News-Record.com

" . . . as legit as any other church." "Legit" by whose standards?
Here we go with more National Enquirer material. At least it's mildly entertaining.

Legit by the standards by which we can objectively judge churches in a pluralist society -- it has adherents who believe its teachings, the courts and the government recognize it and its clergy as legitimate, etc.

Since we're not empowered as mortals to empirically prove or disprove their supernatural beliefs, this is about as legitimate as we can expect a church or a belief system to be. They're not as old as, say, Lutherans -- but even they're babies as compared to Catholicism. Which is a baby as compared to other systems of faith.

I agree with you that this is entertaining -- but I think the discussion about drugs as part of religion and religious ceremonies, as taken on by the U.S. Supreme Court and continuously debated in this country, is actually a fascinating and important one.

The rise of the Russian vegetarian who believes he's Jesus (and has convinced more than 10,000 other people) seems more the National Enquirer's speed to me.

These Greetings are sent to you in Jesus the Anointed who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

The Universal Orthodox diocese of Georgia U.S.A. is a synergistic religion of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, THC-Ministry Hawaii, and the practices of the Ethiopian Holy Synod in Exile. The founder is taught by the Lord, alone.

All Christians (or simply the religion of the anointed Ones) are required to believe that Jesus will return in a Second Coming. This event in Swedenborgian theology www.heavenlydoctrines.org in the Arcana Caelestia Canon law treatise on Substantial Burden Pg. 11
Doctrine of the Universal Orthodox Church
“2135. PREFACE At the end of the previous chapter
the subject dealt with, was the Last Judgment, and
there it was shown what is meant by it - not the
destruction of the world, but the final period of
the Church. When this is imminent, says the Lord,
He will come in the clouds of heaven with power
and glory, Matt. 24: 30; Mark 13: 26; Luke 21: 27.
Nobody until now has known what was meant by 'the
clouds of heaven'. But it has been disclosed to me
that nothing else is meant than the literal sense
of the Word, and that by 'power and glory' is
meant the internal sense of the Word; for the
internal sense of the Word holds glory within
itself, since everything within that sense has
regard to the Lord and His kingdom; see Volume
One, in 1769-1772. Something similar is meant by
'the cloud' which surrounded Peter, James, and
John when the Lord appeared to them in glory,
concerning which the following is said in Luke, A
voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is My
beloved Son; listen to Him! When however the voice
had gone Jesus was found alone. Luke 9: 35, 36.

The literal sense to be revealed is that all references to the Hebrew term KNH and all references to the Aramaic KNYH in the Word are the hemp, cana or marijuana in the Bible. The Tree of Life cures cancer and is the KNH BSM. We have the right to the Tree of Life for the healing of the nations.

Canon law treatise on Substantial Burden Pg. 9
Doctrine of the Universal Orthodox Church
In 1st John, Little children, it is the last time:
and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come,
even now are there many antichrists; whereby we
know that it is the last time. They went out from
us, but they were not of us; for if they had been
of us, they would no doubt have continued with us:
but they went out, that they might be made
manifest that they were not all of us. But ye have
an unction (holy anointing oil of Moses Ed.) from
the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not
written unto you because ye know not the truth,
but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the
truth. Who is a liar but he that denieth that
Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that
denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth
the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that
acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. Let
that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard
from the beginning. If that which ye have heard
from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also
shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. And
this is the promise that he hath promised us, even
eternal life. These things have I written unto you
concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing
which ye have received of him abideth in you, and
ye need not that any man teach you: but as the
same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is
truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught
you, ye shall abide in him. And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed
before him at his coming. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. ii.18-29.

Reverends Bruce and Brenda Shoop fell into the looking glass of the Second Coming.

By your statements it is clear that you have not taken the time or effort to become educated on the revelatory Word located upon your own reference in the Universal Orthodox site. In Jude, "there are mockers in the last days." Interesting to me that your ignorance is considered to be noteworthy of a religious news report.

All Christians or simply the religion of the anointed Ones are required to be anointed or chrismated with the holy anointing oil of Moses. A study on this subject is available entitled Doctrine of the revelatory Word in the holy anointing oil of Moses on the Universal Orthodox website. There is a cure for ignorance and cancer.

a servant of servants,

'Greg'

That's...much clearer.

