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RENEW International

RENEW International curricula serve the needs of parishes and individuals. Individuals discover how to use their belief and the foundations of Catholicism to daily life and be connected to the greater Catholic community. RENEW International shows people how to live the Gospel and find inspirational strength in their resuscitated allegiance to themselves and God.

RENEW International is a international Catholic ministry and part of the Archdiocese of Newark, NJ. It came from the remarkable vision of a revitalized Church by Msgr. Tom Kleissler and Msgr. Tom Ivory, who wanted to more deeply involve laypersons and have them help address parish, civic, and international concerns. At the heart of RENEW International programs is the idea of dividing a parish into smaller, caring Christian communities. This approach gives individuals a better opportunity to study Scripture, discover to live the Gospel, and see God at work in their lives. They feel support from their fellow participants and form important friendships within the Catholic community.

RENEW International grants individuals the gift of greater knowledge. They form lasting kinships with others and experience divinesacred replenishment. Participants of RENEW International become more in touch with their faith and become a more committed member of the Catholic community.

Some people believe that being rich, and having power is all
that matters…some people believe that fulfilling some desires
in un-calculated manners is all that matters…some people think
that by IGNORING THE GOD AND THEIR DUTY TO HIM will make it go a
way.

Some people follow conjectures, hearsay, leaders, Scholars,
Imams and their ancestors blindly in an irresponsible way…the
easy way that actually gives them false assurance, and false
confidence that they are being on the right track.

Some people are very eager to argue in-spite of their
ignorance….some people are eager to show-off the so little
knowledge that they possess.

Some people think that by fooling themselves in not asking the
essential, most important Questions in life, they are dodging
the GOD!

Some people think ( in many cases justifiably ) that so-called
religion is a bad thing, and have serious complexity in that
regard.

Some people commit terrible crimes and injustice in the name of
this religion or that religion.

Some people commit crimes in the name of freedom and democracy.

Some people abuse people in the name of socialism, and some
people enslave people in the name of capitalism.

Some people are experts in using the truth ( saying some truth )
to advance much more falsehood.

Some people claim to believe in GOD…but in reality they
don’t…they are being hypocrites, similarly some people claim
that they would embrace the truth when it is presented to
them…but they NEVER do.

Some people think that they are wayyyyy too smart to believe in
the existence of GOD, SATAN, day-after, angels, messengers, or
scripture.

Some people worship, Jesus, some worship Muhammad, some worship
Ali, some worship a Cow, some worship themselves, some worship
money, Women, Leaders, country etc, etc.

Some people worship Satan by allowing him to control their mind
and soul.

Some people hate, lie, false accuse, deceive, corrupt, and
discriminate…some people have preconceived notions, some have
bad intentions, some have bad attitudes and bad characters.

Some people Kill, and torture….some people enjoy other
people’s sufferings.

Some people think even if there is a GOD…he is NOT aware of
all that is happening or he is an unjust GOD.

Some people are oblivious to the chaos, corruption and injustice
that is happening to them and to others all over the
world….and even if they did…they just could not care less.

Some people have lost their sense of reality, living in an
illusion…daydreaming in a make believe.

Some people are so dominated by their sinful lust for women/men
and material that they don’t know any better.

Some people are greedy, arrogance, rude, careless,
irresponsible, illogical, irrational, and aggressive.

Some people are aggrieved, suffering, lost, confused, and
wondering.

Some people are addicted and enslaved by bad happets such as
Alcohol, Drugs, smoking, Gambling, Games,etc., etc, etc

Some people live in fear, worry, pain, desperation, isolation,
and suffering form degradation.

Some people want to have peace, freedom, equality, and justice.

Some people wants to live a balanced moderate life, full with
joy and happiness.

Some people are good, sincere, and humble… some are searching
and seeking the TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH.

Some people respect themselves, respect others, and have good
intentions…some are kind and loving.

Some people believe in GOD, and know he is in control of
everything, and they don’t associate anyone with him.

Some people believe in GOD, but don’t understand, why he is not
interfering according to their timing.

Some people believe in almighty GOD yet worship and asociate
false partners with him by following their temptations and their
desires.

