Which TV series do you prefer?
Bob’s Burgers must be an American show, only.
Its on Disney+. I watch it there sometimes
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I believe it is also a comic book series.
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You guys are supposed to be followers of Jesus. Do you think Jesus would sit down with his disciples and watch this kind of nonsense? You may watch; but Jesus will not join you, will not be with you. Therefore you have to choose between being with Jesus and being with the Simpsons. This is what Jesus says in his sermon from the mount: "A man cannot have two masters…he has to choose between being a servant of God, or being a servant of Mammon. Anyone who watches these nonsense videos is willingly acting as a servant of mammon. Are you thinking that Jesus accepted crucifixion so that you could sit down and watch this garbage, and discuss it with other so-called followers of Jesus?
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Calm down there Puritan! : )
Why don’t you become Amish and practice what you preach. You are “wasting your time on the internet. Do you think Jesus suffered and died on a cross so that you can post online?” ; )
I do not watch “The Simpson’s” regularly, but I do enjoy the show. It is not my “master.” And I have only watched one episode of “Bob’s Burgers” (the Episode where the daughter was practicing driving for her license, which was pretty funny : )
The only reason that I know they have a comic book series is because I went to “Free Comic Book Day” and saw that they were giving away free copies, so I picked one up for my co-worker who enjoys the show.
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If there is a comic, it was probably a one-off thing. Either way, it was definitely a show first. I think it started on Netflix with one or two seasons, then Fox picked it up after that. It’s the reason the first season(s) is a little more unhinged; they didn’t have to worry about broadcast standards
Well…I don’t live in the city where every door and car has to be locked. I have been living in the forest now since the year 2000. I get my water for cooking and cleaning from the stream. We make our electricity with photo voltaic panels. And we heat and cook on a wood stove.
And I don’t eat animals, birds (turkey, chicken, etc.), and fish, because I believe they want to live as much as you and I do. But I don’t know what the Amish believe.
I also believe that animals are spirits, just like you and me…but their bodies are different and their “software” is different (they can’t understand spiritual concepts). But they are souls just like you and me. So I am not a member of the heartless slaughterhouse civilization.
Jesus didn’t suffer. You guys like to think like that because your teachers educate you in that way. Jesus was so filled with love that even though he had metal spikes through his hands and feet, his heart was so filled with compassion and love, that he prayed to God to forgive those who putting in the spikes. Someone who is suffering cannot have that quality of love in their heart. He accepted the crucifixion to demonstrate that he is "in this world, but not of this world."And then to make his case stronger he walked away from the whole experience, and continued preaching to his personal associates who were at first unable to believe it was Jesus.
I didn’t give the sermon fro the mount. It was Jesus who said, “Either you heart is with God, or it is with mammon.” But if you want to take some time off from feeling close to God, and watch some cartoons…that is your freedom of choice.
Incidently, God is not Catholic or protestant, or jewish, or Muslim or Hindu. These are simply different packaging for the same product. The test of one’s faith is described by Jesus, when he said that the law of all laws is “to love the Lord thy God with all of your heart, mind and all of your strength.” So if we have that kind of love alive within our hearts, that is the person who is following the teachings of Jesus. But if you want take some time off from loving God with all of your heart, and watch cartoons, so be it. Maybe some people consider themselves members of one religion or another…like it’s about being a member of a club…something superficial. And now that they are “members” they can do any dam thing. But I don’t think that this is what Jesus wishing was to share with us.
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“He was oppressed, and He was afflicted” (Isaiah 53:7) — Scripture does not hesitate to say that the Messiah would truly suffer. The entire Suffering Servant prophecy makes this unmistakable.
Jesus did suffer, exactly as Isaiah foretold.
But suffering does not cancel love — in fact, His love is proven by His willingness to suffer.
If anything, the question should be reversed:
How could someone without love endure such agony freely, knowingly, and for the sake of others?
Jesus Himself predicted His Passion in detail. He foresaw the scourging, the thorns, the nails, the abandonment — and still walked toward it out of love:
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“My soul is sorrowful even unto death.” (Matthew 26:38)
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“Being in agony, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat became like drops of blood.” (Luke 22:44)
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“He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree.” (1 Peter 2:24)
These are not descriptions of someone who “didn’t suffer.”
