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catholiccom-blog · 7 years

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Fake Pope News

Abraham Lincoln once said you shouldn’t believe every quote you find on the internet. This is especially true when it comes to quotes from the saints or popes. Here are three examples attributed to the last three popes.

1. “Don't go to God for forgiveness of sins: come to me.” — Pope St. John Paul II

Unlike many fake quotes, this one has a source that can be checked: the Los Angeles Times, December 12, 1984.

The article, written by Don Schance, is about Pope St. John Paul II’s apostolic exhortation Reconciliation and Penance, promulgated ten days earlier. One of the exhortation’s principal themes was an explanation of the sacrament of reconciliation and the need to combat attitudes that undermine it. These include “the lessening of a sense of sin, the distortion of the concept of repentance,” and “the sometimes widespread idea that one can obtain forgiveness directly from God, even in a habitual way, without approaching the sacrament of reconciliation.”

This probably served as an inspiration for the article’s headline, “No Forgiveness 'Directly From God,’ Pope Says,” which later authors erroneously quoted as, “Don't Go to God for Forgiveness of Sins: Come to Me.” But John Paul II never said God can’t or won’t directly forgive sin. In Reconciliation and Forgiveness he said, “[T]he sacrament of penance is the primary way of obtaining forgiveness and the remission of serious sin committed after baptism.” He went on to say:

Certainly the Savior and his salvific action are not so bound to a sacramental sign as to be unable in any period or area of the history of salvation to work outside and above the sacraments. But in the school of faith we learn that the same Savior desired and provided that the simple and precious sacraments of faith would ordinarily be the effective means through which his redemptive power passes and operates (31).

2. “Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached. God is not pleased by blood, and not acting reasonably is contrary to God's nature.” — Pope Benedict XVI

Even though the pope did utter these words, this is a kind of “fake quote” because he did not originate them—he was merely referring to them in order to make a point.

On September 12, 2006, Pope Benedict delivered a lecture at the University of Regensburg titled, “Faith, Reason and the University Memories and Reflection.” In one part he referred to a dialogue that took place between the fourteenth-century Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus and a Persian interlocutor on the subject of Christianity and Islam. Benedict then quoted the passage above (while attributing it to the emperor) and noted how Islam’s view of God allows him to act in irrational ways, which includes commanding unjust acts of violence.

The quote was later circulated, out of context, in the English-speaking world, prompting this footnote to be added to the official address on the Vatican website:

In the Muslim world, this quotation has unfortunately been taken as an expression of my personal position, thus arousing understandable indignation. I hope that the reader of my text can see immediately that this sentence does not express my personal view of the Qur’an, for which I have the respect due to the holy book of a great religion. In quoting the text of the Emperor Manuel II, I intended solely to draw out the essential relationship between faith and reason. On this point I am in agreement with Manuel II but without endorsing his polemic.

3. “All religions are true, because they are true in the hearts of all those who believe in them. What other kind of truth is there?” — Pope Francis

According to Fr. Thomas Rosica, a Canadian priest who serves at a media attaché for the Vatican, “Catholics do not adopt the attitude of religious relativism which regards all religions as on the whole equally justifiable, and the confusion and disorder among them as relatively unimportant.” This can be seen in Pope Francis’s first meeting with world leaders, where he said:

But there is another form of poverty! It is the spiritual poverty of our time, which afflicts the so-called richer countries particularly seriously. It is what my much-loved predecessor, Benedict XVI, called the “tyranny of relativism,” which makes everyone his own criterion and endangers the coexistence of peoples. And that brings me to a second reason for my name. Francis of Assisi tells us we should work to build peace. But there is no true peace without truth!

The Catholic Church accepts what is holy and true in other religions but does not claim that all religions are equally true. For example, Muslims are correct that there is only one infinite God, but they are incorrect when they deny that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God. Different religions have discovered truths about God and Christ, but the fullness of truth concerning God’s revelation is found in the Catholic Church.

#CAMO #Catholic Answers #Trent Horn #Pope Francis #Who Am I To Judge #Fake News

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mclennunf · 8 years

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This Boy - Chapter 15

A/N: thank you all for reading - i hope you're enjoying :) uhm... warning. sexual content.. like very sexual.. side note this is my first time writing anything like this so i apologize in advance

~John's~

George and I had been hanging out on breaks at school, meeting with Paul and practicing music for our new band -The Quarrymen- and I realized that George was actually a cool lad to hangout with, even if Paul wasn't there. He was much better than I was on the guitar, but of course I would never mention that to him. George was like Paul's younger brother, they were just that close. Everyday we met just around the corner from Paul's house and walked to school, chatting about the song George had just learned, or the new record one of us had gotten. But today we met at Paul's.

It was Paul's first day back at school.

George and I both knew Paul was nervous, even though he wouldn't admit it. He had healed up very nicely, but his one rib didn't quite heal the way the doctors had hoped - it still bothered him immensely on a bad day, but for the most part my bluebird was back to normal.

George and I waited patiently outside Paul's house, smoking cigarette after cigarette. "Think he's gonna bail?" George asked me. Probably, cause of good ole Johnny being here. Bloody hell, I had been doing so well without the voices recently. I think it had something to do with Paul doing so well.

"He might. I hope not though, he's gotta get back inta' the groove, y'know?" I said, kicking a rock into the street. "Ah, if it's not my two favourite band mates!" We heard Paul's voice and whipped our heads around. He was standing on his doorstep with a wide smile, his uniform tie loose and crooked. "How are you feelin' mate?" George asked as Paul approached us. I flashed Paul a very sweet smile. "I'm feeling quite grand today, actually." Paul smiled as we began to walk. It was so relieving to see him this way. Not gonna last bloody long with you around. I shook my head and began to focus hard on blocking the voices out. I needed to be here and be focused for Paul. It was hard enough knowing I wouldn't get to be with him all day.

"If that bloody little prick Ritchie gives ye' a hard time, ye tell 'im to come find us, we'll teach him a bloody lesson." George said as he flashed his fang-like teeth and nudged my arm. "Aye, we will lad!" I agreed with him as we approached the school. "I've gotta run inside early, got a few things t'take care of. See ye at lunch, lads?" George asked. It was extremely obvious that he had nothing to do, he just wanted to leave us alone.

No, I hadn't told him about Paul and I, if that's what you're thinking. George either had an idea about what was going on and didn't want to ask any questions, or he thought that we liked our time alone. Either way, I think he knew. We waved and nodded, agreeing to meet him later.

I turned and looked at Paul, and just like that the world became invisible to me. Everything but his smiling face was blurry.

"Are ye nervous, m'love?" I asked, subtly touching his hand for a moment. It felt electrifying to touch him, and just a quick light touch wasn't enough. "I'm fine, John. I'm just glad to be out of that bloody house y'know? Start of a new life." Paul smiled, referring to the fact that he didn't worry about his father anymore, Mike was happy and they had a wonderful Aunt to take care of them. "I wish I could kiss you." I mumbled so that he could hear. His face lit up. "I really want to kiss you, John." Paul said as he put his hand on my forearm. Don't you wanna shag? Cause yer a bloody queer, remember? "Ugh, fuck." I rolled my eyes.

"John, don't take this the wrong way, but have you ever thought about seeing a doctor or somethin'? Y'know, for the voices." Paul asked, getting extremely quiet. I shook my head. "Don't start, Paul.. Please." I kept shaking my head, looking down at the ground. "I'm sorry. I just worry about ye..." Paul admitted. I began to feel bad, the kid just wanted to help. "I'll think about it, okay? Just don't bring it up." I said as I tried to smile at him. "C'mon, we're going to be late." Paul said, grabbing my hand and dragging me toward the door of the school. People are gonna see. I ripped my hand out of his. Paul turned around and looked at me with an eyebrow raised and a pouty lip. "Sorry, Macca." I said sincerely. He tilted his head sympathetically; he knew I was a lunatic. He's going to leave you eventually, you're too crazy.

Unfortunately, I believed the voice that time. But that didn't mean I was going to push him away. I'd just appreciate every waking second I was blessed with by his side.

"Comin' t'class baby or do ye need some air?" Paul asked me as he stopped in front of our first period class. I shook my head and opened the door for him. The class had already started, so we quickly took our seats. All eyes were on Paul, and I could tell he was uncomfortable. Word of him being in the hospital because of his dad had spread quickly. I just hoped people would respect what he'd gone through and leave him be.

"Welcome back, Mr. McCartney." The teacher said and smiled at Paul, who nodded as he pulled out his notebook. The poor lad hated the attention.

Paul contently took notes and paid attention throughout the whole class. It was admirable, really. He looked so happy to be learning, to be normal. I was so relieved he was doing well. This was the lad I'd fallen in love with. By the end of class, Paul was just listening to the teacher with his eyes glued to the front of the room, playing with his ring. Fuckin givin' another bloke a ring. What would Julia say? I was happy I'd given him the ring. I had used the money I had saved for a new guitar to buy it, but there was no way I would tell him that. A new guitar could wait.

George and I followed closely behind Paul, he was very quick to leave. I assumed he was eager to start his next class. "I think he's gonna do just fine." George said, smiling. I nodded in agreement. "Aye fuck you!" I heard Paul say. My head shot up to see him pinned against the lockers by a that bloody Ritchie kid and a few of his friends. Kill him. He's hurting Paul. George ran up behind Ritchie and started yelling. I knew George wasn't the kind of kid to fight. Kill him. He's hurting Paul. I was frozen, they weren't swinging at Paul or anything, but Paul's feet were dangling in the air, and his eyes were full of fear. Paul was looking at me.

I didn't speak, I didn't make my presence known until I was holding Ritchie up against the locker above my head by his collar. Kick his fucking ass. Paul is scared. I punched him in the gut multiple times before I felt Paul tugging on my jacket from behind me. I couldn't hear anything I was so mad, so I didn't know if he was yelling at me or not. I finally dropped Ritchie and he and his friends bolted away. Gone bloody soft, you have. I turned around, breathing heavily and ready to fucking kill someone when I saw his face. He was clear in all of my blurred vision. "John.." I heard him say. "M'sorry, Macca." I mumbled, not taking my eyes off of him. I felt George put his hand on my shoulder. "Are ye okay mate?" He asked. I nodded, still not taking my eyes off of Paul.

"I'm gonna take 'im outside for a smoke. I'll catch up with ye later ok Geo?" I heard as I watched his mouth move intently before feeling him grab my forearm and direct me toward what I assumed was the door. He sat me down on a bench, I just kept staring into nothingness. You're a daft git, you should've taught them a lesson. "John are you okay?" You shouldn't have just let them go like that. "John, are you in there?" He's the reason you're like this.

"John!"

I whipped my head around and made eye contact with him. His beautiful eyes. "I'm so sorry Paul, did I hit ye? Are ye okay!?" I asked, touching his hands and feeling that familiar spark throughout my body. "John I'm fine, are you okay?" Paul asked me, looking genuinely concerned. "Paul I'm fine. I just got mad seein' ye like that y'know? Me mind takes over and I don't have much control. I just have t'protect you." I admitted, wanting to do one thing and one thing only. To kiss him. "God, Paul..." I mumbled. "What is it John?" He said as he put his hand on my thigh lightly - to seem more like a friend I assumed. I had forgotten we were still in public.

"I love you so much." I whispered, looking down at my feet. "I love ye John, I just worry, y'know. C'mon let's go home." Paul said, standing up. "Why? We've still got classes." I asked standing up behind him. "Because I'm having a hard time not being closer to you." Paul said as he raised an eyebrow almost seductively. I raised both of my eyebrows and followed close behind him, nearly drooling over the sight of him walking away.

I knew that wasn't going to be the last time Paul brought up the fact that he was worried about me, but I didn't care. I'd push through this.

