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Why don't Christians celebrate the feast of tabernacles? Although there are some who celebrate the feast of Tabernacles they are definitely in a minority. A prophecy in Zechariah speaks of a time when all nations will have to keep the feast: Zech 14:16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all ...	In summary: Gentile Christians never agreed to observe the Feast of Tabernacles in a bilateral covenant; therefore, they were never obligated to observe it.
Where is the dead body in Luke 17? Jesus talks about the coming of the Kingdom of God in Luke 17:20-37 . This passage raises four related questions for me: Is this talking about the Rapture? Where is "a dead body" , that Jesus mentions at the end? Who are the vultures? Those taken? Is this talking about a world ...	This very much is a reference to what we call the "rapture".
What was the purpose of creating the world? Why did God create a world?Was the act of creation for some profit, or did God in His grace create world only because it was good? Genesis 1 (KJV) And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good . ...	I believe that God created this world and allowed us to fall so that we could learn to Love, because He first showed His love for us.
What is so special about sitting at God's "right hand"? This concept seems to show up in a few places: Psalms 110:1 (NIV) The LORD says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” Ephesians 1:19–20 (NIV) ...and his incomparably great power for us who beli...	The term at the right hand of God points to his exalted position he now is active on.
Why pray if God is omniscient? Possible Duplicate: What is the purpose of Prayer? What the question says, why do people pray if God knows everything? <Q> This is kind of like asking, "Why should you tell your Dad you love him if he already knows? <S> " It's not about conveying information, it's about fellowship. <...	We don't pray because God needs to be reminded of our needs, we are supposed to pray because we are to partner with Him to see His will be done.
What is an apostle? Often the apostles are referred to as "the twelve apostles" - the twelve disciples called by name by Jesus. But Paul called himself and Barnabus apostles. Were Paul and Barnabus really apostles? <Q> The word apostle is a straight transliteration of the Greek apostolos , literally meaning "one who...	Jesus called twelve Apostles to be his special messengers to all the world. Apostle essentially means "teacher" as opposed to disciple which means "student".
Why did the Pharisees need Judas to betray Jesus? I quite don't understand this whole thing. Jesus and his disciples are hanging around the city all the time. Why can't the Pharisees arrest him at their leisure? Why do they need Judas to tell the soldiers which one Jesus is? <Q> It's something you probably don't think ...	They might not be very familiar with Jesus, so they did not want to make a mistake by arresting the wrong man...
Is Levi from Luke 5:27 and Mark 2:14 referring to the apostle Matthew Both Luke 5:27 and Mark 2:14 mention a tax collector named Levi: 27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him, 28 and Levi got up, left everything and fo...	It's more likely Matthew and Levi were different disciples than the same.
How does the Arminian view of salvation account for God's sovereignty? The Arminian view of salvation posits that man has free will and the choice to accept salvation is purely on our own free will. The total sovereignty of God (while disputed in some theological circles) carries a lot of Biblical evidence with it. Ju...	God is sovereign in that he sets all the boundaries, both in putting each of us in a particular time and place, and in making a way that we might be saved and enjoy eternity with him. I would say that yes, through free will a man can accept God's offer of grace and salvation.
Significance of Methuselah's death year This is something I noted once when reading Genesis, and am still wondering if there's any meaning to it. Genesis tells us that Noah was 599-600 years old 1 when the flood came. Genesis 7:11 (ESV) In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the sevente...	According to this article , Methuselah can mean a few things, one of which is, "when he is dead, it shall be sent."
How should we judge the trustworthiness of a given Bible translation? Given that both the humans who actually penned the Bible and the later humans who translated it all had free will, the issue of Biblical inerrancy is a tricky one. See also: By what mechanism could the Bible be inerrant? It is usually claimed that...	A bible translation is deemed "trustworthy" according to how well it can translate the concepts described in one language into the vocabulary of another.
Where can I learn about Catholic terms and phrases? A number of very good questions and answers on this site refer to specifically Catholic doctrine or terminology. I've been one to ask for clarification on these terms at times, however I think it's clear that asking for clarification every time I see a Catholic term ...	Catholic Answers is a great reference site as well.
How do Christians justify their belief and how do they convince others of their belief? First of all, I assume that everybody should have some sort of justification for his beliefs. Secondly, I assume that Christians are interested in convincing others to join them as evangelisation seems to be promoted in the bible. L...	The basis of Christian belief isn't grounded in logic, but in testimony, faith and experience .
