Originally posted on Catholicism Pure & Simple: The pursuit of true happiness is always linked to the Cross, which the sublime last words of Saint Andrew the Apostle express so well.?“I know the virtue of Thy Holy Cross.” The Latin adage grasps reality so well, talis vita, finis ita. That means the way you live…
This all quite beautiful and Divine Truth from God. I’m very certain as all of these Saints stand out to me but one in particular Saint Isaac Jogues who a blessed feast day commemorates when he was Martyred which was the same date a devious scheme was conspired against me in a situation whereby I would be so seriously injured I would either be killed or crippled and that day I was attacked by a very nefarious person who was possessed with evil from Satan which happened on North American Martyr day October 19 which is the memorial of Sts. Isaac Jogues and John de Brebeuf, priests and martyrs and companions, otherwise known as the “North American Martyrs.” On that day was so injured that it altered my life drastically and I had to fight for several years to survive. God made sure I did and by his grace I was able to serve His plan and not be destroyed as those dark forces wanted.
I want to share these words I wrote a while ago which were pertaining to all of this matter of saints and serving God’s will and purposes; which I see do connect to this beautiful article from CP&S.
“God comes to us often in obscurity, through unexpected events and persons.” God bless you and may He continue to bless you to do His will on earth as in heaven! I was just talking with a sister of mine early this morning about this very subject of how we are given many such opportunities and I indeed have had this happening in my personal life profusely and knew without a doubt that God was giving me actual messages and help to see my way on the very path which I walk here on earth. He doesn’t only beckon to us but guides us always if we will only take heed and watch as well as listen to all the opportunities He provides to us, so we not stumble but move forward in our life mission to serve Him and be ever so faithful to His will. Those monumental humblest human Icons like “Thomas Aquinas” or “Joan of Arc,” were chosen but they too paid close attention as Joan even when so young to God’s subtle messages being provided and we know what great good it did in her case!
Anyone that is interested please take a look and perhaps our heavenly Father through Jesus Christ is reaching out through your Blog and our shared words to others who just need that message or those tidbits of information to shed light upon their paths! I hope and pray this does some good for someone. Amen.
“We Never Walk Alone,” He our Creator through Jesus Christ told us He walks with us holding our right hand, and I know it for a fact from all that has happened to me over the last dozen years that I’m still here sharing my words and insights to others because He has given me all that I need and should be while on this earth to serve Him until such time that He God will take me away from this hard life to everlasting JOY and PEACE! For now I must hang in there and be in the ready to do whatever it is He asks of me one day at a time, like you even stated yourself my Friend; but never quitting and only doing what we are capable of however little or big a thing it is we can do it by having Faith in Him who gave us the greatest thing a LIFE, which is growing to be even much better than this, A Miraculous Eternity!
“Those who wage war against you will come to nothing. 13 For I am the LORD your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you: “Do not fear, I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13
Footprints in the Sand, a beautiful poem!
“One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.
After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.
This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You’d walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me.”
He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings’.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you.”
A few readers wrote about this poem on a web site:
“This little poem, though I had seen it several times throughout my upbringing, really hit home one day about 30 years ago. It completely and utterly changed my life.”
“Greetings in Jesus name!
When first I saw this poster, some ten years ago, I thought “Wow!” How good and faithful is our Lord. What He promised He will do, He really fulfills His promises. He is not a man who should lie.
Even today I am still thinking about the single pair of footprints: Our father’s! When we are tired He picks us up and carries us. Who else can do this? Nobody, but God.”
“Shalom Aleichem (Shalom Aleichem is a spoken greeting in Hebrew, meaning “peace be upon you.”), my dear friends, this is my greatest comfort in time of my low moment. Shalom Aleichem.”
“Been divorced for 3 years been married for 33 years and all in a sudden divorce comes don’t see your kids no more don’t see the grand kids really thought it was the end for me until I read this poem mean so much to me it carries me on to the next day making me realize how good God is he will be by your side every minute of the day thank you Jesus.”
“I love this reading “Footprints in the Sand”. As a child dying of meningitis, He was carrying me. I was given last rites at the age of 18 months and here I sit today, because He loved and was carrying me. Even today, He continues to be with me daily.”
“Everyone on display is beautiful, I know my Lord walks with me every day to guide me, I just love the second one which is the pillow and would have that next to me on the bed every night to give me strength and comfort. Thank you Lord for everything and never leaving me, praise to Jesus, the only real love of my life always.”
Psalm 37:23-24 (NIV)
23 “The Lord makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the Lord upholds him with his hand.”
(Credit given readers’ content: onlythebible.)
Interwoven into the fabric of the beautiful God given tapestry of my day came along at just the right moment another notification from a writing friend who apparently God wanted to make sure we both saw each other’s written words and do some connecting of DOTS!
Then during the unfolding of my words through Divine Providence a clear immediate purpose for them came into view and this following letter was directed to a friend in need; who like all of us can use any “inspiration that God will send.”