Right now I had something else on my mind, I just hoped Paul was ready to act on it with me. He just thinks you're crazy now, gettin' all violent like that. "I was protecting him." I mumbled. Paul turned around and tilted his head at me. "What was that?" He asked. I shook my head as we entered his house, which I hoped was empty. I smiled when we found that it was in fact empty. I sat down in an arm chair in the living room. "C'mere, Paul." I ordered. As Paul got closer to me, I grabbed his hand and pulled him in. I grabbed his hips and pulled him even closer to me so his belt was right in front of my nose. I smirked to myself when I felt his hands in my hair.

Paul crawled on top of me, now straddling my lap. He wrapped his arms around my neck and arched his back as I began kissing his collar bone and unbuttoning his shirt. "John..." I heard my name escape his lips. Stop. I grabbed his shoulders and pulled his face toward me and I kissed him, hard. My hands slowly lowered down his back and soon found the waistband of his pants. My whole body shuddered when my hands cupped around his ass. My jaw dropped at the feeling. Paul didn't pull his face away when my mouth opened, he just smiled against it and kissed down my neck.

"Paul..." I moaned as he lightly bit my neck. I felt myself grow even harder when I felt his hard dick rub against me. It was almost too much. It was almost overwhelming. It is too much. It is overwhelming. He's like a precious angel and you're ruining him. I pulled my face away and looked at him. He was like an angel. "Are ye ok?" He asked, our noses almost touching. I closed my eyes and leaned my forehead against his. It's too much for you. I took a deep breath, taking him in before I felt him climb off of me. My eyes shot open. "W-where are ye goin?" I asked, sounding extremely pathetic. "You're overwhelmed, John. It's alright, I understand." Paul told me as he sat down on the sofa across the room. "No, no I'm not Paul, I swear." I almost begged him as I walked over and sat down next to him, putting my hand on his upper thigh.

Paul looked at me, hesitantly. He doesn't want you. I leaned in and tried to kiss him, but he pulled away slightly. "Paul?" I raised an eyebrow and pulled my hand away. "I'm worried about you, John." He told me. He's scared of you. "Are you afraid of me?" I asked as I stood up and began pacing back and forth in his living room. He's scared of you.

He's scared of you.

Back and forth.

You're a freak.

Back and forth.

He's scared of you.

"FUCK!" I yelled as I slid down the wall, my head in my hands. Paul was immediately by my side. "Baby.." I heard him whisper as he pulled me into his arms. "Baby talk to me, please don't hide anymore." He told me, kissing my head a few times. I kept shaking my head. I hated how vulnerable I had become so quickly. So broken and fragile, you are. "Paul I c-can't do it anymore, I'm goin' out me brain!" I began crying hysterically into his shoulder and I expected him to let go, but he kept his arms around me tightly. "You're strong, John. We can fight this." Paul reassured me. He said we can fight this. He was in this with me. I barely believed it.

"John look at me." Paul instructed. I did so, trying to wipe away the tears falling down my cheeks and hold in the tears forming in my eyes. "You saved my life and made me the happiest I've ever been, John. YOU did that. Even though I was beyond broken, you stuck by me.. Even when I pushed you away." He began tucking my hair behind my ear as he spoke. "You stayed regardless of all the shit. I'm going to make sure you're okay, and I'm going to stick by you regardless. D'ye hear me?" He finished.

I leaned in and kissed him passionately and desperately. I climbed on top of his lap this time, and he held me close and kissed me back. "I...love...you.." I muttered between kisses, and I noticed the tears had finally stopped. Paul's hands were now on my ass, squeezing and pulling me closer to him. "Paul..." I moaned into his mouth, I loved having him in control. I loved having him make me feel so safe and taken care of. Hey, no voices for once. Nice, innit?

It wasn't long before Paul's hands found their way to the front of my trousers. I felt him fumbling to unbutton them, as if his life depended on it. I needed to be closer to him. I desperately needed to be closer. Finally my trousers were undone, and he shoved both of his hands back down on to my ass, pushing my trousers down with them. "Oh, fuck..." Paul moaned quietly as he moved his hands slowly around my waist to the front of my underwear. He teasingly played with my waistband and I felt myself become even harder than before - which I didn't think was possible.

I felt as though he was waiting for some kind of permission, a confirmation that I wanted this. I nodded as I kissed him just as harshly as before. Finally he pulled my underwear down, struggling to get them all the way off of me and then throwing them into a corner. As he did so, I began unbuttoning his pants. "I need you." I moaned into his ear and felt him turn into a puddle beneath me. I was almost shocked by the size and perfectness of his cock. "F-fuck," the words escaped from my mouth. We made eye contact and stopped kissing for a moment. I knew what was about to happen, Paul was about to fuck me. "Are you okay with this?" He asked, panting. I nodded. "John are you sure?" He asked again as he began kissing my neck. "Fuck y-yeah Paul, please..." I begged. I didn't expect our first time to be like this, but it was perfect. "You gotta uhm... lube it up.." Paul said, as he looked down at his cock with a raised eyebrow. I knew what that meant.

I slowly slid down him and got close to his cock. He already looked worn out. I kind of had an idea on what to do - I'd received them before... I grabbed him and took all of him in my mouth, not caring if I chocked. "FUCK!" Paul moaned loudly as he thrusted toward my mouth, his fingers now tangled in the hair on the back of my head. My mouth began to drip with saliva as I moved faster up and down him. "C'mere, oh fuck- JOHN! Yer gonna make me fuckin' cum!" Paul said as he threw his head back on the couch. I slowly pulled away. I didn't want to though, he tasted so good.

I climbed back on top of him. "Are y'ready?" He asked, his voice sounding husky and sexier than ever. I nodded, "Yes please." He helped spread me, and I slowly put the head of his cock at my entrance. I was petrified, I knew it was going to hurt. "Deep breath." Paul instructed. I did as I was told. STOP. I shook off the voice in my head and focused on Paul. I took another deep breath and felt him begin to penetrate me. STOP! I bit my lip, holding back a scream. "Sl-slow down," I asked him and he did. "It's okay, John luv. I've got you." He told me. STOP!! "Say that again." I begged. Don't stop. Having him tell me that was so amazing sounding, so sexy and so calming.

"I've got you." He slid slowly deeper inside.

"I've got you." Deeper.

"You're mine." Paul grumbled when he realized he was 100% inside of me.

My God, it felt good. "How does that feel?" He asked. I could tell he wanted to start fucking me, but he needed to make sure I was okay. "Move, move now," I said breathlessly. He did so. He slowly began thrusting inside me. "Fuck John, fuck yer so tight, fuck!" His pace began to quicken.

Then it hit.

He hit something.

"FUCK PAUL! DON'T STOP!" I dug my nails into his shoulders and arched my back, tilting my head back with it. I had never felt something like this before.

And then he grabbed my cock and began working me there, too.

"Cum with me, John, I'm almost there baby, please cum with me!" Paul yelled as he quickened his pace with his hand and with his cock. It was euphoric. "P-Paul, I'm gonna cum," The words were barely understandable. And then, we both exploded. It felt like fireworks. No, it felt better than fireworks.

After he filled me up, and I wiped my mess off of him, I climbed off of him and collapsed on the couch beside him. We were both panting uncontrollably. "Well, that was fuckin' amazing." Paul smiled and grabbed my hand. "Quick, but amazing." I laughed and squeezed his hand. "Let's go lay down in my bed?" Paul suggested, standing up and grabbing my clothes for me. I felt my cheeks become red. "Fuck, you've put a spell on me McCartney." I said as I pulled my trousers back on. Paul winked as he did his fly and button back up.

You've done it. You've become a full-blown fucking queer. "Shut the hell up." I mumbled to myself, then smiled smugly at the fact that I felt confident enough to stand up to those bloody voices. Paul smiled at me too, almost as if he knew what I was thinking about. We lied down in his bed and he wrapped his arms around me. I honestly loved feeling so taken care of. I'd never felt that way before. I loved seeing that ring on Paul's finger, too.

"John?"

"Yes, m'love?"

"I love you."

"And I love you."

#mclennon #mclennon fanfiction #this boy

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blackkudos · 8 years

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Andraé Crouch

Andraé Edward Crouch (July 1, 1942 – January 8, 2015) was an American gospel singer, songwriter, arranger, record producer and pastor. Referred to as "the father of modern gospel music" by contemporary Christian and gospel music professionals, Crouch was known for his compositions "The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power", "My Tribute (To God Be the Glory)" and "Soon and Very Soon". In secular music, he was known for his collaborative work during the 1980s and 1990s with Stevie Wonder, Elton John and Quincy Jones as well as conducting choirs that sang on the Michael Jackson hit "Man in the Mirror" and Madonna's "Like a Prayer". Crouch was noted for his talent of incorporating contemporary secular music styles into the gospel music he grew up with. His efforts in this area helped pave the way for early American contemporary Christian music during the 1960s and 1970s.

Crouch's original music arrangements were heard in the films The Color Purple and Disney's The Lion King, as well as the NBC television series Amen. Awards and honors received by him include seven Grammy Awards, induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1998, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Early years

Andraé Edward Crouch was born, along with his twin sister, Sandra, on July 1, 1942 in San Francisco, California to parents Benjamin and Catherine (née Hodnett) Crouch. When he was young, Crouch's parents owned and operated Crouch Cleaners, a dry-cleaning business, as well as a restaurant business in Los Angeles, California. In addition to running the family's businesses, Crouch's parents had a Christian street-preaching ministry and a hospital and prison ministry. When Crouch was 11, his father was invited to speak for several weeks at a small church as a guest preacher. Crouch's father and the church's congregation encouraged the young boy to play during the services. At the piano, Crouch found the key in which the congregation was singing and started to play. After this, Crouch honed his piano-playing skills and, in time, wanted to write his own music. When he was 14 years old, he wrote his first Gospel song.

Career

Groups

Crouch's first group musical effort was formed in 1960 as the Church of God in Christ Singers. The group included future recording artist and session musician Billy Preston on keyboards and was the first to record the Crouch's song "The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power". The song's popularity grew following the initial 1969 recording, becoming a standard in churches and hymnals worldwide. While attending Valley Junior College in the San Fernando Valley to become a teacher, he formed gospel music group "The Disciples" in 1965 with fellow musicians Perry Morgan, Reuben Fernandez, and Bili Thedford. The group became a frequent attraction at "Monday Night Sing" concerts in southern California put on by Audrey Mieir, a Christian minister and music composer who frequently sponsored new Christian music groups. Following Mieir's introduction of Crouch to Manna Music Publishing's founders Tim and Hal Spencer, Manna published Crouch's song "The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power", written when he was 15 years old. The Spencers helped launch Crouch's recording career by introducing them to Light Records founder and prolific Christian songwriter Ralph Carmichael. After the addition of Sherman Andrus to The Disciples, Light Records recorded and released the group's first album, Take the Message Everywhere, in 1968. Following the group's first album release, Crouch's twin sister, Sandra, joined The Disciples in 1970 after Fernandez' departure. Two more albums would follow, Keep On Singin' and Soulfully, before a major change in the group's lineup in 1972.

When Andrus left The Disciples to join The Imperials he was replaced by singer Danniebelle Hall. More musicians were being added and the group's membership by the early 70s included Fletch Wiley on trumpet, Harlan Rogers on keyboards, Hadley Hockensmith on guitar, and Bill Maxwell on drums. The group appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1972 and to sold out crowds at Carnegie Hall in 1975 and 1979. By 1985 they had also performed at the Hollywood Bowl and toured 68 countries. Crouch's most popular songs from this period include "The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power", "Through It All", "Bless His Holy Name", "Soon and Very Soon", "Jesus is the Answer", and "My Tribute".