They are descriptions of someone who chose to suffer.
And that is precisely why His love is so overwhelming.
If Jesus felt no pain, no anguish, no torment, then the Cross becomes a performance — not a sacrifice. But Scripture says the opposite:
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“He was pierced for our transgressions.” (Isaiah 53:5)
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“By His wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)
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“He learned obedience through what He suffered.” (Hebrews 5:8)
Love did not replace suffering.
Love is what made His suffering redemptive.
Jesus prayed for His executioners while suffering — not because He felt no pain, but because His love was greater than the pain.
So the real question is this:
Why would God the Word become human, accept torture, and die on a cross — if not out of a love so deep that it embraced suffering for our sake?
That is the heart of the Gospel.
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Well said, Mathetria. And the descriptions of the Simpsons and Bob’s Burgers make me glad we don’t have a TV.
I grew up in a town like that. It is great. Living in a high-trust community is a true blessing!
I hope you have some sort of shelter : ) Watch out for those alleged bio-engineered ticks!
Sounds like you are living the dream (genuinely).
That would be tough, but I respect your choice.
They believe in the Bible. They work from sun up to the evening. They reject modern inventions, though some communities allow them to use these new tools if offered to them, but genuinely they use primitive means of doing things. It keeps them grounded and oriented towards God. They tend to be anti-war and want to be left alone by the government. They rely on their community and help one another in times of need. They do shun members who leave, but it is similar to the Catholic Church’s understanding of excommunication. It is not out of spite, but rather out of desiring them to return to what is good, true, and beautiful.
I believe that animals have limited souls. And maybe you believe similarly, but maybe that animals’ souls are more equal to humans than I might speculate?
I get what you are saying. And I am not saying that you are wrong. My Wife likes to buy these giant chickens that are clearly pumped full of all kinds of junk. I try to tell her that bigger is usually not better, but you pick your battles. We haven’t purchased the mutant chickens in a while.
I see your logic behind your theology, but Christ suffered with in Love. He elevated earthly suffering to redemptive suffering. He gives our suffering meaning and purpose, when we unite our suffering with His in Love.
To which I say Amen!
Jesus was not talking about cartoons on the Sermon of the Mount. Jesus likely took time to spend with friends and do things to relax. Sitting around a fire. Telling and listening to stories. The Amish do not have televisions. Many Amish Children do play tabletop board games, and yard games on week nights. Family game nights are common after daily chores and schoolwork is finished. Our Family loves board games, but it does not meant that we love Jesus less.
What Jesus was preaching on the Mount was that our love for worldly things should never be greater than our love for God. Some Christians interpret the Bible to say that money is bad. The Bible never says this. The Bible says that the love of money corrupts the soul and is bad when it is disordered.
And maybe that is your logic in thinking that watching television is evil. It isn’t watching television that is bad. It is an unhealthy disordered abuse of television that can corrupt the soul and lead to a disordered love of technology.
They did a study on the brains of those who are loyal to Apple products (the iPhone, iBook, ect.) and they found that the same part of the brain lights up when these individuals see the Apple logo as a Christian when we see Christian icons (like a Cross, or a Scripture verse). And isn’t it also ironic that the Apple logo has a bite taken out of it. I cannot recall if this was intentional, but is very fitting, as some have made an idol out of this technology.
- God is not a product.
- God did have a covenant with the Jewish faithful. It is par of our Salvation History.
- Jesus is God. And Jesus was of the line of David. He was Jewish. Mary & St. Joseph were Jewish.
- Jesus continued the shoot and became the Vine. Many Jewish rejected Jesus and as a result cut themselves off from the original shoot continued in Christ, with gentiles and other grafted on. This is God’s New Covenant with an ongoing relationship with His faithful.
- Jesus instituted the Catholic Orthodox Church in the Apostles and breathed on them the authority and responsibility to bind and to loosen on Earth. And this authority has been passed on to their successors. And they preserved and revered the Sacred Scriptures, of which Protestants would not have if not for the Catholic and Orthodox Church.