Can you be Christian while wishing death upon another? As an American on 9/11 I wanted death to come to all who planned or contributed to the attacks. As a Christian, I felt conflicted. Should I be feeling this anger? Am I right in thinking that Osama bin Laden should be killed? As well as brought to justice. As a Ch...	As a true follower of Christ, we should wish for others to believe in him and repent of their sins, rather than wishing for their death.
Should protestants not make the sign of the Cross? I'm not a Catholic, but I've been aware since I was little that Catholics will "Cross" themselves. Early on I felt like I shouldn't copy it as it always had been portrayed in tv/film as something ritualistic or superstitious. But now that I understand some of the Catho...	I don't think there's any harm in making the sign of the cross.
Can a Christian have clinical depression? God can grant an amazing peace of mind to a person. Many Christians have been totally calm and prayed for their persecutors while being tortured and killed -- like Stephen , the first martyr. But do all Christians (I mean those who are saved) have the same kind of peace, or a...	Yes, Christians can be clinically depressed.
Should the words to prayers said in private be changed to fit the company? Why do we pray " Our Father who art in Heaven" and "Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death". Should we instead pray My Father and "Pray for me, a sinner now and at the hour of my death"? Or is there a reason to alway...	My advice is this: If the prayer feels awkward to you, change it. There is a strong argument that praying a plural inclusive version of the prayers ( or the creed ) is about acknowledging the many others who are also praying the same thing - so saying "our father" includes the many others who are also praying the same ...
Why did God come down so hard on Job? There is a video/workbook series on prayer by Phillip Yancey (which I highly recommend) (and based on one of his books ) that talks about how we should pray openly about all things. It even says that we should tell God when we are frustrated with God himself. After all, (a)...	It seems that the reason that God was so angry with Job was because of Job's pride and arrogance.
What are the differences between the translation ideologies of the NASB and ESV? I've read both the New American Standard Bible and the English Standard Version for some time now. I frankly can't tell which one I'm reading; they're that close. Many passages are translated with the exact same wording. What are the ...	They are both said to be fairly literal word for word translations, with the NASB having the slight advantage.
Why do people interpret "Lucifer" as being Satan in Isaiah 14? In almost every case I've heard Isaiah 14:12-15 quoted or preached about, I'm told that these are the words of Satan in his rebellion against God. Isaiah 14:12-15 (KJV) : 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cu...	You are correct that in the original context the passage is actually about the king of Babylon.
Is having a moment of silence for someone anti-Christian? In our school, in one of my periods, one of my teachers told us the important things late Steve Jobs has done for the world and encouraged us to have a moment of silence for him for about 10 seconds. When I got home and told Dad about it, he said that it was a g...	No, there's nothing anti-Christian about a moment of silence.
What was the specific trap being set for Jesus by the Pharisees in John 8? In the story of the woman caught in adultery, John indicates that the question of the Pharisees was a "trap". 2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The t...	It's possible that the law-professors set up the adultery situation themselves, laying a stumbling block in her path in order to lay a different one in Jesus' path.
Is violence against LGBT people warranted by scripture? Possible Duplicate: Is there any Biblical basis for hating homosexuals? This week marks the 13th anniversary of Matthew Shepherd's torture and murder, a crime which appears to be motivated by disgust for who he was as a homosexual. Many Christians read the ...	Violence is certainly not permissible against any immoral acts.
Which denominations are considered mainstream in the UK? Wikipedia lists these denominations as " mainline protestant " churches in the United States: American Baptists Disciples of Christ Congregationalists / United Church of Christ Episcopalians Lutherans Methodists Presbyterians However in the UK some of t...	There is no definitive list of "mainstream" denominations in the UK - indeed the term is largely subjective - but there are a number of official and semi-official ways in which denominations are recognised.
Was the wine in The Last Supper fermented? I was reading " Does wine really mean wine in the Bible? " and I thought, The Last Supper was during the Passover, where the jewish was forbidden to use ferment in recipes: Exodus 12:15 KJV Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away le...	Fermentation of wine largely happened without added yeast.
What is the Evangelical view on tithing? Do Evangelical (by which I mean, taking the Bible as the ultimate earthly source of authority) Christians believe giving 10% of your income is a law for Christians? Note: this question is related to Was tithing 10% required or encouraged by the early church? After asking that...	I believe that the tithe (10%) is an old covenant minimum standard for most Christians' giving.
