https://tasbeha.org/community/categories/faith-issues/p53/feed.rss Mon, 22 Jun 2026 19:57:51 +0000 Faith Issues - Tasbeha.org Community en-CA https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/7069/does-repentence-heal-the-sinner Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:34:45 +0000 7069@/community/discussions
As we've all learnt from tasbeha.org that the CoC recognises sin as an illness or a state of illness and repentance the cure. Fair enough.

Could you please give me scriptural quotes that show that the consequence of repentance IS healing from the sin???]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/7073/confused Tue, 26 Aug 2008 06:53:03 +0000 Andrii 7073@/community/discussions
For example the Bible seems to emphasise over and over again that a woman should be submissive to a man/her husband.  In Timothy 2: 12 (sorry bad with references so hope this is right):

“I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over men. She is to keep silent.”

Why are women seen as inferior and why should men have authority? I don't think women should be the ones with total authority either but rather that no one should.

Another thing I can't believe in is the inherited sin (which might be some people's justification for the above). Why should all women suffer for the supposed mistake of one. And as Eve was deceived so was Adam.... because at the end of the day we have free will so if someone says 'jump off the cliff' we are either gonna do it or not. Adam chose to take the apple so why is it that only women are being 'punished' for it.

Furthermore, we are told that all those who do not believe in Christ will perish. What about those virtuous people who have led a good life but are of a different faith? Should they perish or go to hell when substantially they have done nothing wrong?

So going back to my first point, am I really a Christian when I find myself doubting and disagreeing with so many things?

Hope someone is up for discussing this further :)

Andrea]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/7066/virtues Sun, 24 Aug 2008 22:05:55 +0000 7066@/community/discussions
You know it says in the Bible that every virtue is from above (i.e. from God) - I just have a small question: There are many people who are not baptised that have virtues (humility, kindness, patience, long-suffering etc) that are not Christian. Where are these virtues from??

Also, if they have these virtues already when they do not know God, when they do know God and are baptised, do they become even more virtuous?? I mean, let's say if someone is humble, and they get baptised - do they become MORE humble afterwards??

Let's assume, for arguments sake, that virtues can be quantified:

Is humility (quantity and quality) before baptism the same as humility (quantity & quality) after baptism??]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/7057/insisting Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:19:00 +0000 7057@/community/discussions
There is an issue I'd really like some advice on or guidance:

In life we all pray for our problems and God's will. Whenever I have a problem, I pray for it. But I don't insist. I say to myself - 'well, I prayed and I asked for God's will, and so if God will not grant me what I'm asking, Its OK.. why should I insist for?' because perhaps by insisting I'm forcing God to do something against His Will??

On the other hand, I see so many stories in the Bible where people insist or persist in asking God for help for certain things. And it was through insisting that they received what they wanted.

So, does God want me to insist, or to just ask?

I don't want to be lazy but at the same time, I don't want to be pushy either.

Do u all remember the story of a priest who was well known for being so holy, that was asked to pray for a girl that was dying? He prayed for her, and she died. The family were so furious that they asked the priest to pray again, and he did and she was revived from the dead. After many years, the family went to see the priest and begged him that God take her life as she became very destructive towards herself and others. So , it would have been better for her to have died.

Now, I've been in the EXACT same story. Not about me though, but about someone else - where actually, we all fasted and prayed for someone dying. Had this person died at that time, they'd have died a saint. Howver, unfortunately, this person lived only to commit horrendous sins that weren't corrected at all.

How far should we go in praying for something? I just don't want to insist too much, as it seems to me a lack of trust in God's will if I insist too much.

What do u all think??
]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/7058/useless-post Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:59:31 +0000 mikeforjesus 7058@/community/discussions https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/7045/joyce-meyer Thu, 14 Aug 2008 08:08:25 +0000 7045@/community/discussions
I'd like to know if its OK to listen to evangelicals like Joyce Meyer? I heard a few of her talks and I thought they were quite good actually. But I'd like to know if listening to her or other evangelical speakers for that matter is OK with respect to what they say: is it theologically/spiritually in contradiction with our faith/beliefs?
]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/7011/someone-needs-to-answer-this-guy Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:51:50 +0000 epchois_nai_nan 7011@/community/discussions http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AluzVoH98jhJB9EFf0B4_cwjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20080806041144AA3yQoo

"Is the bible a good historical source?
Think about the writers motive. Did they have a hidden agenda or were they biased? Did the writers of the new testament have anything to gain from stating that people saw Jesus die and then raise from the dead?"