So, what I would say is this. You are very similar to the Amish, but you lack the importance of community. God did not intend for us to be alone. Nor to worship Him alone. We cannot Baptize ourselves anymore than one can Marry him/herself. Does this mean that God cannot reach individuals where they are? No, God loves even those who try to do it alone.
It is not enough to simply follow Jesus’ teachings like a self-help guru. Jesus desires a covenantal relationship with us! A deeper relationship, where two become one. When we are Baptized and live faithfully, we are in Him and with Him. You get the living faithfully part, but you do not understand the covenant part. It is like perpetually dating, but never receiving the other in Holy Matrimony. It is great that you love this person. It is great that you spend every waking hour thinking about this person. It is great that you live to please this person. But God offers you something more!
What you want is a controlling relationship. You want to tell your other that You cannot see your friends! Where were you?! Why didn’t you answer your phone?! That is not love. That is control. When someone spends time with their friends, it does not mean that he/she loves his/her other less. It can be true in some situations, but it is not by default therefore true. When someone reads a book or relaxes, it does not mean that they love their other less. But, that is what you are saying. If you watch television, you love God less! But, this is not true. It could be true, but it is not by default therefore true. Does this make sense. What Jesus was saying was that those who do love God less and love these other idols more, that is bad.
Both the New Testament and the New Testament talks about those who are faithful and those who are unfaithful. Catholic Christians do not believe that just because you are Baptized and become a member of Christ’s body, it does not mean that you have faith nor that you will be saved. Some Protestants believe that if you confess Jesus is Lord that you will be saved and that it doesn’t really matter what you do, but if you do something that they don’t like, then you were never really saved to begin with (I’m of course generalizing and not all Protestants hold this understanding, but many do).
Rather, like in Marriage, we live in covenant and we will make mistakes, but part of living in covenantal relationship is seeking reconciliation and forgiving others whom we believe have wronged us. And it is not only reconciling, but seeking grace to grow and have conversion in our lives. It is not about control. It is about loving and trusting one another.
God does not want to ban cartoons (as you say). Some Christians ban alcohol. The Bible never says that alcohol in of itself is bad. But, the Bible does warn against the abuse of alcohol and against a disordered desire for alcohol. These things can lead to destruction. So, if cartoons are leading to the destruction of your soul and wounding your relationship with God, then yes, you should spend less time doing these activities and reconnect with God and heal your relationship with Him.
Does this make sense? I think we agree, but we frame things slightly differently.
I think it is great that you are living that Am-ish life-style, but like many Amish wrongly believe, not everything is evil, but some things can lead to the destruction of your soul and your relationship with God if you are not careful.
Dear brother Matheria,
I have deep respect and admiration for your presentation of scripture. And my faith is that scripture cannot be be challenged or doubted. Therefore I accept your explanation.
At the same time we know that Jesus can do things that no man can do. He can touch a blind man and make him see. He can touch a lame man and make him walk. He can even raise the dead. Jesus says that if we had faith we could move mountains. If we could move mountains, imagine what Jesus could do. Certaibnly Jesus could fly through the air if he chose to. Also my faith is that Jesus can have a personal relationship with all of us simultaneously. He could recieve all of our prayers, and give answers to all of us - simultaneously. Also, after the crucifixion, and being placed in the cave with the entrance sealed, Jesus walked free and talked with his disciples. Therefore we cannot imagine the power of Jesus.
What disturbs my heart is the understanding, that if Jesus has done all of this for us,… therefore how grateful should we be? Should we be thinking, “Jesus has suffered for my sins. Now I am free to enjoy life as I please, watching nonsense videos”?..or any movies for that matter…movies that have nothing to do with the message of Jesus. Should we be induging in intoxication? Should we engage in idle sports for our entertainment? Is this what Jesus suffered for, so that we could be so carefree that we can behave like the non-believers, and then go to church once a week and confess my sins, and then do the same things again…because Jesus is paying the price for me? Is this the measure of our love and our acceptance of his mercy and his grace?
