Here’s the church… Where’s the steeple?
The inverted Cross atop Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis dangled from the steeple on Wednesday following a rare downtown twister as the ELCA Churchwide Assembly was in legislative session across the street at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
Things that make you go, hmmm…
Countless spiritual souls over the ages have commented on seeing God in all things. So, how about manifestations of physical evils found within nature, or, as the American justice system calls them: Acts of God… Perhaps a lesson from the fig tree — re-reading Mark 13: 5-6, 28-29 — occured Wednesday on 3rd street in downtown Minneapolis, Mn.
First, this from the Catholic News Agency yesterday:
Minneapolis, Minn., Aug 18, 2009 / 11:38 pm (CNA).- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is considering a proposal that would allow members in homosexual relationships to serve as clergy. It has denied a motion to require a higher proportion of votes for the proposal to pass.
On Monday delegates gathered at the Minneapolis Convention Center rejected a proposal to require approval from a two-thirds supermajority instead of a simple majority when the measure comes to a final vote, expected on Friday.
ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson cautioned earlier in the day that the outcome of the majority versus supermajority vote shouldn’t be seen as strongly indicating how the debate will be decided.
Supporters of the high threshold for passage said it was necessary to signal wide support for a major change in the church’s approach to homosexuality. About 43 percent of the 1,045 voting delegates supported the higher standard, the Associated Press says.
Other topics of consideration include a broader statement on sexuality, a 34-page document that reportedly would establish a theological framework for differing views of homosexuality. Critics say it would liberalize the ELCA.
The ELCA claims about 4.7 million members and 10,000 congregations in the United States.
Coincidence, or, co-incidents?
Consideration of the proposed Social Statement on Human Sexuality document was scheduled to begin on Wednesday, August 19, at 2:oo p.m.
According to the website of the Central Lutheran Church located across the street from the conference center, where the assembly was in session, the tornado passed through downtown Minneapolis near CLC at, you guessed it, approximately 2:00 p.m…
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PHOTO CREDIT: Joe Bjordal
fratres.wordpress.com 
Mojo,
Mike S & Meatwad are simply demonstrating how much happier & more fulfilling spirituality is when you choose to remake it in your own image. 😉
It is ironic that their proof of the failings of Christianity is that it is full of sinners; while our proof of the need for Christianity is that the world is full of sinners.
If they want to find a church of perfect spirituality, they will open the doors only to find that it contains no people – and that they themselves are not allowed admittance either.
Don’t laugh at them – it is a cry for help – give them the pity, and the prayer, that these lost souls need and deserve…
You are a comedian Grace, or that name of Grace, yet tosses an insult like a breeze.
Seriously Grace, why would someone buy into a “faith” build on the lies and liars of judism? You can’t tell when a bunko scam is in operation, and they closed down those police duties, for why??
Your first amend,ment states for the law makers not to pass a law of respect for religions,,, enjoy your income taxes because they would never be if religions paid a tithe to the government instead of that illegal income / wage tax. Imagine the outcry that a preacher would have to be an honest tax payer, just imagine the extra added accounting work etc. Naw, you can’t make a preacher do all that accounting, it would prove he is the fraud.
Meatwad,
Obviously you have never talked to clergy, who are amongst the highest taxed citizens in our great land. As a parish pastor, i received as cash income of a little over $16K. After state and federal taxes (including Self-Employment tax), my annual income was 10K/year. Clergy pay their fair share and more.
From The Editor to Mike S and All:
You said:
It’s mind-boggling that there are so many people here who know God’s Will intimately, they know when an event is a Divine Warning! What an impressive group of people, who have the ability to know the Will of the Creator!