Some people know and feel the injustice and the corruption that
is infecting and effecting every part of the world, and they are
willing to do their sincere best to put a stop to it.

Very little peopl sincerely belive in GOD without mixing their
believe with injustice.

That basically covers the basics.

Very very little people will admit that they are reflected in
any of the negatives mentioned above…some peole know it but
can’t change it…they are helpless in the face of the evil that
is dominating their lifes, others don’t even realize that they
have the problem in the fist place…they are totaly blinded.

THE ONLY WAY OUT IS TO HUMBLY AND SINCERELY SEEK GOD’S
GUIDANCE…AND WHEN YOU ARE GUIDAED THAT WILL NOT ONLY SOLVE
YOUR GREATEST PROBLEM AND WILL SUBSTANTIALY INCREACE YOUR
KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM IN ADDITION TO ALL THE GREAT VIRTUES THAT
WILL BE ACQUIRED…YOU WILL BE IN YOUR WAY TO PARADISE, INSTEAD
OF SOMEWHERE ELSE!

SO YOU SEE…IT IS A WIN/WIN SITUATION, AND NO MODERATE,
LOGICAL,SINCERE, RATIONAL HUMAN BEING WOULD ARGUE WITH THAT.

[2:130] Who would forsake the religion of Abraham, except one
who fools his own soul? We have chosen him in this world, and in
the Hereafter he will be with the righteous.

http://www.Genuine-Islam.com

Question: Because Jesus said …but of that day and hour knoweth
no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. Mt
24:36, doesn’t that mean that we shouldn’t spend too much time
learning about the second coming of Christ?

Answer: To use this verse as an incentive to ignore second
coming doctrine would he the same as using it as an excuse. In
fact, we need only to go to the very next verse to see that is
not what Christ was saying by any stretch of the imagination….
Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Mt 24:37. The keyword in this verse is watch, and that implies
an active and thoughtful pondering, perusing and studying the
whole aspect of the promise of his return. It is painfully
obvious that Jesus did not expect us to stand around gazing into
the sky all day looking for him on a white horse. The verb watch
is active, and at the very least means to he aware of the full
meaning of everything to do with his second coming.

We have all heard some preacher reminding us of how many times a
subject is alluded to in scripture as a means of emphasizing the
urgency or the validity of some particular Bible teaching. I
have told others hundreds of times, just to note the times Jesus
began a statement with, verily, verily. It clearly was a means
of raising the seriousness of what he was saying. The scripture
is not just redundant as it applies to second coming doctrine,
but it is replete. The second coming messages of the Bible make
up about one quarter of the entire scripture, including old and
new testaments. If God saw fit to give that much attention to
making Christ’s return known to us how can we dismiss it as an
unneeded or extraneous doctrine that shouldn’t be given much
attention? I would say that to espouse this kind of approach
borders on disobedience not just misinformation or laziness.

Now more than ever before, as the signs are being fulfilled all
around us we are under the greatest call of all time to study,
contemplate and proclaim this most serious doctrine.

Question: If as Jesus said, we cannot know the day or the hour.
What can we know? Can we know within a year, a decade or some
measurement of time’?

Answer: There are two measurements of time apart from the day or
the hour that we can recognize and use without naming dates and
bringing God’s disfavor upon ourselves. One of those
measurements is referred to as a season, specifically summer.
Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet
tender and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So
likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is
near even at the doors. Mt 24: 32-33. The entire twenty fourth
chapter of Matthew has to do with the signs of the second
coming, so those are the things he meant when he said, when ye
shall see all these things. Without adding any other biblical
cross references that pertain directly to the subject. Matthew’s
passages alone should be sufficient to show us what that season
is exactly. The words, know that it is near in verse thirty
three hardly sound like something we are not supposed to pay
much attention to. These words are a biblical imperative that
clearly addresses the lackadaisical attitude some folks have
about the second coming.

Taken seriously, these words mean that not only must we know the
doctrine of Christ’s return, but we must know the season as
well. This season must not be confused with a literal season of
nature. It could be shorter or longer than that, but it is used
only to convey the idea of a short period not a long stretch of
years or decades. The sense of it implying only a short period
is conveyed by the words…even at the doors. A pet or a child
knows when you are shuffling around at the front door about to
make your entrance. The front door is very close and so is the
summer season when everything comes into full bloom.

