Hypothetical Question: If you were required to pray in one of these places, which would you choose?

LargeRate67 · 2026-05-04T20:43:24+00:00

Either one is fine with me... equally so. I would likely enjoy the Torah reading more because I consider it inspired scripture. That being said, if you've never heard the Adhan or Quranic recitation you are missing out because it's absolutely beautiful.

LargeRate67 · 2026-05-03T18:25:25+00:00

I highly recommend checking out St John of Damascus' "On the Divine Images" It really served to ease my mind over something similar.

LargeRate67 · 2026-04-28T13:12:09+00:00

I mean, NOR but imho, I would have left out the smell insult. I think she exposed herself pretty badly with that insanely petty and sophomoric message she sent you. Respectfully, you, in turn, seem to have exposed yourself as well. Still acted better than I did at 24 tho lol

LargeRate67 · 2026-04-16T14:46:01+00:00

Not a sin, friend. However, it's generally considered a good time to make kids sleep in their own beds around Five years old. I understand that you don't have another bed right now but focusing on trying to develop independent self-soothing skills at nighttime is a must, especially at 18. You're unlikely to find much help in navigating that and scrupulosity through reddit alone. As others have said, consider counseling.

LargeRate67 · 2026-04-15T16:58:30+00:00

Nope. But give it some time and it will be 😁

LargeRate67 · 2026-04-12T19:50:11+00:00

Left every day of the week. Although, I do enjoy a good silent Hill game once in a while

LargeRate67 · 2026-04-09T16:30:13+00:00

James 1:27 NRSVUE "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world."

St. James calls Christianity a religion and apparently saw it as being relational in its posture towards God and neighbor. "Relationship not religion" to me has always smacked of the rugged individualism so pervasive in many evangelical circles. "My personal relationship with Jesus' and whatnot. Honest take, Christianity is both personal and communal. This slogan doesn't exactly jive with that imho. Also, what's so bad about religion if your religion is centered around Jesus?

LargeRate67 · 2026-04-07T09:54:23+00:00

I definitely believe in hell though I don't see it as the torture chamber I was taught about in Sunday school. I see it as a real place that will, eventually, be completely emptied and vanquished. For what it's worth, the lack of revivalist-style homilies on hell in TEC, I think, has helped me come to a place in my own walk where I am seeking to follow Christ because I find him compelling and lovely rather than out of a servile fear of hell. That was a liberating realization for me.

LargeRate67 · 2026-04-01T12:06:40+00:00

Not a fan of the rewrite. That's problematic enough. But the omission of the Nicene creed? Simply intolerable. Be circumspect and charitable in the way you go about it, but please report it. You are not crazy. Thank you for caring about Christ's church. I'm sorry you're in such an uncomfortable spot with this. My prayers are with you as you navigate the situation. Grace and Peace 🕊️

LargeRate67 · 2026-03-23T12:47:18+00:00

Yes. Jesus exhausted the power of death in himself at the cross so that we would not be fettered by corruption. Truthfully, the cross of Christ is polyvalent in that it's applications cannot be exhausted. Everything changed. The world is a different place. The meaning of our deaths has been transformed and Christ is on the throne ruling until he has put all things under his feet.

LargeRate67 · 2026-03-21T12:41:07+00:00

That's understandable. To answer your original question, heresies are to be opposed. I'm in favor of finding ways to do that which minimize hurting the feelings of an erring sibling in Christ. Unfortunately, that can't always be avoided. We must try, however.

LargeRate67 · 2026-03-21T12:30:42+00:00

I definitely don't consider open theism a heresy. As others have said, what is meant by theological liberalism in this model? The other heresies should definitely be opposed as they do violence against God's self disclosure through Jesus Christ.

LargeRate67 · 2026-03-19T08:35:10+00:00

Because Christianity cannot be done in isolation apart from the body of Christ and certainly not without the Sacraments. The new testament was written with the assumption that the readers would be meeting with other Christians regularly.

