sac·ri·fice
This is the definition from Merriam-Webster's Dicionary Online. Note: "institutionalized systems"
Old Testament
So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac....-Genesis 46:1
James 1 (Bible's description of "religion"
26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
"You are very religious!" I get this a lot from people whenever I talked about God. Yes, I love to talk about my Creator or Heavenly Father! I consider my beliefs more than a religion, but I would rather prefer "relationship with God" because of it being more personal. When I think of "religious", I think of sacred, sacrifices, offerings, and holy. There isn't nothing wrong with these terms, but I prefer "love" and "just". God is a loving and just!
-New Testament
"9 “But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt. 40 They told Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!’[i] 41 That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and reveled in what their own hands had made. 42 But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the sun, moon and stars. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets:
"'Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings
forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel?
43 You have taken up the tabernacle of Molek
and the star of your god Rephan,
the idols you made to worship.
Therefore I will send you into exile’[j] beyond Babylon. "
44 “Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the covenant law with them in the wilderness. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen. 45 After receiving the tabernacle, our ancestors under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them. It remained in the land until the time of David, 46 who enjoyed God’s favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.[k] 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him.
48 “However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:
49 "'Heaven is my throne,
51 “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— 53 you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.” -Acts 7
Books
Movies
"Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" - Inappropriate Soundtracks HD
"The Clash of the Titans" Trailer
Music
-Heavy Metal
STRIVE - Sacrifice
History
Blood Sacrifice - Today's Christian Videos
CAUCASIAN
"In Lystra and Derbe
*see GoodnewsEverybody.com Church Services, Body of Believers, Family of Christ, Fellowship, etc...
LATINO
Apocalypto Sacrifice Scene
Movies
Apocalypto Theatrical Trailer
Aslan and Jesus Christ's Crucifixion and Resurrection
World Religions Overall:
Golden Rule...
"Golden Rule? In case you've forgotten, it�s �Treat others as you would like to be treated.� Or as Jesus put it, �Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.� Or in the words of Hillel, �What is hateful to do, do not to your fellow man.� Muhammad�s take? �Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you.� And even Confucius say, �What you do not want others to do to you, do not do to others.� We think those guys know what they�re talking about."-gaia.com
Good Works? I follow all the commands!
Left Behind 2: Tribulation Force - Part 09 of 10
Abraham & Isaac A Prophetic Journey
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Denominations (within Christianity overall):
"Divisions in the Church
10I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas[a]"; still another, "I follow Christ."
13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into[b] the name of Paul? 14I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. 16(Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
"
If you still don't believe Jesus (2nd of the Trinity) was God sent by our Heavenly Father (1st of the Trinity) that died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins, and rose again the Third Day and left this earth with the Holy Spirit (3rd of the Trinity). Then ask the "god" you call to and ask for yourself:
(name of your god), show me yourself to me that your are real through your love.
Then ask Jesus next..."Jesus, if you are real, I ask you to show your love to me"
7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."-Matthew 7:7
Small Communes
-Amish
"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."-Galatians 2:6
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The Pit
Reconciliation
Tradition
Tradition has helped me to keep persevering on what I was raised with, but it can sometimes be an hindrance and be close minded to having your mind being renewed...
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."-Colosians 2:8
...more on tradition
noun
\ˈsa-krə-ˌfīs, also -fəs or -ˌfīz\
1
: an act of offering to a deity something precious; especially : the killing of a victim on an altar
2
: something offered in sacrifice
3
a : destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else b : something given up or lost
4
: loss
*see GoodnewsEverybody.com Animals, Biology, etc.....
[ Jacob Goes to Egypt ]
and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me?
says the Lord.
Or where will my resting place be?