The second knowable measurement of time the Bible uses is a
generation. Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not
pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Mt 24:34 Taken in the
context in which it was given, it is obvious that Jesus meant
the generation that would actually see the signs he was
describing throughout Matthew twenty four. He would have to he
deceived, misinformed and sadly mistaken if he thought it would
happen in his own generation. It is impossible that the Light of
the World, John 8:12 was in any way deceived. In the plainest
English, Jesus always knew what he was talking about.

It’s not easy holding beliefs concerning sometimes outdated
ideals, especially religion. There are so many different
religions that it’s hard to prove that one is more credible than
another. Some are contradicting, while some are minor variations
of others. There are theists, those who believe in a god or
gods, as well as atheists, those who deny any gods. But while
theism shows a strong benefit to the individual, atheism really
doesn’t have any significant benefits for the individual. Its
real benefit is the lack of concern it has towards other
beliefs. Unlike theism, it creates a more peaceful and less
conflicting society. In theory, atheism is more beneficial to
mankind as a whole.

These two groups, theists and atheists, are very different from
each other. Theism relies on the need to prove itself right, and
therefore in certain cases trying to prove other theories wrong.
Some theists also feel it is their duty to spread their theology
to other people in the world. Theism is such a wide and diverse
group, however, which includes all religions and any other
people that still believe in a higher power without committing
to a religion. With so many different groups and ideas being
spread around the world, theism in general is very opinionated,
often times publicly expressed.

Atheism, on the other hand, is a very quiet and self-focused
theory. It requires no spreading of ideas or really disproving
others. Some individual atheists choose to get into the argument
of proving their belief right while disproving other beliefs
wrong, but that’s only occasionally the case. Atheism is not
just a belief in no god, but it can also be no belief in a god.
In the latter case, there is no need for atheists to prove their
theory right because there is no theory to prove.

It is easiest for a theist to prove their beliefs are the
correct ones when the description of their god or gods and
religion’s background is unspecified, lacking strongly detailed
information. The less there is to actually focus on, the easier
it is to prove the theory. Theists must degrade the beliefs of
others to make theirs true. This can be in the form of denying
such things as evolution, homosexuality, and other forms of
existence or lack there of after death. Some also believe that
certain acts and beliefs that don’t follow their own code of
morals are universally immoral and therefore inappropriate for
humankind.

On the other hand, atheists hardly have anything to prove.
Atheism covers only two theories. The first is the belief that
no god exists, and the second is no belief in a god or lack
there of. They do not need to disprove the wide range of
theories and beliefs that theism covers, though some choose to.
An atheist can believe in many different ideologies in the
world, including things like evolution, acceptance of
homosexuality, and no afterlife, and still these things have no
importance to atheism. They are individual concepts that can not
conflict with the basic beliefs of atheism.

Second, theists tend to have this idea that they must make the
world share their views on religion and life. For centuries,
certain religious groups have felt obliged to spread their views
over many foreign lands. Missionaries are common examples of
this act, notable mostly in the Imperial Age. They have gone to
great lengths to conquer the minds and rituals of others. In
many cases these missionaries have suppressed groups of people,
defining them as inferior thinking to the greater religious
systems. Certain religious groups have even gone so far as to
take over other groups’ religious ceremonies, such as Christians
turning pagan holidays into Christmas and Easer, in hopes of
taking away their credibility. Even in this age some theists
feel they must publicly humiliate atheists to get their point
across. Former president George H.W. Bush was quoted as saying
“No, I don’t know that atheists should be considered as
citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one
nation under God.”

At times, conflict has arisen from the contact of two or more
theist groups. In the mild situations, simple sharing of ideas
and arguments of beliefs have taken place between the groups.
However, in the most extreme, this conflict between the groups
has caused major wars that devastate all mankind. The most
powerful examples of this would be the Crusades, World War II,
and the war between Israel and Palestine.