Some of the answers this guy got were absolutely...well lets just say that they don't speak well for the intelligence of those who gave them:

"The bible isn't a historical source, it is more like moral guidelines (even though it was written by men filled up with opium, the drug of that day)! I wouldn't trust the bible especially when they refer to Xerxes's under a completely different name! " Need I say more?

Anyways it was only put up 2 hrs before I posted this so I want to put up a proper answer but I'm still not sure exactly what to say.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance and God Bless!!!


]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/6996/marijuanna Fri, 01 Aug 2008 21:00:32 +0000 topdawg 6996@/community/discussions
Help if possible, I would love to hear your thoughts.

C]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/7038/coptic-papyrology-at-leipzig Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:42:32 +0000 Schoyen 7038@/community/discussions
Students attended from Spain, Sweden, United States, United Kingdom, France, Austria, Germany, Finland, and Canada.

I was given a papyrus manuscript about the size of a regular sheet of paper (27 cm x 17 cm) with seventeen lines of text written lengthwise. The text itself measures 23 cm x 14.5 cm. Perhaps as much as 20-30% of the text has been lost, mostly broken off on the right (especially in four finger-like lacunae), but also due to ink fading and holes elsewhere. The manuscript varies unevenly from a light to medium brown colour, with dark brown ink.

The manuscript is a letter, written from someone named Stephanos John the Less (or perhaps, the Lowly) to a superior named Papa Damine; their names are written on the verso (back side). Given the extensive reference to prayers and to God, a reference to the Church and to a deacon, as well as the reverential tones of address, the letter seems to have been written in a religious setting, perhaps having something to do with a monastery. The main topic of concern, judging from the surviving text, is that certain books had arrived in good order. The Coptic word for book occurs six times. Its provenance is unknown.

This letter had not been analysed previously by any modern scholar. In recent years, it was encased in glass, but had not been catalogued in the old inventory at Leipzig. Indeed, since this was a letter sent from one individual to another, one might assume that I was one of the very few people to have ever read it, now or then. While somewhere deep in my subconscious mind I may have held out hopes that the letter contained clues about the whereabouts of the Ark of the Covenant, or about some important bit of missing history, letters of this kind usually are not important by themselves. Instead, they are most useful when they are fitted together with scores and hundreds of other letters to give us a picture of life in antiquity.

The text was written in a “regular hand;” the scribe lacked the sort of skill typically requisite for fine literary works. The letters are rather awkward, tight, and thin, without artistic variation in thickness. They typically have a pronounced slant, especially with the letters tau and iota, and were written in unligatured block letters. Sometimes the letters are so tight that they were probably difficult to read even when the ink was fresh. At places, one may easily discern where the scribe had to re-ink his writing tool. Further analysis is necessary to discern if the formation of the letters might suggest a date or provenance.

The text is written in fairly “normal” Sahidic, with few dialectical indications. For example, there is but one occurrence of the beta personal suffix instead of fai. At some points, there is deviation from literary Sahidic, such as the unexpected use of the definite article with holokotte, as if the gold coins were some specific, known coins, as well as the unexpected absence of one or two object markers. There occurs also an otherwise unattested variation of the name Enoch. There appears to be three instances of apparent spelling errors. In the six occurrences of ϫwwme(book), it inexplicably occurs once as ϫwwmi. In addition to nomina sacra, there is one titular abbreviation.

The text seems to follow standard letter writing conventions of the day. A good half of the letter appears formulaic. The actual issue which is addressed is found in the middle nine lines, while the introductory and concluding lines consists of standard greeting and closing formulae.