"Since we're not empowered as mortals to empirically prove or disprove their supernatural beliefs, this is about as legitimate as we can expect a church or a belief system to be."

Actually, Joe, we ARE not only able, but commanded to prove all things by the Word fo God. As Luther said, "My conscience is held captive to the Word of God. Here I stand. I can do no other." A thorough knowledge of the Scriptures and the indwelling of the Spirit enable serious, concerned Christians to make valid judgements as to the legitimacy of churches, cults, false religions, etc.

St. Paul instructs Timothy thus:

"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (II Tim. 2)

"But evil men and IMPOSTERS (UOC)will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."

The UOC is obviously NOT legitimate in by stretch of the imagination. Yes, it has some of the basic earmarks of what secularists routinely judge as valid "churches;" but by Biblical, creedal and confessional standards it is kooksville.

Frankly, Joe, I think the UOC is fairly close to the Russion vegetarian by Enquirer standards. It reminds me of the Holy Mushroom book that sought to interpret Christain pracitces accordiing to the effects of psilicibin. As a hippie int he early 70s I tried that sort of thing. It led nowhere. Christ gave me true joy and lucidity. These kookie cults are hoaxes of the first order.

"A thorough knowledge of the Scriptures and the indwelling of the Spirit enable serious, concerned Christians to make valid judgements [sic] as to the legitimacy of churches, cults, false religions, etc."

Were I a "serious, concerned Christian," I'd take your point.

As I'm not, I'm going to stand over here with the folks who use words like "legitimate" in a pluralist legal sense.

I respect your right to think that means I'm going to the same Hell as the pot smoking "cultists." I just don't happen to share that view.

But hey, ain't America great? You and I can disagree and neither of us has to be stoned to death or go to jail.

Careful there on the stoning/going to jail aspect Joe. You never know who might want that!

Shalom

First off, I think that those who do the [sic] thing on blogs, where people are writing on-the-fly half the time, reveal themselves to be rather pedantic. I considered doing it at times, but always realized, upon further reflection, that I would be playing the one-up-man-ship game.

Anyway, the whole idea of legitimacy, in the biblical sense, is that sound apostolic doctrine is the vital thought-material through which God redeems His elect, and guides them in the process of spiritual growth. St. Paul is consistently picky, with Timothy and others, about preaching only the pure Gospel of grace (no legalism or works righteousness); for only the offer of divine grace to rebellious sinners, based upon Christ’s atonement on the cross, can save. This is why Luther and the other Reformers were so bold and tenacious when it came to sola gratia / sola fide in the face of Roman errors in this regard. This UOC group not only needs to hire a very good editor, but repent of spreading false doctrine that can only confuse and never save.

I understand your point about the legal definition of religion, precedent etc. So, technically, the UOC may qualify. My point is simply that such a definition of legitimacy is alien to the Scriptures and creedal/confessional Christianity, and is under grievous divine judgment for seeking to formulate “another gospel,” as Paul put it. He pronounces an anathema (apostolic curse) upon such false gospels and their perpetrators – precisely because they lead people astray and insulate them from saving grace.

And I respect YOUR right to think as you do. It is important, biblically, that this be the case, because receiving the Gospel is an act of human freedom. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” is the formulation in the Acts and the Epistles – NOT “acknowledge our belief system or face the sword;” a method employed by Communism, Islam, and misguided and unbiblical Christians over the centuries. Anything remotely resembling coercion or forced confession automatically destroys the dynamics of Gospel proclamation and free acceptance.

But having the correct Gospel formulation and doctrinal framework of the Scriptures is also essential. The UOC does not have this truth; nor do other fly-by-night cults and heresies. This is why I consider myself a Christian libertarian – as little government as it takes to get the job done at each level, and a free arena of discourse and persuasion, free voting and no state church. I do, however, believe that social decency and survival depends on using biblical Law as the basis of whatever laws are necessary.

