⚜My Theological Debates⚜ – FINAL POST: Fig: 20.20

"The Unforgivable sins!" – Mark 3:29

THIS, MY FINAL POST– I was "blocked" from posting at the original FBook location of the debate; Part of "someone elses" "Personal Wall", whom we shared a "mutual friend..."

Alas, without further-ado, I present my finale IMG Fig: 20.20

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POST BEGINS:

Jordan mate, you make NO SENSE, LOGIC, RATIONALITY or REson, whatsoever!!! Then again, I can't expect someone who claims the "opposite" or the "counter" to LAW is GRACE, as opposed to the theologically and linguistically more sound (and appropriate!) LAWLESS being the "counter" or "opposite" of LAW.

I rest my point. I feel the debate has been proven to be dealing with hypocritical, judgemental teachings on YOU GUYS behalf. That your HYPOCRISY have PROVED your SHAKY, DECEPTIVE DOCTRINES and THEOLOGICAL views/understandings...

So, I highly doubt this debate will prove of any benefit in my further reproving you of sin, lawlessness etc; — if anything, it will rather devolve further into petty "name calling" without teaching you of any GODLY TRUTHS! Oh, brothers, I have been debating, trying to reprove your sins that you are TOTALLY BLINDED to! That you can continue sinning as its paid for already?!

Right. OK then... If your argument is in fact correct... That GOD wants us to continue to "crucify Him, again and again!"; That "The Law" the "Commandments" of Almighty God are irrelevant in this, the Age of Faith and Grace etc;... Well... Like I said... I may as well "live up the best of both worlds!"

Keep sinning — but without repentance, which ACTUALLY makes us more humble, more meek, with the continual, lifelong acts of sorrow for our personal sins and repentance...

"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land" see: Matt5:3-10

I also read "Blessed who hunger for RIGHTEOUSNESS, blessed the CLEAN OF HEART"... I DON'T, however, read anything REMOTELY SIMILAR to: "Blessed those who hunger for righteousness, whilst committing acts of lawlessness and unrighteousness, theirs is the Kingdom of God." No! Nothing REMOTELY similar!

In fact... Prophetic word SPEAKS of our very times, the final generations at the "end of the current age" which would increase in LAWLESSNESS, IMMORALITY, DECEPTION — committed by those who "know not the Lord". Once we become aware of our sins, shortcoming etc; it should be repented, actively struggle against reoffending, because God HATES sin! He cannot be AROUND sin! He doesn't want His Children to SIN, therefore, thus showing their allegiance to SATAN.

If however we actively fight AGAINST recommitting our sins, our fleshly lusts and desires, even if we struggle and struggle greatly... So long as we are truly repentant and truly sorry from the heart, He will forgive us! You cannot be TRULY sorry for sins if you ACTIVELY seek the next opportunity to reoffend! Where is the remorse? The guilt?

Alas, where is "the fear of the Lord" which, as Holy Scripture tells us, is the BEGINNING of WISDOM??? Without regret, or the "fear of God Almighty" (which is the beginning of Wisdom; See: Prov9:10!) 

Obviously, some people just can't see sense; reason; become too proud, too much seeking "the approval of men" but not the approval of God for living HIS WAYS, becoming more CHRIST LIKE each and every day, even if we have our lapses; or relapses into sin. So long as we REPENT, continually, and "turn from our errors!"

"I mourn many of them that sinned before, and have not done penance for the uncleanness, fornication, and lasciviousness, that they have committed." See: 2Cor12:21, and:

"Try your own selves if you be in the faith; prove ye yourselves. Know you not your own selves, that Christ Jesus is in you, unless perhaps you be reprobates? Now we pray God, that you may do no evil, not that we may appear approved, but you may do that which is good, what is right. For we cannot do anything against the truth but only for the truth. I write this while away from you, in order that when I come I may not have to be severe in my use of the authority which the Lord has given to me for building up not for tearing down." (2Cor13:5-10)

"They profess to know God: but in their works they deny Him; being abominable, and incredulous, and to every good work reprobate." (Titus1:16)

I pray you humble yourselves before the Lord, that you don't trust in your own created laws of right and wrong whilst leaving out His Scriptures. I pray that the final quote I leave you with this morning is NOT you, in particular, the first verse, No: 26:

"God delivered them up to shameful affections. For their women have changed the natural use into that use which is against nature. And, in like manner, the men also, leaving the natural use of the women, have burned in their lusts one toward another, men with men working that which is filthy, and receiving in themselves the recompense which was due to their error. And as they liked not to have God in their knowledge, God delivered them up to a reprobate sense, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all iniquity, malice, fornication, avarice, wickedness, full of envy, murder, contention, deceit, malignity, whisperers, detractors, hateful to God, contumelious, proud, haughty, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, foolish, dissolute, without affection, without fidelity, without mercy. Who, having known the justice of God, did not understand that they who do such things, are worthy of death; and not only they that do them, but they also that consent to them that do them." (Rom1:26-32)

Good morning; good afternoon; and good night. May the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Wisdom, convict you of your sins before it is too late... Before God either "gives you up to your grave unrepentant immoralities" — or tells you that thou you say to Him, "Lord, Lord..." that he casts you aside, to the weeping and gnashing of teeth, because he doesn't know you.

Extreme, yes. But. Change IS possible!!! With the right type of therapeutic counselling/psychiatry/pschology (not the modern, new age mumbo-jumbo variety!) — if one truly desires to change... Not to necessarily become "heterosexual", but rather, more within "right standing with God" and a much more brotherly love,  faith, trust and reliance on Christ the Lord... unless you are "just not yet" given over to true repentance, desiring a more faithful devotion to your Lord and apparent Saviour... But... You are much better off casting the unrighteous fruit in the fire the sooner you are repentant for it, as opposed to delaying it!

We live in dangerous, "End Times" and those not believing this to be a fact are very, very much deceived... Long known Biblical prophecies that have NEVER been fulfilled, or even CLOSE to fulfilment are becoming more and more likely as the days draw on... Ezekiel 38/39 prophecy.... That of the Dead Sea coming back to life, miraculously! The birth of a pure, red heifer, the last and final pure, unblemished, spotless red heifer being born on the 28th August, 2018, bringing forth the soon to be reinstated Jewish Holy Sacrifices to thus "restore their land" and ready to reinstate Mosaic Sacrifices and the construction of their Third Temple... All the signs, plus the increasing birth-pangs, or earthquakes, volcanoes, flooding, fires — hell even what they are calling "firenadoes", a combo of tornado, built of fire, from bush fire ravaged areas (which, come to think of it, sounds very similar to the "pillar of fire" which led the ancient Israelites on their Exodus from the land of Egypt, see: Ex13:21)

Hence, it is becoming quite apparent that we may be the final generation before the second advent of Christ, who comes in glory, and judgement! Do u REALLY want to POTENTIALLY miss out on the Great Rapture of the Church, on the off chance your beliefs RE: continual sinning is in fact INCORRECT??? Believe me...living in "these times" I certainly wouldn't want to miss the greatest event in human history since the first coming, the birth, the death, or our One True God, through the Son, of Christ Jesus! Amen! 

Nor, would I want to believe in my own, fallen, corrupt judgement, as opposed to the MANY truths, signs etc; from the very Word of God in Sacred Scripture! Getting it horribly wrong, means living in the horribly wrong, much, much more evil, immoral, lawless and depraved times of the "Great Tribulation" — the WORST time in ALL the days of earth and human existence! Eek!!!

"Watch ye, therefore, praying at all times, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are to come, and to stand before the Son of Man"

." (Luke21:36)

Peace and blessing, friends. 🙏🏼✝🛐

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EXTRA FINAL piece to convey my case-in-point!!!

See the screenshot-grab 

(top of post; above) 

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About the

"unforgivable sins of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit."

(Mark 3:29)

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Maccabean Uprising – Recommendation!!!

A relatively new occurrence has happened in the last two-years, Glorious God has revealed to us that the books of the Old Testament – that of the Jewish people – completely pre-figures, and in chronological order – the history of God's New Testament people, the Catholic Church.

Do have a look; watch my short 1-minute video post about this AMAZING website!

Glory to God in the highest!

The STORM that's NEEDED

As we celebrate with friends and family it comes to the close of another year. We reflect on the previous 12-months and aim to do better with the next twelve, whilst also hoping for a less traumatic year to be had by all. Whether 2017 will be one of the good years or not we can only tell with time – though I believe this will be one big shake-up of a year for everyone. Get ready, world, to experience events of massive disruption to everyone: young and old, rich and poor, religious and atheist, slave and free.