One of the unresolved difficulties of this letter is the shift of narrative voice. It begins in the first person plural. Then at some point, it shifts to first person singular. Later, it makes a reference to a certain Stephen. This last fact is especially odd since the author’s name is said to be Stephen. Indeed, although the text is lacunose, the closest context is a warning not to look (or consider?) something…of Stephen.

Here is a preliminary translation:

With God, before all things, we greet and bow a multitude of times
before the footstool of the feet of your piety of honoured father
…from least to greatest
…greatly your prayers…
through your fatherhood in… …these two books…
(to receive?) the money in books to us. As for the rest, I sent (and) they…
…to us on the fourth. And they brought them in good shape. Behold God!
your prayers brought the remaining books to us. And…
…the matter which satisfies the will of God. Do not look…
…a book of Stephan to us a little of Marine. You…
…go up to them… …well that…
book and your… God … of the books…
we work well. And as the prayer be upon us, then we are (habitually) doing it for your pi-
ety. And the prayer [be] on us and your holy prayers [be] upon the
church. …bow to your piety…
the Deacon greets you nicely. And Enoch salutes you. Salvation
be to you. Until next time. Be well.


With God of Jesus, Papa Damine. Stephanus the Less. ]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/6866/need-your-prayers Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:14:51 +0000 copt4eva 6866@/community/discussions



+pray for me+]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/6769/what-does-this-mean Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:04:33 +0000 6769@/community/discussions not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God," Heb. 6:1
I don't understand. So does this mean that we should not lay the foundation of repentance on  the faith toward God????

]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/7017/pls-tell-me-anything-u-know-about-silent-prayer Thu, 07 Aug 2008 10:11:37 +0000 binC 7017@/community/discussions
  I have had this Q for a long time in my mind. What are the difference b/n silent prayer and the one with a voice? Does God hear them the same way? Which one God prefers? When is the place for each one of them? What we pray in silence, can it be a weapon against the devil? How much voice do we have to use? How do the saints pray? How do the Desert fathers pray? If not live their lives let us at least copy their gesture. 

Please tell me what u have read or heard from elders. Search for me in any way. Write me anything related to my Q.

May God bless u in advance and help u to help me. May the intercession of the Holiest Mother of God and St. Michael, St. Gabriel and all Saints be with u always!!!
[b][/b]]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/6941/can-we-depend-on-god-for-our-daily-material-food Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:59:22 +0000 mikeforjesus 6941@/community/discussions http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew 6&version=50

Matthew 6 (New King James Version)


Do Not Worry
 
25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.



If I was poor in a third world country, and do not get food everyday and rarely.. can I trust in this scripture?



]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/6991/did-jesus-say-that-the-apocalypse-would-happen-in-his-day Thu, 31 Jul 2008 08:24:24 +0000 epchois_nai_nan 6991@/community/discussions
There are several verses in the Gospels where Jesus seems to suggest that the Second Coming would occur sooner rather than later. Like these:

When Jesus is adressing His disciples in Matthew 10 He says:
"But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone through the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come” (Matt 10:23)
This implies that no sooner would the 70 be able to cover the cities surrounding Jerusalem than He would come again.
This passage (Matt 10:16-23) is parrallel to Luke 21:12-28, if you read them alongside it is clear that they refer to the same conversation with Jesus. In Luke, the reference to this 'coming' is far more detailed:
"And there shall be signs in sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the billows; men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken." Luke 21: 25,26
and
"And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads; because your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:27,28

Some people attribute this 'coming' to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD which fits well with the rest of the passage, except Jesus did not come riding on a cloud in great glory (at least not physically). But I suppose that could mean the dawn of Christianity, and therefore, redemption.

Another instance is Matthew 16:27,28:
"27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. 28 Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Again Jesus talks about Himself coming in glory and judging humanity and apparently says that His disciples would be there to see it.

Sorry for such a long post! Any ideas or explanations would be greatly appreciated!