What does it mean to pray in Jesus' Name? A few times in the book of John, Jesus instructs us to pray "in His Name". What does this mean? How do we know if we are praying in His name? How would we not be praying in His name? I don't believe this is using "In Jesus' Name, Amen" as the closing line of our prayers. ...	Praying in Jesus’ name is praying for things that will honor and glorify Jesus. To ask "in His name" simply means "in" or "with" His authority....
Did Christ's original twelve apostles have families? We know that Peter was married because Christ healed his mother-in-law . Do we know if he had children? Do we know whether any of the other apostles were married and if they had children? <Q> Eusebius of Caesarea's Church History talks a bit about this. <S> He say...	Peter and Paul had wives.
What does the Bible say about God being a different type of being than man? Most Christians believe God and man are different types of being (Mormons are a notable exception). What passages in the Bible support this? Or is it inferred by the doctrine of the Trinity and the doctrine of only one God? <Q> God is certainly...	I think it's quite obvious that God is a different type of being than man.
Are St. Maximilian Kolbe's writings available in English? St. Maximilian Kolbe was known for printing his pamphlets in the years leading up to World War II. Reportedly, he had some very interesting musings on relativity, the speed of light and Christ's redemptive power. I can't find any of his works in English (or ...	The writings of St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe are now available in English, published by Nerbini International. Most of his works are available in Polish and (in translation) in Russian... but sadly have not yet been translated into English extensively. You can check with Academy of the Immaculate for a copy of his "Roman...
Where was Catholic doctrine defined before the Catechism? Apparently the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) has only existed since 1992. Was Catholic doctrine clearly defined in a specific set of sources before CCC? What would a priest have referred to in earlier times, if he had needed to check the stance of th...	Denzinger's Sources of Catholic Dogma is an excellent collection of important dogmas, ordered chronologically.
Which denominations use the King James Version? Which denominations primarily use the King James Version of the Bible? I did a search on Google and could not find anything reliable. <Q> It's really not a denominational issue, per se, but a doctrinal issue or a simple preference. <S> The King James Only movement ...	Also The Church of England (Continuing) and some traditional Episcopalians and the Anglican Orthodox Church in this country use the AV/ KJV.
Is there a biblical basis for God calling one to place one's career above their other duties? I've tried to phrase this question several ways now, and none of them are really to my liking. I will just ask it clumsily and provide more details as they are asked of me. Does God ever call people to lives devoted to their ...	The Bible does tell us that no matter what our career is, we should do it " as unto the Lord ", meaning that we should do our best as if we were working for God Himself.
Why do adherents to the priesthood of all believers still have organized congregations? I might be making some naive assumptions here, but I have a hard time seeing what the purpose of congregations are in the context of priesthood of all believers. As I understand it, priesthood of all believers basically says that a...	We sharpen, encourage, and build up "the brethren," meaning that we all serve as priests for one another, without respect to hierarchy.
Is 1 Thessalonians 4:17 the only verse that supports the rapture? Are there any verses in the Bible besides 1 Thessalonians 4:17 that support the doctrine of the rapture? <Q> Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. <S> Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and o...	There's also Matthew 24:40-42
How have Protestants explained how Jesus could be born of mankind and be sinless? Very simple question really. If the sin of Adam is passed down through the generations, so that all of us are born with a sin nature, how can it be that Jesus was born of Mary (a human being), yet sinless? I'm from a Protestant (specific...	The doctrine indicates that without a human father, Jesus did not inherit the sin nature.
What do Quakers believe about war and serving in the military? It seems that I once heard that Quakers are pacifists, but I'm not sure if that's just a rumor or not. What is the Quaker doctrine regarding war and killing people as a soldier in the military? If they think it is wrong, what is the biblical basis for t...	The majority of Quakers do not believe in violence of any kind for any reason. I would say that the choice to be a member of the armed forces, and the choices which subsequently present themselves, are a matter for the individual and the Wisdom and Divine Will that guides them.
What evidence is there that Jesus was a carpenter? I was about to say this in another discussion somewhere else, and wondered: do we know that? As in "it's mentioned or at least hinted at in $book $chapter:$verse"? Or is it just a very likely conjecture? <Q> We know that Joseph was a τέκτων (tekton)- traditionally a ...	To quote a small part that summarizes well: Jesus' adopted father Joseph was a carpenter (Matthew 13:55 & Mark 6:3).
Were there any OT prophecies that Jesus should be a wood-working carpenter I like the stone mason theory because that would make Jesus and St. Joseph (the patron of manly men) really tough. But, is there any significance to the traditional conception of Jesus following St. Joseph as a table and chairs sort of carp...	Carpentry is mentioned in the Old Testament but not as a prophecy about Jesus.