During the last year the Church celebrated an extraordinary jubilee year of mercy. Divine mercy. This year, 2017, is a landmark year for many reasons, notably the centenary of the Fatima apparitions of Our Lady and the "miracle of the sun" but also 500-years since the "Protestant Reformation" ripped through Europe, fracturing western Christendom.

In the Jewish calendar we are currently in the year 5777. Those schooled in Biblical studies will know that the number seven is a divine number to indicate "perfection." The number five is to signify grace. 5,777 = grace + perfected. Have a read of this article on "Mystic Post".

So not only in the Church, but the Jewish mind also, we are at a cross-roads of sorts. Coincidence? According to Jewish Rabbi's, "coincidence" is not a "kosher" word. To many Catholics, coincidences are actually signs from God, or angels, which are signs from God, none-the-less.

Throughout the next nine and a half months there will be "signs in the heavens" culminating towards the end of 2017, near the centenary of the "miracle of the sun". Sadly, most of the world will not look up at the night sky to witness such events unfold before our eyes because they are too glued to their phones and computer screens.

"And a great portent appeared in the heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars." – Revelation 12:1

For too long, God has been despised, hated, reviled, ignored, replaced. The whole world is wallowing in sin. In the west we have created a world without God. But God still exists, whether you want to claim he is a fable of antiquity, a moral guiding force for our ancient, illiterate, uneducated ancestors – as though we have the monopoly on knowledge! Perhaps, people in the past had things more spot-on than we have the world at this very moment.

Catholic prophecy speaks of a time when the "Immaculate Heart shall triumph" – I believe it will be soon, in the next twelve months. The prophecy also speaks of an "Illumination of conscience" where we will all experience a deep inward reflection of our lives and actions as they appear to God. Everyone. Not just Catholics. Not just Christians. EVERYONE. Some will take these signs for what they are, a warning from God, and choose to repent and mend their relationship with the Eternal Father. Many will have other excuses and grow harder in heart, becoming more wicked and evil.

Following this "illumination of conscience" there shall be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all who reflect and repent. Think the first Pentecost, but on a much, much larger scale. What an exciting time to be alive! The Lord is more-or-less giving us all a second chance, allowing us to know for certain He is real, from personal experience. An admonition. That shall be God's great mercy to us pilgrims here on earth.

Twelve-months ago I experienced my own personal "illumination" – though it wasn't THE "illumination" prophesied. Finally I understood the world in a different way. I understood why certain behaviours of mine were in fact evil. Sinful. I chose to take all that on board, renouncing the gay lifestyle I had been involved in since I was a teen. I broke-up the relationship I had with my now best-friend. Things have been going steady since, though I for one am not without sin, even now. The prophesied "illumination" may have to occur before I drastically change my ways, but I have started. Trust me, the sooner you know the truth, the better for your soul!

"Repent, and believe in the Gospel!" – Mark 1:15

GAY+CATHOLIC =OXYMORON

Sacked CDF priest Krzysztof Charamsa and his partner, Eduardo.
SOURCE: Washington Post

Only a couple of months ago, on the eve of the synod on the family a Vatican priest came out of the closet as gay. He has a partner and believes it is time for change within the Church when it comes to LGBT Catholics. Consequently he worked in the 'Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith' (CDF) trying to bring about change from within the walls of the Vatican. In other words, he infiltrated the Church for his own personal, selfish reasons and that of other ignorant so-called gay Catholics.

Now, I say so-called gay Catholics, because to be gay is a self-imposed label. Innocently enough it starts, I for one classed myself as a gay Catholic only a couple of years ago; I have since seen through the lies: the education of the secular world, modernism, the lie that we are 'born this way' – lies; ALL LIES!!!

In my honest opinion to call yourself gay and Catholic is a complete oxymoron as the ideals of the two world are very conflicting. My point in case is that the priest I wrote of was calling for a change to teachings, more acceptance of gay and lesbian couples – basically that the Vatican should be condoning the sin of acting-out ones same-sex-attractions. The biggest issue I have here is that a) this priest should not be 'sleeping with' anyone regardless of sex. b) He took vows as all priests take of chastity, but ignored that commitment he took with God.