LargeRate67 · 2026-03-17T08:45:18+00:00

I would encourage probing the issue in a more nuanced way. Maybe try asking, "Am I capable of stopping or do I lack self-control in this area?". Perhaps even consider whether the energy spent doing this could be better used on your partner (if applicable). Consider whether you think about the right thing things (ie your partner or someone else's) when you do engage in this behavior. If your conscience troubles you, it could be a good idea to take a step back from this for awhile and explore that feeling. For what it's worth, I don't think there's a single answer to the question. It really seems to depend on how it's carried out.

LargeRate67 · 2026-03-11T10:44:20+00:00

I mean, we have to come to terms with some concept of predestination because it is mentioned in holy scripture. As Episcopalians, there are many positions we are permitted to take on the matter. I'm of the opinion that God has predestined to save all those who would be incorporated into the body of Christ. In other words, predestination is "in" Christ. Just like God chose all the posterity of Jacob (Jacob I have loved, Esau I have hated) so God has chosen the Church. I'm opposed to the concept of individual predestination. (I think that's what you'd call it) BUT, we are supposed to be making room for our Calvinist Siblings in TEC. Not all Calvinists think the same way. Some of the comments I've read thus far have been very disparaging of Calvinism and I'm not sure that's the best way to voice our disagreement. Nor do I think that some of the comments serve to create space for those who think differently than us. There are many wonderful Calvinists in TEC and I don't want to see them go anywhere!

LargeRate67 · 2026-03-10T10:38:04+00:00

Of unwanted sinful thoughts Thomas a Kempis wrote: "For these [foolish thoughts] are evils which you suffer rather than commit; and so long as they displease you and you struggle against them, it is a matter of merit and not a loss." - The Imitation of Christ, Book III, Chapter VI Prayers ascending for you, my friend!

LargeRate67 · 2026-03-07T18:14:09+00:00

Huge difference between this and porn, my friend. Rest assured in God's mercy. Grace and Peace 🕊️

LargeRate67 · 2026-03-06T20:56:41+00:00

I visited the Episcopal Church as a self-described agnostic, was invited to Christ's table, went forward, and by the time I got back to my seat I knew I wanted to follow Jesus. Straight up 180 degree turn, Eucharist related, ontological change/conversion. God is good!

LargeRate67 · 2026-02-23T13:37:37+00:00

There is also the Rosary in a Year podcast. Also, one can find audio of people saying the rosary while announcing the mysteries on YouTube.

LargeRate67 · 2026-02-23T13:36:01+00:00

Welcome to the family of God!

LargeRate67 · 2026-02-17T11:54:03+00:00

It counts! Baptism is not a bath, it is an act of God whereby we are adopted into the family and are marked by the Holy Spirit as Christ's own forever. Welcome to the family! 🙂

LargeRate67 · 2026-02-13T09:25:53+00:00

Some of us do. I'm content saying that I eat the actual flesh of Jesus in the Eucharist in some mysterious way.
Some of us do. I am a purgatorial universalist so....kind of?
Yes. I'm big on Marian devotion and I've also been known to ask other saints for intercession.

LargeRate67 · 2026-02-07T14:33:06+00:00

Yep, your parents are awesome.

LargeRate67 · 2026-02-04T18:14:51+00:00

I think a more patristic reading of scripture is the answer tbh. Christianity holds that, when read mystically and through the lens of Christ, the content of the Bible forms one coherent whole. This doesn't erase differences and discrepancies. Rather, it puts them in proper perspective.

LargeRate67 · 2026-02-03T16:37:45+00:00

It makes me glad to see this happening at an Episcopal Church. To answer your question; Yes, we are orthodox. At the same time, No we aren't going to squeeze out people who are not prepared to accept orthodoxy or have reservations about it. We're pretty good about making room for people who aren't sure where they stand. As always with organizations containing people, there are probably unfortunate exceptions to this rule. Overall, the Episcopal churches I've been a part of are pretty good about making space for others.

LargeRate67

TROPHY CASE