Can the Word of God and God's wisdom be beneficial to an unbeliever? More specifically I'm wondering in the way that we go to the Bible and to God about concerns or issues that we are facing for instruction and wisdom, can we think biblically about another's concerns or issues that they are struggling with in order to ...	Yes, wisdom from the bible can be beneficial to an unbeliever.
Is civil divorce OK for Catholics, are there mitigating circumstances? This is not a pastoral advice question, I'm happily married. I just really don't know the answer to this question to help a friend, so I guess it's pastoral pastoral advice, but I definitely don't want a 'try to work it out' answer, just the facts ...	The church considers most non-Christian marriages to be lawful and valid, but non-sacramental.
Is Abraham in heaven? If Jesus brought everlasting life and Abraham died before the coming of Jesus (and in fact before Judaism), would we therefore expect to see Abraham in heaven? What passages in the bible direct us to an answer? <Q> Jesus Himself said Abraham was in heaven, in the parable of The Rich Man and Lazar...	As well as the Old Testament accounts of Abraham's life he is also mentioned a few times in the New Testament - namely in Romans 4 , Galations 3 and Hebrews 11 .
Did Adam and Eve's Progeny Commit Incest? I have a multi-part question. Did Adam and Eve's Progeny Commit Incest? Genesis, Chapter 4 tells us about Cain and Abel. Genesis, Chapter 5 tells us about Seth and "other sons and daughters". I highly doubt that our species began with many acts of incest (not just for reli...	Yes, according to those that hold a literal view of Genesis, they did commit incest, but it wasn't a problem at the time.
Why would God create beings with the capacity to sin? Life on earth is filled with the horrible effects of sin. Why did God create mankind with the capacity to sin? Was there a higher purpose in this or was there a specific reason for it? I'm specifically looking for an answer based on biblical teaching as interpret...	The reason God created anything at all is for His glory.
Is the age of the earth in the Bible? Early scientists thought that the age of the earth is proven by the genealogical tables in the book of Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John. Other than this observation, is there any reference to the direct age of the earth noted anywhere in the Bible? <Q> No. <S> However, according to...	The age of the earth is not clearly stated in the Bible.
What happened to Ananias and Sapphira after death? Acts 5:1-11 (NIV) 1 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. 3 Then Peter said, “Anan...	The only answer I can give is a tautology - if they were saved, then they went to heaven.
Why are people traditionally buried facing east? During a burial today, I noticed the coffin was buried facing east. Where does this Christian tradition come from? <Q> It's not a purely Christian tradition. <S> Other religions practice this as well. <S> There's an article here on ehow.com that gives an overview ...	Christian graves also tend to face east, but the geography of the cemetery can be more influential.
What sources are used for the Christian Bible translations? When I was looking in the store to buy a bible, I noticed that the different bible translations not only differ in their style of translation, but also in the sources they use. What are the sources used in common bible translations? <Q> Wikipedia has a good...	Dead Sea Scrolls Vulgate
What's the right terminology here for what God's allowing something, but not blessing it? What's the right terminology here for when God's allowing something, but not blessing it?I once had it, but now I forgot. It's something about two different types of God's will. One is kind of "allowing" will, for example, in such...	God's Will of Decree would be anything that in his sovereign power he chose to be exactly one way
Has the name "Jesus" ever been used for naming Jewish children since the Savior's incarnation? I mean we still have a lot of men named Mohamed in the Muslim community. Is it the same with the name "Jesus" in the Jewish community? Do we have any evidence of Jewish men named Jesus that have lived since the birth of Chris...	* I know lots of people in the Spanish, Turkish and Arabic worlds that use various renditions of the name "Jesus".
Is Christianity just a belief system, or is it also a system for organizing and governing society? Works like "Mere Christianity" try and address common Christian beliefs and help recognize the diversity of belief systems within Christian sects. The question is whether this is what all of Christianity is, or is there ...	Christianity is not , "just a belief system" , nor is it "also a system for organizing and governing society" .
Was Voltaire's house being used by the biblical society? Is there any valid source for the claim that Voltaire' house has been used by the Bible Society? I heard this many times, but I've never read a valid source for it. <Q> Apparently it is not true: <S> There is an apocryphal story that his home at Ferney was pur...	The Voltaire home that the 'Geneva Bible Society' purchased was the house in 'Geneva, Switzerland; NOT the one in Ferney, France.