Contrary to this, atheists never create conflict within their
group by sharing their beliefs. Since they all share the same
essential belief to atheism, or have a lack of belief, then
atheists have nothing to prove to each other. In this sense,
they are all equal and have no need to create conflict. Any
problems that come between them because of other views about
life and society have nothing to do with atheism since they are
not factors of being an atheist.

Finally, there are the different levels of gain for the
individual in each belief. Most profitable is the spiritual
enlightenment that theists receive. Through the discipline of
their theology, theists are able to gain a form of holy wisdom
that creates different views on how the world works, including
theories and beliefs in the afterlife, the creation of life, and
the purpose of mankind in the world. Many theist groups adopt
the idea that it is their duty to help others, and that they
must bring good into the world. This is beneficial to both the
individual and the world.

The individual benefits of being an atheist are little, if any.
There is no true measurable gain for not believing in a god. The
choice of not believing in a god does not extend past that
simple thought. Being an atheist does not prevent anyone from
helping others or bettering society. Adaptation of different
beliefs, including humanitarian morals, allows the atheist to
participate in the same fields of beneficial work that theists
do because of their religious principles. But in all fairness,
theists too can adapt other beliefs that their religion does not
cover, and therefore share this individual power with atheists.

Atheism and theism both have benefits and disadvantages for the
individual and mankind as a whole. It truly comes down to the
person’s own choice. As is, there is no real tangible proof that
either is right, nor will there probably ever be. Theism lies
solely in faith while atheism simply denies such things.

The key factor here is both involve mankind. In theory, the best
solution to the progress of mankind is to have one belief
system. Many would suggest that one religion would suit this,
but in reality it wouldn’t. The fact that a religion is a
following of people to a god defeats the purpose right there.
The fundamental duty that an individual theist has to his/her
god puts that god before any other human. This creates a society
that honors a divine and abstract being before its own kind.
When a god is placed higher in importance than humankind, it
lowers the value of the society’s ability to be united. That is
why atheism is the more beneficial of the two. Theism puts the
emphasis on the fact that a greater being controls the fate of
man, while atheism shows that humankind itself is the only
source to rely on for survival in life.

I have always wondered how the Red Sea parted as described in the
Exodus story of Moses.

The recent Tsunamis that happened in West Sumatra and the
tremendous destruction that came with it got me thinking - was
this what really happened to the Egyptian army when they were
pursuing the Hebrew people while they were led out of Egypt by
Moses?

On the internet, many eyewitness accounts can be obtained very
fast. Pictures taken by amateurs appeared on the news channels
within hours of the event. Many people were able to witness the
destructive effects of gigantic waves through these movies. Death
just happens in an instance with the pounding of 700 kph waves that
destroyed everything in its path.

Ironically, just a few hundred meters away, people were busy with
their shopping, eating, laughing, as if nothing happens. Nobody
had expected such fury and destruction. It was just like a monster
coming in and swallowing its victims.

On that eventful Sunday of 26th December 2004, I was attending
Mass at our local church. At approximately 0900 hrs, I could feel
a very slight tremor while I was listening to the homily delivered
by our Parish priest.

The tremor was so slight that at first I thought I was not feeling
well and felt a bit dizzy. Then I noticed that many other people
were looking around them as if they also felt something. My neighbor
sitting next to me could not even feel anything.

Everybody went home without even suspecting anything amiss.

My family and I even went over to a shopping complex very near to
the seaside where the tsunami hit. That was at about 1300 hrs.

Back to the event of the Exodus. About 4 thousand years ago, there
was a report in the bible that the Red Sea parted, and the Hebrew
people led by Moses were able to walk through the sea as if it were
dry land.

After they had cross over the seabed, the pursuing armies of the
Egyptian pharaoh followed in their trails. The wheels of their
chariots got stuck in the mud, and the water came back, swept and
destroyed them. None of them survived.

I was wondering. The waters must have come in very fast! How come
none of the soldiers were able to escape? The recent Tsunami,
triggered by an undersea earth tremor seems to provide a living
example of what can cause the water to rise so high and so suddenly
that none of them could survive.

The recent tsunami was caused by an earth tremor. Was it likely to
occur at the Red Sea? Sure enough, some areas in the Mediterranean
were well known for volcanic activity.