God’s will, the will of the Creator, is your sanctification. Holiness. The meaning of life: to come to know, love, and serve God in this life and be with him forever in the next is, again, the will of God. All of this is possible due only to God’s own gratuitous self-revelation within time, an act of love and divine mercy within the unfolding of human history which reached its fullness with the incarnation and birth of God made man on earth, Jesus Christ—true God and true man. The very meaning of Christmas is an personal and intimate self-revelation of God and his will toward man… Peace on earth to all men of good will… This peace God offers each soul was purchased on the Cross by the child who freely chose to become the Man of all Sorrows. Sorrow (and death) is born of sin, and Christ is the cure for both.
All the evils of the world decried here, seen and unseen, are therefore not unknown to God. There are evils of the spiritual order (bad spirits), physical evils (natural disasters), moral evils (personal sin), and societal evils (national/global sin), and so even within disasters and catastrophes men should take heed of a warning and consider their own lives and state of their souls. The perfect justice of God cannot allow the law of his love to be transgressed perpetually by mere creatures. For that is what we are, whether its realized or not, creations (creatures) of God the Creator. And here is where men find their true dignity above all other creatures–we have been beautifully created to come to know, love, and serve God.
All this is, again, ordered toward holiness. The sanctification of men so that they may live eternally in God forever, who alone, is all holy. It is not that anyone has loved God first, but, that God has loved us first that we have come to know the will of the Creator. Your created soul is capable of personal communion with God in time. And this comes about through prayer and repentance from sin with the goal of freely giving onesself over to the God of Love.
Sin disfigures this plan of God for man’s eternal holiness—be they Christian or not. The difference being that Christians have at their disposal the cure for sin within the sacraments Christ instituted on earth. Namely, here, personal confession within the Sacrament of Reconciliation. And as any authentic Christian will admit, if we say we have no sin we are liars and do not know God. As it’s God’s own Spirit which convinces us, unless we have allowed mortal sin to kill off the work of sanctification within our souls. Which, happens… And if one dies on earth in such a sad state of unrepentance, hell is a real possibilty for such an one.
Remember, this is God’s own self-revelation to man, not man’s. Hell exists.
You said:
Do you need to go through a period of fasting and praying and spiritual development to become sensitive to God’s Will? I mean, exactly how does one gain that ability? Or does God simply grant it to all Christians?
Yes, conversion Mike. And to this end I’ll leave all here, (including fallen Catholics raised without coming to know the Principle of their faith), with the gift of God to all men from the Cross so that they might know Him: The Blessed Virgin Mother of God, who by Her “Yes” became the Mother of Divine Grace on earth for all peoples…. As a former enemy of Christ and His Church, (like many here), I attest to the fact that Mary is the quickest, surest, and safest way to the True God made flesh, Her Son, Jesus–
“Amid dangers, difficulties, and doubts, think of Mary, invoke Mary’s aid…. If you follow her, you will not stray; if you entreat her, you will not lose hope; if you reflect upon her, you will not err; if she supports you, you will not fall; if she protects you, you will not fear; if she leads you, you will not grow weary; if she is propitious, you will reach your goal….” (St. Bernard, Second Homily on the Missus est: PL CLXXXIII, 70-71.)
Find a Rosary, learn to pray it, be sincere in your search for God, and your soul, (according to its need for conversion), will both see and hear the holy things indescribable by the tongues of men. Its then, that the value of the Catholic Church for ones spiritual needs on earth will become clearer and clearer, as she alone contains the full deposit of divine faith, God’s own self-revelation and salvation, past and present–God Himself…
It’s a regrettable mistake, as I’ve learned, to confuse the weakness and sins of Christians with that of the Power and Holiness of God.
Merry Christmas to all,
james mary evans
“I attest to the fact that Mary is the quickest, surest, and safest way to the True God made flesh, Her Son, Jesus”
Spoken like a true believing catholic. You catholics have every angel and good spirit ever to live in your flock, but you fail to speak of the Father in heaven. It is Mary, Jesus, and all others but the Father. I know this is going over your head, with that trinity deception ingrained in your faith, you think talking about Jesus is talking of his father. How many passages have your Jesus speaking about his Father. Hmmm, somebody seems schitzo, speaking about his fahter but he is himself’s father??? Rubbuh room time for you believers in deceptions!