What does the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints teach about who Jesus is and where He came from? From the answer to another question , someone suggested that the LDS (Mormon) church teaches that Jesus is distinct from God—that though He is a part of the Godhead, the Godhead is not a Trinity defined by the "T...	Mormons believe that that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God in the flesh.
Non-Christian/secular translation of the Bible? Is there a rigorous translation of the Bible, sponsored or produced by secular organization? Not that this translation would be necessarily more impartial, but it would be nice to have this version to read in parallel with other versions. There are several Parallel wor...	The Society for Biblical Literature produces a well regarded translation (Logos even carries it).
Does the 'Sons of Jacob' refer to only Jews, or also Christians and Muslims? There is a song by Damian Marley that refers to "The sleeping sons of Jacob". I looked up 'Sons of Jacob' on Wikipedia and now understand them to represent the 12 tribes of Israel, but I have only heard "sleeping" sons of Jacob in the Damian M...	Biblically, the sons of Jacob are the children of Jacob, who was renamed "Israel".
Who believes in Mechanical Inspiration? While the idea of Mechanical Inspiration -- that the very physical action of writing down the scriptures was guided or enacted by God through physical manipulation of the human writers -- is always listed for completeness as one of the ways the inspiration of the Scriptures coul...	I have never heard it called "mechanical" but simply that the writers of Sacred Scriptures (as opposed to the author, who is the Holy Spirit) were infused with the truths to write and then they wrote them down. There is a miracle component to the evangelical position, but it is not mechanical inspiration.
How many languages did apostle Paul speak? Of course, he could speak Hebrew and from such examples like preaching the gospel in Athens it seems that he had no problem speaking Greek. He also wanted to visit Rome, while there were no Jews living in Rome at that time, so does it mean that he could also speak Latin? Also ...	Besides Hebrew and Greek, he most likely spoke Aramaic.
Abortion and Biblical End Times Prophecy Is there anything in scripture (or even private revelation to the saints) which says that near the end of the world, the world as a whole will come to accept abortion as morally acceptable? <Q> Nothing specific to abortion, although I wouldn't expect there to be. <S> 2 <S> Timot...	As far as private revelation, nothing I know of, however, I do not typically seek out teachings based on private revelation.
What Biblical support is there for a non-Churched Christianity? I'm interested in people who say "I'm a Christian, but I don't go to church." I understand the sentiment - it really fits in well with the "spiritual, but not religious" Zeitgeist, and it seems to often coincide with a dislike of "hypocrites in the church...	The argument advanced by the non-church goer is all over the place, but not in the Bible.
What are the Biblical arguments against modalism? Modalism, or Sabellianism , is the belief that the three persons of the Trinity (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit) are simply three "roles" or "modes" of the same person. This view is labelled as a heresy by many denominations. What are common Bibl...	Modalists note that the only number ascribed to God in the Holy Bible is One and that there is no inherent threeness ascribed to God explicitly in scripture.
What symbols are unique to the various denominations? In reading the meta discussion about what logo should be used for Christianity.SE , I got to wondering what symbols are unique to various denominations. Note: I'm not looking for symbols which are common across Christianity -- such as the Cross -- but which are m...	I would not be surprised if every church had some form of logo.
How does Christ define a Christian? Referencing the gospel accounts of Christ's actions and teachings, how does He clearly define a Christian? <Q> Jesus didn't, because the word "Christian" only appeared much later. <S> Acts 11:26c : <S> The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. <A> In commentary on...	To the extent that "being Christian" means following Christ in imitation of Him, Christ gives the answer in Matthew 16:24: " Then Jesus said to his disciples: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."
What is the central idea of the Bible? I know there are many denominations in the Christian circle. I was wondering if there is a consensus on what the Bible is about? Or in other words is there a consensus in Christianity today on what is the main theme of the Bible. Luther said of the Bible: None of its parts are ...	The central thought of the Bible is Christ and the church.
Why no specific names of false apostles and false brothers in Acts and epistles? Why is it so that while we are told in the Acts and epistles of many false-apostles and false brothers, there are no specific names mentioned? Has this matter ever been considered in Christianity? <Q> Here are some suggestions, none of whi...	The false brothers were less known — it is quite possible that, since there was no Apostolic (and, by proxy, divine) support for their position, they were not able to gain notoriety save as individuals in the congregations. I see several possibilities: One major characteristic of the Gnostic groups was the lack of defi...
Do those who pray to saints ascribe to them the quality of being able to hear many people at once? I mean, there could be thousands of Orthodox Christians at this moment praying to, say, Saint Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg, and there could probably be even more of Catholic Christians praying right now to, say, saint ...	Yes, this is granted by God himself: 'Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.'