Peace out and God Bless




]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/6984/have-a-hard-probelm Tue, 29 Jul 2008 05:01:04 +0000 helpmelordjesus 6984@/community/discussions https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/7003/i-hate-praying Mon, 04 Aug 2008 05:00:29 +0000 mariola 7003@/community/discussions
]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/6997/wasting-time Fri, 01 Aug 2008 22:36:45 +0000 LauraForChrist 6997@/community/discussions
I just want to get ur opinions on this...
Is it wrong to waste time? like for example, instead of reading something beneficial to your faith, or listening to taraneem, or helping someone out etc. in your spare time, you sit in front of the television for hours...
I know in corinthians there is a verse that says "All things are lawful, but not all things are beneficial"..
i guess my question is, how will we be held accountable for the way we spend our free time,
and is it wrong to enjoy ourselves TOO much?]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/6918/self-flagellation Sat, 12 Jul 2008 16:20:23 +0000 godislove260 6918@/community/discussions


God Bless
Please pray for me]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/6943/case-for-christ Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:09:07 +0000 6943@/community/discussions
what does this mean?
"The empty tomb, then, forms a veritable rock on which all rationalistic theories of the resurrection dash themselves in vain."

thanks much appreciated i kind of need this by tomorrow afternoon. thanks

/
mahraeel
plzzz p4m sister in Christ]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/6987/how-does-baptism-save-us Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:53:22 +0000 6987@/community/discussions Can someone explain to me how baptism saves us??

We inherited a corrupt nature from our parents, who in turn thank Adam and Eve.

Then Our Lord, in the fullness of time united His Divinity with Our Humanity. How does that save our corrupt nature?? How does that correct the fallen human nature and revive it??

Many thanks,]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/6883/question-on-genesis Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:28:38 +0000 Mozes 6883@/community/discussions
And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."


Did Adam die on the same day spritually? Can we say the same thing about his Physical death as well?

Why did God not create Eve from the dust?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/6954/is-heavy-metal-music-from-the-devil Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:01:36 +0000 6954@/community/discussions
Yes. I'm still here and I'd like to know if Heavy metal music is condoned in our CHurch? What about listening to Pop music??

Is there any type of music that our Church does not condone?

If it does not condone heavy metal music, is it just one particular song, one particular band, or the entire genre itself of heavy metal music?

Thanks]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/6969/i-want-to-recommend-a-bible-commentary Tue, 22 Jul 2008 03:02:54 +0000 mikeforjesus 6969@/community/discussions http://studylight.org/com/mhc-com

Matthew Henry Bible Commentary. It is a good practical commentary. However being not orthodox he may say a few wrong things. But he seems to understand the bible properly unlike some other protestants. I received benefit from it.






]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/6851/guardian-angels Sun, 29 Jun 2008 15:43:53 +0000 6851@/community/discussions
I have another question:

Do we have Guardian Angels?
Where in the Bible does it say we do?
What is their function? What do they guard us from??

What usefulness is a Guardian angel given that we ALREADY have God??

Also, when we sin, we separate ourselves from God. Do we also separate ourselves from our Guardian Angels at that moment also.. or do they stick with us for the whole ride? ]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/6882/turning-the-other-cheek Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:38:25 +0000 Christrules 6882@/community/discussions
but we also see that when Jesus was hit at his trial he asked the guard why he had hit him. This shows us we have to stand up for ourselves


My question IS NOT why did Jesus do this

My question is when do we turn the other cheek, and when do we stand up for our rights?

Thanks in advance and God bless]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/6917/does-god-punish-us-for-our-sins-whilst-we-are-on-earth Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:10:04 +0000 6917@/community/discussions
What if we die and do not get punished for what we do??

]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/6939/answered-question Wed, 16 Jul 2008 04:54:55 +0000 mikeforjesus 6939@/community/discussions https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/6931/arabs-and-ishmael-the-son-of-hagar Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:34:02 +0000 PopeKyrillos 6931@/community/discussions https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/6908/its-too-bad-the-pope-is-old-and-sick Thu, 10 Jul 2008 05:03:22 +0000 mikeforjesus 6908@/community/discussions
]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/6897/noah-curses-canaan-genesis-verses-20-27 Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:38:15 +0000 PopeKyrillos 6897@/community/discussions
Thanks,
PK]]>