If we really believe and accept all the scriptural descriptions that you have so nicely compiled (and I will save what you have presented here, to read and contemplate)…if we really believe…then our gratitude and our love should be so great that we should be embracing Jesus within our heart, not for an hour on Sunday, but as a way of life, 24 hours a day.
After all, there is only one sin. And that one sin is to live our lives without feeling a sense of communion with God in our hearts. From that one sin…all other sins become manifest. But if one embraces Jesus within his heart, in that way Jesus purifies us of our sinful nature by his presence within us. In that way alone, we can remain sinless. But if we don’t live in that way, we will again become as servants of mammon. Therefore, if Jesus has suffered so much so that he could assume responsibility for our sins, and if we don’t cleave to him so that we can remain sinless…what kind of gratitude do we have? If someone says, “I will pay the fines for your speeding tickets.”, and then we continue to speed, letting them pay the tickets, what kind of relationship is that? That is not gratitude. That is abuse. Therefore to say, “I have accepted Jesus”, and to go on in our way, watching nonsense videos, and doing all manner of nonsense entertainments and amusements, while someone is suffering so much on our behalf…what kind of relationship of appreciation is that? These are thoughts that I have in my heart.
There is one more quote in scripture. Perhaps you can shed some light on it for me. When some are saying that they have done so much in the name of Jesus, and Jesus says, “I never knew you.”, what kind of people who call themselves followers of Jesus, is Jesus referring to?
Otherwise Matheria, thank you for your wonderful scriptural answers and explanations. Most sincerely, Peter
Dear Cade,
I agree with so much of what you are saying.
Money is not good or bad…it’s all about what we do with it. (like you say).
Electiricity can be used to make toast for someone you love, or to kill someone.
So, I agree with you, not everything is evil. It’s all about how we use it and what’s in our hearts when we do things.
The reason I live our here in nature is because I like it our here. Just this morning a mother turkey walked across the lawn in front of the house, with 7 little babies following behind. As soon as one strayed, the mother wold call them back. You could tell that she was very anxious to take care of them. And people say that animals have no feelings.
All of this technology is very recent, only a couple of hundred years old. It’s all supposed to make our lives more convenient and more simple. But in many ways it feels to me like it makes our lives more complex. And the environment…in some cities in China, people can’t go outside some days because the air polution is to high. The air, the water, even the food, filled with chemicals, etc.
Also, it seems to be a sociological fact that the greater the population density, the more impersonal people become. People don’t make eye contact on the street, or in the store aisles. Whereas out here, if I pass a neighbor on the road, everyone is so personal and relational, and happy to say “Hi!”.
I don’t live separate because of a religious belief. I just like the lifestyle.
Perhaps what you are saying about time off with friends and family is true. But the picture I get of how Jesus lived and spoke is that he was very seriously focused on preaching, glorifying God, and didn’t take time for socializing. But I could be wrong.
I don’t say we can’t see our friends. But who are my real friends? If I can read scripture with others, sing hymns with others…those are my friends, because they bring me closer to God.
I think Jesus says some things along these lines, about who is his real family. He also says in one place that he didn’t come to keep families together, but to break the family apart, in order to take out the one soul who was able to follow him (paraphrase). When I read about Jesus in the Bible, I get the impression that he was very strict, very focused. The love was alway there, but to bring everyone closer to God. To me, that is real love. To be socially separate doesn’t mean one has no love in his heart…maybe his way of sharing love is to discuss scripture …but not eveyone wants to hear.
I wish to tell you that I am very moved and impressed with your answers. You are warm-hearted and patient, and gentle. You are not hating me for having my views and my ways, but you are offering me your point of view in a gentle way. I really appreciate that. And I respect you for that.
Well, the idea of the soul, or spirit in the animals…our idea is that the spirit is the same…but the body and mind are different from humans. They can’t concieve of spiritual subject matters. Their lives are more about eating, sleeping, mating, and fearing/defending. Their spiritual vision is blinded by the kind of “software” (mind) they have. Humans are capable of cultivating a reltionship with God. If they don’t, they are simply a more sophistocated kind of animal.