Is/will there be time in heaven? An answer suggests that "time is meaningless in heaven." Do we know this to be true? It seems like an easy conclusion to draw, based on the following: God created the entire universe, including all dimensions and time. Therefore, God exists outside of time. Heaven is the place of ...	It seems that the idea that created beings become timeless in heaven is not one that is widely held. We have no reason to doubt that time will continue as we know it.
Why isn't the virgin birth of Jesus mentioned in all of the gospels? Does it matter? I recently saw Bill Maher's documentary and he mentions that the virgin birth is only mentioned in two of the gospels. He goes on to bug Christian people several times by asking questions such as "How can you believe in the virgin bi...	Neither John nor Mark say anything about the birth of Jesus at all, so it is not surprising at all that there is nothing about the virgin birth.
Why do biblical names vary in different languages? In my regional language (Tamil) biblical names vary from the actual names. I'm sure this is not only in my regional language only but also in other languages too. For instance Jesus' name is Yesu and John's name is Yovan and so on. But in my regional language it does...	One of the reasons for the variance in names is that languages often don't share the same sounds as Greek or Hebrew.
Which traditions practice paedocommunion? What specific traditions (or denominations inside a tradition) currently practice paedocommunion? Are there any that practice paedocommunion but not paedobaptism? Are there any that historically practiced it but have given it up? I am specifically interested in the treatme...	I found this website which lists currently practicing denominations: Confederation of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC) Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA) Covenant Presbyterian Church Federation of Reformed Churches (FORC) Reformed Episcopal (REC)
What is the connection between Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, Lent, etc? Coming from a Protestant tradition, I grew up hearing about Lent but never having any practice associated with it. In the years since, I've gathered that there's some sort of connection between Easter, Lent, Ash Wednesday, and Fat Tuesda...	The connection is that Mardi Gras is the last chance to celebrate before Lent.
Is the phrase, "Heaven is the presence of God, but Hell is the absence of God" an orthodox viewpoint? Is the phrase, "Heaven is the presence of God, but Hell is the absence of God" an orthodox viewpoint? By orthodox I mean orthodox with a lower case o, not an upper case O, as in Orthodox. I used this idea when res...	According to the Eastern Orthodox, the answer would be "no".
What did the carnivores/predators eat on the Ark? It's something that has stumped me since I was a kid: What did the carnivores/predators eat on the Ark? Did Noah also round up sufficient vegetation to feed all of the animals? Or did they somehow maintain the circle of life on the Ark for 40 days and 40 nights? <Q>...	When I think even deeper into the situation, animals such as small rodents would procreate rapidly and maybe were also used as a protein source for the animals.
Did Jesus condemn contraception Are there any passages in the New Testament where Jesus himself condemns the practice of contraception? As a virgin and the product of a miraculous conception himself it would seem odd for Him to have a strong opinion on the subject. <Q> Coincidentally, He never mention airplanes, comput...	No, there are no passages in the New Testament where Jesus even speaks about contraception.
What did Jesus quote Psalm 22: "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" What is the correlation between these two scripture? Why Jesus felt forsaken if he knew what was going on? Why was it mentioned in Old Testament as well as New Testament(in two places)? My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You...	The quick answer, the condensed one that I hear in homilies at Mass around Holy Week is that Jesus quotes this scripture to evoke the Psalm, not just the part of the Psalm where David feels forsaken, but the part where God is glorified.
Why does the throne in Daniel 7:9 have wheels and are they literally wheels? Daniel 7:9 He sat on a fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire. There are also references to wheels in Ezekiel Chapter 10 (which may or may not be related). Is there a significance to the throne having wheels? Are they actually whee...	Perhaps the wheels of God's throne are to indicate to us that God's throne is not staying in "Heaven" (which is actually where God's throne is)!
Are Many Christians postmodern in their approach to modesty? Christians have a wide variety of opinions concerning modesty. Many say that if you believe you should dress a different way than that is fine for you--just don't impose your beliefs on us--because the bible doesn't explicitly define modesty. That seems to be...	To be a Christian certainly involves always being cognizant of the image that one is projecting to others in their daily life, and to that end a Postmodern stance on one's level of modesty is contrary to the teachings of Christ.
What narrative purpose does the Flood story fulfill? In the Epic of Atrahasis and Epic of Gilgamesh flood myth, the gods are rash, foolish, even weak. Genesis copies most of the myth. And although it's sanitized quite a bit, some actions seem to be inconsistent with an all-knowing, all-powerful, all-good God. ...	God will punish the wicked.