I have this for you, who is Lucifer? RIGHT! L-boy is duh BaahdMann, something about “a bright morning star” is Lucifer, some say its other names are Satan etc,,, right James Mary E? Yeah. Well I have some good gospel news for you found in revelation 22:16, it is actually red lettered in my copy, of the second to last words attributed to your Jesus christ the son father and holy crap, “I am the root and offspring of David, and the bright and morning star”,,, THAT is your Jesus speaking there James Mary. Seems you have fallen for the grand deception you are warned about, I just figured it all out fer yuh, yuh betchuh. Your Jesus confesses he is your Lucifer, now go wArship your great demon Jesus like a good tiny minded christian soldier.
2 Corinthians 11:14
And your point is?
In summary: “Gays cause tornadoes. Maybe.”
Maybe indeed. Pat Robertson would agree with you; Add earthquakes to that list. It’s just too bad God didn’t kill those Lutheran faggots. Maybe Jesus has a soft spot for queers who make a good casserole.
…
Obviously I’m being sarcastic. Are you serious? Are you honestly serious? This post is disgusting vitriol that lowers the level of conversation to raw religious hatred. Bad for humanity, bad for the Church. Do you think the Holy Father would insinuate what you’re insinuating? Christ have mercy on our sinful souls.
No debate needed, only a choice.
The Bible is His Holy Word, period or it’s not.
Your CHOICE, thanks to your creator.
He sent his only son, to be the your Lamb without blemish and make you right standing with God.
Seek & you will find.
Nothing more to say. The tornado was a nice hint for everyone. Know his Word, know his nature. The Bible has plenty to say about Homosexuality (usually in same reference to sex with animals, check it out)
He waits for you.
KNOCK and it will be opened to you.
ASK and you shall recieve.
SEEK and you will find.
It’s upto you. Don’t waste time worrying about the others, it will steal your joy. Rebuke the beahvior, love the person. PRAY for them.
As far as the denomination (divided nation), forget Religion. Get into His Word.
with love,
Amen (so-be-it)
Jeff G is speaking from The Way.
Yeshuah HaMoshiach came to redeem those that turn away from their hate. Which is the root of imperfection.
Moshiach paid the price for our lawlessness with His blood. The work is done as far as forgiveness is concerned.. the rest is up too you to realize that you need to be forgiven and then take The Creator up on that offer by Loving Him with all your heart mind and soul… and your neighbor as yourself.
We are not called to stop sin itself, but to help redeem those answering the call of freedom. Sinners will sin we should know that by our lives… but with the breath Or Spirit of our Maker can help us begin redemption in our lives if we are humble enough to admit we fail on our own.
Forget religion and follow the Way of Yeshuah.. its found in Torah and the Gospels of Yeshuah.
The steeple was there for 90 years. One of the key points to the Titantic sinking was that man at the time thought it unsinkable. It sank and so has the ELCA. Nothing agaisnt the folks caught in the homo deals but clearly it not the way to heaven as it does not bring forth life. Its not going to hell it is hell. All things are a choice by saying it is not a choice is covering for the ones who do not want it to be- it does not help the young move forward. And worse cast doubt on many who who seen the light.
2 Timothy 4:3
3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
They have many excuses to keep the easily fooled in their grasp. Lets get down to basics. The original known as your old testament, has words to the effect, “do not change one word, remove any word, nor add to these words”. Yet the entire ‘New Testament” is a complete works of additions to those words. The behavior of the majority of the followers of those additions, make them appear as servants of the adversary to the Creator. Just listen to their many ‘excuses’ when logic is attempted. They say “it is literal” in one argument, and “it is metaphoric” in another over the same words.
Just as the slavery abolitionist used the same verses to defend their position, as the slave holders for their position. Only the servants of demons can pull that trick off and think they are coming out on top.
Reblogged this on GroomsDayPrepper.