Guinness wrote:
Quite right.
A "conservative" Prime Minister would never ask the Crown to set aside Parliament in order for him to personally avoid the outworking of constitutional parliamentary democracy.
A "neo-conservative" pays no regard to the constitution.

The reason why the PM asked for Parliament to be prorogued was because Canada had just held a Federal election six weeks before and the opposition parties were not interested in even giving the government a chance to bring in the budget in January and a stimulus package. They had evidently been conspiring to bring the government down for some time. The GG has the option of doing what she did. It is within her constitutional mandate.

Derek wrote:
Did Jesus die for sin, or for those plagued by sin?
Sin was the object, for if there were no sin, no one would need to be elect.Remember, the Holy Spirit was sent to convict the WORLD of SIN.
Reduced to the lowest common denominator, sin is the problem, and it is sin that Christ died to attone.
And since sin is the object, Christ would have had to die for all sin, which he did, for no sin has missed the attonement...

Mike wrote:
B. Obama sat under this guy for 20 years and considers him his mentor. That would point to Obama being:
1) A racist America-hater. If not,
2) Unable to make a proper decision, in this case- Confront his pastor/leave that church. If not,
3) Extremely naive.
Any of which totally disqualifies him for the presidency.
I don't much think him naive. He's too smart and slick.

Christian Raas wrote:
Martyrs Memorial Free Presbyterian Church has just uploaded two messages by Rev. Paisley about the real Saint Patrick preached in 2000. Very interesting to hear that Rev. Paisley already promoted St. Patrick's Day back then. It is not some new thought of his. Very good presentation making clear that Patrick never was a Roman Catholic but God's Apostle to the nation of Ireland. Recommended hearing not just to Irishmen!

Steve aka Xtian wrote:
whats interesting is no one can find any double blind study to see whether these vaccines are actually safe. IOW the companies that produce these vaccines do not do double blind studies, nor are they required.
Double blinds are required on the majority of medicines & over the counter drugs, but NOT for vaccines.
Things that make you say "Ummm..."

In 1988 there were 350,000 polio cases in the U.S. In 2007 there were about 1000 cases. Polio can cause permanent paralysis of limbs and parts of the body. It also can cause death by paralyzing the breathing muscles of the body. When my wife was a young nurse in training in Ontario, she saw polio victims in iron lungs (1950s) where they would have to stay for life.

http://www.state.gov/g/drl/irf/rpt/

Lance, I just watched a two hour video last night on Martin Luther. He only intended to reform the RCC when he first posted his 95 thesis on the church door at Wittenburg on October 31, 1517. He also published some literature opposing the sale of indulgences in that part of Germany. But the Pope and his followers (Tetzel was leading the sale of them) were incensed. The Pope said a wild boar had been let loose in the Vineyard. Rome was not willing to listen to the Scriptures, or reason and dismissed Luther as a madman. Later he was judged to be a heretic at the Diet at Worms.

However, he had strong support among local rulers and countrymen. Rome excommunicated him and his followers.

Mike wrote:
Minnow wrote:
Funny, since it is the Reformed/Calvinist who diminishes the efficacy of the death of Christ. Consider:
They make God small. They say that through a single sin of one man, sin entered the world, and death passed upon ALL men, yet claim the death of Christ was not sufficient to save all, but only some, those fortunate enough to be preselected to it.

Thus they make the power of Adam in its effect, to be greater than that of Christ. There is something seriously wrong with that thinking.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are numbered." Matt.10:29,30

He has not left things to "chance". Even our salvation is His hands. "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." Eph.1:11

Lance Eccles wrote:
Wayne, I'm sure vast numbers of heretics were killed either by RC authorities or by Catholic princes. And given the longer history of the RCC, the number may have been greater than the very substantial number of Catholic martyrs murdered by Protestant regimes.
That was the times.

Lance Eccles wrote:
Catholics and Protestants did much the same things. In those days church and state were closely interwoven.
"By their fruits ye shall know them."
I agree.

Lance Eccles wrote:
Regardless of the truth or untruth of the other statements, Albigensians were not Christians, nor did their beliefs (especially those in two gods, good and bad) resemble Christianity in any way.
Some people seem to think they were a type of proto-Protestant. They were definitely not. They were Manicheans.

Christian Zionism wrote:
Hot topic!
"Hagee is a leader among Christian Zionists and has argued vigorously from the pulpit and in writing for Israel's right to settle disputed territories."
I've been researching this idea of Zionism over the past few weeks and reading a lot of its history. It is just fascinating, especially due to my experiences of working around the world, especially in Russia, Ukraine, Middle East, Central Asia, Europe, etc.
Does anyone know of any Christian websites that are against Zionism? Most of what I have read historically there were Christians against Zionism, but it seems I cannot find any sources today.
When I was a young boy growing up, one wealthy man I worked for once said, "Son, follow the money!" and it is just fascinating after all these years of studying history and religion, I have not come across the detailed research into Zionism. If someone has a good Christian based site, I would love to learn of it. By the way, I'm not looking for fundamentalist views...those I can get on TBN and the evening news. I want intensive investigation and source documents...no fluff please!

Mike wrote:
If John 1:7 said "..that all men through him *would* believe, the case for denying that "all" means every person could be made. But it says "The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him *might* believe." It doesn't say every person will believe. And v9 does say this Light "lighteth every man that cometh into the world." A little more troublesome to convert this into "not every man."

But how does Christ enlighten every man? Matthew Henry's commentary says this is by His creating power; He enlightens every man with the light of reason.

"Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them." Romans 1:19

M.H. also says by the publication of His gospel to all nations He does in effect enlighten every man.

The gospel went out to the Gentile world, and not just to the Jew.

Susan Miller wrote:
Jhn 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Jhn 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
Jhn 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Jhn 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Jhn 15 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Jhn 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
Jhn 1:7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
Jhn 1:8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
Jhn 1:9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

Eph. 2:8 tells us salvation is by God's grace (the gift of God). It does not support free will Arminianism.

The word "world" in John 3:16 and 17 is used in a general sense, not an absolute sense. If it were in an absolute sense, and God willed everyone in the world to be saved, did God fail? God is sovereign and whatever he ordains comes to pass. You will find other examples where words are used in a general sense. Everyone often uses words like "all" or "everyone" in a general sense, and do not actually mean every single one.

If God, who is sovereign and omnipotent, wanted to save every last person in the world, do you think He is not capable of doing that? Obviously it was not part of His plan to do that, else it would have been done.

The verses in Timothy you quoted are again speaking in a general sense. It should be mentioned that the gospel call is made to all in a general sense, but not every person in the world hears the gospel. Many do not.

But even God chooses who to call and chooses who will respond by the Ministry of the Word. God enables the elect to believe. "...for many are called but few chosen." Matt.20:16

The classic example is Jacob and Esau.

Susan Miller wrote:
Personally, I believe that our loving Father gives unto everyone the grace that would alow each to call upon the Lord for Salvation; however not all choose life.
... choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24:15

The elect must first be regenerated by the Holy Spirit before he can believe.

The reason is because since the fall of Adam, man is totally dead in trespasses and sins and cannot do any good toward his own salvation unless God first changes his heart and creates a new heart within him. This normally happens as part of a series of steps. The first step is the offer of salvation is made in the gospel. Then God regenerates (makes the man a new creature in heart). Then the person responds in repentance and faith. Then God justifies (declares His elect "righteous" or "just".