50 Has not my hand made all these things?’[l]
Recommended Resources
*see GoodnewsEverybody.com Ministry-Biblical Teachings
8 In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.
11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15 “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them. 16 In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17 Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” 18 Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them. .."-Acts 14
"..Divinities were the most important element of Greek religion and much emphasis was placed on pleasing the Gods in order to live a life free of oppression and hardship. Like all Pagans, the Greeks believed that they had to worship and please the Gods in order to have good fortune. The Greeks participated in a number of rituals, rites, ceremonies and sacrifices in order to impress and placate the Gods. Temples, shrines and statues were erected as a designated place to offer sacrifices to the Gods. ..
..In order to show their appreciation to the Gods and Oracles, the Greeks would perform a series of rituals, ceremonies, sacrifices and offerings as other forms of Paganism did. Sacrifices of animals; sheep, cows, goats, pigs and bulls were made, as well as the occasional human sacrifice as a present to the Gods. Chosen animals for sacrifice formed a procession, they were crowned, adorned, purified with water and sprinkled with barley. Many temples and shrines were also erected as a mark of respect and for a place to offer their sacrifices. It is obvious that the Greeks placed a lot of pride in their temples and shrines, for extensive time was taken to re-build, preserve and beautify them. Further evidence of the Greeks desire to please the Gods can be seen through their offerings. The Greeks offered such things as stone freezes, "gold vessels, wheat, wine and honey, milk, water and firstfruits." Prayers and hymns accompanied sacrifices and sometimes performances and other ritual acts followed such as dances or early forms of drama. ..
"This is a video i made for an oral assesment, it shows Narnia's strong allegorical subtext, corresponding to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, using Aslan is the surrogate."
*see GoodnewsEverybody.com Movies: The Passion, Crucification, Easter, Resurrection, etc..
"8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts."-Isaiah 55
ABRAHAMIC-FAITH:
*see GoodnewsEverybody: Middle Eastern &
Abrahamic Faith Ministries
"Was God testing Abraham's faith by asking him to sacrifice his son? That was part of it, but I contend it was meant to be a model for the future sacrifice of his son. Often we can not see that God has a much larger purpose for the trials we face. In this case Abraham modeled the Father's redemption of mankind. "
Judaism
CHRISTIANITY
Jesus Among Other Gods--Ravi Zacharias
Who is Jesus -- Why is He Unique?, from Godtube.com
-Catholic
-Eastern Orthodox, from a speaker (4/07)
-Lutheran
"What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas "; still another, "I follow Christ.""-1 Corinthians 1:12
*see Bible
-Mennonites
"Mennonites are a branch of the Christian church, with roots in the radical wing of the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Part of the group known as Anabaptists (because they rebaptized adult believers), the Mennonites took their name from Menno Simons, a Dutch priest who converted to the Anabaptist faith and helped lead it to prominence in Holland by the mid-16th century. Modern day Mennonites number almost 1 million worldwide, with churches in North and South America, Africa, Europe and Asia. Mennonites are known for their emphasis on issues such as peace, justice, simplicity, community, service, and mutual aid. "
"..The early history of the Mennonites begins with the Anabaptists in the German and Dutch-speaking parts of central Europe. The German term is "Täufer" (that is, Baptists). These forerunners of modern Mennonites were part of the broad reaction against the practices and theology of the Catholic Church known as the Protestant Reformation. Its most distinguishing feature is the rejection of infant baptism, an act that had both religious and political meaning since almost every infant born in Western Europe was baptized into the Catholic Church...
"At Goshen Colelge, we believe God is the foundation of all wisdom and knowledge. Through Christ we find merciful forgiveness and an invitation to a daily, personal walk empowered by the Holy Spirit. We are led by Christ in our search for truth. "
Christian Ties:
-Jehovah Witness
-Mormons
-New Age:
*friend (Angela S. from TX-Nigeria) shared this with me this evening (Saturday, Oct 27th 07)
"The Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis, more commonly known as the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC, is a non-sectarian body of men and women who study the elusive mysteries of life and the universe. Since 1915, hundreds of thousands of students have used the Rosicrucian teachings, carefully preserved by mystery schools for centuries, to find their inner light and wisdom."