Oh, just one further thought. In pot-hell there will be nothing to light. The Bible presents hell as a place of alienation from God’s joyous Presence, where the “burning” (spiritual pain) is interminable, with no pot or anything else to assuage the emptiness – a continuation of the sinner’s earthly state, only magnified infinitely.

Just a journalist's habit to add a [sic] when repeating typos or mistakes. Don't want people thinking they're yours, writing to tell you so. Gets to be automatic.

Having attended Catholic school and Catholic mass for years it's not that I'm unfamiliar with or do not understand what you're saying.

Here, I think, is where you lose me rhetorically: why is it important to have free and open discourse if anyone offering cosmological or ethical ideas that are outside of biblical teachings must be rejected out of hand by all right thinking, scripturally grounded people?

Doesn't the free and open discourse end up sounding something like this?

"Well, the way I see the world is XXXX."

"You're wrong. Bible says so. Here's the chapter and verse."

"Okay. But I don't think the Bible is the final word on everything."

"You're wrong. Bible says so. Here's the chapter and verse."

"All right. I hear what you're saying. Thing is, I have a different belief system..."

"Which is flawed or heretical. Bible says so. Here's the chapter and verse."

"But I'm very committed to my system of beliefs. Here's why..."

"Well, you need to come around. Of your own free will, of course. But otherwise you can't go to Heaven. Bible says so. Here's the chapter and verse."

Is that discourse worth having?

I don't smoke pot. Never have. Don't think it's evil or have any particular moral objection -- just not my thing.

But I think I meant this post -- beyond its obvious entertainment value -- to spark some actual discussion. Drugs are not historically anathema to religion and have, for better or worse, figured into the history of all major religions, Christianity included.

Do drugs ever have any place in religion? What about religions other than Christianity? Do Native American churches, which legally use psychedelic drugs as part of their rituals, figure into the discussion? What about the Vodun traditions of West Africa, Nigeria and Ghana?

It seems a little simplistic to say: "None of that matters and it's not worth discussing. Not in the Bible."

I understand what you're saying, Joe. And knowing the Truth IS a rather heavy burden to bear in modern humanist America. It can get you crucified; physically or intellectually – blog lions as opposed to the flesh-eating type. Most people today have never REALLY studied orthodox, biblical Christianity, and therefore have a truncated and superficial understanding of it; which enables them to lump it together, as you did, with all other religions of the world, from voodoo to Islam.

For one thing it is revelatory from the gitgo, continuing on through Moses (the Law) and the Prophets; culminating with Jesus and the Apostles; a singular thread of redemption with a consistent Truth factor throughout – no idols, no human sacrifice, no drug involvement, no whacko doctrines, just love thy neighbor and worship the true and living God.

I laid that out as a partial answer to your critique of my response. The reason most Christian apologists use the Scriptures in their argumentation is because they know it to be the infallible revelation of God. With Luther, we must stand upon it – we “can do no other.” WE are not the Truth: never revealed it, never wrote it. Paul admonished Timothy to be “rightly dividing the word of truth,” not to discover it, or find it. The inner knowledge of God through the ministry of the Holy Spirit is fully in sync with the Word; and as with Jesus and the Spirit during his earthly ministry, they work in perfect unity. This inner and objective participation in the Truth of God results in a kind of “knowing” that is beyond intellectual speculation.

Christian apologists debate only to sharpen their own understanding of the truth, and to convince others of the marvelous gift of God in Christ. To assert that the truths we set forth are from our own head would be total presumption and pride. We humbly defer to God’s already-unveiled truth: in the Son and in the Word. Paul calls himself a steward or caretaker of the Word, not its originator. Anyone who has systematically studied the New Testament and sound Christian theology knows this to be the MO of Christian apologetics, and is not shocked when he encounters it.

I greatly enjoy debating with folks on this blog and elsewhere. They have their authorities, and I have mine. The argumentation revolves around which system of thought produces the most beneficial results for individuals and for society. There is plenty of room for comparing results, historic patterns, trends, etc. The Scriptures are simply our source material and our authority. What’s yours? Is it only your thoughts? I think not. You have important books, thinkers and sources you’ve read that influenced your thinking and positions. Right?

