Should Christians Celebrate Halloween? Is That True? Not A Palestinian State. Hospitals Profit on Junk Food.

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Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

Halloween is a major holiday in the Western world for people of various backgrounds. Can Halloween celebrations be reconciled with a Christian worldview and lifestyle? The Bible holds the answer.

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Does Halloween serves a positive Christian purpose?

Tuesday night millions of children around the nation will be donning costumes, ringing doorbells and uttering the traditional "trick or treat" Halloween greeting. Most people consider this a harmless, fun activity for children. Others condemn the entire occasion because of the pagan origin of the day and connect it with demonism and the occult.

An article from a prominent Christian magazine suggested that "Christians should embrace the 'devilish' holiday with gusto—and laughter." The author suggests that Halloween presents us with an opportunity to "mock" and "laugh at" Satan and "the forces of evil."

A local pastor, writing wistfully of his past childhood Halloween celebration, said, "I enjoyed being a devil." He asserted that "a child doesn’t think of a red devil as an enemy of God or the apostle of hate and destruction." He went on to defend wearing costumes as merely superficial, and suggested that opposition to celebrating Halloween stems from lack of confidence in Christian beliefs.

Really only harmless fun?

Wait a minute! Is it unchristian for parents not to want their children to dress up as the Devil? Or does Satan the Devil even exist? According to a recent Barna survey, nearly 50 percent of professing Christians do not believe that Satan is a living being. For these folks, the whole question must be a moot point. But perhaps the rest of us ought to reconsider our perspective regarding Halloween.

Would anyone dare to suggest applying this reasoning to Hitler? Would wearing Hitler masks and swastikas and dressing like the skeletal remains of his victims be an appropriate way to "laugh at" Hitler and "mock" the diabolical evils of Nazism?

Is Satan a laughing matter? Does God want our children to associate fun and treats with the forces of evil?

I am not implying that a child who puts on a Halloween mask is dabbling in the occult or is in danger of demon possession. I am simply questioning the suggestion that Halloween serves a positive Christian purpose.

According to Deuteronomy 12:31-32 God does not approve of recycling, reconstituting and relabeling pagan customs to celebrate Christian events.

Carnal holidays trumped by God's Holy Days

My wife and I just finished celebrating eight fun-filled days of the Feast of Tabernacles with more than 700 men, women and children here in Central Oregon. I so much wish all of Christianity could share the joy of this meaningful occasion. Here is a God-ordained festival that was observed by Jesus, Paul and the apostolic Church and is still celebrated today by many Christians. It is one of seven annual Holy Days that foreshadow future events in God's plan (Colossians 2:16-17) rather than focusing on the powers of darkness that form the legacy of Halloween.

Anyone who dares express objections to Halloween has two strikes against him: 1. It is fun for the kids, and 2. It is a long-standing, firmly entrenched custom in our culture.

But the Feast of Tabernacles has Halloween beat in both categories: 1. It is fun for kids and the whole family and is eight days long, and 2. It was established thousands of years ago by God Himself. And most importantly, it and all of Holy Days of the Bible teach valuable lessons about the plan of God.”  From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/should-christians-celebrate-halloween

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Is That True?

“Occasionally in life you come across something that goes so contrary to your beliefs that you exclaim, “Is that true?!”

Growing up, I became familiar with the concept of “pagan” or “paganism.” These were pejorative terms that were used to describe practices which were steeped in the worship of a different god and in opposition to Christianity.

Even as a child, when I first learned that Easter and Christmas had their origins in pagan customs, I avoided celebrating these days. Anything “pagan” was clearly something to be avoided; but as I quickly learned, not everyone agreed with that idea.

Over the years, the term “pagan” has increasingly taken on a more benign meaning. Take, for example, Halloween, which comes up in a couple of days. If you do even a cursory search on the Internet, you will find that Halloween is a celebration praised by those who profess witchcraft as their religious preference.

There is actually a church for witches that provides a list of ways to celebrate Easter, Halloween and Christmas as primary days of worship for pagans. They refer to them as Ostara, goddess of the spring and the beginning of life; the Festival of the Dead, which we call Halloween; and the Yule festival, which we call Christmas. These three festivals have “pagan” stamped all over them, so how is it that more than a billion people professing Christianity also celebrate them each year?

According to its pagan origins, the evening of Oct. 31 is when the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is at its thinnest level. Nov. 1 is the first day of the Celtic new year and the day set aside for all saints in the Catholic religion.

Oct. 31, Halloween, is a celebration of this crossover between the world of the dead and the world of the living. It is celebrated by people dressing up in costume to commemorate those who are called the living dead—goblins, ghosts and ghouls. Some try to Christianize the celebration by using the term “hallowed” or holy evening. But it is a vain attempt to add Christianity to something that is clearly pagan.

Isn’t it time we looked at our lives and asked some basic questions about what we are doing? Whenever you see a celebration that isn’t found in the Bible, yet is proclaimed to be Christian, shouldn’t you ask, “Is that true?” After all, isn’t Christianity supposed to be based on truth?

The truth of the matter is that Easter, Christmas and Halloween are not found in the Bible. They originate in pagan celebrations. They were adopted and integrated into mainstream Christianity centuries ago.  

Can you really be a Christian and embrace pagan rituals? Isn’t this in conflict with the first two of the 10 Commandments, which are against worshipping other gods—the goddess of spring, the sun god and, oh yes, let’s not forget the god of the underworld, who is being honored this week on Halloween?

We live in a world of lies and distortions of fact. Don’t just follow customs that are attractive! Ask questions; and whenever you’re presented with a celebration that is called Christian, never forget to ask, “Is that true?”  From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/speaking-of/is-that-true/

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I'm sure you all have friends who are asking questions, you can send them this :

1)Before the modern state of Israel there was the British mandate, Not a Palestinian state .

2) Before the British mandate there was the ottoman empire, Not a Palestinian state .

3) Before the ottoman empire there was the Islamic mamluk sultanate of Egypt, Not a Palestinian state .

4) Before the Islamic mamluk sultanate of Egypt there was the ayyubid dynasty, Not a Palestinian state . Godfrey of bouillon conquered it in 1099.

5) Before the ayyubid dynasty there was the Christian kingdom of Jerusalem, Not a Palestinian state .

6) Before the Christian kingdom of Jerusalem there was the Fatimid caliphate, Not a Palestinian state .

7) Before the Fatimid caliphate there was the byzantine empire, Not a Palestinian state .

8) Before the byzantine empire there was the Roman empire, Not a Palestinian state .

9) Before the Roman empire there was the hasmonean dynasty, Not a Palestinian state .

10)Before the hasmonean dynasty there was the Seleucid empire,Not a Palestinian state .

