Faith Issues - Tasbeha.org Community

Will I go to Heaven

geomike — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:14:54 +0000

Will somebody go to heaven if they lie and don't regret it? or they lie but don't confess about it?

The prayer at Gethsemene

Sat, 14 Mar 2009 13:07:04 +0000

Hi,

Before our Lord was betrayed, He prayed to the Father asking Him to spare Him from the cross:

a) If Christ came to die to give us eternal life, why did He pray that this be taken away from Him?
b) If God the Father and God the Son are One God, why did Christ pray to the Father for? He was basically speaking to Himself? Did Christ really need to speak to the father openly?
c) if Christ existed before the ages - then was His Soul created at birth? If His soul was created at Birth, then what characteristic of Jesus Christ existed before He was created?

The Holy Spirit??? WHAT? HOW? Who?

topdawg — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:10:42 +0000

Hello Brothers and Sister,

First I want to say I spent easter in Jerusalem and in Bethlahem and it was amazing. I must say the holy land feels much holier than the USA during celebrations and feasts of Christ our Lord. I experienced the holy light in Jerusalem and this is my first time here visiting the tomb of christ and the birth place and I must say it truly moved me. Anyways to my question I don't want to bore you. LOL

One question that has been on my mind a lot and I was wondering if any of you have experience with it or have heard its voice or have been guided by it or have had wisdom or understanding from it, Is the Holy Spirit? I mean I know Jesus and what he did for us and he is the Man form of God. And I know God is our father in heaven and the holy spirit is his spirit that dwells in us. But how to we talk to it or pray to it or use it more for our advantage? I mean we are all told Gods spirit is inside of us and we are made in his image if so than how do we tap into this power to be able to do and say as God would do?

I know this is a long question, but I want to learn more about the holy spirit and how to use it. If you have any experiences or church father quotes or prayers, please share them because I am willing to learn.

Thank you and God bless

Pray for me and my family for we are still in the holy land that we have a safe departure and arrive all together safe and sound in the USA.

Thank you,

C

What is purity

geomike — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:17:07 +0000

What does it mean to be pure in heart?

Pray for me,
Michael

21 Days to form a new habit

mikeforjesus — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 09:54:48 +0000

Is this true? or is this a man made philosophy?

I know we need God's help in time of crisis. I know He is faithful to help.

It would be good if I can learn some new habits also.. like brushing my teeth, taking a shower lol

Dr Maxwell Maltz said
Brain circuits take engrams (memory traces), and produce neuroconnections and neuropathways only if they are bombarded for 21 days in a row. This means that our brain does not accept ‘new’ data for a change of habit unless it is repeated each day for 21 days (without missing a day)."

Is it true?

Abortion and Rape

TrustInTheLord — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 23:28:11 +0000

Brethren, my name is Daniel and I've been a member for quite a while now, almost a year. But I've mainly just been reading and enjoying your words of wisdom. To cut things short, I've ran into a friend who believes abortion is wrong but they believe that if someone is raped then they have the right to perform the abortion. I have many moral, theological, and rational arguments to prove otherwise, varying from complicated to as simple as two wrongs don't make a right.

What I'm asking for is for any suggestions from those of you who have experience with this kind of situation, along with your prayers for my friend and I.

Pray for me,

Daniel

How does one forgive and forget

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 06:19:05 +0000

Hi,

I know this sounds like a trivial question, but it has NEVER been answered. I'm not even sure that our CoC priests understand it.

Once, this bishop in the CoC did something - well.. I think I could have thrown him in prison for it, but I didnt. Anyway, this CoC priest told me "You must forget... you must forget... ""

I presented him with a simple question/analogy:

I said to him "Abouna, if I lied to you, and that lie really hurt you , and ruined your life - would you forgive me?"
He said "Yes, I would forgive you".
I said to him "Would you trust me again?"
He said "No. I wouldn't trust you again"
I said "Why? Why don't you forget?"

So, I don't even think people really understand this.

God treats us as though we haven't done this mistake, but if we continue to treat others as though they haven't done a mistake, aren't we just throwing away lessons that we should have learnt from??

Remember what Bush taught us: "You fooled me once, but if you fool me again, shame on you"

Or, there's the Egyptian saying "He who has been burnt from sipping the soup, will then blow on the yoghurt" (il itlassa3a min il shourba yonfokh fil zabadee".

why confess

geomike — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:02:20 +0000

Peace be with you,

My question is why do we confess if God died for our sins?