Solo career

After The Disciples disbanded in 1979, Crouch continued on with a solo career. His backing ensemble included Howard Smith, Linda McCrary, Táta Vega, and Kristle Murden, along with The Andraé Crouch Singers. Joe Sample, Wilton Felder, Dean Parks, David Paich, Phillip Bailey, Stevie Wonder, El Debarge, and other secular artists were included in Crouch's recording sessions. With former Disciples drummer-turned-producer Bill Maxwell, Crouch co-produced projects for The Winans, Danniebelle Hall, and Kristle Murden. Many musical acts and solo performers covered his more popular works, including Elvis Presley with I've Got Confidence. In 1986, Crouch composed the theme music for the Sherman Hemsley sitcom Amen , sung by Vanessa Bell Armstrong.

In 2006 Crouch released Mighty Wind, a 40th anniversary album featuring guest performances by Lauren Evans, Crystal Lewis, Karen Clark Sheard, Táta Vega, and Marvin Winans.

Influence

Crouch has been credited as a key figure in Jesus music of the 1960s and 1970s and, as a result, helping to bring about contemporary Christian music into the church. As well, he is also credited with helping to bridge the gap between black and white Christian music and revolutionizing the sound of urban Gospel music. Though sometimes criticized for diluting the Christian message by using contemporary music styles, his songs have become staples in churches and hymnals around the world and have been recorded by mainstream artists such as Elvis Presley and Paul Simon.

His affiliation with Light Records was instrumental in bringing Walter and Tramaine Hawkins, Jessy Dixon and The Winans to the label, from where they all enjoyed successful gospel music careers.

In 1996, Crouch and his music were honored on the Grammy Award-winning CD, Tribute: The Songs of Andraé Crouch, released by Warner Bros. Records. The album featured a wide range of artists performing Crouch's classic songs and featured the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, Take 6, Twila Paris, and Michael W. Smith.

Crouch and his sister Sandra had a friendship and music relationship with Michael Jackson. In 1987, the Andraé Crouch Choir sang background vocals along with Siedah Garrett, Glen Ballard, and The Winans on Jackson's hit single "Man in the Mirror" from the Bad album. The Andraé Crouch Singers were also featured on the songs "Keep the Faith" and "Will You Be There" from Jackson's 1991 Dangerous album. On Jackson's HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I project in 1995, the Andraé Crouch Choir is heard on "Earth Song." Crouch's composition, "Soon and Very Soon" was performed by the Andraé Crouch Choir at the public memorial service for Jackson held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on July 7, 2009.

Personal life

On November 12, 1982, Crouch was arrested in Los Angeles for possession of cocaine after being stopped for erratic driving. Sheriff's deputies discovered a substance in the vehicle which Crouch said was instant chicken soup powder. After consenting to a search, he was found to be carrying a vial of cocaine in his pocket. Crouch was arrested and released several hours later on $2,500 bail, maintaining the drugs belonged to a friend who had been staying in his apartment. Police declined to press charges.

Between 1993 and 1994, Crouch suffered the loss of his father, mother, and older brother. After his father's death, Crouch and his sister took over the shared duty of senior pastor at the church his parents founded, Christ Memorial Church of God in Christ in Pacoima, California.

Failing health and death

In early December 2014, Crouch was hospitalized for pneumonia and congestive heart failure. As a result, his December 2014 tour was postponed. He was hospitalized again on January 3, 2015, in Los Angeles, as the result of a heart attack.

On January 8, 2015, Crouch died at Northridge Hospital Medical Center. He was 72. On the same day, his sister, Sandra, released the following statement: "Today my twin brother, womb-mate and best friend went home to be with the Lord. Please keep me, my family and our church family in your prayers. I tried to keep him here but God loved him best."

Following Crouch's death, Christian recording artist Michael W. Smith told Billboard Magazine, "...I'll never forget hearing Andraé for the first time. It was like someone had opened a whole new world of possibilities for me musically. I don't think there is anyone who inspired me more, growing up, than Andraé Crouch. The depth of his influence on Christian music is incalculable. We all owe him so much and I'll forever be grateful for the times we got to work together."

Discography

Andraé Crouch and The Disciples

1969: Take the Message Everywhere (Light)

1971: Keep on Singin' (Light)

1972: Soulfully (Light)

1973: Live at Carnegie Hall (Light)

1975: Take Me Back (Light)

1976: This Is Another Day (Light)

1978: Live in London (Light)

Solo recordings

1973: Just Andrae (Light)

1979: I'll Be Thinking of You (Light)

1981: Don't Give Up (Warner Bros.)

1982: Finally (Light)

1984: No Time to Lose (Light)

1986: Autograph (Light)

1994: Mercy (Qwest)

1997: Pray (Qwest)

1998: Gift of Christmas (Qwest)

2006: Mighty Wind (Verity)

2011: The Journey (Riverphlo Entertainment)

2013: Live in Los Angeles

Other credits

Crouch later worked as a producer or arranger with Michael Jackson, Madonna, Quincy Jones, Mika (We Are Golden), Diana Ross, Elton John, Rick Astley ("Cry for Help") and Prefab Sprout. Crouch also had a long relationship with the Oslo Gospel Choir, which he occasionally produced, arranged for and performed with.

Awards

Crouch won numerous awards throughout his career that included seven Grammy Awards and four GMA Dove Awards. He was also the recipient of ASCAP, Billboard, and NAACP Awards. In 2004, he became the only living Gospel artist – and just the third in history – to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

On November 11, 2011, Sandra and Andrae Crouch were granted an honorary "Artist-in-Residence" Award by the International Center of Worship for Global Day of Worship Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA.

Grammy Awards

Crouch has won seven Grammys:

1975: Best Soul Gospel Performance – Take Me Back

1978: Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album – Live in London

1979: Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album – I'll Be Thinking of You

1980: Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary or Inspirational – "The Lord's Prayer" (collaborative)

1981: Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album – Don't Give Up

1984: Best Soul Gospel Performance, Male – "Always Remember"

1994: Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album – Mercy

GMA Dove Awards

Soul/Black gospel album

Contemporary gospel album of the year

Traditional gospel album of the year

Contemporary gospel recorded song of the year

Inducted into the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1998

1977 – This is another day(Light)

1978 – Live in London (Light)

1985 – No Time to Lose (Light)

1998 – Pray (Qwest/Warner Bros.)

1993 – With all of my heart; Sandra Crouch and Friends (Sparrow)

1997 – "Take me back"; Tribute – The Songs of Andrae Crouch (songwriter) (Warner Alliance)

Other honors

1985: Oscar nomination for music compositions featured in The Color Purple

2005: NARAS' Inaugural Salute to Gospel Music Lifetime Achievement Award recipient

2007: Christian Music Hall of Fame and Museum inductee

2012: How Sweet the Sound Living Legend Award

FilmographyFilm

1985: The Color Purple songwriter: "Maybe God's Trying to Tell You Something"

1993: Once Upon a Forest songwriter: "He's Gone/He's Back"

1994: The Lion King arranger and choral conductor

Television

1980: Barbara Mandrell & The Mandrell Sisters special guest

1982: The Jeffersons "Men of the Cloth" episode

1982: SCTV Network 90 Christmas special

1986: Amen theme writer, arranger

1994: In Search of Dr. Seuss as Yertle the Turtle

1998: Nickelodeon's Cousin Skeeter

Wikipedia

#Andraé Crouch

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johnchiarello · 5 years

Text

Posts 1586- 1588

These are some of the first posts ever made, I hope to share some of them over time in between my regular studies. Of course they are ‘dated’- and it would be too difficult to edit each post. So I’ll post them ‘as is’. Hopefully they will be a benefit in some way- John.

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[1586]

FREUD-NIETZSCHE AND MARX- Today I need to do a little more on our study of Modernity [the thinkers who have influenced Western culture/thought from the 1700’s- 2000’s. At this time I have 3 separate studies I have started on-line; Classics of literature, Great Christian thinkers of history, and Modernity. As time rolls on- I will gradually post all new studies once a year in a monthly post [most of the time it will be February] and as I update them you can read the most recent ones from the most recent years.

Okay- I am skipping a bunch of stuff to jump into the thinkers who represent the most popular forms of atheism- Marx, Nietzsche and Freud. But first we need to take a look at Ludwig Feuerbach. L.F. [Ludwig Feuerbach] laid the groundwork for these other more famous rejecters of God and Christianity. During the enlightenment period it was rare for the critics of religion to hold an outright atheistic view- men like Hume and Voltaire- though true critics of the church- did not come out openly and deny the existence of God. It was also difficult [impossible?] to hold professorships in the universities if you were a doubter of God. Both Hume and Voltaire did not hold positions. F.S. was Hegelian in a way [he followed Hegel’s idea that ‘God’ comes to self consciousness thru the development of humanity] but F.S. was a Materialist- Hegel was an Idealist. Remember- idealism is the philosophical system that sees reality existing in forms/ideas first- then later comes the material thing.

F.S. espoused the idea that reality starts with the material existence of man first- and thru religion man ‘projects’ the idea of God/spirit into society- and as man and Christianity develop [all good things for F.S.] that the ultimate truth that we learn on this journey is that man is really all there is- his ‘phase’ of God and religion were simply necessary stages for man to arrive at this self conscious state in which he finally realizes that man is all there is- God was a ‘crutch’- a needed one- but never the less simply a projection of mans mind until he came to full maturity. For F.S. ‘theology [the study of God] is anthropology’ [the study of man]. So in this sense he follows Hegel- the development of man and society is the development of God- but Hegel starts with spirit projecting ‘himself’ into creation- and F.S. starts with man/matter first- and man projects this idea of God/spirit as a secondary reality. The philosopher Paul Ricoeur describes F.S. and his disciples as holding to a system of belief called ‘the hermeneutics of suspicion’. This meaning that religion and God are not just things that seem to be irrational [according to certain enlightenment critics] but that religion itself is a mask that adds to the suffering of man- that man is under the dominion of false ideas- ideas that have been developed by those who want power over others- and these taskmasters use religion as a tool to oppress the ignorant masses. This idea will come to full bloom in the mind of Marx. Marx referred to religion as a ‘false consciousness’ that kept man in servitude to others who ruled over them- and religion itself was the tool that kept these ignorant masses in check. Nietzsche thought religion had its roots in weakness and sickness- and that the most decadent used it to control those who were actually more moral than the leaders. Freud saw religion as an effect of repression and the actual cause of mental conflict and guilt- he blamed religion for all the psychosis that man is afflicted with in life. The next few posts in this study [whenever I get to them?] I will try and develop all 3 of these famous thinkers ideas- show the errors in their own thinking- and the aftermath of generations who have tried/fleshed out their philosophies- and have found them dreadfully lacking in the end.