Dear friend and brother. This is a most beautiful masterpiece of precious love from the deepest heart expressed in a literary work of art. A gift from you to others here on earth and of course those who loved you the most who are where we can’t be until we should be with them; but they would ask us to stay on course and grow in faith that all will be made right. But, I also see that your words sound tired or weary and I feel that you are lacking the JOY of your being created in the first place my dear Friend. Seek and you will find and we are all lost in this world as we have no ultimate control over anything. We truly are in the hands of our Maker or Creator which is a truth that I know for sure and is always worth investigation by anyone who is unsure or even those that need no convincing, because we never know enough nor could we living in just a temporary imperfect state of being. I have learned through my life that even though I’ve been kicked to the curb and then beat upon by many situations, and the ones that hurt me the most were those inflicted upon me by other humans, my own race or species of beings! Yet, I still have joy in my heart because I know that the bigger picture is the key, putting things in perspective; and that there is God Almighty who will judge all things accordingly leading all of those that desire Him above all things; to an everlasting Salvation with Him and all that is good.
We must think about how grand this miraculous, mysterious so precious a gift, this life is, even with all of the pain and sorrow it is, the best thing that ever happened; an expression from a Divine Creator with “ABSOLUTE LOVE” that produced from that love a masterpiece of never-ending sharing love for intelligent gifted brothers and sisters who are and will be members of an eternal fulfilling kingdom! We must be hopeful and vigilant to get there, not giving in to sin or failure as best we can; because no matter what happens “we can make it to the promised land,” He has promised us that, and if we will seek Him out of Love for Him as well one another while asking for guidance, He will never let us down; we will be fulfilled beyond imagination!
I’m telling you after all I’ve had to deal with I would suffer it all again if I must, because I’m positive what awaits at the conclusion and after the final analysis of it all, I will be so happy and complete forever, living eternally in a glorified state of being! For now I must carry my cross.
The figure of Jesus Christ carrying the cross up Calvary on Good Friday. The sky is dark and the theives crosses are on Calvary.
God bless you.
Brother in Christ Jesus,
Lawrence Morra III
The pursuit of true happiness is always linked to the Cross, which the sublime last words of Saint Andrew the Apostle express so well.“I know the virtue of Thy Holy Cross.”
The Latin adage grasps reality so well, talis vita, finis ita. That means the way you live is the way you die. If one lives well, a good death is likely with the grace of God. Whereas those who live a sinful life are unlikely to make a last minute conversion and die well.
The saints stand apart. They embrace death with confidence, even joy. They know what awaits every faithful soul who heroically fights the good fight on earth: Heaven. The ten saints here featured display such a high degree of union with God and the Blessed Virgin Mary that they already seem to experience a foretaste of Heaven on their deathbed.
The diabolically corrupted leaders and globalists have contributed vastly to the Devils plan against humanity and have launched this plan the likes of which has never been this broad, encompassing and actually feasible in all of human history! The worst depots and evil men are closely connected and networked while being integrated into the entire “Military Industrial Geo-Political Big Tech and Pharma Complex.” We the people have no real voice or control over our own government just like most if not all other countries do not! People will have to rise up in civil war to change it!
This ongoing global crisis is a diabolical monstrosity and an atrocity of unprecedented proportions derived directly from hell; that is going to cause much more ruin than we have ever witnessed in my humble opinion; entire global systems may very well fall apart bringing on untold misery and suffering!
The insightful guidance by some of our most precious leaders past and present of the Church like Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen and more recently from Cardinal Raymond Burke and Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano have provided so much understanding as to how bad off the human race would be if nations and peoples don’t work toward genuinely maintaining peace. But most of all what our Father in heaven’s will is by His living word the Holy Scriptures through our Savior Jesus Christ for each of us moving forward as many frictions and actual major conflicts will unfold. But it was foretold in the Holy Scriptures that these most troubling of times would come and bring great calamity to this earth the likes of which has never been seen.
Too many people have been led astray by the evil one and many more still are which is making for a social upheaval to come that will be apocalyptic while the supposed leaders of nations many of them so corrupted and drunk with undeserved power or influence are pushing all systems to the brink of complete collapse and ruin!
As I see it just as some of the most corrupted humans ever have infiltrated the Roman Catholic Church Hierarchy we now have many of the same sort in the US government which I quote here as an indication of how these horrible circumstances are all interconnected. “Only days after his murder, the US dispatched vaccines to Haiti, together with a team of FBI agents. This means that Haiti is now no longer the only country in the Western Hemisphere not to accept the Covid injection.”
And so the FBI and CIA are extremely complicit in many of the evil undertakings presently being carried out around the globe including these recent deaths of leaders! These same nefarious characters are working with evil Communist China’s CCP which is looking to expand sooner rather than later by the taking of Taiwan I believe possibly the way Russia made its move against Crimea and to eventually gain control of the South China Sea region closing up any gaps in order to control Asia and most of the Pacific Ocean in the region. I’m seeing now how China from all the available indicators along with its track record over that last dozen years alone spells one thing, which is the massive expansion and the spread of Communism which we know Bergoglio has no problem with such misadventures by such a brutal and diabolical Regime. We just watched as this completely corrupted and truly diabolical Puppet for Satan POTUS Biden just handed over Afghanistan to the Taliban on a silver platter as it were; which is all part of the ongoing satanic plan.