11) Before the Seleucid empire there was the empire of Alexander the 3rd of Macedon, Not a Palestinian state .

12) Before the empire of Alexander the 3rd of Macedon there was the Persian empire, Not a Palestinian state .

13) Before the Persian empire there was the Babylonian empire, Not a Palestinian state .

14) Before the Babylonian empire there was the kingdoms of Israel and Judea, Not a Palestinian state .

15) Before the kingdoms of Israel and Judea there was the kingdom of Israel, Not a Palestinian state .

16) Before the kingdom of Israel there was the theocracy of the 12 tribes of Israel, Not a Palestinian state .

17) Before the theocracy of the 12 tribes of Israel there was the individual state of Canaan, Not a Palestinian state .

In fact in this corner of the earth there was everything but a Palestinian state!

Origins @voiceofisrael

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Hospitals Profit on Junk Food

Transcript of video at: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/hospitals-profit-on-junk-food/

Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.

“Why is hospital food so unhealthy?

Put in stark terms, cardiovascular disease claims one American life every 39 seconds”; and for most heart attack deaths, you just keel over. “Sudden cardiac death is the first manifestation of coronary heart disease for the majority of individuals, particularly among women.”  So, for many of these sudden death victims, their first indication of the presence of heart disease was their demise. They didn’t even know they had heart disease! That’s why an ounce of prevention is worth way more than a pound of cure, because there is no cure for dead.

But that’s why the prevention of sudden cardiac death remains such a major public health challenge, because most people don’t even know they’re at risk. But we’ve known for over a half century, when we first started autopsying young servicemen who died in the Korean war, that coronary artery disease begins in our youth even among young children. So, business as usual is simply “not going to yield the improvements necessary to radically improve the cardiovascular health of the United States.”

But the good news is “a low-risk lifestyle (not smoking, exercising regularly, having a prudent diet, and maintaining a healthy weight)” may be able to wipe out the vast majority of risk for sudden cardiac death. So, “the time is now long overdue to start aggressive preventive cardiovascular disease programs in our schools, our homes, and our worksites.” How about starting in our hospitals?

A significant percentage of hospitals surveyed had fast food restaurants inside them, with Krispy Kreme topping the list. Brilliant marketing, given that families surveyed in hospitals with McDonald’s were twice as likely to think McDonald’s was healthy—after all, they let it in a hospital. But what about food served in hospital cafeterias themselves? Are they much better? 384 entrees were analyzed at 14 children’s hospitals in California, and only 7 percent could be classified as healthy. And just in case someone accidentally picked the rare healthy option, 81 percent of eating venues in children’s hospitals made sure to have junky impulse buys like ice cream, cookies, and candy near the checkout register. And 38 percent had signs that explicitly encouraged unhealthy eating. Why would they do that?

If you ask hospital cafeteria managers that exact question: “Why they don’t tend to follow nutrition standards?” “Why nutrition is not a top priority?”  It’s the same answer why unhealthy food is sold anywhere else—the pressure to generate profit. “Increased emphasis [is being] placed on running a hospital foodservice department as a profit center,” a bigger and bigger profit center. It’s such a metaphor for our sickness-care system in general, where healthy treat-the-cause approaches are eclipsed by the pills and procedures that bring in the most money.

Well, what do you expect from the private sector? But public hospitals don’t seem much better. A 2019 analysis of veterans’ hospitals found that “all VA hospitals contain vending machines providing a majority of soda, candy, and junk foods that directly conflict with” our government’s own healthy food choice recommendations such that, ironically, “hospital visits could theoretically promote worse health.” This raises the question why any soda or candy machines are available at our VA hospitals? “Are we trading the health of our veterans for profits?”

Maybe it’s time to ban junk food on hospital premises. “On daily rounds it is appalling to see patients…gorging on [potato chips, candy, and soda]—the very food[s] that may have contributed to their admission in the first place”—obscene to see fast food franchises on site, legitimizing “the acceptability and consumption of such foods in the daily diet.” “The obesity epidemic represents a public health crisis, but it is a public health scandal that by legitimizing junk food, hospitals have themselves become a risk factor for diet-related disease.” Maybe “it’s time to stop selling sickness in the hospital….” What message do residents receive when they are fed pizza and soda pop at grand rounds on obesity? We need a healthcare system with “more Hippocrates and less hypocrisy.”  From: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/hospitals-profit-on-junk-food/

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Does God Have A Plan For My Life? Are We in the Last Days? Why Milk Is Bad For You And Your Bones.

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Does God Have A Plan For My Life?

Nirmal Rajendharkumar/Unsplash

“One of the top verses searched for on the Internet is Jeremiah 29:11. Why?

What we think would be a great plan for our life may not be what our Father has planned. And it may not be in our best interest.

People use the search bar of their Internet browsers to look up answers for information on every topic imaginable. Its also a very popular way of searching for biblical scriptures.

One of the top verses searched is Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Why is this verse sought out, searched for and quoted so often?

Jeremiah 29:11 touches upon two powerful desires of the human mind and heart:

1. We want reassurance that God has a plan and purpose for human life. In fact, the very popular New International Version translation reads: "I know the plans I have for you..."

2. We want reassurance God has blessings in store for us.

The verse provides great comfort by confirming that God does indeed have a plan for our life, and that His plan includes wonderful blessings.

But this verse is short on details as to what our Creator's plan entails and what sort of blessings He has in store for us. It is all to easy to take a verse like this and fill in the details on these two points with our own hopes and desires.

What we think would be a great plan for our life may not be what our Father has planned. And it may not be in our best interest. Likewise, our idea of how we would prefer to be blessed may not be the same as what He has mind, and may not help shape us into the sort of person that fits into "the plan."

God plainly tells us that He thinks differently than we do. In Isaiah 55:8-9 we read "'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the LORD. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts in your thoughts.'"

Is it possible to know details about God's plan?

Yes, you can know God's amazing plan for your life because it is spelled out in the pages of your own Bible. And you might be surprised that what you actually find in the pages of the Bible is different from what you have been told is there.

To gain deeper understanding of the plan God has for your life, request our free Bible study aid: "Why Were You Born?"

This small but important booklet will carefully walk you through what the scriptures really say about the plans God has in mind for you, plans for good outcomes and a positive future.”  From: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/does-god-have-a-plan-for-my-life?

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Are We in the Last Days?

“Many believe the world will go on indefinitely as it always has, but what does the Bible say? Will there be a set of last days? When will the last days be?

Many people would likely back away from you if you were to say that humanity is now in the last days approaching the end of the age spoken of in the Bible.

