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45+ min ago (491+ words) The suspect, who was described as wearing dark clothing and estimated to be in his 30s, is still at large. https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/brown-university-shooting-12-13-25 Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed. - /account/dismiss-notice?notice_id=118 CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on…...

56+ min ago (284+ words) By Dennis Prager at ( www.prageru.com ) " " " But there is a catch." The Ten Commandments are predicated on the belief that they were given by an Authority higher than any man, any king, or any government." That's why the sentence preceding the Ten Commandments asserts the following: "God spoke all these words." " " "Another problem with the view that you don't need God to believe that murder is wrong, is that a lot of people haven't shared your view." And you don't have to go back very far in history to prove this." In the twentieth century millions of people in Communist societies and under Nazism killed about one hundred million people " and that doesn't count a single soldier killed in war." Deuteronomy 6:4-7" " Hear, O Israel:" The Lord"our God, the"Lord is one." Love"the"Lord your God with all…...

1+ hour, 2+ min ago (248+ words) A devotional for week three of Advent For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. When the world asks'almost demands'that we enjoy Christmas, the Advent of Christ invites us into a deeper joy. In Scripture, joy is experienced when something good is received or something wonderful has happened. The nativity story overflows with it: Zechariah and Elizabeth receive their son, John; John leaps in Elizabeth's womb at the presence of Jesus; and Mary realizes that salvation is coming for God's people. Songs of joy fill the air around us during the Christmas season. But isn't it true that often there is a minor key in the soundtrack? Life's disappointments and sorrows are the real context into which this joyful message comes. During one…...

2+ hour, 6+ min ago (1028+ words) A carol service hosted by far-Right activist Tommy Robinson passed off peacefully in London on Saturday despite fears to the contrary. Around 1,000 people are reported to have attended the controversial figure's outdoor service in Parliament Square. Many of them were dressed in festive attire and wearing Santa hats. Addressing the crowds, Robinson - real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon - said he had been on his "own path" with the Christian faith in recent months." "In 15 years of activism, hundreds of demonstrations, hundreds of gatherings, this is the most beautiful moment I've had in my life as an activist," he said. "Moments like this bring me closer to faith," he added. "People say, why are you here today? We're here to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and everyone of us, including ourselves, need to ask what that means to us." Traditional carols were…...

2+ hour, 27+ min ago (333+ words) Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew presided over the Divine Liturgy on Saturday, December 13, at the Vatopedi Metochion of Saint Andrew in Galata. The service marked the feast of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, commemorated according to the Julian calendar, and the patronal celebration of the Russian-speaking Orthodox community of Constantinople. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the Ecumenical Patriarch ordained five young members of the community to the rank of Readers. In his homily, the Patriarch referred to the recent visit of Pope Leo XIV of Rome to the headquarters of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, as well as to their joint pilgrimage to Nicaea of Bithynia, undertaken on the occasion of the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council held there in 325. The Ecumenical Patriarch also expressed his particular joy at once again celebrating the feast of the Apostle Andrew together with…...

2+ hour, 32+ min ago (763+ words) Reading 1 Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10 The desert and the parched land will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bloom. They will bloom with abundant flowers, and rejoice with joyful song. The glory of Lebanon will be given to them, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God. Strengthen the hands that are feeble, make firm the knees that are weak, say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing. Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return and enter Zion singing, crowned…...

2+ hour, 48+ min ago (1778+ words) Host Stassi Schroeder reunites the cast to explore scandals in the Season 3 Reunion Infidelity, divorce, even "soft-swinging" - not words traditionally associated with Christianity, but just some of the themes in the hit US reality show, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. The TV series follows a group of female influencers in Utah - the home of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) - as they deal with friendship fall-outs, romantic problems, and their relationship with their faith. "These Latter-day Saints are no angels," last month's trailer for season three declared, setting the tone for what was to come. The show became the most-watched unscripted season premiere of 2024 on Hulu and continues to attract millions of global viewers there and on Disney+. And the cast of women, who previously gained notoriety on TikTok under their "MomTok" banner, have gained scores…...

2+ hour, 54+ min ago (585+ words) End of the Davidic Dynasty In the Old Testament the Kingdom of Israel the stories of the kings and queens of Israel and Judah are told in the first and second book of Kings. The last king of Judah descended from King David was King Zedekiah, originally named Mattaniah (2 Kings 24:17--25:7), when Jeremiah was the prophet. After this Jerusalem was destroyed and the Babylonian exile began. When the Parthians attacked Jerusalem, Herod went to Rome for help and he was appointed king of the Jews by the Senate should he reconquer it. He returned and with Roman help overthrew the Parthians and from 37 BC ruled as a Roman client king for over thirty years. Much of what we know about King Herod comes from a Jewish historian called Josephus who wrote a history of the Jewish people. Herod was unpopular with…...

3+ hour, 2+ min ago (813+ words) The New York Times recently claimed that Latter-day Saint women are "taking over our screens" " dominating reality TV, social media influence and entrepreneurial ventures. Nearly half this season's "Dancing With the Stars" professionals were raised in the church. And cast members from "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" are landing Broadway roles, book deals and millions of followers. This presents a puzzle: How does an institution frequently criticized as patriarchal and restrictive produce such a disproportionate number of visible, successful, entrepreneurial women? Life in the church is hard to square with our typical expectations for personal freedom. However, "high demand" religion is also high yield. Jesus Christ warned us that we'd have to lose our life in order to find it, which Elder L. Tom Perry taught as "obedience to law is liberty." Elder Perry's point was that divine laws are…...

3+ hour, 29+ min ago (208+ words) The Church commemorates Martyrs Thyrsus, Leucius, Callinicus, Philemon, and others. Saints Thyrsus, Leucius, Callinicus lived during the reign of the emperor Decius, which was an era of great persecution of Christians. They were from Caesarea in Bithynia, Asia Minor. They were born to prominent families. They were always humble and lived a life of piety. [] The Church commemorates Martyrs Thyrsus, Leucius, Callinicus, Philemon, and others. Saints Thyrsus, Leucius, Callinicus lived during the reign of the emperor Decius, which was an era of great persecution of Christians. They were from Caesarea in Bithynia, Asia Minor. They were born to prominent families. They were always humble and lived a life of piety. Saint Thyrsus also confessed his Faith in front of the Emperor. He was sentenced to cruel tortures but he remained steadfast to the Christian Faith. The pagan priest Callinicus, seeing…...