Back in 2014 the equally evil and satanic agent of hell Obama released the most dangerous Jihadists from GITMO in a supposed trade for an American Army deserter Beaudry Robert Bergdahl, at the tune of $5 billion and the released five top Taliban Gitmo detainees if that makes any sense, (I smell Pay Off and Kickbacks for Jihadist sympathizer Mindset Obama); even when the truth later came out that Bergdhal wasn’t any POW and later was tried as a “real traitor” while in toll Obama released about 75% of the detainees at GITMO, eventually.
But most damning is the fact he gave into extreme hostile enemy terrorists, which was so bad in fact that I say Obama is a cohort of hell as well as a traitor for even just the release of one of these monsters, an actual mastermind of the Taliban in Afghanistan who worked closely with Osama Bin Laden, the Mullah named Khairullah Khairkhwa, who oversaw so many beheadings before being captured by American forces.
I tell you we are going to see some major advances in terrorist plots and horrible crimes being committed now that these devils have been released to swarm like a hive of angry diabolical hornets! To strike out and with all of the cache of military weapons and hardware worth in the billions of US dollars that Biden gifted to one of the most horrible enemies of mankind with his disaster withdrawal from Afghanistan making the Taliban the most well-armed terrorist army in history. As
I’ve said for a long while Biden is America’s Man of Perdition and demonically possessed; there is no doubt at all as I see this! In conjunction with that, what Iran and China will be doing to use these maniacs the Taliban for their ultimate goal of throwing off the US global strategic balance of power; so they can strike while the iron is hot and they will; I regret having to think how much can and will probably go wrong as the world is sliding down this most slippery slope ever!
Here is the Fox News coverage of this Obama debacle event back in 2014!
In remembering aclip from C-SPAN, I found it amusing that a Catholic news outlet whose name will not be mentioned was spreading misinformation on Archbishop Carlo Vigano claiming he was into “conspiracy theories” for presenting evidence on the leftist Francis’s unseemly doings.
He also has recently been putting the spotlight on the COVID and the abortion-tainted vaccines promotion of Francis:“
A caller to Washington Journal, May 27, 2018, raised the repeal of the Smith Mundt Act, legalizing domestic propaganda and the complicity of the media with the Deep State. The Daily Beast’s Eleanor Clift dismissed this fact as a conspiracy theory, but the Washington Times’ Cheryl Chumley reminded her of Operation Mockingbird in which intelligence assets were placed in the media. Eleanor looked very unconfortable.”[https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4731767/operation-mockingbird-exposed-span]
It appears a number of media outlets such as Reuters and USA Today are attacking speculation about the…
Dec 3, 2020 – Updated August 5, 2021 and August 14, 2021
Yes indeed is the truthful data that was out there in the world coming from some reliable and honest experts that I was aware of in March of 2020 but knew it was being suppressed by the powerful evil globalists via the MSM they have in their back pockets along with the politicians around the globe!
Why did they suppress truth? Because they needed to advance their agenda of the very thing we’ve all been subjected to which is all tyrannical edicts from KINGS not a free society and world were we have human God given inalienable rights and always Due Process! We have all been subjected to this huge evil game of lies and cover-ups and its going to stop! But it takes us the People to say ENOUGH and resist them do not comply with anything they say! We know Faucet is an evil Nazi liar and I think he will at some point be apprehended and tried in the ICC at The Hague for Crimes Against Humanity!
This older blog has loads of valuable information but has been updated so it’s very worthwhile for all of us to review it and that is why I want to be helpful and send it out!
God bless you and Jesus Christ is with us and He will address all things in the appropriate way and time! Amen.
Religious leaders say they would refuse treatment ‘if we use body parts’
Dec 3, 2020 – Updated August 5, 2021and August 14, 2021
By Mary Margaret Olohan Daily Caller News Foundation
The pro-life Charlotte Lozier Institute has released information on which coronavirus vaccines have been made using cells obtained from aborted babies.
The Charlotte Lozier Institute (CLI) releaseda new chart Thursdayexamining whether eight leading COVID vaccines were either produced or tested using cells obtained through abortions. The institute’s analysis found that most of the vaccine candidates did not use cell lines derived from abortions in their production, though several used abortion-derived cell lines in laboratory testing.
The potential that the much anticipated vaccines would use cells from aborted babies poses weighty moral problems for many Americans who object to abortion.
Religious leaders such as Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texassaid earlier this…
For informational and sharing purposes only on this platform.
August 17, 2021
Very good and interesting overview that points out some truth but I do see some areas that need further elaboration to clarify the underlying truth.
These portions of excerpts stood out clearly to me!
“Later, when pagan, Jewish, and Christian communities were conquered by Muhammad’s armies and refused to convert to Islam, more revelations about jihad appeared in Surah 9:29: “Fight against those who (1) believe not in Allah, (2) nor in the Last Day, (3) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger (4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islam)”
“A permanent political split occurred between Sunnis and Shiites (supporters of Ali) which lasts to this day. Violent clashes and competition for territory and believers broke out, which resulted in the death of Ali’s grandson, Husayn ibn Ali, by the Ummayad Caliph Yazid in 680 in the territory that now comprises Iraq (Armstrong 158-159). Shiites still regard Husayn as a martyr and honor his death every year. Sunnis and Shiites still fight over political leadership and territory. Iran, a Shiite country, remains in conflict with Sunni Saudi Arabia. And the goal to spread Islam around the world is still alive and well.”
