongs to God alone. As for the Bible, the Church (not just Catholic) chose the Canon under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, just as the authors and prophets were used by God to write it. It wasn’t on the flip of a coin that canon was chosen. Mary was honored by God because she submitted in obedience to His will, as we should. However, no where in the Bible is it stated she was perfect or sinless. Christ is the only perfect and sinless one in the human race. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is a man-made doctrine from Vatican City. Intercession? The prophets in the Old Testament interceded for the people of Israel. We are to intercede for one another. Praying to Mary to intercede for us is an act of worship however, which is Mariolatry. Has the Protestant church ignored 15 centuries of church history? It was born in reaction to the abuses of the church that went unchallenged until Martin Luthor and others challenged it. In this age, Truth is available in abundance to all who ask (James 1). It is another story altogether to keep always to the straight and narrow. Abuses creep in and need to be challenged. Protestants may learn a few things from 15 centuries of church history, but are committed not to repeat historical errors. Doing so may create some errors of their own.
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Name : Ronald V., Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 47, City : Edmonton, State : NA, Country : Canada, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,In most religions of the world, women are deemed inferior. However, Christianity does not look down on women. Jesus spoke with the women, which surprised the disciples. The teaching for women to submit to men comes right after the verse in Ephesians that we are to submit to one another. A man is to love his wife as his own body, caring and nurturing it. Christianity has a higher view of women than most other world views.
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Name : Ronald V., Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 47, City : Edmonton, State : NA, Country : Canada, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,The differences between Roman Catholic and Pentecostal churches: The meaning of salvation is different. For the RC, salvation is something that I accomplish given the unmerited favour I have from God. For the Pentecostal, salvation is a done deal, a work accomplished by Jesus Christ on the cross. For the Roman Catholic, Christ died on the cross giving me favour in God’s sight. But admission to heaven is based upon my merit which is accomplished by my work. Hence pergatory is needed to purify the soul for heaven. The pentecostal adds nothing in order to be saved from the punishment of sins. When s/he dies, s/he goes immediately to heaven because Jesus has already completed our purification. The Pentecostal (and other evangelicals) please God by doing good (Eph 5:1ff, Eph 2:8,9,10) while in the RC, we are never good enough. When the RC sins, s/he needs to confess it to a priest. When a Pentecostal sins, s/he claims forgiveness from God (1 John 1:8,9). A Pentecostal’s relationship with God is through Jesus Christ. A RC’s relationship with God is through a myriad of intermediaries-saints who intercede to Mary who intercedes to Jesus… For the Pentecostal, Mary is a woman who was honoured to be Christ’s earthly mother. For the RC, Mary is venerated/adored/worshipped for her role. For the RC., Mary was without sin (Immaculate Conception). For the Pentecostal, Jesus paid even for the sins of Mary by His death and resurrection….
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Name : Ronald V., Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 47, City : Edmonton, State : NA, Country : Canada, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,There are male AND female jerks. If a person knows his or her partner’s character, he or she can evaluate whether a match will be honored by each other. It is a good idea to evaluate character prior to such a committment. If character is proved, a person is the sum of his/her choices, and not the sum of his/her hormones.
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Name : Ronald V., Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 47, City : Edmonton, State : NA, Country : Canada, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,If someone feels dissatisfied with their lifestyle for whatever reason, they should examine all the options that are available. If the individuals want to change, they should be allowed to do so, hindered by no one. Yes, there are web sites available for those who want to change. http://www.imaginethatministries.org is one site that is available. Exodus International is another group, although I don’t have their web site.
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Name : Ronald V., Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 47, City : Edmonton, State : NA, Country : Canada, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,There are some antidepressant medications that can cause priaprism, as mentioned in one of the responses. Triazolam is one example. However, I tend to go with the explanation that living tissue requires blood flow, and early morning erections are not sexual in nature. It seems that there is a prevalent misunderstanding that erection means arousal, which is not necessarily the case.
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Name : Ronald V., Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 47, City : Edmonton, State : NA, Country : Canada, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,Is the concept of God outdated? From the beginning, God was. The ancients believed in God. People throughout the ages have believed in God, whether they would listen to God or not. The Bible says in Romans 1:20 that ‘Ever since God created the world, his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly seen … They know God, but they do not give him the honor that belongs to him… V 25: ‘They exchange the truth about God for a lie.’ Romans speaks to the question quite clearly. Many civilizations in the past have tried to deny God, and have adopted strange practices that did away with themselves. Self-reliance and dependence on God are not mutually exclusive. As a parent, I do for my children what they cannot do for themselves. But I would be amiss to do for them what they can do themselves. They would not mature. But God does provide for those who cannot do for themselves. Only in a very limited sense can we depend on ourselves. Our health, our ability to work, our desire to work and our opportunity to work are all gifts to us.