The book of Revelation focuses on a time when a conglomeration of nations will be united under a government led by two individuals known as the beast and the false prophet, who will capture the hearts and minds of hundreds of millions of people through spectacular miracles, such as calling down fire from heaven. Their reign and existence will ultimately end at Jesus Christ’s second coming (Revelation 17-19).

The period of time when these and other end-of-the-world prophecies will be fulfilled is sometimes called “the last days.”

It’s a time that God’s servants have eagerly anticipated for thousands of years, but for nonbelievers it’s a target for laughter and mockery and simply more reason to believe that Christians are just fanatics who believe in apocalyptic fiction. 

But are those last days real?    More relevant: Are you now living in those last days?

What does the Bible mean by last days? 

Continued at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/end-times/last-days/?

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Debunking The Milk Myth: Why Milk Is Bad For You And Your Bones

“Did you know that in Medieval England parents would tie rabbits' feet around their babies’ necks to ward off illness? Doctors would also spit on wounds because saliva was believed to have healing properties.

Indeed, history is replete with unfounded health beliefs, and to everyone’s detriment, the milk myth is among the most tenacious.

Milk is much more than just a drink; it’s a cultural phenomenon that can be traced back thousands of years. And still today, the milk myth resonates loud and clear: in 2001, the average American child consumed 104 quarts of cow’s milk.

Milk depletes the calcium from your bones

The milk myth has spread around the world based on the flawed belief that this protein and calcium-rich drink is essential to support good overall health and bone health in particular at any age. It is easy to understand that the confusion about milk's imaginary benefits stems from the fact that it contains calcium – around 300 mg per cup.

But many scientific studies have shown an assortment of detrimental health effects directly linked to milk consumption. And the most surprising link is that not only do we barely absorb the calcium in cow’s milk (especially if pasteurized), but to make matters worse, it actually increases calcium loss from the bones. What an irony this is!

Here’s how it happens. Like all animal protein, milk acidifies the body pH which in turn triggers a biological correction. You see, calcium is an excellent acid neutralizer and the biggest storage of calcium in the body is – you guessed it… in the bones. So the very same calcium that our bones need to stay strong is utilized to neutralize the acidifying effect of milk. Once calcium is pulled out of the bones, it leaves the body via the urine, so that the surprising net result after this is an actual calcium deficit.

Knowing this, you’ll understand why statistics show that countries with the lowest consumption of dairy products also have the lowest fracture incidence in their population (there’s more on this later).

But the sad truth is that most mainstream health practitioners ignore these proven facts. I know it firsthand because when I was diagnosed with osteoporosis, my doctor recommended that I drink lots of milk in addition to taking Fosamax.

Fortunately, I did neither, because I knew that…

Cow’s milk is custom-designed for calves

Thanks to our creative ingenuity and perhaps related to our ancient survival needs, we adopted the dubious habit of drinking another species’ milk. Nobody can dispute that cow’s milk is an excellent food source for calves. Weighing around 100 pounds at birth, a calf typically gains approximately eight times its weight by the time it is weaned. But unlike humans, once calves are weaned, they never drink milk again. And the same applies to every mammalian species on this planet.

Also, each mammalian species has its own “designer” milk, and cow’s milk is no exception. For example, cow’s milk contains on average three times the amount of protein than human milk which creates metabolic disturbances in humans that have detrimental bone health consequences.

It's important to bear in mind that mother’s milk is excellent nourishment for human babies, but its composition is very different from cow’s milk.

Scientific studies show that milk increases fracture risk

Many scientific studies contradict the conventional wisdom that milk and dairy consumption help reduce osteoporotic fractures. Surprisingly, studies demonstrating that milk and dairy products actually fail to protect bones from fractures outnumber studies that prove otherwise. Even drinking milk from a young age does not protect against future fracture risk but actually increases it. Shattering the “savings account” calcium theory, Cumming and Klineberg report their study findings as follows:

“Consumption of dairy products, particularly at age 20 years, was associated with an increased risk of hip fracture in old age. (“Case-Control Study of Risk Factors for Hip Fractures in the Elderly”. American Journal of Epidemiology. Vol. 139, No. 5, 1994).¹

And the 12 year long Harvard Nurses' Health Study found that those who consumed the most calcium from dairy foods broke more bones than those who rarely drank milk. This is a broad study based on 77,761 women aged 34 through 59 years of age.

In the authors’ own words:

“These data do not support the hypothesis that higher consumption of milk or other food sources of calcium by adult women protects against hip or forearm fractures.” (Source: Feskanich D, Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA. Milk, dietary calcium, and bone fractures in women: a 12-year prospective study. American Journal of Public Health. 1997).²

Shocking statistics ignored by mainstream medicine

In the Osteoporosis Reversal Program one of the topics I discuss is the complete disregard of scientific evidence that discredits milk and dairy products as the best source of calcium.

One exception is Amy Lanou Ph.D., nutrition director for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, D.C., who states that:

“The countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis are the ones where people drink the most milk and have the most calcium in their diets. The connection between calcium consumption and bone health is actually very weak, and the connection between dairy consumption and bone health is almost nonexistent.”

Surprised? You shouldn’t be, because as I mentioned earlier in this article…

Milk is an acidifying animal protein

Like any other animal derived protein-rich food, milk has a positive potential renal acid load (PRAL) which triggers a protective biological reaction to neutralize all the damaging acidic protein before it reaches the kidneys.

The body is designed for survival, so it sacrifices bone density to protect the kidneys and urinary tract because the latter are essential to survival. And the most readily available source of acid neutralizer is in the bones. So even though milk contains calcium, it ends up sapping your bones of that crucial mineral. But that’s not all because…

Today’s milk is a processed food

Until the end of the 19th century in Europe and the beginning of the 20th century in the US, milk was consumed unpasteurized or raw. Later on, homogenization became the industry’s standard. These processes further alter milk’s chemistry and actually increase its detrimental acidifying effects.

Raw milk advocates claim that if cow’s milk is left “as is” it is a healthy and wholesome drink. It is true that raw milk is less acidifying than processed milk and that pasteurization and homogenization may cause a long list of digestive and other health problems, but I still don’t recommend drinking any kind of cow’s milk.

Nowadays, milking cows are given antibiotics and most are also injected with a genetically engineered form of bovine growth hormone (rBGH). A man-made or synthetic hormone used to artificially increase milk production, rBGH also increases blood levels of the insulin-growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in those who drink it. And higher levels of IGF-1 are linked to several cancers.