What did Luther think of the Eastern Orthodox and vice versa? When the Reformation began to take hold, the Orthodox may have been in decline, but were definately still present. I'm curious to know what what the two "breakaways" thought of each other - is it a case of "my enemies' enemy is my friend," or was the doctrin...	Luther was viewed by Orthodoxy as under a straying bishop of Rome, and the Patriarch Jeremiah II in the 17th century advised Luther's followers to address their complaints to the bishop of Rome first, and first reconcile their ojections with him. Luther probably had too much on his political plate to think too much abo...
Why do some Christian churches have classes about other churches? The context of my question is is directed mostly toward "non-denominational" or independent Christian groups, though feedback from the perspective of more established (e.g. Protestant) churches is welcome where applicable. I'm aware that there are Sunda...	Several reasons: We don't want to pretend that everyone else agrees with us.
Why isn't God mentioned in Esther? As you may know, God is never mentioned in the book of Esther, either by name (Yahweh), title (Adonai), or being (El). Neither is prayer. Why not? I realize this is rather open ended, so I'll try to give some objective criteria: If it never mentions God, why is it in the canon? ...	The compilation of the original Bible is largely obscured in history (e.g. the Song of Solomon has been likewise disputed because of its romantic content), but Esther may have been included because of its rich demonstration of Christian values such as loyalty, courage, faith, and fasting (and by implication, prayer).
Why do churches often have altars? In Judaism, the template had an altar for sacrificing. But we believe our sacrifice is done . So, what is the point of a church altar? <Q> In Roman Catholic liturgy specifically, the altar is where the Eucharistic Sacrifice is made; i.e., Christ's one sacrifice on Calvary is mad...	The altar is an ancient religious symbol of sacrifice.
Did Jesus undergo another temptation in the the garden? The only temptation I know of in the bible concerning Jesus was when in the wilderness with the devil. A friend used Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ as his basis to claim Jesus was tempted by the devil (with the appearance of a snake) while praying. I kind of...	It is possible that Jesus was tempted in the Garden because of the suffering He was about to endure for mankind.
What's the deal with oil? If you look across the Bible, there are many instances where oil is used. The anointing of Saul and David; Jacob pouring oil over the rock where he had his dream of the staircase to heaven(?); Maria pouring oil on Jesus, etc. Was oil expensive back then or something? <Q> The short answer is ye...	Oil also has medicinal use.
Do angels still visit us on earth I know that throughout the Bible Angels met with humans for very specific reasons. An obvious example can be found in Luke 1:26-38 . Gabriel speaks to Mary and informs her she will give birth to a son who is to be named Jesus. Do Angels still visit us on earth and interact with humans...	There is nothing to suggest that angels no longer visit Earth*, but nothing says that says we will recognize them as such when they do. My best guess is that they interact all the time, they seem to deliver messages a lot, I suspect they still do. No your likely not going to notice them and if u think u do u may consid...
What does Satan look like? Many people have seen the Classical depiction of Satan in paintings and statues, but what does scripture say about what Satan looks like? <Q> Apparently, anything he likes, including an angel: 2 Corinthians 11:14 : ... <S> Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. <S> Do not forge...	Assuming Satan is an angel , then he can probably take on any appearance, at least that of a human:
How can common believers be sure that the Church's decisions are correct and not erroneous? There have been some councils, the decisions of which were later reversed by some latter councils. Thus, if your position on a particular matter that was being considered at those councils was too strong, you could easily be exc...	You can also pray to God for his confirmation that the decision you're concerned about was made in accordance with his will.
Are non-Anglican Protestant churches ever named after extra-biblical saints? Catholic and Orthodox Churches are often named after saints because we believe in the communion of Saints and like to put our congregations under some sort of patronage. I've seen Episcopal churches named after St. Francis and St. Dunstan an...	Some Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational churches are named after saints.
Where does the Catholic tradition that Mary did not have pain giving birth to Jesus come from? Where does the Catholic tradition that Mary's birth of Jesus was painless come from? My wife just got home from a non-denominational study about Mary and she said she thought everybody knew this, but apparently no one knew a...	Extensive biblical and traditional material advocating for Mary's painless childbirth can be found from " The Virginity of Our Lady in Partu ".
Do they use icons in the Roman Catholic Church? Do they use icons in the Roman Catholic Church like they do in the East Orthodox Church? In my limited experience, I've only seen statues in the Roman Catholic Church, but not icons. I don't just mean having some images in the temple, but also praying while looking at the...	My grandmother is Catholic and she bought an icon of St. Gregory at her Catholic church. Yes, we do use icons from what I am aware of.