Our idea is that the spirit inside the body is the real person. In heaven, the hevenly host, they don’t have material bodies. They have spiritual bodies. More subtle than ghosts, even. But they are all engaged in glorifying the Lord. Our idea is that the spirit is the real person…and the material body is the temporary vehicle. As long as the spirit is inside, we love the body as our wife or friend. But as soon as the spirit leaves the body…no one wants to to hug it. Material elements are never alive. They only look alive when the real person, the spirit soul is inside.
The influence of mammon is that the spirit inside the body identifies with the body as “me”. Then the spirit inside the body feels, with conviction, that the goal of life is to satisfy the body senses. And the saints in the various traditions…as much as they cultivate the ability to experience the pleasure of the spirit in connection with God…they become indifferent to the demands of the material senses. To us they appear austere. But they are not austere. They are having the pleasure of the spirit. Therefore they don’t look for their fulfillment in material things like the rest of us. The efficacy of “love of God” is that when there is love of God in our heart, our identification with the material body decreases, and one becomes fearless. This is perhaps the meaning of “The truth shall set you free.”
I wasn’t thinking that Jesus actually suffered like you and me would suffer if we were crucified. But apparently scripture says he did , and that he did this out of love for us. This is overwhelmingly amazing to contemplate. This understanding makes me feel that we should be more serious to follow the path that Jesus puts before us, and not to take his invitation lightly…because of the heavy price that he paid on our behalf.
I dont’ keep a TV. Simply because it’s filled with content that takes the mind away from God. And advertisements…promising satisfaction that the products can’t supply. I think that’s what it means that the devil is telling us, "Get this, and this, and this…and you’ll be happy."Consumerism is based on that kind of faith. People actually believe in it.
I didn’t mean that God is a “product.” I was only trying to say that all religions say that the real goal of life is to cultivate genuine feelings of love of God. The scriptures may be a little different according to culture, and time when a teacher appears…but the message (love of God) is the same. Jesus says, “with all of our heart and strength”, which I take to mean 100% of our energy and concentration…not casual-watching-videos kind of love.
As I say, I am not against community. I just don’t like to socialize where people don’t want to put God in the center of their talk and their interaction. Let the community be a hundred or a thousand…as long as God is in the center.
I am not sure what you you mean about “control”. I am talking with you…because you are talking about God. Anyone who talks about God, I want to be close to them. If they want to discuss other things as a form of recreation, I see them as a force to divert my mind away from God. If we love God, then we want to think of Him, talk about Him, glorify Him, praise Him, thank Him.
Love is not about control. Love flows naturally to those that we love. If one loves Jesus, that’s where his mind and heart want to abide. I think Jesus invites us to “Accept the yoke that I wear.” The yoke controls the oxen. But the yoke that controls Jesus is the yoke of love for his Father. In this sense, we become controlled by love. That is the ideal. No one can be controlled either by determination or by force. We have to be controlled by our feelings of love for our real Master.
However, as long as the love of God is dormant in our hearts, we have to be careful not to be diverted. That’s what the rules are there for. The do’s and don’ts. If one has awakened within his heart genuine feelings of love for God, there are no more rules required. Therefore Jesus says to the Jewish clergymen, that the highest rule is to love God with all of our heart and all of our strength. Then we are protected by the yoke that Jesus wears. This is the reason for the life of a monk being very strict. Because he is in the process of trying to awaken his love for God. He has to be careful not to be distracted. Therefore the monks are not watching “The Simpsons” or any other videos.
I accept your criteria of what is good and what is bad. Whatever brings us closer to God is good. And whatever takes our minds and hearts away from God is not good…not good for us. One teacher once said to me, “If you play with fire…you will get burned.”
I am genuinely touched by your capacity to share with me in a gentle way. Thank you very, very much for being so patient and thoughtful. I respect that quality in you very, very much. Peter
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Such an attitude would be, I think, what Dietrich Bonhoeffer called “cheap grace.”