How can the Church say that those who feel they are exclusively same-sex-attracted are able to act on those inclinations outside the Sacrament of Marriage? Just because you're 'gay' doesn't give you any special privilege to live against the teachings of the Church while those with normal sexual attractions to the opposite sex must wait to be formed into one-flesh with marriage before they can have relations of a sexual kind. As this priest says, the Church uses 'Nazi words' against gays and that 'the Church needs a Stonewall,' referring to the New York riots of 1969, a pre-cursor to the gay rights movement in America.

After coming-out he has been sacked by the CDF, the Pontifical Universities he once lectured at and has lost his privilege to say Mass – unless he realise his HUGE error in judgement, particularly using the Synod as a tool at his disposal to cause maximum damage control, and he repents. Many would be saying that this is a grave injustice, homophobia in fact, though that is also quite reflective of the gay community and their activists, trying to shame everyone throughout the western world to accept their conditions, or condone their sins.

How can someone identify as gay, Catholic and also be a consecrated priest living in a same-sex relationship? They cannot! He knew what he was getting himself into; now he has turned his back on God in favour of the gay agenda. You can't possibly have an individual who takes religious vows of CHASTITY, perhaps one of OBEDIENCE TO SUPERIORS and treat them like they mean nothing. I am pretty darn sure they mean something to God. Becoming a priest isn't a step that is to be taken lightly. It is one that needs much prayer, study as well. You are giving yourself entirely to God – you are no longer your own person, but a person that is to be Christ-like: a servant for the Church of Christ.

Those most vulnerable to the self-imposed exile of being gay need education. They need to know what is true, what is false – specifically when it comes to gender ideology and being 'born gay.' If I had been told the truth from a younger age that sexuality does not define us as people, that I shouldn't decide on a sexuality at all – we are all children of God – perhaps my same-sex attractions wouldn't be as ingrained within me, they most likely would have simply been a phase of a young, developing, hormonally charged teen.

If I had of known back then what I know now, things would have turned out quite different indeed. Perhaps I have struggled with same-sex attraction only to at last 'see the light' so I can someway, somehow, use what I've learnt to educate others for Christ. Jesus does love gay people like he loves us all, but he does not condone the acting out of these attractions, or of any sexual encounters before marriage. We all have our own cross to bear, for some people that cross is to suffer from same-sex attraction. Pray for wisdom, discernment, patience, perseverance and perhaps one day those attractions will subside substantially or be entirely removed. 'All things are possible with God!' Matthew 19:26.

My 'coming-out' story

So it's late at night. Can't sleep. Been a while since I've blogged. So get ready for one of my little all-over-the-place somewhat mini-rant and 'coming out' story. For those expecting a juicy, steamy, sexy adult post, you've got another thing coming! I'm coming-out of the closet with a range of thoughts, reflections and more importantly: as a creature of God, with a very Catholic view on the realm of sexuality, and the world in general. Enjoy my rant, feel free to comment!

Like any good practicing Catholic, I read the Bible every day. I reflect on it, I study and pray it too. Over the last few years I have been working my way through a guide so you can read the entire Bible and Catechism over the period of one-year, ticking the days off as you go. I am yet to actually fully complete one of these booklets, which I printed it from the internet, twice! Whether I actually complete the booklet, ticking off each day – or whether I start again if I have been inactive for a long period of time – isn't the point of the exercise. Rather starting one's healthy relationship with scripture is! Perhaps I'll print it a third time and start again in 2016, only this time I'll read the Catechism column as well. Previously I have only read the Bible column of the guide.

At the moment I am reading through 1Kings, also known as 1Samuel. As we Catholics aren't all that into memorising scripture, for those not well acquainted with scripture 1Kings is about King Saul, David and Goliath leading to the anointing and Kingship of David. The last time I remember reading these chapters I was referred to them by a pro-gay-Bible article I read only a couple of years ago. My thoughts have changed significantly since then as I was pro-gay-marriage more-so out of lack of education on the matter, not because I wanted to get 'married' myself.

So, as I was reading last time I was actually reading my personal thoughts into the Bible. The relationship that David had with King Saul's son, Jonathan, was symbolic of a gay relationship, what with them kissing and all. This is from reading a very Catholic Bible, the Douay-Rheims! It doesn't have to be a corrupted translation of scripture. At the end of the day there are really only two types of Bible readers: a) Those who read for the TRUTH allowing SCRIPTURE to CHANGE them; b) Those who read SCRIPTURE with their hearts closed to the TRUTH, finding any possible way of CONDONING their SIN regardless of how stupid and irrational it sounds to anyone else.