Was it possible that 4 thousand years ago, something like this
happened?

I have never seen such destructive forces at work before. Houses,
people and buildings were swept out of the way like match sticks.
It’s so swift and sudden. It brought to mind the words Jesus Christ
spoke, “On that night, I tell you, there will be two people sleeping
in the same bed: one will be taken away, the other will be left
behind. Two women will be grinding meal together: one will be taken
away, the other will be left behind” (Luke 17:34-35). This sobering
passage was referring to the final days of the coming of the Kingdom.
But it does dawn on me that nothing is impossible with God. It’s only
we who do not believe such a thing can happen.

This tsunami event left a lasting impression on me to never
underestimate the power of God. The bible is so full of such events,
God bringing in locust, bees, flies, plaque and many other natural
phenomenons to show His power. The story of how Gideon with his 300
men defeating 120,000 enemies, and many other stories tell us that
seemingly unimportant people led by the power of God was able to
conquer impossible odds.

Actually it does not matter to me anymore whether a tsunami really
parted the Red Sea or not although I wonder how it happened. It does
not matter to me anymore how the sun is able to shine, how the weather
behaves, how the many different species of plants and animals come to
inhabit the earth. How the minute cells of living things are able to
grow… The wonders of God are really too much to comprehend. It’s
simply awesome!

But there is something I do know. The bible is God’s chosen medium of
communication with humans. In every situation of our lives, God is
able to communicate with us if only we allow Him to.

Unfortunately, many people find it difficult or boring to read the
bible. They are missing a lot in their lives.

How can we encourage them? The book of Proverbs provides wisdom on
right living. Our compilation of “50 Secrets of Truth and Life” might help. Done in pictorial form, it is a lighthearted way of looking at the Bible Proverbs. Perhaps that might open our hearts…

About the Author

The author stays in Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia and has many years of working experience in Marine, Facilities, Construction. Subscribe to Facworld Ezine
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M&E Engineer

Consider the scenario: You are at the park, minding your own business and enjoying a day off from your labors. Suddenly, he appears. The well-meaning Christian who wants to “save” you from damnation. In his zeal to enlighten your wretched soul, he whips out his handy Bible and fires off a few choice New Testament phrases. He is confident you will be dazzled.

He begins by citing St. Paul in the ever-popular 2 Tim 3:16, “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction and for training in righteousness…” This is rapidly followed by Christ’s admonition to the Sadducees in Mt. 22:29, “…You are misled because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God.” Finally, he clinches the deal with the story of the learned Jew turned believer named Apollos who, in Acts 18:28, “…vigorously refuted the Jews in public, establishing from the scriptures that the Messiah is Jesus.”

He appears quite pleased with his efforts. Having shown you the preeminence of the scriptures in the selected passages, he hopes you’ll conclude, as he has, that the Bible is all you need for salvation. No creed, no church, and no hierarchy are required.

Taking a long pull on your coffee, you look him square in the eye. With devastating kindness, you thank him for honoring the authority of the Catholic Church. He stiffens up immediately. Like a dog looking at a clock, his facial expression belies a complete lack of understanding. He is momentarily silent, for he has no pithy rejoinder to such a bizarre comment.

He finally gathers his thoughts enough to inquire as to what your response could possibly mean. You politely declare that you are a Catholic and, as such, believe that the fullness of Truth resides in the Catholic Church, not simply in the Bible. The Bible, you affirm, is part of a much larger deposit of revelation. In fact, the Catholic Church is the mother of the Bible.

Shocked at your impunity, he immediately fires back that you are calling into question the very Word of God, hoping that will cow you into submission. You smile and offer to share some insights to defend your position. He agrees to listen, half-expecting to be amused as you concoct some wild story.

You begin by explaining that the New Testament letters and accounts he cited earlier of Paul, Matthew, and Luke (author of Acts) were written during the first century. While Christianity survived underground during the ensuing centuries of persecution, these documents, along with others, were scattered across the Roman Empire. There was no New Testament yet; there was no Bible as we know it today.