As far as drugs and religion are concerned, you are right in saying that they have been intimately intertwined throughout history: soma, the holy mushroom, hashish, peyote, et al. As I noted, I DID try to combine the two (many years ago – Woodstock generation) – tantric Buddhism, yoga and meditation while on, et al. But when the Holy Spirit filled me with the glory of God at salvation all those previous experiences were like a candle in the noonday sun. The joy of the Holy Spirit is the “drug” of Christianity. He is fully natural, complete, has no harmful side-effects, and reveals God. My greatest “high’ is knowing God’s presence, loving my precious qife and family, and sharing the Gospel. No matter what buzzes any other religion or attempt at transcendence may offer; it is

Nikos wrote: "But having the correct Gospel formulation and doctrinal framework of the Scriptures is also essential. The UOC does not have this truth;"

On the Universal Orthodox website is the Doctrine of the revelatory Word in the holy anointing oil of Moses. Truth of doctrine is established by the literal understanding of the Word. All references in the Hebrew Old Testament and Aramaic Gospel and Revelation to the cognate KNH and KNYH repectively are to the hemp, cana or marijuana in the Bible. Merely spouting off condemnation from out of ignorance without an explanation of how or where the author makes his conclusion is a mere mockery of the Word and the revelations given to this unrighteous steward by the Lord alone.

Emanuel Swedenborg reports from heaven that Martin Luther repented of his 'faith alone' heresy. The Universal Orthodox is a synergistic belief system based upon the literal understanding of the Word, the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg and the spiritual practices of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tawahedo Church. This Church still anoints the priesthood, the holy articles of the Church in worship service, the baptismal rites with the holy anointing oil of Moses in accordance with the teachings of the Apostles.

The Protestant churches of today are anti anointed or antichrist. The Protestant churches reject the priesthood but retain the basic tenets of the Catholic church and have adopted the Jesuit teachings of the Rapture and the antichrist as a human man to be revealed.

The antichrist that is to be revealed is simply doctrine of the antianointed. Christianity is the religion of the anointed Ones. Jesus is the Anointed physically with the holy anointing oil of Moses. John the Baptist anointed all that came to his baptism upon the right foot with the holy anointing oil of Moses. On the Universal Orthodox website is a link to the recent discovery of the cave where the ministry of John the Baptist began. On the Universal Orthodox website is a link to the recent discovery of the cave of Mount Zion and artifacts that prove the use of the 'oil of the spirit' by James the Just the first Bishop of the "Christian Church".

There are to be mockers in the last days. Mockery of the Word of God through villification, ignorance and denial of the literal and genuine truth is glaringly clear in the diatribes here against the clear doctrinal teachings presented on the Universal Orthodox website. If you can point out error from out of the Word, or from truth of doctrine do it. From the diatribe that is being fousted upon this blog it is clear that the doctrines presented on the Universal Orthodox website have not been read or even slightly glanced through. There is no excuse for your continuing ignorance.

In Jesus Anointed, who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

God isn't real.

Smoke weed everyday.

This reply to Ezra is posted in Jesus Anointed, Ab, Weld, Menfes Qidus, One God.

In quoting from newly released study on the Universal Orthodox website entitled Marijuana in the Bible.

http://www.universalorthodox.org/Marijuana%20in%20the%20Bible.html

Nahum 1:2 God is KNH, and the LORD avenges; The LORD avenges and is furious. The LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies;

Zechariah 1:14 So the angel who spoke with me said to me, "Proclaim, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: "I am KNH for Jerusalem And for Zion with great KNH.

Zephaniah 1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold Shall be able to deliver them In the day of the LORD's wrath; But the whole land shall be devoured By the fire of His KNH, For He will make speedy riddance Of all those who dwell in the land.

Zephaniah 3:8 " Therefore wait for Me," says the LORD, "Until the day I rise up for plunder; My determination is to gather the nations To My assembly of kingdoms, To pour on them My indignation, All my fierce anger; All the earth shall be devoured With the fire of My KNH.

Zechariah 8:2 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'I am KNH for Zion with great KNH; With great fervor I am KNH for her.'

Zechariah 11:5 "whose owners slaughter them and feel no guilt; those who KNH them say, 'Blessed be the LORD, for I am rich'; and their shepherds do not pity them.