Besides, the whole idea of sexual preference and defining it is only a fairly new ideal of modernism. Before the latter part of the last millennium no one anywhere actively defined themselves based on who they find sexually attractive. Many people who did have same-sex relations were fooling around, or depending on the culture it was a thing of power, domination, at times even for pagan religious worship. This all led me to reflect on my life and experiences. Certain things were filling my head from the past and the present as I lay in bed trying to sleep.


Mind racing, I decided to get up for a while figuring I wouldn't be getting to sleep any time soon, the hot night not helping much either. Back when I was in high school I remember people mentally placing people into groups. The jocks, the popular girls etc; and one of the new though un-popular fashions was to be 'label-free' which most people hated because we had the high school opinion that we must define, re-define, over-define pretty much everything in life.

Aware of having an attraction to the same-sex I would define myself as bisexual, then as gay, back to straight again followed by gay. Back in the turn of the century growing up I was picked on for this choice for the rest of my days at that school. Why didn't I just go by 'label-free' if I was having trouble choosing my sexual identity, as if it ever matters, especially at the age of thirteen! Like I said, it wasn't cool to be 'label-free' because then you are just wanting more attention. Rather stupid way of thinking, because now I would much rather use that term than gay, bisexual or straight. For someone to call themselves 'label-free' would be much smarter and not looking for or wanting attention.

In hind-sight I wish I made much better decisions in my early life, one of those being not to define myself by my sexual thoughts because it just doesn't matter! Sometimes I believe if I had kept it to myself I probably wouldn't have ever ended up going through the gay world. It could have been that decision to tell someone who blurted it out, making me hated by my peers for the rest of my time at the school. As a result I looked for friends outside of school, my hormones running wild and never really having any close male friends through my earlier years. Thus the gay community became a home of sorts at a very young age. Now it is a culture I can see through, one I have known about, one I have no interest in anymore.

Why would I want to support the lies of the gay community? Everyone looks so happy, so gay in the original meaning of the word, why not hijack the word to define their disordered affections? Not happy with that they even make a mockery of the rainbow. Truth of the matter is it is just a facade all the carefree happiness they exude. On the inside, they're crying. They're miserable. Depressed. Whether it's from a combination of drug and alcohol abuse or just their deep need for real love not objectification, the gay community really has nothing to offer anyone. Not that I am saying those in the community are worthless, but they are duped; by the media, secular education and their disordered way of life.

Many are seemingly ignorant, useful cogs in an agenda they don't know actually exists. There is much truth in the popular saying: 'ignorance is bliss!' I on the other hand would prefer the truth, even if it is hard to accept and apply to ones life, because as an ever better saying goes: 'the truth will set you free!' John 8:32.

In memory of Samantha.

A reading from the book of Wisdom.

The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God, and no torment will ever touch them.

In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died, and their departure was thought to be a disaster, and their going from us to be their destruction;
but they are at peace.
For though in the sight of others they were punished,
their hope is full of immortality.
Having been disciplined a little,
they will receive great good,
because God tested them and found them worthy of himself; like gold in the furnace he tried them,
and like a sacrificial burnt offering he accepted them.
In the time of their visitation they will shine forth,
and will run like sparks through the stubble.
They will govern nations and rule over peoples,
and the Lord will reign over them forever.
Those who trust in him will understand truth,
and the faithful will abide with him in love,
because grace and mercy are upon his holy ones,
and he watches over his elect.

Wisdom 3:1-9

BELIEF: The ULTIMATE Question

It has been a while since I've had a good old rant, and at the moment, I have plenty on my mind. From examining my life, the way I live: what's right, what's wrong; why am I here, what is my purpose. PLENTY is going on upstairs, though that in itself is a miracle after enduring a serious car accident nine years ago, receiving a brain injury amongst other injuries... but more-so after having a brain hemorrage just over one-year ago. In reality, I should be a vegetable. But I'm not. I guess I'm a thinker - always have been, always will be. From childhood, through my youth, into adulthood.

I always have plenty on my mind regarding spirituality and religion, thinking of things from the minute I wake up to the second I fall asleep at night. My problem is I don't have anyone to really discuss my spirituality and beliefs with. Here I am, feeling alone in the world, as I am surrounded by people with very little, if any, faith at all. Those I am around who may have a spiritual belief certainly don't share the same depth of passion for it, or hold the same beliefs as myself. They are usually the ones to jump on the anti-Catholic bandwagon, if they themselves aren't actually driving it!