You remind him that it wasn’t until the Christian faith was legitimized by Emperor Constantine’s decree in the fourth century that the Church could publicly begin to compile a canon, or rule, of sacred writings. The task required sorting through hundreds of letters and texts attributed to Apostles, evangelists, bishops and saints. The goal was, in essence, to distill the truly inspired works from those that were merely inspiring.

Pope St. Damasus I in 382 AD first proposed a list of twenty-seven “books” that would comprise the canon. Gatherings, known as synods, of esteemed bishops were then convened in the north African cities of Hippo (393 AD) and Carthage (397 AD). These synods prayerfully attempted to discern the will of the Holy Spirit in deciding what texts belonged in the canon and which did not. The Church well understood the import of this task. Once the canon was decided, it would be closed forever to preclude any tampering.

In the year 419 AD a second Council of Carthage was convened under the leadership of no less a figure than St. Augustine, a bishop and one of the Fathers of the Church. This council confirmed the canon as approved by the earlier synods and forwarded it to Pope Boniface in Rome. The pope then authorized and promulgated the text and the New Testament became a reality, almost four centuries after Christ.

The New Testament, then, only came into existence because the Catholic Church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, declared it so. Written reference to the New Testament’s existence or its legitimacy are nowhere to be found in the Bible itself. Instead, these spring solely from the singular authority of the Catholic Church. This same New Testament canon was reaffirmed a millennium later at the Council of Florence in 1442 and the Council of Trent in 1546.

He seems intrigued by the history lesson, so you go for the closer. You delicately explain that in every Bible text he cited earlier, when the writer referred to “scripture” he therefore had to be referring to the Jewish scriptures or what we would call the Old Testament. The New Testament, as you just described, was centuries from being becoming a reality. It follows, then, that your new friend’s rigid belief in Bible supremacy puts him in a difficult position. In citing the New Testament, he is actually using a source that is “unbiblical.” This means that since there is no place in the Bible that legitimizes or sanctions the validity of the New Testament, he cannot use it to support his own arguments. By declaring the New Testament to be a source of truth he is de facto sanctioning the authority of the Catholic Church.

To aid his understanding, you go on to explain that no thing or person can declare itself a source of authority. Such authority must come from outside itself. To make the point, you use the example of the people making the laws in Washington. They did not simply drive there on their own and begin drafting legislation. They derive their authority through a formal election process authorized by the Constitution. In like manner, police officers do not roam the streets with guns because they like uniforms and weapons. They are empowered by a city or town charter to carry out their duties and those duties have strict limits and oversight.

The same logic applies with Sacred Scripture. Christ wrote nothing down. A book such as the Bible cannot declare itself authoritative, it must be declared so by something outside itself. That something is the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church compiled, authorized and promulgated the New Testament and, combining it with the Old Testament, created a Bible for all to use. This is the same Catholic Church that suffered the Roman persecutions, preserved the faith through the Dark Ages, fought the Crusades and has survived over 2,000 years with unbroken apostolic succession. It is Christ’s only Church, the one St. Paul called the “…pillar and bulwark of truth.” (1 Tim 3:15)

His face says it all. Your learned response went far beyond what he was trained to handle. It was not in the script. You did not engage in a duel of scripture phrase for scripture phrase. Rather, you presented a historical perspective, one which he has never heard. In a few minutes, you managed to sow confusion in his comfortable world of biblical supremacy. You can tell he is unable to reconcile using Sacred Scripture as a conversion tool for his brand of Christianity when every phrase he cites reaffirms the authority of the Catholic Church.

He realizes his conundrum and admits that he has a lot of homework to do. Highly intrigued, he asks if you might be a regular visitor to the park. He goes on to say that he wants to visit with you again in the future. You smile and offer to bring the coffee.

About the Author

About the Author: Gary Shirley, his wife, and three children are members of St. Catherine of Siena Parish (http://www.searchlogixgroup.com)in Kennesaw, Georgia, where Gary serves as catechist in the adult education program. Gary is an Archdiocese of Atlanta certified catechist (both PSR and RCIA) with 14 years teaching experience. Email him at mailto:backtothebasicspr@searchlogixgroup.com.