Should a Bible believing Christian be pleased at the death of Osama bin Laden? I'm looking for a Biblical response to this question. And it's not specific to bin Laden but I'm just using him as an example. I know Jesus said love your enemies . And Paul even showed how this can be a form of revenge . But I can't hel...	So while we ought to grieve his individual death, for his sake, we can still be pleased overall for the sake of others.
What was the Birthright? What, specifically, did Esau lose when he lost the birthright, and what did Jacob gain? What did the birthright represent, and why was it so highly prized by Jacob? <Q> Jacob may have prized the birthright out of greed, but it's worth mentioning that God spoke to Rebekah in Genesis 25:22-23 and...	When Esau lost his birthright, he lost a greater ownership of his father's property, as well as the position of leader of the family (thinking of family as a whole tribe of people).
Jehovah's Witnesses's teaching on the Church I just read a wiki page on Jehovah's witnesses, visited their official website, and was quite surprised that in the list of their believes there is a striking absence of the definition (or at least description) of their concept of the Church. According to what I can see at...	With regard to how Jehovah's Witnesses speak of what non-JWs call 'the church', they only speak of "Christendom".
Does a Christian have a responsibility to participate in government? I have heard it said many times that it is the responsibility of Christian to participate in their government, specifically that every Christian has the responsibility to vote . Is there some biblical justification for this belief? I know that the go...	No, there is no Biblical imperative for us to participate in government in the way you describe.
Can someone point to a prophecy about the 3 days between the cross and resurrection? Can someone point me to a OT prophecy about the Messiah being in the tomb for 3 days? As general or specific as you can think of. I think I have one, and it seems pretty obvious to me, but a lot of Bible commentators don't mention it. ...	The only prophecy specifically stating that Messiah would be "dead" for three days, came from Jesus himself, shortly before his passion, when he began to reveal to his disciples what was to befall him.
Arguments For/Against Spiritual Uses of Cannabis in Christianity? As I am aware most Christians regard the physical and spiritual effects of Cannabis as the same as use of alcohol for intoxication, and that its use is not permitted by their doctrines. Contrarily, some Christian denominations such as the Rastafari and ...	I belong to a church where we actively use Cannabis as a sacred plant that allows for a deeper understanding of ourselves and god. There is no Biblical argument for any food or drink of any type to 'aid in spiritual connection with God' or in 'developing a deeper understanding of his Word'.
Did Jesus wear tefillin? Tefillin 1 are boxes containing Torah verses, worn by Jews on the head and the upper arm, in accordance with instructions in Exodus 13:9, 13:16, and Deuteronomy 6:8, 11:18. There is a great deal of commentary in the Talmud and elsewhere about exactly how this should be done. Jesus says that ...	There is no evidence of tefillin being worn previous to the Second Temple period.
From where did Cain get his wife? I want to know that where did Cain Son of Adam and Eve get his wife? As there was nobody except Adam and Eve after he killed Abel. <Q> As there was nobody except Adam and Eve after he killed Abel. <S> Some source of this claim? <S> Because Genesis says: <S> And the days of Adam ...	Cain's wife was almost certainly a descendant of Adam and Eve (most likely their daughter).
What did Peter, James and John see on the Mount of Transfiguration? During a Bible discussion for seekers last week, one of them asked a question that led me to ponder this questions. As I understand it, the body of Moses (not Elijah since he never died) should still have been in the grave at the time of the Transfigu...	According to Matthew 17:9, what they saw was a vision, and not the physical bodies of Moses and Elijah.
Proverbs 14:4 - What does this mean? Proverbs 14:4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox come abundant harvests. I've been reading proverbs lately, but I haven't been able to understand this verse! What is the context that this applies to? Is there some kind of metaphor? ...	The simple meaning is to take care of your tools and work animals, because you'll regret it when they are not there. The answer to me is, "An ox does HARD WORK". Considering that at one time the ox was a farmer's "tractor", the gist of Prov 14:4 is: If you're doing nothing productive, you won't have any mistakes (or me...
Why are Protestants from the Church of England allowed to divorce? Since Paul said that divorce is forbidden, and Paul's letters are to be taken as word of God , why do some Protestant churches (Church of England for example) permit divorce? <Q> I think there are two basic answers to your question. <S> The first, ...	Many churches are willing to forgive pass transgressions such as divorce, especially if they happened prior to conversion.

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