I'm one of the most tolerant of people around. I may not agree with another persons beliefs or lifestyle, but I won't try to push my beliefs on them. I hold true that the one true faith is Catholicism: if it weren't, then I could go to any denomination and still be at peace. However, if others choose to accept a different denomination, or a different world-religion all together, that is their choice and they shouldn't be questioned. I'm not God - He can judge them on the last days!

How would I feel if someone tries to push their faith on me? Even after learning I am a Catholic, they will still try, telling me all the faults and errors in Catholicism. Why can't they be like me, realise I believe in SOMETHING and be happy for me, as opposed to trying to push their particular denomination onto me? Generally the most hate filled people in the world can be people of faith, which really is quite sad.

Other times, I will encounter people who question my beliefs, why I go to church, what's the point of it all? To say simply: I don't have to answer them. They're not God. Only recently have I come to this  conclusion. As Jesus said to his own friend, St. Peter: "Go behind me, Satan!" - Matthew 16:23.

People such as these will fill my head with such thoughts that I am wasting my time believing in something that's simply not there. I used to debate these things with people until either they turned to my faith, I turned to theirs, or we agreed to disagree (which was usually the case). Then one word would be said: REGRET. When I die and realise I was wrong, won't I regret all those hours wasted going to Mass? All the books of spiritual nature I've read? All for... what?

If that were to be the case (which I don't believe at all!) then; No. I wouldn't regret having believed in something. I would be dead, I wouldn't exist, so how could I have regrets? I would however regret if I die and found myself in hell. That would undoubtedly be the biggest regret of my life, having to spend eternity in pain and suffering on a scale much more severe than the pains and suffering I endured whilst on earth.

I will go with a more comforting belief, give myself a better chance of getting to Heaven, and actually BELIEVE. Having beliefs I may be limited in what I can do on earth, for many things the body wants can be a sin. But to spend eternity in Heaven is a much better option, than to do whatever I want on earth and spend eternity in Hell.

Many scientific/medical tests will show that people of faith are happier people. So if we live, we die, end of story - at least having faith made me a happier person.

THE REVELATION: A Graphic Novel

Last week I stumbled upon Biblical stories put into comic-book/graphic novel form, reading about Jonah with a free ebook download. Since then, I've been looking into a heap of different Biblical "comics" on the iTunes/iBooks Store. Each book is roughly 40pages long, telling a story of the Bible in amazing, colourful artwork. The cost of each comic is fairly cheap - I bought "The Revelation" this morning for only a few dollars.

You can download a "sample" in the iTunes Store!

I love the Bible in its many translations, though some books I've read very little, if any at all, because of the complexity of it. Prime example for myself and many other readers: "The Book of Revelation" also known as "The Book of Apocalypse". It is a book that many will shy away from because of its name and contents: "666, the mark of the beast"... Dragons... beast riding whores... a book of revelation indeed, and the end of time itself.

Though I have read parts of the original, Biblical book, I haven't been able to read the entire thing. I've known a fair bit of what it entails, but it is always going to be the most misunderstood book in the Bible.

Now I own the graphic novel version of it, which makes for much easier, relaxed reading. As soon as the download was complete, I started reading, flipping page after page of marvellous art, learning about the final book in the Bible. Probably the best few dollars I've spent in a long time!

The contents of the book would scare a vast number of people, and rightly so. I just kick back and relax with the story, somewhat looking forward to this point in history. Though a sinner, I try to lead a good life, looking forward to death. For death isn't the end, as many believe, but it is the beginning of the eternity which I will spend with my God - the One, True, Triune God in the persons of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Finding God in Everyday Life

Since I started reading "The Way" by St. Josemaría Escrivá I have been growing in sanctity - or holiness - looking at life through a different lens, increasingly thinking of God and life. Sometimes that inspiration will come from the strangest of places; today from a friend who isn't religious (though I don't think they're atheist.)


They were telling me about a documentary that they had seen about people who had "technically died," but came back to life. All of these people talked of how they saw a light, felt a deep sense of peace/pleasure and wanting to go "into the light." Some saw deceased family members telling them to go back, as nice and peaceful as it was, not to "enter the light." Some even said how when they were bought back to life, they were somehow annoyed because they loved this strange feeling of death.