Due to these internal conflicts of a tribe like nature that still persist there to me can be no sound judgment as to who is doing the work of God or of the Devil. I believe Muslims are an accursed group both socially and religiously not performing in any Godly manner at all. How many charitable missions are performed or carried out by Iran or any major Islamic powered Nation for that matter in the Middle East; globally during times of need by foreign Nations say the way Christians have and do. Iran exports terrorism using many proxies such as Hezbollah to carry out terrorism and to this day seek to inflict harm upon their imagined enemies with extreme prejudice and hatred only because they are not of the same political and religious ideologies along with hatred that has festered for many centuries. Further the absolute historical evidence, eyewitness accounting and many correlating books of the Bible substantiate who Jesus Christ was and is leaving no doubt that He is the Son of God not just a prophet like say Muhammad claimed to be but contrary to that there is a body of evidence he was a blasphemer of God, heretic, polygamist and child molester.
The violence and call to Jihad within the Muslin religion is unprecedented as for example we do not see such radical behavior among the many denominations of Christians or Jews who are actually despised by many Muslim’s and the leaders of counties like Iran calling for the utter destruction if Israel and the Jewish people. Here we have a group of religious zealots today in the 21st century going along with beheadings and crucifying of Christian’s in Syrian or Iraq by burning them alive, entire families, so no way will anyone ever change my mind about this religion not having anything to do with peace or a Supreme Being of Love and Justice!
The Crusades of the Middle Ages in Europe was to a good extent a direct result and reaction to the Caliphates encroaching into Europe during the first millennium established to Conquer all these Infidels outside of Islam throughout the European continent so many Christians and Jews! Many were enslaved, tortured, and burned alive while many assuredly beheaded. Also Muslims have the steadfast belief that lying or deception is fine to accomplish their objectives with anyone especially those they consider enemies or Infidels; ex. The best known being taqiyya the Shia name. This in circumstances which are usually not always that advance the cause of Islam; in some cases by gaining trust of non-believers in order to entrap them while drawing out their vulnerabilities to defeat them; to me very serpentine like thinking not anything God would condone under any circumstances at all. We Christians do put all of our trust in the Lord and do not have to resort to such evil thinking which is condemned and forbidden in Holy Scriptures; where these people do not trust in their professed God and do! Such a cult that promotes outright lying and deception and the lopping off of Infidels heads by any of its members whether radicalized or not by any such allowing it unabated as just and appropriate; are not following God almighty; but Satan!
On Christmas Day a few years ago an internet assault by a Muslim man who I had run into on another platform made sure on Christmas Day that he belittled our celebration of Jesus Christ the Savior. So I had to unload some specific information on him to either set his mind straight if that is possible which I doubt; or let him know he is my sworn enemy and I know it!
Here is the resulting response of that attack.
Victoria, for a couple of days leading up to Christmas and right on Christmas this phony and deceptive guy who was commenting on a post about the two Scandinavian young ladies beheaded kept twisting truth like the Devil to make Jesus nothing more than some guy like Muhammad. His denouncing Jesus and Christianity therefore on Christmas set me off onto my mission, as he would not stop it no matter how many important things I tried to explain to him. He was a clever deceiver. He did however stop after this piece I wrote to him on the post!
Aツaz Your own words; “live the way you want and not dictate as you are just a human and not a messenger of GOD, like Jesus and Muhammad were.” “Muslim hoax” I am wondering how you equate a “hoax” with facts of an Islamic Empire” Wonder NO MORE, Pay attention and learn of your blaspheming error! You have a huge inaccuracy that needs to be corrected! Saying that Jesus is another prophet like Muhammad is blasphemous. First Jesus was not a mere prophet but was God Himself and therefore the Redeemer and Savior of Mankind as he said. Muhammad was only a supposed prophet and there is irrefutable evidence in the historical text of the time he lived that points to his being an outright liar and heretic as well as a criminal and child molester along with his being a polygamist! The following statements are highly accurate and actually proven. “In 632, only months before he died, Muhammad apparently met for the first time with a Christian community as such. An official delegation of Christians, probably led by a bishop, came to Mecca from Najran in Yemen. After engaging the Christians in discussion, the Prophet is said to have realized that Christian teachings are indeed incompatible with Islam, after which the revelation followed that only Islam is acceptable to God as a religion. The Quran also says very specifically that those who refer to Jesus as God are blasphemers, and that Christians saying that Christ is the son of God is an imitation of Jews, who earlier had said that Ezra is the son of God. According to the Quran Jesus was only a servant; Jesus the son of Mary was no more than an apostle of God. Quranic verses dealing with Jesus’ death have been interpreted differently by commentators, but generally they have been taken to mean that Jesus did not die by crucifixion. For Christians the Quran has thus served as a denial of Jesus’ incarnation and death on the cross and of the reality of the Trinity.” (Oxford University Press)
These two points alone put Islam and the Muslims completely at odds with Jesus Christ and all Christians and are the enemies of such! Muhammad himself began this conflict and was the spoiler and Heretic directly attacking God’s plan as foretold by all the previous prophets going all the way back to Abraham. Things have been in conflict because of Muhammad ever since and are getting worse, this will not resolve until Islam is Chastised or obliterated as a fake religion started by a false prophet and therefore heretic! In Summary Muslims are in complete denial of what Jesus Christ said and who He was which makes them Anti-Christ and supportive of the Devil and all that is unholy.