This should not be ignored, especially in view of recent information by Samuel Epstein, MD, Professor of Environmental Medicine at the University of Illinois School of Public Health, and Chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition. In a press release titled “Monsanto's Hormonal Milk Poses Serious Risks of Breast Cancer, Besides Other Cancers” (June 21, 1998) Dr. Epstein concludes that:

“Drinking rBGH milk would thus be expected to significantly increase IGF-1 blood levels and consequently to increase risks of developing breast cancer and promoting its invasiveness.”

Even though organic milk is from cows that are not given antibiotics or rBHG, if you truly care about your bone health and your overall health, you should…

Avoid drinking cow’s milk

As I explain in the Osteoporosis Reversal Program and contrary to mainstream recommendations, drinking milk and eating lots of dairy products are not the answer to reversing osteoporosis. And while in the Osteoporosis Reversal Program no food is completely off limits, I strongly recommend that you explore the different milk substitute options that I will list for you here.

But first, I’d like to clarify that unsweetened fermented or cultured dairy products such as yogurt, kefir, and sour cream are acid neutral. Yogurt in particular is chock-full of beneficial qualities. As is the case with milk, organic yogurt does not have rBGH, but even several of the most well-known yogurt brands have stopped using the bovine growth hormone (rBGH). You should call your favorite yogurt company to confirm. One more clarification: when I say unsweetened I mean without sugar or any artificial sweetener. However, you can add honey or stevia, a zero calorie plant-derived sweetener that is delicious and alkalizing as well. I like to carry around stevia packets in my purse so that I'm always able to sweeten food or drinks when I'm on the go.

The best milk substitutes

My favorite milk substitute is unsweetened almond milk, not only because it is alkalizing (as almonds are), but also because it's delicious and tastes very similar to milk. I even cook with it!

If almond milk is hard to get, you can also try rice or soy milk. I strongly suggest consuming only organic soy milk to insure it’s not made with genetically modified soy. There is also some controversy about unfermented soy products, so try to use it in moderation.

What Else Haven't They Told You?

What else have you been told about bone health by your doctor or other “experts” that is flat out wrong? What other “facts” (like drinking milk does a body good) are keeping you from optimal health?

Myths like these are a big reason I created the Osteoporosis Reversal Program. To give you the straight scoop on how to deal with osteoporosis the natural way.

I can help you take control of your future.

Learn more about the Osteoporosis Reversal Program here →

And remember, if you ever hear someone ask “Got milk?” smile and think to yourself “No, because I know better!”

And as always, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Share them with me and the rest of our community by leaving a comment below.”

From: https://saveourbones.com/osteoporosis-milk-myth/

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Also see: https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2018/08/christopher-gardner-busts-myths-about-milk.html

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The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. Meditate on These Things. The Best Diet for Colon Cancer Prevention.

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The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Will Peace Ever Come?

“The conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians appears to be unending. Will real, lasting peace between these two peoples ever be achieved?

Horrific violence broke out yet again Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists attacked Israeli civilians at a music festival and in communities near Gaza. In the early days of this latest war, more than a thousand Israelis and a thousand Palestinians died. Hamas also took about 150 hostages into Gaza.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen told the European Commission: “Hamas terrorists killed women and children in their homes. They hunted hundreds of young men and women who were celebrating life and music . . .

“These innocents were killed for one single reason: For being Jewish and living in the State of Israel. It is an ancient evil, which reminds us of the darkest past and shocks all of us to the core” (The Times of Israel).

The latest in a long history of conflict

Historically, the Middle East has been a hotbed of contention. Over the centuries the area now known as the nation of Israel and the Palestinian territories has been fought over again and again.

What is the importance of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to world peace and the future of mankind?

What brought about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

The recent history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict goes back at least 100 years (BBC.com).

The Ottoman Empire had ruled the area for hundreds of years, but after the Ottomans were defeated in World War I, Britain took control of the land. At the time, the population of Arabs was larger than the population of Jews in the area.

The number of Jews in the area increased between the 1920s and 1940s, especially after World War II and the Holocaust, as European Jews were fleeing persecution and seeking a homeland.

The newly formed United Nations (UN) in 1947 voted for the land to be split into two states—a Jewish state and an Arab state. Jerusalem was to become an international city. This plan was accepted by Jewish leaders, but rejected by the Arab leaders.

Within 12 months, Britain withdrew from the region leaving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict unsolved.

Jewish leaders immediately established the nation of Israel on May 14, 1948. The Palestinians objected, leading to a war between the state of Israel and the Palestinians and neighboring Arab countries. This war produced hundreds of thousands of Palestinian and Jewish refugees.

When fighting ended in 1949, Israel controlled the most land, including West Jerusalem, while Jordan controlled the West Bank (of the Jordan River) and East Jerusalem. Gaza was taken by Egypt.

Israel absorbed the Jewish refugees, but the Palestinians were not absorbed by the Arab nations, and many continue living in increasingly crowded refugee camps to this day.

Israeli-Palestinian conflicts and peace efforts

Since there was no peace agreement ending this war, the conflict continues to this day. Within the ongoing conflict, specific times of increased levels of fighting include:

• The 1956 Suez Crisis.
• The 1967 Six-Day War.
• The 1973 Yom Kippur War.
• The 1987 beginning of the First Intifada.
• The 2000 beginning of the Second Intifada.

Many other conflicts erupted between these and have continued ever since.

Many American presidents and others have attempted to negotiate peace deals in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with some successes and many frustrating failures. Some notable peace efforts include:

• The 1978 Camp David Accords, and subsequent 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt.
• The 1993 and 1995 Oslo Accords.
• The 1994 peace treaty between Israel and Jordan.
• The 2020 Abraham Accords between Israel and various Arab nations.

Though these peace efforts are laudable, the overall process of negotiation between Israelis and Palestinians has stalled, and the Palestinian leadership has not been pleased that Arab nations have been making agreements with Israel.

At the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains the desire of the Palestinians for autonomy and repossession of some or all of the land occupied by the Israelis versus the Israelis’ claim to their ancestral land as well as their desire for security.

At this point in history, neither side seems willing to compromise enough to obtain lasting peace—or to believe peace is really possible.

A land of conflict throughout history

This land has been embattled for thousands of years.

The biblical history of the land begins with Abraham, the progenitor of both the Israelis and Palestinians. Beginning with Genesis, the books in the Old Testament of the Bible cover this history. What follows is a brief synopsis.

Abraham was told by God to leave his home and go to the land of Canaan, which God was going to give to him and his offspring (Genesis 12:1-7; 13:14-18).

Abraham, his son Isaac, his grandson Jacob and their families were then nomads in the land of Canaan until a famine forced Jacob (also known as Israel), his sons and their families to move to Egypt. While in Egypt, the families of the 12 sons of Jacob grew substantially, and their sheer numbers caused Egypt to feel threatened.