[1587] OVERVIEW- Lets over view a little today- in the last post I mentioned how we will be getting into Marx, Freud and Nietzsche in the coming months- yet I have so many things going on at this time that just in case I never get to them I want to lay out some stuff. First, most challenges to the Christian faith/God- have come from the point of view that said ‘yes- we believe that there is some being out there- God- but we challenge the purveyors of religion and how man has used religion to control- manipulate the masses’. It was not until the rise of these men that the popular approach of ‘no God’ would take a foothold in the minds of many unsuspecting ‘masses’. Before we delve into the ideas and contradictions of these men- let me explain why most thinkers of the Enlightenment did not take the atheistic approach- and instead opted for some form of Deism/Theism. The original debate of ‘where did everything come from’ did not start during the Enlightenment- it dates back as far as 4-5 centuries before Christ- the question is obviously older- but you can read the debate taking place in the great minds of the Greek philosophers; Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Though the idea of God in the minds of these Greek thinkers was not the same definition that Christianity would hold to- yet they did believe in some type of being who for the most part was what we would think of as God- they referred to him as The Prime Mover- a term that the great Catholic thinker Thomas Aquinas would use in the 13th century as he too argued for the existence of God. Okay- the Greeks taught that the universe/cosmos always existed- and there was an initiator who started the ball rolling [motion]. Their ideas about how the solar system worked were primitive- the famous idea espoused by Ptolemy had a sort of crystalline sphere surrounding the earth and the stars and planets were ‘stuck’ to this shield and as the sphere rotated- that’s what caused the heavens to change. Obviously the breakthroughs in cosmology that occurred under Copernicus and Galileo would bring us into a more perfect idea of how everything functions- yet the Ptolemaic view prevailed for centuries. Now- over the centuries those who began to challenge the church- they would hold to a view that while it is obvious that some Divine being exists [yes- very obvious- get to it in a moment] – yet they were not sure about the existence of the universe- did it always exist like the Greek philosophers said- or did the universe- and all things- have a beginning point? It is important to realize that those who would later on [18th– 20th centuries] challenge the actual existence of God- these very intelligent atheists [not joking] understood that if modern science ever taught a view that said ‘there was a point in time where nothing existed’ these men realized if this were true- then the gig would be up- if there was a time where nothing existed- not even God- they knew beyond all doubt that you would have nothing today. In my view these atheists were the smartest. Yet the breakthroughs in Physics during the era of Einstein did finally prove- beyond all doubt- that there was a time in the past where Time, Matter, Space- that all things did indeed have a starting point. This scientific fact [not religious fact] is absolute- beyond all doubt- irrefutable proof that God does indeed exist- and that he does possess all the attributes ascribed to him by Christian theology. If there was a time where nothing existed [not even God] then you would have nothing today- that’s fact- not belief. So- this is the way the world has debated about the subject for thousands of years- and for the recent theories to try and go back to the idea that the cosmos always existed- well that’s stone age thinking- that’s a rejection of what is commonly referred to as Big Bang cosmology- and no serious thinker rejects Einstein’s theories any more. So- where does that leave us? As we get into the many ideas people have come up with about God- religion- etc. we want to give the critics their chance to make the case- I have been reading [and refuting] Christopher Hitchens book these last few weeks [God is not great- Hitchens is a famous atheist] and I’m giving him a fair hearing- but not going easy on his blunders as well. A while back I got into a debate on a scientific type site- it was Christian in nature- but as I read the feed I realized there were a bunch of scientists going at it- smart men- some on the side of faith- others against it. I added [hesitantly!] my 2 cents worth. At one point- one of the scientists made a major blunder in logic while making his case that there is no God- I wasn’t too mean [heck- he was mocking Christians- I had to be a little mean] and as I posted my correction- proving him to be wrong- not in my area of faith- but in his area of science- he left the debate and never came back. As I checked the posts the next day- I saw another scientist anonymously posted a comment- agreeing with me, about a scientific fact- and admitting that his friend was indeed wrong. The point? It is too easy in this debate to think ‘surely these men must be right- after all they wouldn’t be so popular if they were wrong’- the fact is- this debate is not new, and yes- there are many popular writers/thinkers who are teaching an atheistic view- and these guys are making major mistakes in logic, fact, even in their own fields- they have been proven wrong- time and time again. So for those who are fans of the thinkers I will be refuting down the road- keep an open mind- don’t assume that these men are beyond fault- major fault in my view- and realize that the most prevalent idea espoused by the atheistic thinkers today- has indeed been proven false. You cannot get something from nothing- if there were a time where nothing existed- then nothing would exist today.

[1588] THE JEWISH CONTRIBUTION TO MODERNITY- Before I jump too far ahead in our study of Modernity- let me try and do a few posts on the contribution that Jewish thinkers added to the conversation. Obviously the influence from Christian thinkers [or those who came from a Christian background] played the majority role in forming the boundaries of philosophical and theological thinking in the Modern period- yet there were a few notable Jewish thinkers who also made some good contributions. Moses Mendelssohn interpreted Judaism thru a rational/modern lens and played the role of liberal theologian- much like the liberal Christian scholars who were attempting to emphasize the universality of religion and focusing less on the idea of exclusiveness. The 19th– 20th century thinker- Hermann Cohen- saw Judaism in terms of a universal ethical humanism- later on he returned to a more particularistic view- stressing the concepts of sin and salvation and how universal ethics by themselves were not able to address these issues apart from a particular religious revelation. Certain schools of theologians view the return of the Jews- spoken about in the Old Testament- to their homeland in the 6th century B.C. as the true beginning of Jewish history and thought- they hold to the liberal view that the Torah was written at this time [as opposed to around 1100 B.C. by Moses] and that this era marked the phase of 2nd temple Judaism. I too view the period from the return from captivity in the 6th century B.C. as a sort of ‘2nd temple Judaism’ yet I reject the idea that the Torah was written at that time- I hold to the conservative view that Moses wrote most of the first 5 books of the Old Testament. Having said that- after the Jews returned to their homeland [6th century B.C.] they would reinstitute temple worship and eventually Herod [Roman ruler] would rebuild the temple and the 1st century Jews would regulate their lives round the temple and it’s rituals- Priests played a major role in religious/political life. In 66 A.D. the Jews rebelled against Roman dominance- and in A.D. 70 Rome destroyed the temple under Titus [the military commander] and the Jews would lose the central religious location that structured their lives for centuries. Eventually Rabbi’s-the interpreters of the law- would play the major role in shaping the religious thought of the Jewish people. As time progressed, society eventually asked the question- which came to be known as ‘the Jewish question’- how should Jewish people be seen? Those living in France and Germany- were they to be accepted as Jews- with a distinct ethnic/religious culture- or should they be seen as German- French citizens? Recently- a famous female journalist [Helen Thomas] made headlines when a u-tube video came out- she was commenting on the ‘Jewish question’ and said the Jews ‘need to get the hell out of Palestine and return to their home countries’ when asked ‘what home countries’ she said Germany and France- obviously the Jewish question still lives in the minds of certain people. In the 17th century you had the development of a Jewish form of Pietism- called Hasidism. And in the 19th century Judaism would split into 3 distinct groups- Conservative, Reform and Orthodox. In the late 19th century you would have the rise of Zionism [the homeland question once again] and eventually the American Evangelical community would take up the cause of Zionism and it would become a major plank in the Dispensational theology of the American Protestant church. Though Zionism [the right of the Jews to once again posses their homeland] started as a purely political concern- over time it became ‘Christianized’ and would become the cause célèbre for many T.V. evangelists of the current day [John Hagee- just to name one].

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nolimitsongrace · 5 years

Video

youtube

January 21: God's Requirement For Promotion

God’s Requirement For PromotionJanuary 21, 2020

Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. — 1 Corinthians 4:2

People frequently ask, “How does God choose whom He wants to use?” This is an important question to ask, and one that you should ask if you desire to be used by the Lord. As you look at those whom God uses in a significant way, it will quickly become obvious to you that God doesn’t choose people simply because of raw talent or gifts. So there must be another, higher reason that causes Him to reach out and lay His hand on an individual to use him or her in a special way. What is that reason?

There are several answers to this question. In my book Say Yes, I discuss the reasons why God chooses some people and not others. Certainly God loves everyone, but God is not obligated to use everyone He loves. There are certain qualities that cause God to reach out and use some more than others. You need to know those reasons.

In First Corinthians 4:2, the apostle Paul gave us one answer to this question. Paul stated this so categorically that it seems this quality is at the top of God’s list of requirements for those who will do His work. Paul wrote, “Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.”

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

I want to draw your attention to the word “faithful” in this verse. This word “faithful” comes from the Greek word pistos, which is derived from the word pistis, the Greek word faith. However, in First Corinthians 4:2, the word pistos doesn’t refer to faith as a spiritual force; rather, it denotes a person who is faithful. This is a person whom God has found to be faithful, trustworthy, reliable, dependable, true, and unfailing.

But how does God know if a person is faithful, trustworthy, reliable, dependable, true, and unfailing? Paul answered this question when he wrote, “Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.” There is no second-guessing with God about this question. The word “found” emphatically means that God watches us over a long period of time and in many different circumstances to see if we are faithful, trustworthy, reliable, dependable, true, and unfailing.

If you were God looking for someone to use in a mighty way, wouldn’t you first watch a person’s character and actions to see if he or she was someone on whom you could depend for a big assignment? Even secular employers inspect employees to see who is trustworthy of a big promotion!

The word “found” is the Greek word eurisko, which means to find or to discover. It is a discov- ery made as a result of careful observance. It tells us that God is carefully watching us to see our actions and reactions. He is watching to see how we treat people, how we respond to pressure, and whether or not we have the tenacity to stay on track when distractions try to thwart our obedience. Before He taps us on the shoulder to give us a new assignment, He carefully observes to see how well we have done with the last assignment. Did we do it as He expected? Did we finish it completely, or did we leave parts of the assignment incomplete? Did we do it in a way that glorified the name of Jesus?

God wants to know if we are faithful, trustworthy, reliable, dependable, true, and unfailing. Rather than take a shot in the dark and simply hope for the best, He bases His decision on discovery. That means that God is watching you today. He watches your actions and reactions. He observes how you treat people and how you respond to pressure. He looks to see if you have the tenacity to keep going, even in the face of opposition.

So what has God found about you?

If you were an employer, before you promoted someone into a position of great authority, wouldn’t you watch that person first to see if he or she would be found faithful? Since this is true of humans when they look for someone to oversee short-lived, temporal responsibilities, how much more is this true of God, who entrusts people with matters that impact people’s lives for all eternity? There is nothing more serious than eternal business. That’s why before God promotes someone over greater spiritual matters, He watches to see if they are found faithful.

Once God knows a person can be trusted with more, it isn’t long before a new assignment comes their way. In First Corinthians 4:2, Paul said, “Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.” As noted in yesterday’s Sparkling Gem, the word “required” is the Greek word zeteo, which means to seek, to search, or to look very intensively for something. It was a legal term to denote a judicial investigation and could even refer to a scientific investigation. It describes an intense and thorough searching. It could be interpreted, “Moreover, God is making a concentrated, exhaustive, and thorough search in pursuit of stewards who are found faithful.”

This means that the people who possess the necessary qualities that God wants in order to use them are not abundant in the Christian community. Faithful, trustworthy, reliable, dependable, true, and unfailing people are so rare that God must thoroughly and exhaustively search to find them. But once He finds through observation that a particular believer is committed to do His will and to do it with excellence, God has made a valuable discovery. He has found a faithful person He can depend on to lead and carry out a new and important assignment.

Over the years, I’ve worked with thousands of people, and it is very rare to find people who are completely reliable. Most are distracted by other things. They start out with a desire to be faithful, but the affairs of life pull them away. Any pastor could testify of the myriads of people who started projects but didn’t finish them. But when a person is discovered who is faithful, trustworthy, reliable, true, and unfailing in keeping his or her word, it is a rare find — a real gem!

When God looks at you, what does He see? Do all you possibly can do to make it easy for Him to say, “Now, that person is a real treasure whom I can trust with the next big assignment!” Don’t let His answer be, “Not yet!” because you refused to make the necessary changes.

Since God is watching, don’t you agree that it is vital that we take a serious look at ourselves to see what He is finding as He watches what we do, the promises we make, and the seriousness with which we obey Him and His Word? Has God found that He can trust us, or would He be wiser to choose someone else?

So if you want to move into a higher realm of responsibility that holds more exciting and significant assignments in life, do everything you can to be found faithful in what you are doing right now. When God has found you faithful in your present project, you have your best guarantee that a door will soon open for you to step through so you can walk out the dream He placed in your heart.

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I admit that I’ve often been slack in the way that I’ve carried out the assignments You have given to me. I haven’t always been diligent in many things You have expected of me, and yet I’ve somehow thought that You would promote me anyway. Now I understand that You are watching and waiting for me to be found faithful. Only then will You be assured that I can be trusted with something bigger than what I am doing right now. Forgive me for my faulty thinking in the past. I ask You to make my thoughts agreeable to Your will, as You create in me both the desire and the ability to do what pleases You. I thank You, Lord, for helping me do Your will Your way. From this moment onward, I will do my best to be faithful at the tasks in my life right now. Even if I don’t relish what I am being asked to do, I will do it with all of my heart until You and I both know that I can be trusted with something bigger and better.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am committed to doing my present job with joy and excellence. I do not com- plain; I do not drag my feet; and I do not behave lazily or half-heartedly. I am completely committed to doing this job with excellence and in a manner that brings praise to the name of Jesus Christ. When God looks at me, He smiles because He sees me giving 100 percent of everything I am to the task of doing this the best that it can be done. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I am a faithful steward over all that God has entrusted to my care and oversight. Because I am completing my assignment with my whole heart and with the highest level of excellence I’m capable of, God finds me faithful and will promote me to a higher level and a bigger assignment.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

What is the major assignment God has asked you to deal with in your life right now? Maybe it is a work assignment, a relationship assignment, or an assignment to deal with a specific personal issue in your life. Can you name the most significant assignment God has given you — the one you know He is watching most closely to see how you are doing in completing that assignment?