Basically Muhammad started this Blasphemy back in 632 AD and outright declared War on Christendom! Islam you yourself stated is an EMPIRE which puts it in the category of being a Nation not a Religion! It is not a religion that is backed up with solid historical evidence and prophecy over time by many prophets other than what Muhammad said, he made it all up, the heretic! Islam seeks to conquer and must be stopped! And it will be! God’s avenging angels are going to obliterate Islam at the time of the Final Judgment on earth and any of its followers, they are minions of Satan!
After this experience on Christmas day which I never in my entire life had any such blatant Anti-Christ in my face attack, and of all things on Christmas Day activity, tells me that we are in the End Times as Satan is working through all means available at a fever pitch to Attack Christianity and it’s faithful, because the time is drawing near for God, Jesus to return! Of course I could be off by many years but this is my hunch as there are so many signs and I was attacked by evil several years ago to stop me from being the witness and faithful one that I am for Jesus. A woman of a Christian order told me back then that there was a reason I was suffering for Jesus and it would become apparent at some point in the future why I was being prepared! Now I see in retrospect that God did want me to do something for Him and it could be just to be as I am doing or maybe something more, like a priest told me recently, wait and see!
God bless you and may God’s absolute “Light of Truth” shine forth and enlighten many hearts and souls before it is too late! Amen.
Brother in Christ Jesus,
Lawrence Morra III
What is the Role of the Prophet Muhammad in Islam?
by Dawn Pisturino on August 3, 2021
It is impossible to separate the Prophet Muhammad and the Qur’an from Islamic culture, society, politics, and religion. In the Islamic world, the Prophet Muhammad exemplifies the model of the ideal human, and the Qur’an outlines the duties and responsibilities (the rules, so to speak) of Muslim believers.
In the Qur’an, all of life belongs to Allah; and all believers owe their allegiance to Allah above all else (including family, clan, and country). The Prophet Muhammad never claimed to be anything more than a human being and the messenger of Allah. This places all the emphasis on Allah and away from his human representatives on earth.
Over the centuries, the Prophet Muhammad has been mythologized in many ways. A good example of this is the 16th century book, The Path of Muhammad by Sufi mystic Imam Birgivi, which assigned magical and supernatural powers to the Prophet.
But this is a departure from Muhammad’s original intent. The Qur’an clearly states in Surah 9:18 that “the Mosques of Allah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day; perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat) [daily prayers], and give Zakat [charitable alms] and fear none but Allah. It is they who are on true guidance” (Al-Hilali and Khan, 241). Any believer, therefore, who is sincere in his beliefs and actions can be a religious leader in Islam. Nowadays, however, it is more common for religious scholars to manage mosques and act as imams (religious leaders).
The mosque in my community, for example, was built by a local physician who was also an imam in his native country of Pakistan. He hired a religious scholar from Pakistan to be the full-time manager and imam, but he retains total control over the mosque. His control moderates how far the imam can go in conveying orthodox/unorthodox beliefs to the community. When the imam announced one Friday that all Muslims who do not pray the five daily prayers should be killed (an announcement that shocked this westernized community), his fundamentalism was quickly squashed, and he returned to Pakistan a few months later. As a result of this shocking pronouncement, I suspended my visits to the mosque.
Political power has always been important in Islamic history to protect the Islamic community and spread Islamic beliefs (Esposito 60). Muhammad established the first Islamic political state in Yathrib, which was later called Medina. Many Arabs in the town were open to new ideas (Salahi 183-184) and converted to Islam. But the town was also split by internal disagreements and opposing groups. Eventually, a delegation from the town “invited [the Prophet] to come to Yathrib as arbiter of their disputes and de facto ruler of the town” (Esposito 8-9). Muslims from Mecca migrated to Medina, with Muhammad following them in 622.
The Quraysh in Mecca continued to oppose Muhammad and his followers, which led to more persecution and warfare between the two groups. It is during this time that Muhammad’s first revelations about jihad (holy war) appeared in Surah 2:190-191: “And fight in the way of Allah those who fight you . . . And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out . . . But if they attack you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers” (Al-Hilali and Khan, 47).
Later, when pagan, Jewish, and Christian communities were conquered by Muhammad’s armies and refused to convert to Islam, more revelations about jihad appeared in Surah 9:29: “Fight against those who (1) believe not in Allah, (2) nor in the Last Day, (3) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger (4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) until they pay the Jizyah [protection tax levied by the Islamic state] with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued” (Al-Hilali and Khan, 243).
By the time of Muhammad’s death in 632, all of western Arabia was under his control (Esposito 10).
Muhammad’s death left a leadership vacuum which led to a major political schism in Islam that still persists today. Passages in the Qur’an can be vague and contradictory – open to many interpretations. And traditional reports of sayings and events attributed to the Prophet (hadith) are not always reliable. Such is the case concerning Muhammad’s successor.