Realizing they had a free workforce and not wanting the tribes of Israel to turn against them, the Egyptians enslaved the Israelites for many years.

Under the leadership of Moses, God eventually freed the tribes of Israel from Egyptian slavery and led them back to the land of Canaan. In fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham, over a period of time the fledgling nation of Israel took possession of the Promised Land.

During the time of the judges, the nation of Israel slipped into a tragic cycle of disobeying God, which led to the occupation of ancient Israel by some of its neighbors. Upon their repentance, God would rescue the Israelites from their captors. This cycle of occupation and deliverance lasted nearly 400 years.

Throughout the reigns of the kings of ancient Israel, there were many conflicts involving the surrounding nations. After the death of Solomon, the nation of Israel split into the 10 northern tribes of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah.

Israel continued to disobey God during the reigns of the kings of Israel and Judah. God allowed the 10 northern tribes of Israel to fall to Assyria around 721 B.C. The Assyrians removed the conquered Israelites from the Holy Land and replaced them with captives from other lands. In 586 B.C. the disobedient tribe of Judah was completely conquered, and many of the people in the southern portion of the land were displaced by the Babylonians.

The 10 northern tribes of Israel did not return to the Promised Land; however, 70 years after their captivity, a number of Jews were given permission by Cyrus, king of Persia, to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.

The descendants of the Jews endured many additional occupations of the Holy Land, including ones by the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Muslims and the Crusaders.

Also, over the centuries, many descendants of Esau (Edomites) and Ishmael (Arabs) moved into the area. These peoples were also descendants of Abraham, but the Bible describes longstanding jealousies and hatreds between them and the descendants of Israel (Psalm 83:4-6; Ezekiel 35:5).

Will peace be achieved between the nation of Israel and the Palestinians?

The seemingly endless cycle of conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians does not bode well for a peaceful solution.

The chances of a human solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are slim.

With the Holy Land at the crossroads of the world—and at the intersection of Christianity, Judaism and Islam—the resulting conflict is predicted to be the catalyst for future events that will change this world forever.

Biblical prophecy foretells a future time when the Holy Land will be occupied again by a world superpower—the king of the North (Daniel 11:41). The Bible says that leading up to this event, the king of the South will attack the king of the North (verse 40), and the king of the North could very well enter the Holy Land in an attempt to bring peace to the region.

Instead, however, it will usher in an unprecedented time of trouble labeled the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21). It will be so horrendous a time for the world that, we’re told, there has never been a time like it in the past and there will never be a time like it in the future (Daniel 12:1).

Unless God intervened at this time, the earth would become lifeless (Matthew 24:22). Thankfully, God is going to intervene and send His Son Jesus Christ to establish the Kingdom of God (Matthew 24:29-31).

In the battle culminating during the end time, the armies of the world will gather at Armageddon in what is northern Israel today to fight the returning Christ and His saints (Revelation 16:16). Man’s armies will be completely defeated. Christ will conquer the nations and become the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords of a righteous, just and peaceful world government (Revelation 19:19-21).

Peace at last for the Israelis and the Palestinians

At the beginning of the millennial rule of Christ, the earth will be rebuilt. Instruments of war will be turned into instruments of agriculture. Humans will not learn war anymore (Isaiah 2:4). The way of peace will be taught and enforced.

In this new world, even the nature of predatory animals will be changed (Isaiah 11:6-9). What is more important—and the key to peace throughout this new world—the nature of man will begin to be changed, as individuals choose repentance and conversion (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 10:16).

Once they are converted and given the Holy Spirit, people will no longer be the belligerent beings they were in their former world. This dramatic change will be brought about by their new nature and the lack of Satan’s influence in their lives (Revelation 20:1-3).

God will ensure there will be peace for all of mankind. Children will be able to play in the streets of cities while their grandparents watch them (Zechariah 8:4-5).

The transformations that will occur on this earth will be astonishing. People will become healthier, as the sick are healed, the crippled walk, the blind see, and the deaf hear (Isaiah 35:4-6).

The deserts will bloom, and the land will become so productive that those planting will overtake those harvesting (Amos 9:13).

God, at this time, will restore not only the nation of Judah, but also the other tribes of Israel to the Promised Land (verses 14-15).

Does this mean the Palestinians will be without a homeland? No!

God will provide the Palestinians and all peoples of the world with their own lands flowing with milk and honey. Everyone will sit under his or her fig tree, so to speak, and enjoy the prosperity of this wonderful world tomorrow (Micah 4:4-5).

There will be peace at last, as man, under the rulership of Jesus Christ, progresses toward the time when there will be no more tears, sorrow, pain, crying and death (Revelation 21:4).

Will you be there to see the transition from a world of bigotry and hate to a world of true outgoing concern and peace?

Learn more in our enlightening free booklet The World to Come: What It Will Be Like.  From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/prophecy-in-the-news/israeli-palestinian-conflict/?

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Meditate on These Things

Philippians 4:8

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

What do we normally focus our minds on? Bad news, scandals and problems fill our media and our minds. The apostle Paul encourages us to focus instead on the things of God, the things that are truly pure and praiseworthy, and that ultimately lead to the best news that can be reported—the coming Kingdom of God.

We can’t hide our heads in the sand to the bad news of today. Jesus Christ told us to watch world events and to be aware of the signs of the times (Luke 21:36; Matthew 16:3). But we don’t have to look for the juicy details of the latest scandal. We can focus instead on the words of God and the just and virtuous things that are the hallmarks of His coming Kingdom.

We are to meditate or “think on” (King James Version) these things for a purpose. “Think on—have a continual regard to, so as to ‘do’ these things (vs. 9)” (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary on Philippians 4:8). Our thoughts should guide our actions. Christians are called to not only meditate, but to do.

For more about Philippians 4:8, see our blog series beginning with “Meditate on These Things: ‘Whatever Things Are True.’”   For more about meditation, see our article “What Is Meditation?” See also “Reading the Mind of God.”  From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/meditate-on-these-things/?

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The Best Diet for Colon Cancer Prevention

What would happen within just two weeks if you swapped the diets of Americans with that of healthier eaters?

Transcript of video at: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-best-diet-for-colon-cancer-prevention/

Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.

“Colon cancer is our second leading cancer killer, but some places, like rural Africa, have more than 10 times lower rates than we do. The reason we know it’s not genetic is that “[m]igrant studies, such as those in Japanese Hawaiians, have demonstrated that it only takes one generation for the immigrant population to assume the colon cancer incidence of the host Western population.” Now, “the change in diet is [considered] most probably responsible for this.” But there are all sorts of changes when you move from one culture to another—like smoking rates, different exposures to chemicals, infections, antibiotics. You don’t know if it’s the diet…until you put it to the test.