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Name : Ronald V., Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 47, City : Edmonton, State : NA, Country : Canada, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,As teenagers grow up, they find that they need to doubt and test what they have been told for years. Teenagers, in growing up, no longer can hold onto their parents’ coattails, but need to establish for themselves what they truly believe, rather than believe what their parents say. I commend you for your honesty, and urge you to spend time ‘alone with God and the Bible.’ Know what you truly believe, rather than pacifying your parents. I wouldn’t call you an agnostic or an atheist for that matter. I would call you a believer going through a crisis of faith. I would also add, that this will probably not be your only crisis of faith. I have gone through a few myself. The silver lining in the experience of crisis is that when you come through it, you will feel confident about what you believe.
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Name : Ronald V., Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 47, City : Edmonton, State : NA, Country : Canada, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,Pornography is a problem with most, if not all, men. Even pastors and highly respectable people have succumbed to pornography. Physiologically, men are sexually aroused by visual images. The adrenalin rush can be as addictive as nicotine or cocaine. Sex, drugs and alcohol are powerfully addictive. Unfortunately, this is an epidemic problem. Speaking as a married man, my wife has told me that if a man needs visual pornographic stimulation, his wife isn’t doing her job. As I see it, sex between couples needs to be innovative and creative constantly, or it becomes as exciting as eating a hamburger. Sex between couples is natural and healthy, while pornography is not. It’s like trading in a brand new car, a Ferrari, for a picture of a Lambourghini. The mind is what makes sex so exciting.
As for solving the problem of someone addicted to pornography, it will take counseling. Those not yet bitten by the pornography bug, as I see it, should flee from it, as an obese person should avoid streets lined with bakeshops.
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Name : Ronald V., Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 47, City : Edmonton, State : NA, Country : Canada, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,I would agree with the previous writer that ‘small pieces’ are best. It is best to learn things a little at a time, like a language, for instance. Having said that, one also needs to understand the context. When can you take something as literal or figuratively? When Jesus says that ‘I am the door’, we don’t need to ask whether He is a wooden door. I am the ‘bread of life’ -rye or wheat? But if the literal sense makes sense, there is no need to seek any other sense. I do read a small portion each day. I find devotions helpful. (Try http://www.refdesk) The Bible teaches that Jesus has died for everyone. The debt has been paid. I am a born again believer in Jesus, but not so heavy on churchianity. Church provides a good context for believers, but some Church cultures can use the Bible and distort what the Bible teaches.
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Name : Ronald V., Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 47, City : Edmonton, State : NA, Country : Canada, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,Circumcision is more symbolic than physical. It is a cutting away of the old nature, the sinful nature so that the circumcised one can live for God. Deuteronomy 10:16 Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. Deuteronomy 30:6 The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. Joshua 5:2 Jeremiah 4:4 Genesis 17:10-14 is the origin of circumcision, and from there, you again can see that it is primarily symbolic. Yes, it is a covenant that is performed physically. It is an agreement between Abraham along with his household and God.
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Name : Ronald V., Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 47, City : Edmonton, State : NA, Country : Canada, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,Hollywood and the white Church have chosen to depict Biblical heroes as white so that their vastly white audience will identify with the heroes: Jesus, Moses, Noah, etc. Truth is being sacrificed on the altar of “social” acceptance. White skin or white robes are far from Biblical truth. Philip Yancy wrote a book titled The Jesus I Never Knew and speaks very clearly that the true person of Jesus is different from the Jesus portrayed in churches, seminaries and Hollywood. The Prince of Egypt, a very good film, portrayed Moses as a dark-skinned man (the truth), but distorted other aspects of the truth to “make a better story.”
The adversary will work his way into any social network and distort the truth for his purposes, even though the Holy Spirit will not allow the spirit of the message to be replaced.
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Name : Ronald V., Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 47, City : Edmonton, State : NA, Country : Canada, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,The practice of circumcision was an action to indicate a covenant between Abraham and God. It was an agreement between Abraham and his descendents and their Maker. It was not done for vanity’s sake. But it works out medically as well. Men who are circumcized have less infections, and their wives have a much lower incidence of cervical cancer.
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Name : Ronald V., Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 47, City : Edmonton, State : NA, Country : Canada, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,Not all who call themselves Jewish are Jewish. Even in previous centuries, a person of Jewish descent did not necessarily adhere to the Jewish Law. Not all who call themselves Christian belong to Christ Jesus. Beliefs are internal; behavior is external. If you change the beliefs, this will be seen in the behavior. If I really believe that Jesus asks me to turn the other cheek, I will. But I can change the external without changing the internal. Isn’t this why Jesus calls them “wolves in sheep’s clothing”? Jesus’ death on the cross paid the debt of everyone’s sin for all time. Even though believers do sin and are forgiven, it is for all believers to please God, forsake evil, do good and be peacemakers. One who “converts” someone else through violence does not yet know Christ, let alone follow Him.
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Name : Ronald V., Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 47, City : Edmonton, State : NA, Country : Canada, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,