“Abu Bakr, Muhammad’s close friend, was elected by the majority, but some believed that he would have wanted Ali ibn Abi Talib, his cousin and son-in-law, to be his successor (kalipha)” (Armstrong 158). This belief was rooted in the events which reportedly happened at Ghadir Khumm on March 10, 632. While returning from Hajj, the Prophet Muhammad stopped his caravan at Ghadir Khumm and gave one of his last great speeches. He honored his son-in-law, Ali, by saying, “One who has me as his master has Ali as his master” (Tahir-ul-Qadri 17). Muhammad referred to his son-in-law as mawla, which has many meanings but generally translates as “friend” or “helper.” This is how Sunni (mainstream) Muslims interpreted what he meant. But the supporters of Ali interpreted this to mean that the Prophet was giving absolute authority to Ali. A permanent political split occurred between Sunnis and Shiites (supporters of Ali) which lasts to this day. Violent clashes and competition for territory and believers broke out, which resulted in the death of Ali’s grandson, Husayn ibn Ali, by the Ummayad Caliph Yazid in 680 in the territory that now comprises Iraq (Armstrong 158-159). Shiites still regard Husayn as a martyr and honor his death every year. Sunnis and Shiites still fight over political leadership and territory. Iran, a Shiite country, remains in conflict with Sunni Saudi Arabia. And the goal to spread Islam around the world is still alive and well.
The unifying power of Islam, however, is the concept of ummah (community). Every member of the community acts as one body to worship Allah and create a just and equal social order. There is no separation between Allah and the “tribe.” A Muslim’s duty is, therefore, both theological and social, as one evolves from the other.
____ Tahir-ul-Qadri. The Ghadir Declaration. Lahore: Minhaj-ul-Quran Publications, 2002.
Al-Hilali, Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din, and Khan, Muhammad Muhsin. Interpretation of the
Meanings of the Noble Qur’an in the English Language, 15th ed. Riyadh: Darussalam, 1996.
Armstrong, Karen. A History of God. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1993.
Birgivi, Imam. The Path of Muhammad. Bloomington: World Wisdom, 2005.
Esposito, John L. The Oxford History of Islam. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.
Salahi, Adil. Muhammad: Man and Prophet. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1995.
Dawn Pisturino, RN
December, 2018
Thomas Edison State University
Copyright 2018-2021 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
Fair Use
This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more info go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. LM
Absolutely Truth from God our Father in heaven! So beautifully said and all of this wisdom tugs on my soul; making me want to try so much more and harder than I ever did before; because I can never do well enough, not even close! That is why Jesus God Himself said; I’m going to carry the burden and curse of sin for you and will not leave your side all the way through this life of finality or death to the Gates of Heaven, I will be with you; but, you must believe and try to work with me through your lifetime being a disciple and follower of me; your Good Shepherd! Thus, you become an instrument of God Almighty, to perform as He would have it, in accordance with His Holy and Perfect Will.
By my life experience and trying to discern the meaning of it all simply to see myself and realize I’m so helpless unless I have Jesus Christ to not only comfort me, but, to help me grow in the knowledge and wisdom which is a free gift from above to those who will open their hearts completely and surrender them to Jesus Christ, always humble, and on bent knee, so that the Devil that father of all lies can find no access to us; rather he cowers and flees in trepidation of the Almighty!
I look around and see the clear evidence that Satan and Hell do exist just by the simple fact of what I see many individuals doing in this life that is so obviously wrong and wicked, which is the Devil working through them, just as he has been in Biden, Bergoglio, Gates, Fauci, Soros, Clinton’s, Obama and so many others which I see so clearly, the absolute evil in them, beyond any shadow of a doubt, many possessed!
But, I contrast what I see in them with what I see looking at New Born Babies and just as much, but, so brokenhearted for the Unborn who are attacked by this cruel and wicked world and its many agents of Satan these days; being ripped apart and even used for a variety of monetized and even actually all unimaginable diabolical purposes; and I say of course Hell is waiting for the perpetrators of all this horrendous evil taking place; and it is complete and utter damnation forever!
“23But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. 25Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?”…Matthew 6: 23-25
Originally posted on Catholicism Pure & Simple: From Fr Z’s blog: In 1950 my late pastor, Msgr. Schuler, was in Rome on a Fulbright working on the manuscripts of Giovanni Maria Nanino, the successor of Palestrina for the Sistine Chapel.? He had great stories about being a priest in Rome in that Holy Year and,…
I just loved seeing this woman’s genuine, love, happiness and heart beaming as it were 58 seconds into the clip; at such a monumental and hopeful event for the world, at a time that in most respects was so different than the one we now occupy; so obviously!
Much humanity seems to have waned and been lost in the shuffle of modern secular materialism and focus on Self; not serving others or even one’s country!
Rather sad to honestly reflect now, but, I also see the hope that was so radiant back then is alive, because no matter what this at times desperate tumultuous world is doing, our Lord Jesus Christ lives with the Father and our beloved Holy Mother Mary; He reigns above wanting as many of us here to join them for eternity!
God bless the world that we your children are caught up in, and pray for us Holy Virgin Mother Mary that we can make it there to the Promised Land in God’s heavenly kingdom; I ask this in our Savior’s holy name of Jesus! Amen.