It’s rare I do a whole video on a single study, but I think you’ll agree this one is worth it. This international group of researchers were trying to find out why colon cancer rates were an order of magnitude higher here—in African-Americans and Caucasians—than in rural Africa. If you look at American colons, they’re a mess: polyps, diverticulosis—not to mention hemorrhoids— whereas the African colons were “remarkably pristine.” And more importantly, sevenfold lower colonic epithelial proliferation rates, a characteristic of precancerous conditions. They measured everything they were eating, and concluded that the higher colorectal cancer risk and proliferation rates were most closely “associated with higher dietary intakes of animal products,” which may have led to “higher colonic populations of these potentially toxic [acid] and bile-salt-producing bacteria.” But you don’t know… until you put it to the test. “The higher rates are associated with higher animal protein and animal fat, and lower fibre consumption,” more of those bad bile acids, less of those good short chain fatty acids like butyrate, and that “higher mucosal proliferation. But how do we know it’s the diet that’s mucking things up? You don’t know…until you perform an interventional study.

How about we just swap their diets? Feed the Americans a high-fiber African-style diet, and the poor Africans get the SAD, Standard American Diet—like sausage and white flour pancakes for breakfast, a burger and fries for lunch, and some meatloaf and white rice for supper. That was day one for the rural Africans in the experiment, whereas the Americans were forced to eat fruits and vegetables, corn and beans. To help with compliance, they threw in more familiar foods like veggie dogs, though note it was not a vegan diet, just generally plant-based.

And the food exchanges weren’t for years, but just two weeks. Could they see changes that fast? The dietary changes “resulted in remarkable reciprocal changes” in the lining of their colons in terms of cancer risk and their microbiome. Switching to plant-based boosted the fiber fermentation and “suppressed the [carcinogenic] bile acid synthesis.” Let’s look at some before-and-after pictures. They took biopsies, and this is the colon lining of an African-American under a microscope. Those brown dots mark dividing cells; their colon lining was in overdrive, the cells rapidly dividing, a sign of premalignancy, a risk factor for cancer. But just two weeks eating a healthier diet, and their colons calmed right down.

The African-Africans started out with some proliferation, but it got worse on the American diet. This is a different marker measuring inflammation. Each of the brown dots here represents an inflammatory cell; so, rife inflammation before calmed way down after just two weeks, and the opposite in those eating worse.

We know that when our friendly flora ferment fiber, they produce beneficial compounds like butyrate, which is anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer. Impressively, “Africanization” of the diet more than doubled butyrate production, whereas “westernization” cut it in half. And in terms of toxic metabolites, a significant drop on the healthier diet, whereas the meatloafy diet increased the levels of these carcinogens by 400 percent within just two weeks. So, bottom line (no pun intended): what they were able to show is that just by changing the food, you can remarkably change your risk. In fact, that’s how the lead investigator put it: “change your diet, change your cancer risk!”  It may be “never too late to start” eating healthier.

Based on these kind of data, “adopting a whole-food vegan or [even just] near-vegan diet rich in fruits and vegetables,” along with other healthy lifestyle decisions, “could have a stunningly positive impact on the cancer risks not only of black Americans, but of all peoples.” “While it [might] be unrealistic to expect rapid and profound lifestyle changes in the general population, [hey]…at least we have sound, effective advice to offer to those who [make the choice] to take the steps needed to optimize their healthful longevity.”  From:  https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-best-diet-for-colon-cancer-prevention/

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Why Has God Killed People? God's Plan for Mankind. How Much Lead Is in Organic Chicken Soup (Bone Broth)?

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Why Has God Killed People?

 Elke Karin Lugert/Unsplash

“If God loves human kind, why did He order the death of some people in the Old Testament?

God has revealed that His plan includes resurrecting humans. He will bring them back to life later to teach them the right way to live.

God is the one who created human life as part of His great plan to show love to us. As Creator, He retains control over His creation, including the right to decide when to end someone's life. In Deuteronomy 32:39 God says He is the only true God and has the right to kill or to make alive.

God has also revealed that His plan includes resurrecting humans—bringing them back to life (something we humans cannot do). So even when God decides to kill a whole nation because of their gross sins and the misery they were bringing on themselves (as He did to allow Israel to inherit the land He had promised to Abraham), that is not the end of those people. He will bring them back to life later to teach them the right way to live.

The Ten Commandments booklet addresses this issue in the chapter about the Sixth Commandment.

"Taking another person's life is not our right to decide. That judgment is reserved for God alone. That is the thrust of this commandment. God does not allow us to choose to willfully, deliberately take another person's life. The Sixth Commandment reminds us that God is the giver of life, and He alone has the authority to take it or grant humans permission to take it."

All of these points support God's right to take human life, including using the Lake of Fire to destroy those who refuse His offer of eternal life. Though it might seem strange at first, even when God kills someone, it can be a demonstration of His love.”  From: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/why-has-god-killed-people

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The Eighth Day, God's Plan for Mankind

Transcript of video at: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/the-eighth-day-gods-plan-for-mankind          (Eighth Day was yesterday.)

“God has a merciful and loving plan for ALL of mankind; the Eighth Day is a beautiful representation of this plan.  

[Steve Myers] “The final commanded festival of God is the Eighth Day. Leviticus 23 talks about this special festival with a unique name. Sometimes it's called the Last Great Day. And it shows some amazing things about how merciful our loving God is. There's a section in the Book of Revelation, in Revelation 20 that talks about God's love. And as you look at Revelation 20, this section beginning in verse 11, points to that very fact that it talks about a great white throne, and how all those who ever lived and died and never knew God will be resurrected. It says there, "The small and the great were standing before God," and it points to that time. And it says, "The books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the book of life." And what this is pointing to is this deep spiritual understanding that God has a plan and a purpose for everyone.

Just because you never knew God, or never understood God, doesn't mean you will be condemned forever. God has a plan. God is love. And just because you may grown to know God, and those in some foreign remote area in the world didn't, it doesn't mean that they're lost forever. What this points to is the fact God is love, and everyone will have an opportunity. When it says, "The books were opened," the books are the Biblia is the word there. The Bible will be opened to all those who ever lived. They'll have an opportunity to understand the love of God. They'll be able to understand that there is a sacrifice for sin. They'll be able to understand that God is merciful, and then they can choose to follow God and live His way.