If you were to rate your performance on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best and 1 being the worst), how would you rate your present performance with the main assignment that God is watching in your life? Be honest!

Why did you rate yourself the way you did? What are you doing that causes you to think you rate so low or so high? Now ask the Holy Spirit to give you God’s rating of your present performance!

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comebeforegod · 5 years

Text

What Is the Rapture? How Can We Be Raptured?

Editor’s Note:

Today, most brothers and sisters are expecting to be raptured into the clouds to meet the Lord when He returns.

Christian Chen Li is no exception. One day when she read the Bible, she found that this expectation might not be in line with what the Lord Jesus said, and then got confused. Later, through Sister Han’s fellowship, Chen Li understood what rapture really is, what kind of people the Lord will rapture when He returns, and how to be raptured.

The meeting began. Pastor Yu was leading brothers and sisters in reading the Bible, “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Then, Pastor Yu fellowshiped, “Now is the late period of the last days. It is the critical moment of the Lord returning. The Lord could come at any time to receive us. Then we will be raptured into the clouds to meet the Lord. We will be able to avoid the disasters on earth and enter the kingdom of heaven without experiencing the taste of death. Brothers and sisters, we are truly so blessed to be born in the last days!” Hearing the pastor’s words, everybody was excited and eagerly yearned for the Lord to come soon so that they could escape the worries in the world and be with the Lord forever.

Hearing Pastor Yu’s fellowship, Chen Li worried that she was not qualified enough to be raptured because she often lived in sin and could not put the Lord’s words into practice. Therefore, after the meeting, Chen Li hurriedly went to ask Pastor Yu, “Pastor Yu, we all expect the Lord to come to bring us into the kingdom of heaven. But what kind of people will the Lord rapture when He returns?”

Pastor Yu smiled and replied, “The church is the body of Christ. The Lord comes to rapture the church, so union in the church is union in Christ. We are all members of the church, which means when the church is raptured, all of us will be raptured. No one will be left on earth. You get it? Perhaps when our praise to God in a meeting reaches its peak, the Lord will come, and all of us will be directly raptured….” Chen Li was excited at the pastor’s fellowship. She finally put away her apprehension and determined that she would never miss any meeting from then on, because she thought she might be raptured when she was in a meeting someday.

One day, when Chen Li was practicing spiritual devotions, she saw the following words of the Lord Jesus: “I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left” (Luke 17:34-35). Chen Li was shocked at the Lord’s words and got confused: “Pastor Yu said that the Lord will come to rapture all of the brothers and sisters in the church. It is not in line with the Lord’s words. The Lord clearly said that one shall be taken and the other shall be left. How can it be that the whole church will be raptured? Alas, what does rapture really refer to? What kind of people can be raptured?” Chen Li racked her brains, but could not find the answers.

One day, Chen Li met Han Meihua by chance, a friend whom she hadn’t seen for years. Han Meihua was traveling everywhere to preach all year round, so Chen Li went to Han Meihua’s home and told Han Meihua her confusion. Han Meihua fellowshiped, “When it comes to the rapture, most people in the religious world hold to the words of Paul and believe that the Lord will lift us into the clouds to meet Him when He returns. But the Lord’s words say: ‘And no man has ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven’ (John 3:13). The Lord Jesus clearly told us that aside from the incarnate God, nobody else has ascended into heaven. So how can it be possible that we are brought into heaven? As we know, heaven is God’s throne and earth is God’s footstool. Isn’t it too unrealistic that we expect to be raptured into heaven to meet the Lord? This is purely man’s conception and imagination.

“Moreover, we all know that God formed man of the dust of the ground and let man live on earth; when God wanted to destroy the world by flood, Jehovah God just commanded Noah to make an ark on earth, instead of taking Noah into heaven to escape the flood; in the Age of Grace, the Lord Jesus came to the world to be crucified for man. From beginning to end, God does His work on earth, and we humans have been living on earth, too. No one is ever seen raptured into heaven. Do you remember what the Lord’s prayer says? It says: ‘Our Father which are in heaven, Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven’ (Matthew 6:9-10). The Lord Jesus clearly said that God’s will shall be done on earth. That is to say, we will inherit the kingdom of God on earth, and we will follow God’s way and God’s will on earth. This fulfills the words in the Book of Revelation: ‘And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God’” (Revelation 21:3).

Chen Li was shocked at these words, “Thank the Lord! It’s certainly just as you say. That the Lord Jesus required us to pray that God’s will be done on earth means that God will lead us on earth, but we want to go to heaven. What we do is contrary to God’s words, isn’t it? The archangel was struck into the air by God because it competed with God for status. So isn’t the air the place for Satan? We always want to be raptured into the air: We are trying to be the archangel and stay with Satan, aren’t we? So, the saying of Paul of being caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air is not in line with the Lord’s will at all. Well, Sister Han, what does rapture really refer to? Now that we know we will not be raptured into heaven, where will we be raptured to? Please communicate with me some more on this issue.”

Looking at Chen Li, Han Meihua smiled and said, “As for the rapture, ordinary people cannot see through it or explain it. It is by reading the words of a book that I understood what rapture truly refers to.”

Then, Han Meihua opened the drawer and took out a book. She read, “‘Being caught up’ is not being taken from a low place to a high place as people imagine. This is a huge mistake. Being caught up is referring to My predestining and selecting. It is targeted at all those I have predestined and chosen. … Those who have a share in My house in the future are all people who have been caught up before Me. This is absolutely true, never-changing, and cannot be refuted by anybody. This is the counterattack against Satan. Anyone I predestined shall be caught up before Me” (“The One Hundred and Fourth Utterance”).

Then Han Meihua fellowshiped, “In this passage we see that being caught up is not what we have imagined. It is not that we are caught up into the air or into heaven from earth, but that we are predestined and chosen by God to return before the throne of God to follow His footsteps and accept His new work. It is just like the time when the Lord Jesus came to do His work, those who came out of the Age of Law and entered the Age of Grace by accepting the Lord Jesus’ new work were brought before God, which meant they were raptured.

“In the last days, the Lord will do a stage of new work when He returns, which is prophesied in the Bible: ‘I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth’ (John 16:12-13). ‘Who are kept by the power of God through faith to salvation ready to be revealed in the last time’ (1 Peter 1:5). ‘So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and to them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin to salvation’ (Hebrews 9:28). From these verses we see that the Lord will speak and work to save people when He returns in the last days. Although we were redeemed by the Lord Jesus and are forgiven of our sins, we haven’t broken free from our sinful nature, still being bound by sin and living helplessly in a state of committing sins and confessing them. God says: ‘You shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy’ (Leviticus 11:44). If we want to be cleansed and enter the kingdom of heaven, we need God’s work in the last days to save us. At that time, so long as we follow God’s footsteps and accept His new work in the last days, we will be raptured before God.”

After listening to Sister Han’s fellowship Chen Li had a sudden realization, “Right! The Book of Revelation prophesied: ‘These are they which follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits to God and to the Lamb’ (Revelation 14:4). Now I know that those who follow the footsteps of the Lamb are the people that accept God’s new work in the last days. They are the people that will be raptured before God. Alas! The work of God is so practical. We were foolishly expecting to be raptured into the air. It seems that believers who don’t understand the truth are all delusional and are making wild guesses. To put it plainly, we have believed in God foolishly. Sister Han, you say that the Lord will come to do a stage of new work. It is completely in line with the Bible, and it is what we need. Then how can we welcome the Lord and be raptured before the throne of God?”

Han Meihua continued her fellowship, “There are also prophecies about this truth in the Bible: ‘He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches’ (Revelation 3:6). ‘And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to meet him’ (Matthew 25:6). ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me’ (Revelation 3:20). The Lord prophesied that He will speak and utter words when He returns. God’s sheep hear His voice. When someone shouts that the bridegroom comes, that is, when someone preaches the return of the Lord, we should be wise virgins and humbly seek and examine as well as pay attention to hearing God’s voice. In this way, we will have the opportunity to welcome the Lord and accept His new work to be raptured before the throne of God. On the contrary, the foolish virgins pay no attention to hearing God’s voice; they don’t seek or examine, nor do they have a thirst for the truth. Instead, they hold fast to their own conceptions and imaginations. In the end, they will miss the opportunity to be raptured. This fulfills one of the Lord Jesus’ prophecies: ‘I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left’” (Luke 17:34-35).

After listening to this fellowship, Chen Li couldn’t help sighing with emotion, “Thank the Lord! Now I understand that the wise virgins are raptured before the throne of God because they can hear God’s voice, while the foolish virgins are forsaken and eliminated because they pay no attention to hearing God’s voice. God is so righteous….”

#Bible Study Topics #The Rapture #Meaning of Rapture

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lopezdorothy70-blog · 6 years

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Fake News vs. Faith News: How Biblical Principles Can Expose the Truth through Investigative Journalism

Commentary from Brian Shilhavy Editor, Health Impact News

We face a unique period of history in western culture in regards to the “news media.” Western values extol the virtues of independent voices exposing corruption among the rich and powerful, particularly in the political realm.

The founders of the United States Constitution encoded this value in the First Amendment, seeking to protect the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press of the American people.

However, for much of our history, the airwaves and the “media” have been controlled by a select few in the corporate world, where the “news” was tightly controlled by the main power-brokers in our culture who sought to control the opinions of the masses.

To learn more about this, see:

Mainstream News Media: Freedom of the Press or Controlled Propaganda?

Today, the tide has turned, and it is not so easy to control the thinking of the masses, mainly because the “medium” that feeds information to the masses has changed from the airwaves (TV and radio broadcasts) to the Internet, where the playing field, at least for now, has been leveled.

This is easily evidenced from the 2016 elections, where the “mainstream” corporate-sponsored media tried to convince the masses that Hillary Clinton was way ahead in the polls, and that Donald Trump had no chance of winning the election.

(Please note I am making observations about the media and politics here without taking a political view or endorsing any particular political party.)

But for the first time in modern history, the corporate-sponsored mainstream media was not able to influence the opinions of the masses and elect the person they had obviously chosen. The reason for this is because a majority of Americans found their information and “news” via other sources on the Internet, and not the airwaves that are still tightly controlled today.

The result has been predictable: the corporate-sponsored media, funded mainly by Big Pharma, is trying to define “fake news” from “real news,” and silence the independent media where much of the truth about our culture runs contradictory to what the “mainstream” media would like us to believe, especially on matters of health.

Here in 2018, much of the broadcasting of the alternative media is done via huge social media networks, such as Facebook, Google/Youtube, Twitter, and others.

These technology giants are trying to stifle the public's access to this new, alternative media, with their biggest target being Alex Jones and his Infowars.com website.

Regardless of your views of Alex Jones as a person, he is an American, and has a right to freedom of speech and freedom to publish the same as every other American.

I disagree with some of my peers who see his censorship on the social media technology giants as a First Amendment issue per se, because private corporations also have the freedom to pick and choose the content they want to publish.

The bigger legal issue in these censorships is probably discrimination, if their policies do not publicly state which content is acceptable on their networks and which are not.

Where this could venture into legal First Amendment issues is if the government gets involved in the censorship, via the FCC or other government regulatory bodies.