Related Sites:
Wikipedia
" once known as The Brotherhood of Death,[1] is a secret society based at Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut, and is one of the oldest student secret societies in the United States. Skull and Bones has maintained its selective membership and Masonic-inspired rituals since its founding in 1832. [citation needed] The society's alumni organization, which owns its properties and oversees activity, is the Russell Trust Association, named after one of Bones' founding members. [citation needed]
Traditionally, Skull and Bones was male-only, and restricted to wealthy whites. [citation needed] Women are now allowed to join, the conditions under which they are invited remaining obscure. [citation needed]
Skull and Bones is notorious for its secrecy. Member George W. Bush described his experience as "so secret we can't talk about it." When asked what it meant that he and Bush were both Bonesmen, former presidential candidate, and current U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, John Kerry said, "Not much because it's a secret".[2] He was asked about this a second time at the University of Florida Taser incident...."
... For Bones, it is said that these names are associated with Roman mythology, while at Scroll and Key the names are associated with Greek mythology, and with Egyptian mythology at Wolf's Head.
Jeremiah Project
Youtube.com
IMDB, the movie
"If a secret society can give you everything you desire, imagine what they can take away."
*was told about this for the first time today (9/21/05) in an e-mail.
Islam
Eastern:
Hinduism
*see GoodnewsEverybody.com Life: Peace, Quietness, Rest, etc...
"On Easter Sunday morning in 1996, the RECONCILIATION WALK started from Cologne in Germany. It was 900 years ago that the first Crusade started off from this very place.
A large group of Christians have started to march along the routes taken by the Crusade soldiers many years ago. They will travel along different routes, through former Yugoslavia, to reach Istanbul, Turkey, in the Autumn.
As they walk along the route, they will pray at different places, and ask forgiveness from Moslems that they meet, for the actions of the soldiers in the Crusades 900 years ago.
The Crusaders committed many atrocities against Arabs, and also Jews, over a period of 200 years. It is even worse that they did these things in the name of the so-called Christian religion, and these things have never been forgotten...."
*see GoodnewsEverybody.com Religious: Catholic
"ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA (ANS) -- United Religions Initiative (URI), an organization committed to creating inter-faith dialogue announced the launch of a National Interfaith Peace Council in Ethiopia on Tuesday.
A press release issued by URI noted: �Religions and faith based organizations have a major role to play in promoting a culture of peace, healing and reconciliation. A culture of peace and co-existence can be significantly enhanced by inter-religious cooperation.�
URI went on to report that The Peace Council was comprised of representatives from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Ethiopian Islamic Supreme Council, Ethiopian Catholic Church, Ethiopian Evangelical Mekane Yesus Church, the Baha'i Faith and Interfaith Peace-building Initiative.
On July 24th, 2008 a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by all parties. It is also agreed by all parties that Interfaith Peace-building Initiative will serve as the coordinator of the newly established Peace council, a URI press release noted.
According to the CIA World Fact book, Ethiopia is a country of many faiths and based on 1994 census data: Christian 60.8% (Orthodox 50.6%, Protestant 10.2%), Muslim 32.8%, traditional 4.6%, other 1.8%
Interfaith Peace-building Initiative is a registered non-governmental agency in Ethiopia with the aim of promoting interfaith cooperation, ending religiously motivated violence, and creating a culture of peace, justice and healing for the Earth and all living beings. It is also a member of United Religions Initiative an international peace organization with non-governmental agency consultative status at the United Nations.
Barbara Hartford, a representative for United Religions Initiative asserted the goal of the organization is to create a culture of reconciliation worldwide.
�Our mission is interfaith building and we are stepping out into conflict areas on the ground to effect mediation,� she said. "
"...“As Baptists, we are aware of the need for better understanding between Christians and Muslims and our response represents an effort to give expression to this commitment,†wrote Coffey and Callam.
The formal response to “A Common Word Between Us and You†is available on the BWA website, www.bwanet.org/default.aspx?pid=979.
*"..seek and you'll find"-Matthew 7:7
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