And so, that's the amazing thing about God and His plan and His purpose. It is there throughout Scripture, and this is a New Testament Christian observance, keeping the Last Great Day, the Eighth Day, recognizing the fact that God doesn't want any to perish, but He wants all to come to repentance. That's exactly what 2 Peter 3:9 says. And that is what God is all about. God has a plan, and it's shown throughout His Holy Day plan and His purpose. So read Leviticus 23, and recognize the great spiritual significance of God's Holy Days. You'll find it to be absolutely amazing.”  From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/the-eighth-day-gods-plan-for-mankind

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How Much Lead Is in Organic Chicken Soup (Bone Broth)?

Let’s review lead from occupational exposures, shooting ranges, eggs, and bone broth.

Transcript of video at: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/friday-favorites-how-much-lead-is-in-organic-chicken-soup-bone-broth/?

Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.

“Lead poisoning still occurs the United States despite extensive prevention efforts and strict regulations.” Ayurvedic supplements, for example, specifically marketed to pregnant women, exceeded safety levels by up to 4 million percent, making “Ayurvedic medicine use and lead poisoning…a continued concern in the United States.” “[H]eavy metals are intentionally added” to the supplements. But, don’t worry, Ayurvedic practitioners claim, the lead has been detoxified with cow pee!

“Calcium supplements [can be] an additional source of lead contamination”—something we’ve known about for half a century now. Calcium supplements made from bone may have the highest lead levels. But just regular calcium supplements were found contaminated too, including a number of big national brands.

Diet-wise, the greatest contribution to the lead intake of children and their parents may be dairy, but the most concentrated source may be wild game shot with lead-containing ammunition. Concerns have been raised by hunters, though, that lead-free bullets wouldn’t have the same “wounding capacity.” But, CT scans of kills show just as much damage is inflicted—demonstrating that lead-free bullets have equivalent “killing effectiveness” even against “ballistic soap,” which evidently has a similar density to vital organs.

Workers in battery plants can be exposed to a lot of lead, but the #1 “non occupational lead exposure” is shooting firearms. Not eating lead-laden meat, just taking target practice in indoor firing ranges; 75% of target shooters have elevated lead levels in their blood. Even outside, airborne lead released by the friction of the bullet against the barrel, or lead-containing primers, can lead to substantial lead exposure both in people and in local wildlife—as well as the soil, with lead levels higher than those found next to an industrial lead factory. Most lead in urban soil, though, is from the decades of leaded paint and gasoline, raising concerns about urban gardens. Most of the lead doesn’t get taken up by the plants, though, but can stick to the leaves and roots. This is bad news in that even crops from raised beds using clean soil may get contaminated in an urban environment, but the good news is that the lead can presumably just be washed off. The health benefits of gardening and fresh produce would “likely…more than…compensate for the risk at most sites.”

Eggs from backyard chickens, however, should be tested for lead, since the lead gets inside the eggs; and so, it can’t be washed off. Most of the lead ends up in the birds’ skeletons, which raises the question: What happens when you try to make chicken soup? There may be an upswing in people boiling bones due to encouragement from paleo diet advocates. The problem is that lead is a neurotoxin, and, not just a neurotoxin. It also adversely affects the bone marrow, and digestive tract, and kidneys, and circulatory system, and hormones, and reproduction. Symptoms of too much lead exposure include impaired cognition, anemia, abdominal pain, kidney problems, high blood pressure, miscarriages, memory problems, constipation, impotence, depression,  poor concentration, etcetera.

And, we know from human studies that lead is sequestered in the bones. When there’s a lot of “bone turnover,” like at menopause or during pregnancy, lead levels in the blood can go up. This bump can be minimized during pregnancy by getting enough calcium and lowering sodium intake. When astronauts lose bone in space, the lead is released into their bloodstream. But, ironically, since they’re no longer exposed to all the lead on Earth, their overall lead levels may go down. Bones are so good at sucking up lead, they can be sprinkled on firing ranges to prevent lead from leeching further into the environment.

These researchers were concerned that the boiling of farm animals’ bones might release lead into the broth. So, they made three types of organic chicken broth—one with the bones, one with just the meat, and one with the skin and cartilage. All the soups exceeded the maximum allowable dose level for lead, even the boneless. Surprisingly, the skin and cartilage was the worst, exceeding the safety level per one cup serving by like 475%.”    From: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/friday-favorites-how-much-lead-is-in-organic-chicken-soup-bone-broth/

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Is Karma in the Bible? Feast of Tabernacles? An Attitude of Gratitude. Bacon & Botulism

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Is Karma in the Bible?

“In recent years, the Eastern concept of karma has become popular in Western culture. Can the idea of karma be harmonized with the Bible? Is karma biblical?” 

“Cause and effect is not karma

However, the Bible does teach the principle of cause and effect, which some incorrectly confuse with karma. There are two basic kinds of cause and effect:

1. Cause and effect by God’s blessings or punishment. The Bible is clear that God has the power to bless and punish. God told Israel He’d bless them if they obeyed and curse them if they rebelled (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28). He exercised that authority with ancient Israel and will punish the nations in the end time for their wickedness and refusal to repent (Revelation 16:8-9).

God also promises to bless those who seek and obey Him (Psalm 1:1-2; Proverbs 10:6; James 1:25). But those blessings aren’t always immediately visible. Many seemingly innocent people have suffered hard lives throughout history (John 16:33; Hebrews 11; James 1:2-3). But the Bible promises that ultimately “all things work together for good” for God’s faithful people (Romans 8:28).

The Bible also shows that God is extremely merciful and is not constantly doling out physical punishment based on what we deserve (Matthew 5:45; Hebrews 2:1-4). In fact, considering the state of our world’s morality, we should be immensely thankful God doesn’t operate through karma.

2. Cause and effect through natural consequences. Both the Bible and common sense show that cause and effect operate naturally in our lives. The Bible expresses it this way: “Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7). In simple terms, decisions and actions often have natural consequences.

No amount of good deeds can offset our sins and save us from the death penalty. Forgiveness of sin can only occur through repentance and the blood of Jesus Christ. Much of the book of Proverbs is about cause and effect. For example, the natural consequence of being lazy is poverty, while diligence and hard work lead to financial stability (Proverbs 6:9-11; 10:4; 13:4; 20:13; 24:30-34).

These natural consequences aren’t determined by mysterious karmic energies, but by simple cause and effect. Practicing biblical principles positions a person for success because God’s ways work. However, in a world guided by Satan and human nature, sometimes the righteous suffer because of the sins of others (John 16:33; Romans 8:18; 1 Peter 3:17).

The Bible also shows that in this life sometimes the wicked do prosper for a time (Psalm 73:3; Jeremiah 12:1-3).

Though the Bible clearly teaches the principle of cause and effect, it is not a biblical equivalent to karma.

Why is the idea of karma dangerous?