Pray for me, :)
Michael

Why sign of Cross

geomike — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:03:21 +0000

Why do we do the sign of the cross on our mouths when we yawn.:0

Compromise

aidan — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 14:23:01 +0000

Greetings.

What do you give up by way of cultural activities?

In my house my wife, who is not a Christian, watches a lot of tv. Although I vowed not to watch any I can't just turn it off when she is there. Also, on one occasion she wanted me to accompany her to the movies, as did my son on another occasion;distinctly none lenten activities.

Are there any experiences with non-Orthodox relations/friends where we do what we don't want in order to keep the other happy?

God bless you

Why did Saint Moses the Black want to die for?

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 02:22:55 +0000

This question is concerning the story of Saint Moses the Black.

Why did Saint Moses the black want to be killed when he stayed behind in the monastery?

If God had forgiven him his sins, why did he insist on the fact that he should die for them anyway??

Many thanks

Coptic catholic convert

godislove260 — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 05:26:16 +0000

Hey you guys, the following are quotes from someone who used to be coptic orthodox and then became coptic catholic instead, please comment if you have any info..

So what began my journey to Catholicism? It was a very simple, almost imperceptible change in the Coptic Liturgy – the removal of the phrase “head of the Apostles” from the title of Sts. Peter and Paul. I wanted to find out the reason for the change, so I investigated the Church Fathers. What began as a PURELY academic exercise into the phrase “head of the Apostles” in the early Church eventually blossomed into a realization, and finally full acceptance, of the Truth taught by the Catholic Church.

For instance, with regards to the papacy, no matter what papal issue began the discussion (or argument), it always came down to an argument to which I had no response, “You believe in the apostolic principle of collegiality [i.e., a juridical body with a juridical head]. What makes you think the principle should stop at the level of Patriarchate? Why should it not apply to the Church as a whole, instead of just local Churches?” (Of course, I admit that such rhetoric would fail to convince an Eastern Orthodox who has a different ecclesiological paradigm).

For example, re: the Immaculate Conception. I once told a Catholic friend (before my translation), “If the IC deprives Mary of the ability to sin, then it deprives her of free will.” He responded, “Jesus did not have the ability to sin. Do you claim as well that Jesus had no free will?” This was irrefutable logic, in my mind’s eye. I often use that rhetoric myself nowadays, always with the same result – either acknowledgment, or silence.

I already had an answer for this one, I cannot understand how someone can find this irrefutable logic, but anyways here goes:

The question:“Jesus did not have the ability to sin. Do you claim as well that Jesus had no free will?”
is paradoxal in intself, just like the question: "Can God make a stone so heavy, that even He can't lift it?" Jesus didn't sin, because He was God, (and man too of course), sin is what drives us away from God, when we sin we brake God's rules, sin leads to death, because God is Life, and thus it's only logic that sin, which is being far from God would lead to death!
So God cannot sin because He is God, He's good, He's life...

I don't know what the catholics say to the verse where Mary says about Jesus: my Saviour...
I can see no other explanation to it than the fact that she needed saving, also I thought this whole dogma came after the 'apparitions' in Lourdes.

The reason I put apparitions between ' ' is that if we don't believe that St Mary told Bernadette that she was immaculately conceived, then why should we believe St Mary appeared there in the first place!!! But anyways, there were many who got healed in Lourdes, but I just thought that maybe God wouldn't dissapoint people who came to be healed there with the intercessions of His holy Mother, the Theotokos... even if she didn't really appear there.

Ok please tell me what you think
Thanks

God bless you

I’ve also been asked how I feel about the Liturgical changes in the Western Church. Shouldn’t this have been a sign for me that the Catholic Church was betraying its Traditions and prevented me from becoming Catholic? This, again, demonstrates a similarity between the Coptic and Catholic paradigms. To Copts, the bishops are the guardians of our souls, as indeed Scripture states, and it is within their authority to bind and loose to determine the ways and helps by which we are divinized; the form of the Liturgy is under the purview of the bishops. The Liturgy, for Copts, like the Catholics, is intended primarily to draw us closer to Christ, the summit of the Liturgy being the Eucharist, all other elements of the Liturgy regarded as a means to prepare ourselves for or to properly meditate upon the Eucharist. Given these two elements, I as a Copt have really no business judging the Liturgy of the Westerns. IF I was to judge them, I would judge them based on the two criteria above – 1) were changes to the Liturgy made by the proper authorities; 2) Are the changes made to permit or enhance union with Christ? I find the Western Catholic Church has met both criteria (of course, notwithstanding particular elements in a Mass or Liturgy that are absolutely required for Mass/Liturgy to be valid). Sensationalist accusations of a local church doing this or that in the Liturgy are obviously not the fault of the Catholic Magisterium, since these occur at a parish level (i.e., these extreme practices were not instituted by the local bishop).

