Mid(ish) Lenten Update and a Nice Rant

I've titled this the way that I did because when this goes public It Will probably actually be mid-Lent. But, for my Patrons, they get early access. Hooray!

I like to put out updates during this time since 1) I typically do a social media fast, and 2) my readers/followers can be apprised of what Is going on. I don't want my Patrons (especially the paying ones) to go too long without getting any content from me.

So far, my Lent has been filled with blessings. I did end up sick with the flu or similar for about a week, and then after that I ended up in the hospital for 2 nights with a GI inflammation. I'm actually sitting in an examination room waiting on the doctor for a follow-up appointment from my hospital stay while writing this particular sentence. I still consider this to be a blessing, because I'm sure this was a gift from God.

Naturally, as a human, I am prone to error, and I have definitely done so.

One failing is that I haven't made it to a Vespers service this Lent. I also said I'd totally join the choir, but have yet to attend a practice - which takes place before Vespers. I need to hold myself a lot more accountable than I have been.

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The Problem of Revisionist History

Some times I come across pictures on the internet that remind of me things that I learned in various Christian schools that I later found out were false.

The Importance of Knowing Our Faith

 I'll admit that I am not up to date with a lot of what is going on in the Protestant world since starting on my journey to Orthodoxy some 14 years ago. It leaves me to wonder what old heresy they'll rehash and try to pass off as new knowledge. And that leads us to this image that I found on Facebook...

We Don't Need to Lie

 

One of the pages on FB that I follow posted the above meme. If one were to look at the bottom they could see that this was originally posted by another page called TRT World. I've added a link to their original post for any who want to check it out.

There are a few things wrong with what TRT reported, the first being the dating of the manuscript as from the 1st Century AD, when the Daily Mail reported on this manuscript back in 2012, they dated it as being 1500 years old - which if accurate, means the manuscript dates back to the 6th Century AD. In reading the article from the Daily Mail, one can see an emphasis is placed on St. Barnabas. And if one were so inclined, just a little bit of digging will offer this other article from the Daily Mail which states the manuscript is the Gospel of Barnabas.

The Gospel of Barnabas is a pseudopigraphical work dating from the Middle Ages. Wikipedia has this to say about the Gospel of Barnabas,

New Year Update

Well, the Holiday season is over, as well as the fasting season. Things were busy in the household I'm currently living in trying to get things ready for the Nativity. Some things have changed which hopefully mean that I will be able to focus on this blog just a bit more. I still have plans to keep posting old blog articles here, and I hope to get back to that soon as well.

On the Ongoing Crisis in Gaza

About nine years ago I wrote about Isis, Palestine, Israel, and Why We Should Care and now, I am saddened that I should have to revisit a lot of what I wrote.

 

Before continuing, most of what I wrote back then still applies, most especially that I do not support any, and I do mean ANY, terrorist organization. It does not matter to me if it is State sanctioned terrorism or not. Terrorists can get bent.

Also, I do not hate Jews, Muslims, or Arabs. Let me be clear, because people love to claim I am anti-Semitic for not kneeling down and worshiping the atrocities perpetuated by the State of Israel, I do not hate Jews, Muslims, or Arabs. What I hate - and by hate I mean absolutely despise - is the use of violence against innocent people.

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Verily: An Argument

 

It never fails: every year during the Paschal season, an argument (by which I mean usually light hearted bickering) breaks out about the proper response to the Paschal Greeting.

For those that don't know, or can't remember, the Paschal Greeting is, "Christ is Risen!" To which the response can be - depending on your jurisdiction and parish, "Truly, He is Risen!" "He truly is Risen!" "Indeed, He is Risen!" or even, "He is Risen, indeed!"

This will sometimes lead to a discussion about which English word best fits the Greek used in the response.

In Greek, the greeting is Χριστός ἀνέστη! - Khristós (or Christos as is more commonly seen) anésti! Christ is Risen! And the response is Ἀληθῶς ἀνέστη! - Alethós (or Alithos) anésti! ...

It is that word "alithos" that no one can seem to agree on how to translate. If you throw the word into Google Translate it will tell you that the word translates into English as "truly." There we go, case closed, pack it up boys!

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