Karma is clearly a man-made belief foreign to the Bible. Consider three reasons the idea of karma is spiritually dangerous and deceptive:

1. Karma replaces the all-powerful God with the universe. The power behind karma is usually described as the universe. Chopra.com describes it this way: “The Universe will bring back whatever acts you committed or feeling you caused in another person.” This worldview credits the physical creation as the ultimate arbiter of morality and reward and punishment.

But the Bible shows God created the universe (Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 42:5). God, not the universe or energy, is the “rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). Jesus Christ, not the universe or karma, will ultimately “judge the world in righteousness” (Acts 17:31).

Karma is another way mankind has deceptively credited the creation with power that belongs only to God (Romans 1:25).

2. Karma contradicts biblical repentance. Many believe that “bad karma” can be erased only by outweighing it with “good karma.” This idea contradicts the biblical teaching on sin.

The Bible teaches that the ultimate penalty of sin is death—not physical curses (Romans 6:23). No amount of good deeds can offset our sins and save us from the death penalty. Forgiveness of sin can only occur through repentance and the blood of Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19; 1 John 1:7). A Christian must absolutely strive to obey God, but not as an attempt to outweigh the bad on the scales of karma.

Some sins do have ongoing physical consequences, but thankfully, after God forgives us, we no longer have to worry about the ultimate consequences of our sins.

3. Karma distorts the proper motivation for doing good. Karma is just one of many man-made attempts to encourage people to live morally. It plays on human nature by incentivizing doing good to avoid bad things coming back upon us later.

At its core, the concept of karma is driven by selfishness.

The Bible, on the other hand, teaches that morality is defined by God and should be driven by selflessness. Jesus taught that our ultimate motivation should be love—for God first and then for other human beings (Matthew 22:36-39). Paul described the proper motivation for everything we do this way: “The purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5).

Christians shouldn’t do good to avoid bad things coming on them. Christians should do good out of genuine love because it’s the right thing to do—regardless of the consequences.

So, is karma in the Bible? No. Karma is unbiblical and contradicts God’s Word in multiple ways.”      This is the last part of article at:  https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/the-church/world-religions/karma-in-bible/?

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Why Would You Observe the Feast of Tabernacles?

This year, Sukkot starts on the evening of Friday, 29 Sept and ends on Friday, 6 Oct 2023.

“The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) represents the peace, prosperity and righteousness of the coming Kingdom of God, but how is it relevant to the Christians today?”

Transcript of video at: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/why-would-you-observe-the-feast-of-tabernacles

[Steve Myers] Someone asked me the other day, "Why would you observe the Feast of Tabernacles? Is that a Christian thing?" Absolutely, it is. We follow the example of the New Testament Church. The church in the 1st Century kept and observed, celebrated, the Feast of Tabernacles. So, what is this feast? Well, it's definitely listed in Scripture as one of the feasts of the Lord. (Lev. 23:1-44) I don't know if you've ever checked that out, but it's the feast that God has established. It's one of His Holy Days. And so, for a period of time, we celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days. A complete festival. 

Seven is often a number of completeness because it represents that time, in God's plan, that has a deep spiritual meaning. Jesus Christ will return to this earth, 1 Thessalonians 4 spells that out completely, 1 Corinthians 15 as well. And so, the Feast of Tabernacles is representing that time when Christ will return as King of kings and Lord of lords. I know you've probably heard those classic choral selections that sing about that. He's King of kings and Lord of lords and He is returning. Well, the Feast of Tabernacles points to that time that Christ will literally come back to earth.

We can read about that in Revelation 5. Revelation 5, in fact, beginning in verse 10, it tells us, "He has made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on earth." Christ will return and annihilate the kingdoms of man. Mankind will no longer be in charge. There will no longer be chaos and confusion in this world. Jesus Christ will establish righteous godly government. And for a thousand years, He will reign on this earth.

Perhaps you've even prayed about this symbolic meaning of the Feast of Tabernacles. You know, that model prayer, sometimes call the Lord's Prayer that Christ taught the disciples to pray. Perhaps you've said that prayer or parts of that prayer. It has that part that says, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done." Christ will come back and establish His kingdom. It will come. And, of course, the rest of that prayer says, "On earth as it is in heaven." So the Feast of Tabernacles pictures that amazing time of peace and prosperity and righteous government that Christ Himself will come and establish right on this earth.

Check out The Feast of Tabernacles, find out the deep spiritual meaning behind God's purpose and His plan, and this vital step in His plan for salvation for all mankind.” From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/why-would-you-observe-the-feast-of-tabernacles

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An Attitude of Gratitude: Sukkot for Christians

“In a festival similar to Thanksgiving, the Biblical feast of Sukkot (pronounced sue-COAT) gives us a chance to focus on our blessings from God and His desire to be with His people. Also called the Feast of Booths, Tabernacles, or Ingathering, it’s one of the seven commanded feasts in Leviticus 23.”  More at: https://hebrewrootsmom.com/an-attitude-of-gratitude-sukkot-for-christians/

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Bacon & Botulism

Transcript of video at: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/bacon-and-botulism/

“The nitrite preservatives in processed meats such as bologna, bacon, ham, and hot dogs form carcinogenic nitrosamines, but also reduce the growth of botulism bacteria—forcing regulators to strike a balance between consumers risking cancer, or a deadly form of food poisoning.

There are literally hundreds of studies on the link between cancer and cured meats like bologna, bacon, ham, and hot dogs. But just for a taste, just over the last year or so, processed meat consumption was significantly associated with bladder cancer, endometrial cancer, prostate cancer, thyroid cancer, and then all the way down the digestive tract: throat cancer, esophageal cancer, more esophageal cancer, more esophageal cancer and stomach cancer, colon cancer, and rectal cancer. And then, for a ten-for-one deal, processed meat was significantly related to the risk of stomach, colon, rectal, pancreatic, lung, prostate, testicular, kidney, more bladder cancer—and leukemia, as well. That’s why the official recommendation is to try to “avoid processed meats” entirely.

With concern over the potential danger of nitrosamines growing, consumer groups, such as the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a wonderful group, petitioned the USDA as far back as 1972 to ban, or at least greatly reduce, the nitrite in cured meats. The USDA denied the petition, citing nitrite’s role in the prevention of botulism bacteria that can grow inside vacuum-packed meats. They had to weigh the risk of cancer with the risk of consumers getting a deadly food poisoning bacteria from lunchmeat.

You know, in 2011, the National Pork Board officially changed their quarter-century old slogan from “Pork: the other white meat” to “Pork: Be Inspired.” Maybe for bacon, they should have considered the tagline: “Cancer or Botulism, take your pick.” From: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/bacon-and-botulism/

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by MaryAnn Allison.

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