But in the case of Alex Jones, for example, statistics seem to show that his own website and platforms have only become more popular since these bans on social media networks. So as long as he continues to have the right to broadcast his news, it is up to the public to decide where they want to get their news, and that is the right that is protected under the First Amendment.

Marshall Allen of ProPublica has written an excellent commentary on how truth in journalism can be best communicated by following biblical standards of truth, a principle that we also follow here at Health Impact News.

Contrary to what modern post-Darwinian culture would have us believe, truth is absolute, not a matter of one's opinion or how many “likes” one receives from others, and these eternal truths are best explained in the ancient scriptures that have existed for thousands of years.

I don't know Marshall Allen personally, and I may not agree with everything he writes (I would not choose the name of a religion, like “Christian”, to define myself as a truth teller, for example – see: What Does it Mean to be a “Christian”?), but his commentary is a breath of fresh air in the moral abyss we call the “media” today.

From Ministry to Muckraking: The Biblical Basis for Investigative Reporting

Some people say journalists are “godless.” But I spent five years in full-time Christian ministry, and my faith has made me a better reporter.

by Marshall Allen ProPublica

More than a dozen years ago I was a finalist for a reporting job at a small newspaper. All I needed to do was survive an interview with the top editor. The other editors warned me, saying their boss took perverse pleasure from smashing the hopes of naive reporters. I braced myself as he studied my resume. His lips curled into a sneer.

To be fair, my job history was a tad unusual. I had spent five years in full-time ministry, including three as an evangelical Christian missionary in Kenya. Then there was my master's degree in theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. There didn't seem to be a lot of churchgoing, Bible-believing, born-again Christians like me working at daily papers.

The editor scowled and said, “So what makes you think that a Christian can be a good journalist?”

He emphasized “Christian” as if it were some kind of slur.

I liked that he spoke his mind, but I was taken aback. I explained what I saw as a natural progression from the ministry to muckraking, pointing out that both are valid ways of serving a higher cause. The Bible endorses telling the truth, without bias. So does journalism. The Bible commands honesty and integrity. In journalism, your reputation is your main calling card with sources and readers.

Obviously, many people have succeeded as reporters without strong religious beliefs. But I told him my faith had made me a better, more determined journalist. He replied with a noncommittal grunt. But I got the job.

My response to that editor is more relevant than ever today. It has become popular for some conservative leaders to argue that people like me don't exist in America's newsrooms or that journalism is immoral. Just the other day, a Washington State lawmaker called journalists “dirty, godless, hateful people,” according to The Seattle Times. President Donald Trump seems to take delight in taunting reporters and has referred to members of the media as “lying, disgusting people.”

It's estimated that about a third of Americans attend a regular church service. From my experience, most newsrooms don't come close to that. But in 17 years, I've never had a colleague suggest that my religious beliefs kept me from hard-nosed reporting. In fact, my convictions give me a foundation to be demanding.

After a few years, I moved on to the Las Vegas Sun. Yes, it occurred to me that God must have a sense of humor, if not irony, if his plan for me involved Sin City. I became a health care reporter and began gathering statistics that showed the local hospitals were not as safe as advertised. The articles we published led to new state laws that favored patients and jolted powerful institutions in Las Vegas.

Journalists, particularly those who do investigative reporting, tend to annoy people in powerful positions. Some people might think that Christians are supposed to be soft and acquiescent rather than muckrakers who hold the powerful to account. But what I do as an investigative reporter is consistent with what the Bible teaches.

The mission statement of ProPublica, my employer, says we want to use the “moral force of investigative journalism to spur reform.” If you go through my work, you may sense a bit of “moral force.”

The Bible teaches that people are made in the image of God and that each human life holds incredible value. So when I learned that medical mistakes are one of the leading causes of death in America, I called attention to the problem.

The Apostle Paul points out that God comforts us so that we can be a comfort to others. So since 2012 I've moderated the ProPublica Patient Safety Facebook group, so people who have been harmed by medical care have a place to turn.

The Bible rebukes deception and unfair practices. I've shown how our nation's health care system is rife with schemes that are unfair to patients.

Proverbs talks about how hearing only one side of a story can be misleading: “The first to speak in court sounds right - until the cross-examination begins.” At ProPublica and many other journalism outlets, reporters go to great lengths to get all sides of every story.

Another basic tenet of fairness is refusing to accept any gifts, of any amount. Our readers need to trust that our work is untainted by any reward. “Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent,” Deuteronomy says.

Most journalists admit their mistakes and run corrections. This is consistent with biblical teaching about humility.

God didn't direct the writers of the Bible to avoid controversy. I love how Luke describes his mission in the first few verses of his Gospel: “I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning,” he wrote, “so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.”

Luke's goal was to tell the truth about Jesus, which upset many people. Luke didn't airbrush the early Christians. He named names. Luke told the story of Judas betraying Jesus. He exposed Peter denying Jesus three times. He verified the facts and then told the truth. If it was good enough for Luke, it's good enough for me.

The biblical mandate is to tell the truth. But some conservative Christians don't seem to understand that. I started out in the Christian media and had run-ins with editors because of my interest in reporting about Christian leaders, even if it made them look bad. Administrators recently censored student journalists at Liberty University, a conservative Christian institution, for, in their view, making the school look bad. But God calls us to publish the truth, not propaganda.

The biblical prophets were the moral conscience of God's people. Today, in a nonreligious sense, journalists are the moral conscience of the wider culture. We live in a fallen world, so there's no shortage of material.

It takes some sinners a while to repent, and some never do. That means the influential people we expose might criticize us or call us names. They might even think we're godless. But journalists are called to keep digging until we find the truth - and then proclaim it.

Read the full article at ProPublica.org.

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patricenicoleblob-blog · 6 years

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Blog #3

December 3, 2017

At my room, 8:07

Hey girls and guys,

I have been thinking lately that I was sure I am going to take school seriously.

I thought that maybe if this year ends, something’s going to change in my life and I thought I know that thing. Promise me, I tried predicting every time and it just falls to the same thing – it will not happen. So every time that I’m excited, nervous or if I’m overthinking, I always can’t help myself to think what may happen in the near future and when I tried, something always messes up. I know it sounds weird but that’s how it works. We don’t know maybe one of the seven billion populations in the world, someone also feels like this. So I deleted my Facebook, Messenger, and Twitter app. I didn’t really regretted when I deleted Facebook, I don’t know why but sometimes it is essential to my school life. Maybe I didn’t regret because I never really liked school in the first place.

Enough of that, I’m writing a book in Wattpad and as in – fanfiction. Yes, because my life’s too awful that I can’t find any inspirations other than boybands. My friends suck, my family sucks, I don’t have that many experiences in life and my life sucks so, yeah. So I wrote a book about this band called Why Don’t We, I heard them in Spotify and read a couple articles about them and figured out they sound like angels so why not be obsessed with them? Plus, they’re super funny and in the short period of time of being a band, they’re progressing very, very fast. For just a year, they released five EPs already and all have been chart-topping. They’ve been in billboards already and won awards, I mean – they’re going to be the next One Direction, man. They’re consisted of five guys named Corbyn Besson, Jonah Marais, Jack Avery, Daniel Seavey and Zach Herron. If you haven’t heard of them, better check them out and if you already have, please share to me how much you like/love them because you might want to read my book as well.

For how many books that I have tried writing, I never finished one. I think the longest one that I have written is 39 parts but like a half of it was published already and it didn’t really had massive readers. I already expected that because I was a shitty writer when I was young. So today, I have read many books and observed how they are constructed and arranged, especially with the choice of words and I learned not to exaggerate. Honestly, you can if that’s your style but I want the one where the readers will have to figure the thing out before they’ll realize that the character has died or passed out or something. My book is called “Lacuna”, from a word that I read somewhere in google or Tumblr that means “a blank space”, this book is specifically referred to one boy from the band named Jack Avery. He’s my favourite one from the band so why not make a book about him? The girl’s name Nicole, my second name but I didn’t really put my real full name as her name, it’s her second name also but we have different surname and first name. I tried making a book with the girl’s name as my personal name and I find it awkward since I let my friends read it because I need opinion and what if they’re reading and imagining me in their head to the story? That’s awkward.

So today I don’t really have the energy to tell you about my parents because I would like to relax a bit more because school starts tomorrow again. Still have 19 days before Christmas break and 22 days before Christmas. Yey! Super excited! (Note the sarcasm; I’m just really rooting for the holiday break)

Oh, by the way I have to tell you about this dude named Logan Paul, I saw him in YouTube because basically he’s a famous YouTuber. I swear I saw him in a couple movies when I saw his Vlogs and he really is an actor. So he basically always plugs so I suggest you watch his videos because he made me want to be a vlogger again. Being a vlogger in the future has been my second opinion aside from being a doctor because it’s so cool and you got to go to places and meet famous people. Logan also loves Why Don’t We, in fact he’s super close to them and he directed couple of their music video and again, you should check it out and go to his website because he also sells merchandise of his pet parrot called Maverick and is also a savage, I mean Kong is too but I like Maverick more.

This is Patrice Nicole, signing off.

#thank you tumblr #Blogs #why don't we #logang #BTS #vlogs #thank you #please appreciate #enjoy #save me #im not okay #i'm fine #i'm new to this #newbie #for everyone

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fromtheringapron · 6 years

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WCW Capital Combat 1990

Photo courtesy of WWE

Date: May 19, 1990

Location: D.C. Armory in Washington D.C.

Attendance: 7,500

Commentary: Jim Ross and Bob Caudle.

Results:

1. Norman the Lunatic and The Road Warriors (Hawk & Animal) (with Paul Ellering) defeated Cactus Jack, Kevin Sullivan, and Bam Bam Bigelow (with Oliver Humperdink).

2. Mean Mark (with Theodore Long) defeated Johnny Ace.

3. The Samoan SWAT Team (Fatu & The Samoan Savage) defeated Mike Rotunda & Tommy Rich.

4. Hair vs. Hair Match: Paul Ellering defeated Theodore Long.

5. NWA United States Tag Team Championship Match: The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane) (with Jim Cornette) defeated Brian Pillman & Tom Zenk (champions) to win the titles.

6. Corporal Punishment Match: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) defeated The Freebirds (Jimmy Garvin & Michael Hayes).

7. NWA World Tag Team Championship Match: Doom (Butch Reed & Ron Simmons) (with Theodore Long) defeated The Steiner Brothers (Rick & Scott) (champions) to win the titles.

8. Steel Cage Match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship: Lex Luger defeated Ric Flair (champion) (with Woman) via disqualification.

Analysis

For a show boasting one of the most absurd moments in WCW history, Capital Combat 1990 is an otherwise typical show for its time with nothing to differentiate it from the pack. Maybe I’m just a victim of my own expectations. After years of hearing so much about Robocop’s infamous cameo, I fully expected the rest of the show to match that level of fuckery. That’s not to say it’s bad. It’s just its infamy doesn’t add up when it’s mostly comprised of things that wouldn’t be out of place for the time period like a world title bout where Lex Luger comes up just short, or a hard-fought Rock ‘n’ Roll Express victory, or Jim Ross mentioning someone’s collegiate background. Chuck a rock in that woods and you’re bound to hit at least a few other shows just like it.

But it does still feature Robocop and holy fuck is it worth discussing. When you look at the actual moment, with the character fending off the Four Horsemen and releasing Sting from a cage, it’s not much. It takes up five minutes at the most. Yet, the fact that the character is even there at all, intended as a promotional tie-in to the soon-to-be released Robocop 2, is some next-level sorcery. By including him, WCW is acknowledging: (1) Robocop is real, (2) The Robocop movies are real-life accounts of criminal justice, and (3) The movies and WCW exist within the same universe. Ain’t that great?