Magic

holy bible — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 13:41:14 +0000

Hi I was wondering if magic was wrong I have heard people say it was but I am not sure it's not witchcraft or anything just some tricks i'm so confused plz help ???

Faith and Politics

markos123 — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 07:52:26 +0000

I am having this dilemma. Are we by faith forced to chose the political candidate that upholds the social morality that we as orthodox christians believe?

Just because most republican candidates are so called conservates, does this mean we must pick them?

I wanted to know what we believe on this issue.

In Christ,

A Jehova witness friend with leukemia.

spr418 — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 17:39:38 +0000

Hey everyone, I haven't been on here for a while but one of my close friends from school was just diagnosed with luekemia about 2 weeks ago. Well, there is a bit of an issue, since she's Jehova's witness she can't get a blood transfusion which she has about 80% chance of survival with it, but about 10% with chemo.
Her family is really strict and stuff about religious aspects concerning this issue. On her blog, she has this verse "Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood." Acts 15:20
To be honest with you, I was speechless in my comment back to her and didn't know exactly how to comfort her. She's a minor and her rents are making all the decisions for her. And with this verse, I was stunned by how literal they take scripture!!

I want someone to explain to me why they can't get blood, they won't even allow her to have a port! If it's written in scriptures, then why don't we abide by these rules too?

GBU,
Sandra

Why Did Christ Die for Us?

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 18:51:53 +0000

Can someone explain to me why Christ came to die for us?

Why exactly was His death necessary for us to receive salvation? Why couldnt we keep on sacrificing animals?

What is the importance of Baptism and Holy Communion in the plan of Salvation? Why do we need to have faith in order to be saved?

Boast or Shine Light

the_least — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 22:11:04 +0000

Aphapy

i am having trouble differentiating between boasting and letting my light shine as it says in Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

if i try to let my light shine, i feel like i am being boastful or in other words as St. Paul says i think i drives people to think of me more than what i am.

i need your help in understanding this and your advice and perhaps your experiences.

SYLVIA!!!!!!!???????

Rina_07 — Wed, 19 Jan 2005 17:27:17 +0000

WUT HAPPENED TO HER?????? OMG PLZ DON'T TELL ME IT WAS HER FAMILY...................... PLZ DON'T..... :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(..... I'M GONNA KEEP CRYING FOREVER..... PLZ TELL ME SHE DIDN'T.... :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(........

Love the person; Hate the sin.

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 23:37:39 +0000

When dealing with individuals who are adamant about doing things that are contrary to scripture, as Christians it is important for us to be clear that we love the person but hate the sin that they do.

How can we prove to them that we love them even though we hate what they are doing?

Genesis...(adam and Eve)

copticcross3 — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 23:46:46 +0000

so, you've all probably been in similar situations...these kids in my class were arguing the whole Adam and Eve thing..well not arguing, more like completely putting it down so i felt obligated and i tried to back it up... anyhooo one thing led to another and they ended up asking how we can believe that everyone came from Adam and Eve and that would cause birth defects and such and i said that these mutations and such weren't introduced into the environment until later and they thought it ws hilarious and asked if that meant we were all brothers and sisters and i said yea so ..uhh..then they said Oh so everytime people have kids they are reproducing with famiy and ewh thats disguisting and all that jazz and even after saying it wsa VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY extended...i couldn't think of anything else to say so i backed off. is that the right thing to do in this situation, to just let it go and hope they can see the light ?? or what do i say?? (ps: quoting Bible verses to them is not an option)

Se7r/Witchcraft.

changethechannel — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 01:26:49 +0000

Hello everyone :)
I need as much help as I can get from you guys for advice to protect oneself from any sehr or spiritual warfare. Any prayers, specific readings, etc. that you can suggest to me would be amazing. Thank you all so much :)

Paradise/Heaven and Hades/Hell

egyboy — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 20:28:23 +0000

Can someone explain this whole belief of Paradise/Heaven and Hades/Hell?
I always thought that when we die, we either go to Paradise or Hades, but when Jesus comes again at His Second Coming He will take those in Paradise and bring them to Heaven and condemn those who are in Hades into Hell.
Is that right and could someone please explain this belief in greater detail?

please pray for me and my weakness!