Brother in Christ Jesus,
Lawrence Morra III
In 1950 my late pastor, Msgr. Schuler, was in Rome on a Fulbright working on the manuscripts of Giovanni Maria Nanino, the successor of Palestrina for the Sistine Chapel. He had great stories about being a priest in Rome in that Holy Year and, specifically, of the Proclamation of the Dogma of the Assumption.
It was a different world. Think about it: the war had ended just 5 years before.
Deliver me, Jesus. From the desire of being honored. Deliver me, Jesus. From the fear of being despised. Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others be praised, and I be unnoticed.
I’ve learned as I’m sure many have that fear is the tool of the Devil and anything unholy that will use fear because evil is inherently weak having no power over children of the light and power of the Almighty. “Today too many people fear the things of the world or material loss; but they do not fear God! Many don’t even think He exists; rebelliousness.” Lucifer started that way! FEAR GOD.
All the Glory and Honor is Yours Jesus Christ Lord Savior and Redeemer!
“You are to fear the LORD your God and serve him. Cling to him and swear by his name.”Deuteronomy 10:20
For informational and sharing purposes on this platform only.
August 8, 2021
Alleluia praise God Almighty!
God our Creator the Supreme Being gave Dust immortal Life in His Image!
This is such a beautiful baby but also he is so special serving a God Sent Purpose with his precious innocent life to tell the world He wanted to live just like any of us do even from his first moment of existence when God infused a soul into that human life conceived in a blessed woman’s soul and womb as any mother has a special grace and gift from our Maker to carry another human life in her. Every breath you and I take is a precious gift from God so look at it that way, would you or I want anyone to say your next breath will not come or happen and you must choke and suffocate to death and then probably be gone long before you were ready or wanted to and more importantly before fulfilling God’s purpose He has built into each of our unique souls?
You know full well you want that next breath and opportunity to LIVE and we all have had a time or moment when we were ill or something was causing us to be short of breath and in some cases perhaps almost die! I absolutely can tell you that and what it’s like because while recovering from an industrial chemical injury that occurred in a work setting, my pulmonary system actually a couple of years after the initial injury, I suddenly without warning was developing an adverse autoimmune response from a medication I was injected with, which nobody apparently thought was going to trigger some odd internal change! But, while at home after spending a nice afternoon at a family cook out I brought some seafood items home for later snacks. I always knew I had a slight allergy to some specific shellfish, only this time was going to be life threatening, while alone and settling down for the evening having decided to eat some of those delicious items in the fridge. Within a minute of eating some I began to have a total full bore anaphylactic shock reaction which I never had in all of my life, no matter what I ate or how much, but would only maybe get a skin rash or watery eyes. I stayed calm and sat myself down to think as my trachea began to close like someone had reached into my neck and grabbed it and was squeezing it shut harder and harder to strangle me to death; I had only moments to live and knew if I resisted or struggled in any way I would sure be dead in minutes, as well, even if I called 911 it would be way too late by the time anyone would be by my side to save me! But, Jesus Christ was by my side; in the form of the Holy Spirit, and I prayed for Him to help me please.
Suddenly I recalled having bought an 8 ounce bottle of Benadryl on a whim one day just a few weeks earlier to help with the water eyes and nose I would get mowing the grass at certain times of year, but, usually never bothered buying it thinking I can take the aggravation no big deal! And yet for some reason I decided to buy some, because, I recalled that a Pharmacy Proprietor neighbor and friend of my family’s who lived next door had once told me that Benadryl elixir is good to control that histamine reaction I would get occasionally. But, I just never bothered keeping any around until this one time; like a last chance to wise up! I walked toward the cabinet where I had put it not knowing if I used it all or not, and just said, “Dear Jesus please let there be a bit left for me now!”
I was losing my breath and consciousness actually, almost unable to even swallow or move but at the last second I grabbed the bottle and yes there was nearly a 1/3 left and drank it all down slowly so as not to gag and spit it up, then while siting on the floor, when almost as fast as the choking began everything like a miracle reversed, letting go of my trachea and my breathing was free and clear once again! I cried a bit and told Jesus I love you and thank you for helping me giving me another chance to live, and even said thanks to the wonderful old neighbor who had passed on years before for being so kind and offering me such good advice and showing loving concern; a good man and soul there!
I’ve lived many years already like many of you, having all the opportunity we each get to grow and learn in order to know God and understand our purpose and His plan for us.
Why does anyone think they have the right to interfere and intentionally snuff another human being’s life out? They DO NOT! “God Giveth and God Taketh Away,” not up to us at all! Let these poor helpless little sweet babies live and see the miracle of life continue on to its fullness of purpose and beauty that God planned for that life on earth to fulfill, and has waiting for us in heaven! Amen.
Brother in Christ Jesus,
Lawrence Morra III
I say surely this little fighter may very well be a Richard the Lionhearted; a true Brave Heart for God and His will for Life!
Praise God! World’s Most Premature Baby Just Celebrated His 1st Birthday
Beth suffered medical complications during her pregnancy and ended up giving birth to a baby boy named Richard…
… who was born when he was only 21 weeks and 2 days old.