It’s one of those moments that’s just so out there that it stumbles into some weird, indescribable brilliance, the same absurdist heights the entirety of Halloween Havoc 1995 would later thrive on. Even weirder is the show’s tagline “Return of Robocop” which treats the titular character as the second coming. Even, even weirder is that, of all the ways they could’ve used Robocop, they supplant him in the buildup to the Sting/Ric Flair world title showdown. Just a staggering creative choice defying all sense of reality in a way that only WCW can muster.

While the rest of the show does indeed play things straight, it does boast some minor curiosities in terms of its roster, particularly with the faces that would pop up in the WWF in the months to follow (The Road Warriors, some dude named Mean Mark). It also features a ton of guys far removed from the personas we associate them with today (who killed this version of Scott Steiner and why haven’t we found his remains yet?). Perhaps the most blindsiding is the debut of El Gigante in the main event, who later becomes a rather infamous figure in his own right. He shows up to rescue to Sting from the Four Horsemen, adorned in ancient warrior garb that wouldn’t be out of place in a high school production of a Greek tragedy. You can’t convince me that Robocop doesn’t make the better first impression.

My Random Notes

Undertaker vs. John Laurinaitis, holy shit! Talk about a crossroads. The former became one of the most legendary characters in the business, the latter became notorious for hiring bikini models as wrestlers because he saw them in a magazine once. USA is truly the land of opportunity.

I feel like the Corporal Punishment match only exists for JR to make some old-timey woodshed reference on commentary which, as the discourse around parental discipline continues to change, is something you wouldn’t hear today. You wouldn’t hear Michael Cole talking about all the whippings he got in his youth, for example.

I keep forgetting Gordon Solie and Bob Caudle were still around at this point in WCW’s history. They feel like such relics from the Crockett era.

Please tell me there are other matches where Mick Foley takes ridiculous bumps for the Road Warriors. I need more of that in my life.

Some of the matches here go on way longer than they should. I could be doing so many other great things with my life, but here I am, watching Mike Rotunda dressed as a terrible ship captain for 17 fucking minutes.

What’s up with that entrance set? Did they just build a jungle gym? Is it a piece of abstract art? Why does it take on a completely different look with each camera angle? I have questions, WCW.

Give Paul Ellering circa 1990 a whip and some assless chaps and he’d easily fit right in with the garden variety leather daddies of the day.

#wcw #robocop #the undertaker

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junker-town · 7 years

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The Apple Cup live blog: Washington destroys Washington State

The Pac-12 North’s biggest rivalry ends up clinching the division for Stanford.

Fourth Quarter

0:00 - UDub 41 Wazzu 14

Wazzu is getting palindrome’d

— Brian Floyd (@BrianMFloyd) November 26, 2017

Falk finally throws a touchdown pass, hitting freshman Davontavean Martin from 33 yards out. Martin does a great job of adjusting on a ball that’s thrown outside of him. He will be a star in Leach’s offense, assuming that Mike doesn’t take one of the several jobs that have been mentioned as potential destinations during this broadcast. Here’s the view that the Wazzu defensive line had all night:

7:29 - UDub 41 Wazzu 7 - The Huskies recover the onside kick and then score a touchdown with the outlandish strategy of handing the ball off to Gaskin three times. Miles now has 192 yards and four touchdowns on 25 carries. Wazzu is putting extra men in the box and it doesn’t make a damn bit of difference. Gaskin is a thousand-yard rusher for the third straight season. Put him in Wisconsin’s offense with the Badgers’ ball distribution and he might approach Ron Dayne numbers.

9:01 - UDub 34 Wazzu 7 - Washington is the best team in the Pac-12 and they aren’t going to play in the conference title game. They brought this on themselves by contriving to lose in Tempe, but I’ll bet you that if you hooked USC fans up to a lie detector, they would say that they are relieved not to be playing this team for the conference title.

Oh, and Washington State finally scored. They put the ball in the end zone after a 15-play drive. They finally blocked Vita Vea, so here’s to small victories.

Third Quarter

0:00 - UDub 34 Wazzu 0 - the only drama left is whether Washington will get the shutout. Falk takes a sack staring at a Mesh concept that he has probably seen thousands of times at Wazzu. After a dropped pass, the Cougars punt to the Huskies, who continue to mash the ball on the ground. So here’s a picture of my kids on a hike in North Cascades National Park:

Seattle is a HIGHLY underrated summer vacation spot. The weather is great. (This hike was the only time in a week that we used our raincoats.) There are three national parks within a two-hour drive, so you can alternate outdoorsy activities with urban fun. And for those of us in landlocked cities, there are ferries!

6:06 - UDub 34 Wazzu 0 - So here’s Kurt Cobain’s guitar from the Seattle Museum of Pop Culture:

Somewhere I have heard this before In a dream of memory restored As a defense I'm neutered and spayed What the hell am I trying to say?

Falk throws another pick. Gaskin scores another touchdown. Washington has outscored Wazzu 124 to 27 in the last two-plus games.

8:45 - UDub 27 Wazzu 0 - Hercules Mata'afa has the best name in college football. He will also not be participating in the rest of this game after he gets called for targeting, prolonging a Husky drive after the Cougars got a rare stop. Later in the drive, Isaac Dotson punches Miles Gaskin in the midsection and the refs decide that boys will be boys, so they call nothing. Vizcaino drills the field goal and the Huskies lead by 27. The potential for a fight has gone up. Can’t wait to see how Vea responds to his quarterback taking a head shot and his running back being punched in the kidneys.

13:40 - UDub 24 Wazzu 0 - “Whoever has the laser, please put it away.” A ref said that, in between Luke Falk sliding short of a first down and then UDub blowing up a WR screen. The second half has begun like the first ended. Purple as far as the eye can see.

Took that picture at Mount Rainier National Park this summer. There cannot be a better part of the country in the summer.

Second Quarter

0:00 - UDub 24 Wazzu 0 - Vita Vea is unblockable, at least for this Washington State team. Wazzu punts from its own one. Washington gets a first down and then turns the drive over to Tristan Vizcaino, who boots a 44-yard field goal just to show that the Huskies have everything. With 90 seconds left, Falk finally hits a few passes, then throws a bad pick under duress by Vea. That’s a third turnover in the half for Falk, who will not be putting this game in a Facebook status update.

Washington is a West Coast Ohio State. When the Huskies have been bad, they’ve been REALLY bad. Most of the rest of the time, they have looked like a Playoff team. If not for the tiebreakers in the Pac-12 and playing their games late at night, the Huskies would be in the Buckeyes’ shoes as a Playoff dark horse.

Rushing yardage in the first half: Huskies 181, Cougars -25. Somewhere, a south Georgia high school coach who was skeptical of the Mumme-Leach offense when they brought it to Valdosta State is feeling validated.

4:51 - UDub 21 Wazzu 0 - Wazzu really needs an answer. Called to the front of the classroom, the Cougars blurt out a first down and then stall when they cannot run for anything close to the two yards they need on third down. Wazzu has no running or deep passing game. The only plays that have produced anything are the short passes. Powell, who has been Wazzu’s best player, then hits a 56-yard punt to pin the Huskies at their own seven. Browning gets Washington some room with a pretty sideline throw to Andre Baccellia, then Gaskin hits a couple big runs. Washngton’s offensive line is kicking all manner of butt. A few runs later and Gaskin is tumbling into the end zone. This is like one of Leach’s games at Texas Tech where his Red Raiders played a much more talented Texas or Oklahoma team and just got whipped up front. This is a compliment to Chris Petersen for getting Washington to that level.

12:34 - UDub 14 Wazzu 0 - UDub’s drive stalls at the 41, so Browning hits a perfect quick kick that the Huskies down at the one-yard line. This game has been a showcase for punting. Wazzu then gets a first down before Falk fumbles. It takes Washington all of two plays to turn the game’s first turnover into a touchdown. This is like every other recent vintage Apple Cup.

The Joe Montana/Kat Dennings ad for Masterpass is playing on a loop on Fox. I keep expecting Montana to break into his Honest Guy persona and talk about how he is going to go upstairs to masturbate.

vimeo

Joe Montana's Classic Skit on SNL from Mike Moyer on Vimeo.

First Quarter

0:00 - UDub 7 Wazzu 0 - Washington gets one first down to get some room away from their goal line and are then forced to punt. Wazzu starts a promising drive with a pair of first downs, but then a sack is followed by a horrendous throw by Falk into ... lots of defenders. Washington hits a WR screen down to the five, but a holding penalty brings it back. Huskies have the ball at midfield at the end of the first quarter. Cougars are still without a first quarter touchdown in Seattle since 2007.

6:38 - UDub 7 Wazzu 0 - The teams trade three-and-outs. Luke Falk still doesn’t have time to throw, but the Cougars finally have something good happen when Erik Powell hits a line-drive punt that dies on the Huskies’ one-yard line. Wazzu was aided on the play by the Huskies’ normal returner Dante Pettis being out with an ankle injury.

8:28 - UDub 7 Wazzu 0 - That was quick. Wazzu’s first drive goes nowhere. We’re on immediate blow-out alert. On a happier note, the Apple Cup is sponsored by Boeing, which I love because if any company is going to slap its name on a game, it should be one with a local presence. In homage, here’s a shot of a B-29 from the Boeing Museum that I snapped this summer. Anyone want to debate the merits of the dropping of the atomic bombs or the strategic bombing campaign against Japan? We might need to go that route if Wazzu doesn’t start playing.

9:25 - UDub 7 Wazzu 0 - the Huskies have a perfect opening drive, predominantly on the ground. They face only one third down - a third and three - and put the ball into the end zone thanks to a short Miles Gaskin run. After one drive, this game seems like a continuation of the last two years. Bad news for the Cougars.

The game is only kicking off at 8:15, so the wife and I are explaining jewelry commercials to our kids. I referred to shiny gifts after a certain period of marriage as “maintenance jewelry.” Need to remember that line for the future. Also, we’re going with the Falcons pint glasses for the Dark & Stormies in honor of Blair Walsh.

Pregame

When Mike Leach came to Pullman, Washington State had not had a winning season in its last eight. The Cougars were coming out of the disastrous Paul Wulff era, in which the team won nine games in four years. Washington State has won as many games this season and tonight, it goes for the Pac-12 North title in Seattle against arch-rival Washington.

The Huskies are one year removed from a Pac-12 championship and a Playoff berth. They have had another excellent season, as they rank sixth nationally in S&P+, but two losses - most notably an inexplicable setback in Tempe - mean that Chris Petersen’s team can do nothing more than play the role of spoiler.

S&P+ likes the odds of the Huskies to do just that, making Washington a 10.4-point favorite. Part of the reason is that Washington State’s 9-2 record is a little soft. One-third of its wins have come in instances in which Wazzu’s win expectancy was below 50%. This is also an odd Mike Leach team, one whose offense ranks behind its defense. One wonders how Leach will coax points out of his attack when they are going against the #3 defense according to S&P+. It’s also worth noting that after winning his first Apple Cup, Leach has lost the last four, all by double digits.

As for the cultural context, let Brian Floyd’s excellent piece on the rivalry set the scene:

As you leave Seattle and head east on Interstate 90, cutting through the Cascade Mountains, you’ll notice the scenery changing. The range, which extends from Canada to California, serves as a natural dividing line in the state: East and west; rainy and arid; urban and rural; Huskies and Cougars. There’s a tension between the two sides of the state in politics, environment, and lifestyle.

Fittingly for a game on the rainy side of the state, the forecast tonight in Seattle is for rain.

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howtopleasegod · 7 years

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The Love and Fairness of God, Part 4 of 7 - In all His Dealings with Mankind

[* Please start with Part 1 of this series and read it in order, so everything makes sense.]