A Gentile Soldier's faith

miskande — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:26:04 +0000

Hi everybody,
I had a question maybe someone knows the answer to. Why is it in both Matt 8:5-13 and Luke 7 1-10, the story of the centurion's servant who was healed is told but the stories are somewhat different? For example, In Matt, it is the centurion himself who asks Christ to heal his servant and in Luke, it says that the centurion's servants are the ones who go to Christ and ask him to come heal the servant, then other servants come and tell our Lord that he doesn't need to make the trip, but to just say the word and the man will be healed.

I hope I'm making sense and thanks for the help! ;)

Church

deaconmark123 — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:43:12 +0000

What is the tux? (<---in arabic)

Thinking about sin...

Shh — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 02:17:50 +0000

Hello all,

God's grace to all, I thank everyone in this group for amazing advice, wonderful insight, love, and prayers. (before I ask my question, I implore you all to please pray for me and my family, things have been very difficult here these past few months. and it is a struggle to keep our faith; however through the intercessions of Saint George and your prayers, I know God will provide in His time)

Now my question...

When have you actually sinned in God's eyes? For instance the bible commands "thou shall not kill" so obviously murder is a sin. But what if I said man I want to kill so and so. is that a sin? or if I went out and bought a gun, bought the bullets, followed the person around? have I sinned yet?

Or with sins of lust? obviously sleeping with another you are not married to is a sin... but what about going to a hotel, making a phone call, and setting up an appointment (having NOT seen anyone yet), Is that a sin? so for instance you go through all that trouble and then through the Grace of God either the person your calling can't make it, or you come to your senses and realize this is a mistake. Does God view that as you have defeated the sin? or have you still sinned for simply thinking and attempting to carry it out?

I hope I asked my question clearly.
Look forward to your responses.

Please again... pray for me and my family.

Peace to you all.

No one is good but God.

egyboy — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 16:11:10 +0000

And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone." Luke 18:19

This verse confuses me a lot!! Since Jesus is God, why does He say that He is not good and that only God is good?
I can't help but think about this and it has confused me quite a bit.

Please help me and pray for me and my weakness!!

An eye for an eye?

Mozes — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:23:21 +0000

Hi,

Look, I am a tough guy,real tough guy.When i saw a clip from CNN, I cried like a small baby.The extent that some people go to harm others has no bounds.What is even more troubling is that the perpetrator claims he harmed the once beautiful girl out of love and he has no regrets for his demonic actions.The girl won a court case to have her attacker taste his own medicine, an eye for an eye that is. She is a Muslim and her decison might be alright with her faith ,but I as a christian ,after I saw what was done to her kind of agreed with her decision,eventhough that goes against my faith. I will attac the clip and it is not for the fainted hearted.Please watch it at your own discretion as directed CNN.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/02/19/acid.attack.victim/index.html#cnnSTCVideo

resisting the seven deadly sins

geomike15 — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 21:53:47 +0000

Can anyone tell me how I can resist the seven deadly sins and the temptation of Satan ?

Pray for me the chief sinner,
George

The true religion

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:36:21 +0000

How do we know that Christianity is the true religion...
http://www.suscopts.org/pdf/youth/whymusttherebeonetruereligion.pdf

"If they did not believe in the resurrection, they would
have known that what they were preaching was a
lie. Do you know anyone who would knowingly die
for a lie?" -A part of the power point from the above link from suscopts.org

So what about Muslims their religion is a lie they are willingly dying for a lie

Overcoming Temptations

egyboy — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 21:26:13 +0000

What are the best ways to overcome our temptations for sin?
What can we do to avoid these temptations?
Do we all have to live like the saints to overcome our temptations?
I have also heard that at a certain level of holiness in the saints lives, it was outside their capacity to sin. They physically could not sin after they have consecrated their lives to serve the Lord.

Please pray for me and my extreme weakness!!!