Doctors gave this precious baby a ZERO chance survival rate, but wait until you hear the miraculous story of where he is now.
He was so tiny, he weighed 11.9 ounces and could fit into his mother’s palm.
The chance of him surviving looked bleak, but his faithful parents never gave up hope.
Despite their initial doubts he’d actually survive, they watched him grow stronger and stronger each day.
And as their faith strengthened – the doctors too were stunned at the miracle before them.
Not only did Richard SURVIVE, but he ended up growing strong enough to be discharged!
Amazing.
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reported:
“It’s incredibly rare for a baby at 21 and 2/7th weeks to be resuscitated, let alone survive,” she said. “I think Richard has surprised everyone at Children’s Minnesota. He’s taught us all how resilient tiny babies like him can be.”
Pro-aborts argue a baby isn’t “really a life” – and therefore see no problem with ripping a 20-week baby from the womb.
But little Richard showed the world his life is valuable, and he deserved the chance to be born.
So many people give up right before the miracle happens.
Other doctors are quick to encourage pregnant moms to get an abortion if it’s determined their baby will have special needs or “not make it.”
As if somehow a baby with special needs doesn’t deserve to live.
And let’s be honest, typically, doctors who claim the baby will “never make it” – end up being stunned at the fact they were wrong.
Thankfully these mothers ignored doubting doctors and went through with their pregnancies.
So where is Richard now?
At home, with his loving family.
In fact, he just celebrated his 1st Birthday!
Even more amazing, according to Guinness World Records Richard has become the most premature baby to ever survive.
His mother is delighted.
Live Action reported:
“It doesn’t feel real,” Beth said about Richard breaking the record for the most premature baby to survive. “We’re still surprised about it. But we’re happy. It’s a way we can share his story to raise awareness about premature births.”
What an incredible story.
Little Richard shows babies can make it in this world, if they’re simply given the chance to be born.
So moms, if you’re pregnant and going through a difficult pregnancy, please be encouraged.
Push back if doctors encourage you to get an abortion (or find a new doctor altogether).
Please take a moment to forward this article on to your family and friends and let them know they can sign up to receive our newsletter directly right to their inbox by clicking here!
Fair Use
This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more info go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. LM
Additional thoughts on this subject from past writings.
Originally posted on It's a God thing…: The tough thing about being in lockdown is that we don’t know what the future holds. That’s why giving ourselves a strong home routine is so important. https://youtu.be/Oo9bxEqLscg
Hi again to sister in Christ Jesus Ali. Also to anyone else listening to her or reading these words I offer my prayers to all of you to be in good standing with God Almighty by first acknowledging Jesus Christ’s love for you and then to give Him your heart by placing your faith in Him to bring you to Salvation and everlasting life. Amen.
Immediately after sending this message out to Ali I realized this is all too important to not make my best effort possible to in a sense sing it from the roof tops to anyone who will lend an ear to these absolute truths!
So here I reblog the original message with these added words from my own heart to all of you with my humble prayer that it will reach many of you in the heart and bring peace with fortitude to see this life through as a child and servant of God Almighty bringing you ultimately to everlasting life in heaven. Amen.
Brother in Christ Jesus, Lawrence Morra II
I love Jesus Christ with all of my heart and I also love all of you; how can I do less when Jesus suffered for every single human being’s sins feeling all of the deserved pain, hearts full of sorrow, then died on that cross going to hell for all but rose from that what can be final fate for any sinner, to His Father’s kingdom leading the way for all to follow Him there! Amen. 😊 🙏 ❤
Hi there Sister Ali…so beautifully explained, very helpful, encouraging and needed! You know fairly well my position with regard to the pandemic AKA plandemic with subsequent restrictions on our personal freedoms and actually our happiness or as well sense of security! The devil is at work overtime in this event injecting insecurity, uncertainty and fear in our lives to throw us off balance and set a trap for many but only if we allow him the master of all lies to gain a foothold by weakening our resolve and even faith in the truth, which is actually we have nothing to fear but fear itself as many great leaders have said during world calamities, but moreover, Jesus told us in this verse; Romans 8:31 says, “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
And you sister are a soldier for Christ as I see you doing a fine job of serving God and advocating for the faith which is a blessing to any who hear you! I want to leave one more item a video of our fine Military Soldiers in their musical band not only being ready to take on enemies on earth if needed but praising God in His glory in this music to inspire as you are doing; all of you doing as I see it stating clearly what a legend of a man said Abraham Lincoln one of my all-time favorite historical figures and a man of God who said so beautifully said these words as the new nation a republic under God was heading toward Civil War these words regarding The Better Angels of our Nature; “The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”
I also want to leave you with these passages of beautiful scripture my dear sister and hope many will gain from you what I have. Amen.
Romans 8 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Philippians 4:11 “I am not telling you this because I need anything. I have learned to be satisfied with the things I have and with everything that happens.”
Psalm 27:1: “The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?”
Be strong through faith in Him who overcomes all and is the only path to eternal life with the Father in heaven; nothing else matters, He loves you! God bless you. Amen.
The tough thing about being in lockdown is that we don’t know what the future holds. That’s why giving ourselves a strong home routine is so important.
Zero Lift-Off 
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