God will reward every sinner according to the fruit of their doings:

The prophet Jeremiah gives a message from God saying, “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:10 KJV. Therefore the punishment of the wicked is according to the fruit of their doings, as Jeremiah plainly states. Not all of the lost have the same level of sin or guilt; some may have been great sinners and committed great crimes against humanity, while others who were almost saved (the saddest of all), probably weren’t as bad as others. But each will get what they deserve, according to the fruit of their doings as Jeremiah says. Jeremiah furnishes us with more proof that God will not punish someone for what they don’t deserve. No one can sin so bad in this short life on earth to deserve an eternity of punishment for their sins! We know of sermons that have been preached claiming that the sinner goes on sinning eternally, since they are infuriated against God for all of their endless pain, thus their guilt can never be paid for by their death, because it gets worse and worse. What rubbish! But what kind of death would this be, if they go on suffering forever? In what way can it be referred to as death? The Bible declares that the wages of sin is death. Romans 6:23. There is no place in the Bible that promises eternal life to the wicked, it is promised only as a reward to the true believer and to the righteous. But if sinners would suffer forever, then they would never die! This contradicts the Bible’s promise that the wicked will perish. So the doctrine of eternal punishment is a contradiction of Romans 6:23 and many other places in the Bible. The way some people tell it, God will never get done with His vengeance, but this is a contradiction of the Bible. God does not retain His anger forever, as we have previously shown, because He is a merciful God! When God gets done punishing all sinners, they will all be dead forever (in all forms), this includes the Devil and his angels. Satan, the evil angels and all unrepentant sinners will be punished and will be forever destroyed, both root and branch. There will be no more sin ever after this, because all of the sinners will have forever perished, never to return again. When God does something it is complete and perfect, unlike the works of man. You can be sure that God is more fair and just than any judge or court system in this world, and He has perfect evidence against all sinners. He cannot make a mistake, but His justice is tempered with mercy towards those who want it. Jesus said regarding the things that are hidden: “Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.” Matthew 10:26 NASB. And Paul says, “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.” 1 Corinthians 4:5 KJV. Therefore be aware that there is nothing: no word, thought or deed that is hidden from God, it will all come out in the judgement. God gives people a choice, allowing them to decide. What they do with that choice will decide their destiny, whether they will live forever with Him in the Land of the Blessed, or perish in the Lake of Fire. There is no other alternative. The prophet Malachi tells us what the future of the wicked is in this passage: “For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.” Malachi 4:1-3 KJV. If the wicked are forever burning, how can the saints walk on their ashes? Even if this is taken figuratively, how can the saints walk on the ashes of the wicked if they are still alive and in endless anguish? This prophecy also states that this fire shall not leave so much as the root or any branches, but they will be as stubble! The wicked will not be able to curse God or commit any further sins after their destruction, because this passage says that they will be burned up, i.e. “stubble,” signifying that there will be nothing left of them; the destruction of the wicked will be complete. Sin shall not rise up a second time. Note: This text also states ‘the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven’ and ‘the day that cometh shall burn them up’, which is similar to our earlier passage from Zephaniah 2:3 KJV: ‘the day of the LORD’s anger’. Again ‘the day cometh’ means that the day will eventually come when the wicked will burn in the ‘oven’ and be ‘stubble’. The way this is worded it implies that it would happen in a day, or in a short time frame, although this isn’t proof, otherwise this expression would not adequately describe this event. In any case, these expressions, ‘Day of the Lord’, and ‘burn’ and ‘shall be stubble’ clearly do not mean an infinite amount of time, whether the wickeds' destruction really all transpires in one day, or a slightly longer period.

(To Be Continued!)

Click here for a Free PDF of this article!

#God #Reward #Fruit #Get #Deserve #Eternal #Suffer #Crime #Wicked #Death #Fair #Forever #Stubble #Ashes #Sin #Day #Burn #Fire #Judge

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universeinform-blog · 8 years

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Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles to headline Classic East and West festivals

New Post has been published on https://universeinform.com/2017/03/14/fleetwood-mac-and-the-eagles-to-headline-classic-east-and-west-festivals/

Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles to headline Classic East and West festivals

Closing summer season, AEG delivered together song legends along with Paul McCartney, Roger Waters, and The Rolling Stones for the Desert Journey song Pageant. Fellow industry behemoths Azoff MSG Enjoyment and Stay Kingdom intend to drag off something comparable in 2017 with a pair of coastal festivals headlined through Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles.

Aptly titled Traditional East and Classic West, the two-day fairs will also characteristic Journey, Steely Dan, Earth Wind & Fireplace, and The Doobie Brothers, in step with Billboard. Conventional West will cross down July 15th – 16th at La’ Dodgers Stadium, accompanied through Conventional East from July twenty-ninth – 30th at Citi Discipline in Big apple City. The Eagles’ participation in the Festival is specifically noteworthy, as Don Henley previously announced the band’s breakup inside the wake of Glen Frey’s dying in January 2016. Following the band’s tribute to Frey at the 2016 Grammys, Henley informed the BBC, “That was the very last farewell. I don’t think you’ll see us appearing once more. I suppose that become probable it. I suppose it becomes the precise farewell.”

As for Fleetwood Mac, they Closing finished a headlining concert in November 2015. in the months on the grounds that then, Stevie Nicks’ launched into a solo tour in the back of her cutting-edge launch, 24K Gold, and her bandmates Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie had been working on a new album of duets, with a release date tentatively set for Can also.

Making Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” – Leaving The Twilight Sector Behind

Instances in my lifestyles I’ve set up computer structures at my administrative center. Every time for months on ceasing without letup existence became so hideously difficult that it was just plain goofy. Or, as I’m keen on describing it, my existence entered the ZEW – the Sector of Amazing Weirdness. Eat your heart out, Rod Serling, wherever you are.

However, Fleetwood Mac put my trials and tribulations to disgrace once they made “Rumours”. This changed into the seventh exceptional-selling studio album of all time however the production of it occasionally made the Marx Brothers look like lukewarm oatmeal.

Allow’s begin with the aid of gazing that Lindsey Buckingham was breaking up with Stevie Nicks, John and Christine McVie had been divorcing, and Mick Fleetwood was divorcing his spouse. No one was speaking to each other except in clipped, civil tones once they were operating on tracks in the studio. Believe being pressured to do a joint time period paper with your worst ex-lover.

And that is only for starters, parents. Warning: you are about to go into the ZEW.

Capsules were everywhere. The band had a cocaine dealer who frequently provided all of them with high first-rate Peruvian powder. Mick Fleetwood becomes so pleased with him that he turned into considering giving this character credit within the destiny album’s liner notes. Till the provider become accomplished, that is. No, that wasn’t a typo.

Then there were the Bionic Cakes. Nicks had a lady friend who baked a batch heavily laced with hashish. To be honest to the girlfriend she did warn each person that they were extraordinarily strong. The band overlooked her. In addition, they got nothing performed that day, for obvious reasons.

I’ve defined in some other article how Stevie Nicks wrote “Dreams” in ten mins in an aspect studio known as “Sly Stone’s Pit”, a garishly adorned sunken lounge. Did I point out that it had its very own nitrous oxide tank?

Subsequent there was the Piano From Hell. It would not music. Fleetwood Mac referred to as in a closely tattooed man or woman who earned the moniker “the Looner Tuner”. His efforts didn’t please the band. Subsequent they brought in a blind piano tuner. They still were not satisfied (do you detect a pattern here?). Subsequent they tried switching pianos no longer as soon as, But nine instances. still not correct enough. Ultimately they ended up no longer using the piano tracks at all. Result: 4 days of steeply-priced studio time wasted…

On tuning an instrument.

His efforts didn’t please the band. Subsequent they brought in a blind piano tuner. They still were not satisfied (do you detect a pattern here?). Subsequent they tried switching pianos no longer as soon as, But nine instances. still not correct enough. Ultimately they ended up no longer using the piano tracks at all. Result: 4 days of steeply-priced studio time wasted… On tuning an instrument.

They also needed to address “Jaws”. No, I’m now not regarding Bruce the Shark from the immortal 1975 Steven Spielberg movie of the equal name (wrong coast, anyway). I am talking approximately a tape recorder that earned the dreaded nickname because it had the disturbing addiction of chewing up fresh takes.

You’d think they would at least have ended up with usable tracks after all this. They didn’t. Upon returning to La after nine weeks in some other size in a Sausalito studio Fleetwood Mac determined that their new album, the destiny “Rumours”, sounded ordinary to their ears. It took the better part of 12 months to fix it.

Whether you’ve written an email, blog post, newsletter, white paper, or press release, your primary job is to persuade the intended readers to explore what you’ve written. The challenge is that anyone worth writing for is overwhelmed with potential reading material. Prioritizing and skimming are the norms. Use yourself as an example. When sorting through business or personal reading material, what tempts you to stop and read?

The headline!

The headline is a hook that reels in readers. Boring headlines do not grab attention. They do not intrigue or resonate with the audience. They do not communicate the value of the content that you’ve spent the time to research and write. Humdrum headlines are not click-bait.

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When writing your next article, consider what would be most appealing, or alarming, to your intended readers and as well, most descriptive of the content. The perspective from which you must create your subject line/title is from the intended reader’s ultimate vetting question, What’s in it for me?

Create an irresistible hook that will get your item more attention, more readers, more buzz and the best results. Keep these categories in mind as you compose the headline for your next important communication

With its Celtic influence, unique architecture and stylish resorts, the region of Aquitaine and its departments have endless attractions to offer. From spectacular golf courses to famous art, from wine tasting to a huge range of outdoor activities.

But let’s not forget that it has some great festivals and celebrations. Let’s check some of them out.

Here are some of the most famous festivals in Aquitaine, France (please note that we have tried to get the most accurate dates available, however, his is subject to the information supplied on the websites concerned)

Bayonne Carnival – Town Centre, Avenue du Maréchal-Leclerc, 17th -18th February 2013

This carnival is led by cute nursery school kids, as they proudly parade through the streets. Full of fun and attractions for all the family, enjoy music, face painting, workshops, colourful parades and more during the two carnival days.

Carnival on Two River Banks – Garonne River, Bordeaux, 4th March 2013 Every year the Bordeaux Carnival takes on a different theme, but one thing stays the same every year, it is a great chance to party, fun for families and a time to get dressed up. If you have children with you, there are plenty of activities and parades for them, plus the carnival includes aperitifs, workshops and shows.

International Festival of Religious Music, Lourdes, 15th to 31st March 2013 This takes place in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, on Avenue Monsignuer-Thé as. Groups from all over France as well as abroad come to perform classical religious and sacred music.

Agen Carnival – Town Centre, Re André Gide, 31st March to 1st April 2013 Welcoming in springtime, this is a chance to dress up and enjoy the festivities on the streets. It is a family friendly affair, so if you have children with you, they should love it too. It finishes up on Pancake Tuesday when the Mr. Carnival (Monsieur Carnaval) effigy is paraded down the streets and then burnt.

Gastronomic Feast, Sarlat, Dordogne, 17th to 18th May 2012 (awaiting for 2013) -Les Journé es du Terroir This is two days of pure and utter foodie-ness! Taste superb local produce such as nuts, truffles, pork products and much more.

It is also a perfect chance to learn how to do interesting tasks like pressing walnut oils, preparing jam or carving a goose. You can return home with some new skills!

There are also workshops for the children, plus they can see the farm animals.

Biarritz Arts Festival – Avenue Edouard VII, 2nd to 5th June 2013 Let the fun begin as the artistic performers take over the city of Biarritz! With creativity oozing all over the city, you can enjoy jugglers, dancers, actors, musicians and lots more.

Biarritz Oceans Festival – Avenue Edouard VII, 16th June to 23rd June 2013 If you feel up to it you can swim across Biarritz as part of this festival! But apart from that, there are heaps of activities during this festival. Check out street theatre, open air films, lots of entertainment, including Basque music!

8. Bordeaux Wine Festival – (dates to be confirmed) 28th June 2014 to 1st July 2014

If you are visiting Aquitaine and you have a deep sense of liking for wines, then this festival should never be left out of your itinerary. Bordeaux Wine Festival has not surprisingly become famous for wine lovers from France and those coming from other countries. Join another 300,000 or so visitors for this huge celebration on the banks of the Garonne

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