These people all "died" from different reasons: accidents of different sorts, or on the operating table. Except one person who had a very different experience: feeling pain, burning, not wanting to be there at all and hating every second they were there. That person tried to suicide, but lived to tell of their "hellish experience."


I'm not the best on Biblical knowledge, though know enough that only certain sins will give you eternal damnation. No pleas to Jesus' Divine Mercy or asking for Our Lady's intercession. One of those sins it to blaspheme the Holy Spirit: "And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven." - Luke 12:10.

Another sin is to make changes to Holy Scripture: "For I testify unto everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, and from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." - Revelation 22:18-19.

The third sin that will give you eternal damnation is suicide, just what the one person in this documentary tried to do as their final act on earth! Why is it such a sin to kill yourself, though? Here are two good enough reasons, I'm sure there are plenty of others you could find: "God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." - Genesis 1:27.

"Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are." - 1 Corinthians 3:16-17.

If one cannot blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, one cannot expect to kill the temple of the Holy Spirit and not expect the same outcome!

Having said all this, suicide is a very real issue. If you are suicidal, hopefully reading this will change your decision to take that path. Talk to people and let them know how you feel. Life can get pretty bad at times, some people don't have many problems in life while others seem to get heaped with problem after problem.

I myself have been suicidal at times in my life. As much as I would love to be in Heaven with my God - no more pain, no more suffering - I know I won't have a chance if I end it myself. Having a spiritual belief/religion does help in life; if one of those ways it helps is to make you not give up on life, that can only be a good thing! Life does get better though, we have our rough patches but we have our good times as well. Start to look at life from a different perspective - through a different lens as I like to say.

Comics/Graphic Novels, Christian-style.

During the week in my many random internet searches, I found several websites full of Biblical comics of different length: some short others longer, more like a graphic novel. Cartoons are simply a different way of telling a story, though I read them because of the artwork, for some that aren't the best readers it can be a way of getting into reading without simply reading text after text.

I'm a good reader, but sometimes you want something easier to read - cuts to the chase and lets you get into a story without spending weeks or months flipping page of text after text. This week I found a free download of a comic on the Prophet Jonah. I downloaded it straight away and started to look at samples of many other comics by the same publishing company.

I've never really read about Jonah. While I knew he was eaten by a large fish (whale or shark) I didn't know anything else about him, apart from knowing he is a Jewish Prophet of the Old Testament. After reading the whole comic on my iPad, I read a little bit more of factual text in the last few pages.

I'm always amazed when I learn something new from the Bible, and this time was no different. Several years ago I learned, with the help of some Jehovah's Witnesses, about scientific facts found in the Bible, such as the earth being round which wasn't proved until more recent times. Reading on truths of the world - scientific truths - does a great thing for my faith. It confirms it.

I always thought it's a pretty far-fetched story to be eaten by a whale, and live to tell the truth about it. Until this week. I found that it is very possible to have that happen, and two people in more recent times have lived to tell about it. You can be stuck in the whale until it swims closer to the shore and spits you out. Obviously something inside the whale changes your appearance in some way, which is why the people in Nineveh would have seen Jonah as a man from God with a pale complexion and whitish hair.

Considering I've been raised and educated a Catholic, I haven't read too much of the Bible (a fair chunk of it though!) so there are many Prophets writings and teachings I am yet to learn. Though reading comics and graphic novels cannot replace reading the actual Holy Scriptures, it is a fast-tracked way I can learn about them, referring to my Bible as I read.

The publisher of this Jonah comic have a pretty big range of Biblical stories - they even have one on the Book of Revelation! Their prices are fairly cheap too, so come pay day I think I'll buy an iTunes card and buy a few eBooks from the iBook Store!

Here's a link to that particular Jonah comic.

May the Holy Spirit bless and work in me as I continue to grow in faith!

Apocalypse 14:13

This was the First Reading I read at my Grandmothers Funeral.

Elizabeth "Maree" Dalton born 27 July 1929, died 22 April 2009 age 79.

I, John, heard a voice from heaven say to me, "Write down:
Happy are those who die in the Lord! Happy indeed, the Spirit says;
now they can rest for ever after their work,
since their good deeds go with them."

Let not your heart be troubled.

John 14:1-6

Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God: believe also in me. In my Father's house there are many mansions. If not, I would have told you: because I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I shall go, and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will take you to myself; that where I am, you also may be. And whither I go to you know, and the way you know.
Thomas saith to him: Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me.