I think the point is to serve others is the way to live like a Christian. But hey if its weekend and you got nothing else to do ^^
The word “holidays” comes from the words, “Holy Days”, which means time to set everything else aside and engage in prayer, church meetings, and things of that nature. Whereas today, “holidays” means time to stop work and indulge in getting intoxicated, and other similar forms of degredation. The bible says, "Six day shall thou labor and do all thy work, but the seventh day is reserved specifically for worship of the Lord. Today, people want to work less, and have more time to be idle, go to night clubs, go to resorts where they can indugle in varieties of sense gratifying pursuits…and still call themselves followers of Jesus. There are even Christian churches today that teach that having more money means that one is closer to God. Once one has sufficient food, clothing and lodging, the only reason to have more money is to become more degraded through various forms of self-indulgence. But they also consider themselves to be good Christians.
Hi Steve!
I have looked up “cheap grace”:
AI Overview
Cheap grace is a theological concept coined by German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his 1937 book, The Cost of Discipleship. It describes a superficial faith that accepts God’s forgiveness without requiring repentence or a true commitment to folowing Jesus. It treats God’s mercy as a “get-out-of-jail-free” card rather than a transformative relationship.
I like this Mr. Bonhoeffer. He not only asks us to get on board and follow strictly, but to cultivate a heart of repentence. I am a self-centered sinner. Therefore I begin my daily morning prayers by appologizing and asking for intelligence to mend my ways.
Peace to all,
I just wanted to add, and not speak out of turn, thanks.
The Body from Adam and Eve is from Corruption through mortality, from the failed spirit through the mortal flesh becoming created souls in One Body from dust through creation.
The Christ Body is From Holy Spirit Incorruption through the Immaculate Conception for the Created Souls of all mankind becoming “In The Christ” for all creation.
In Catholicism, Baptism Transforms mortality becoming immortality from the Living Waters Baptized for all becoming for all brothers and sisters through the Immaculately Immortal Flesh in the New Eve, until the first sin, nothing is allowed in Heaven, unforgiven, defiled.
Concupiscence, And from the first sin, to restore friendship is through the good works of the flesh, from teh Holy Spirit Family, From the Blood of God, from Sacrifice through Penance is for Jesus in the New Adam becoming hypo-statically United in the Christ for all mankind becoming from the spirit through the flesh for the created souls of all mankind becoming forgiven becoming Sons and Daughters of God through both natures from the spirit through the Life, the flesh in One Body becoming in The Christ for all mankind becoming again for all Creation in One Holy Spirit Family One God in being.
Peace always,
Stephen
Dear stephen,
I agree Stephen in the power of baptism, and the power of eucharist. This is the ceremony of marriage wherein two persons agree to become one, by sharing their hearts with each other, by loving each other, by honoring each other by serving each other.
The ceremony is official and powerful. But both parties have to become servants of the contract. Jesus will never abondon the one who loves him sincerely. But the disciple has to be chaste. It is not that, “Now we are married…and I can do as I please.” Jesus is the qualified teacher, the qualified savior. But the student also has to be qualified. Otherwise, what can he learn from the master…the master who is sharing his love of God with us.
Of course, Jesus is unlimitedly kind. But God, our holy Father in heaven…he sees the sacrfice that Jesus has made on our behalf. If we are not chaste, Jesus in his infinite kindness, he may forgive us. But his Father who sees that we are not chaste, not honoring our marriage with Jesus, He will not tolerate. Jesus is taking their sins…and they are using Jesus as doormat. Also there are those, as described in the Bible, who claim to be followers, and to whom Jesus will say, “I never knew you.” Therefore although the path is beautiful as you are describing…we have to be sober, and understand both the blessing and the the responsibility that comes with it.
I am not writing to counsel you Stephen. Only to say to all who have ears, that membership in the church is a good start…but “strait is the gate”.
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Peace to all,
To me, you help all understand the spirit very well, Peter1.
The Logical Formulas apply through the Wondrous Mysteries from the Faith of Abraham in the Teachings through the Christ for all becoming again in One Family.
The Autonomy of the Holy Spirit Family is from Holy Spirit incorruption is through any Church Baptized becoming through the good works of the flesh from Sacrifice through Penance becoming forgiven in the Christ becoming again One Family, To be able to stand before the Holy Family self-righteous and justified to be able to become again from death through resurrection glorified and transfigured in One Family.
Peace always,
Stephen