Shangdi was originally worshiped in ancient China, particularly during the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BCE). The term “Shangdi” means “Supreme Deity” or “Emperor on High.”
“Seven long years I served for thee; the glassy hill I climbed for thee; the bloody shirt I wrung for thee; and wilt thou not waken and turn to me?” So sings a faithful woman, whose long-suffering devotion leads her back to her first love—hoping he will awaken and recognize her before it’s too late.
When a mysterious threat endangers his father’s fields Cinderlad quietly proves his courage by taming three magical horses. He ascends the impossible Glass Hill, a feat no nobleman can accomplish, and wins the heart of the princess.
Prince Darling is a richly layered fairy tale of moral transformation, temptation, and redemption. Gifted a magical ring that pricks his finger whenever he strays from the path of virtue, a young prince must choose between self-indulgence and righteousness. Misled by flatterers, he falls into cruelty and pride—only to be transformed into a monstrous beast reflecting the darkness of his soul. Cast out, humbled, and finally repentant, he learns that only through mercy, self-sacrifice, and love can he reclaim both his crown and his character. This timeless story explores conscience, power, and the enduring hope that even those who fall far can rise again through humility and truth.
Twelve royal daughters vanish each night, only to return with worn-out shoes and no explanation. Where do they go? What secret are they hiding? A humble gardener with a cloak of invisibility dares to uncover the truth. Echoing the Twelve Tribes of Israel, their journey conceals esoteric truths about love, sacrifice, conventional marriage, and redemption. Beyond the palace lies a hidden world — and the secret of how to bridge the great divide between what is seen and what is sacred.
In many of the North American tribes are legends of “the Healer”, called Chee-zoos. These legends were told by the fireside of a “saintly white
Mary—Maryam in Arabic—is the only woman mentioned by name in the entire Qur’an, and she is honored with an entire chapter bearing her name: Surah
The Old Testament: Burning Fat as a Sacred Offering Throughout the Old Testament, God gave specific instructions regarding sacrifices, particularly what was to be done
Legend Long ago, during the Satya Yuga (the first age of the world), a mighty demon named Mura terrorized the universe. He was so powerful
And you shall observe this thing for an ordinance to you and to your sons for ever. And it shall come to pass when your children shall say unto you, What do you mean by this service? — that you shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians and delivered our houses.
Ramadan is an annual month-long fast to remember of the origins of Islam. In the ninth month of the Islamic calendar the first revelations of
Even today priests occupy the temple. But once upon a time, so did priestesses. The difference being, the ordinances men perform are public, the ordinances women perform are private.
The Ganesh murtis (statue) is made of clay with every intention to be temporary. On the 10th day families carry to a river, lake, or the sea. There, they gently lower the murtis (statue) into the water and let it dissolve, called Ganesh Visarjan (immersion).
Properly ordered, the temple would not just be for adults doing proxy work for the dead. It would be in active use for the living, here and now. What would be taught? Doctrines of salvation, obviously, but why not also reading, writing, math, science, and history, to name a few. Until a child has the ability to rise up and become a prophet themselves, they must be taught. What better place to receive your education than in the temple?
Consider for a moment that for every role that a man occupies, every authority with which he’s been endowed, there is an equal and complimentary role occupied by woman. She is likewise endowed with authority, not any less in efficacy nor divine in legitimacy.
What is striking, in fact, is that the event occurred on Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s birthday, the day before the publication of the “Fiducia supplicans” declaration which opens up blessings for gay couples.
This measure marked a sort of point of no return: the faithful are starting to understand that something isn’t working.
Like a forest has an intertwined network of roots, we are connected to each other. We need to rely on one another, check each other, and individually connect to God. Don’t expect someone else to do that for you. And when you do, don’t expect that God will direct you to be an intermediary between Him and anyone else.
The rebellion of Iblis is recorded multiple places in the Qu’ran, but is summarized as: When God created Adam, He ordered the angels to bow
And the Lord said, Who shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man, Here am I, send me. And another answered
When the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they gave birth to children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown (of legend). And they knew the secrets of the angels and sin was great in the earth and there were the Watchers and they killed man and took to themselves the daughters of men they begat giants.
The skies are thickly overcast, low, and menacingly dark. Lightning flashes above your head and there is no color, no life anywhere around you. Just a barren, gravely ground and an invitation to make this tremendous climb into a terrifying unknown
Today marks one week since Hamas invaded Israel by air, land, and sea on October 7th 2023. Terrorists trespassed into peaceful Jewish communities slaughtering men,
Brahma is the name of the Hindu god associated with creation, knowledge and the Vedas (scriptures). He is part of the godhead that includes Vishnu
The miracles attributed to Krishna in Hindu tradition offer a captivating perspective on the divine intervention in human affairs. While the stories of Krishna’s extraordinary
“Yin and Yang have mistakenly switched, and the sun and moon were eclipsed. The sins of all the people are now on one man. Pardon is proclaimed to all under heaven.” History of Latter Han Dynasty, Volume 1, Chronicles of Emperor Guang Wu, 7th year.
The scriptures have far more weight when it comes to persuasion. As they ought. Please consider the questions posed below and then actually look up
All of the years under the reign of Josiah are known as the Deuteronomic Reform, but the actual temple reforms did not begin until they “found” that damn book ten years into it. So, let’s keep in context that all of the reforms first required 10 years of grooming a child king.
“And when the hour came, he sat at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you I shall not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
This particular Passover was a Jubilee of Jubilees. It was Foreordained to the be the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. Christ controlled the timing of it all, despite many previous attempts to hold him and kill him.
God created the first human being with the help of the moon. God kneaded the body out of clay. Then God covered it with skin
Pandora, the first woman on Earth The story of Pandora came into prominence in Theogony, the epic poem of Hesiod, written in the 8th century
Oh, God. Let it be. Let your mercy pour down in genuine revival, and let these reports be true. And let it not end in Wilmore.
The concept of marriage is deeply embedded in the broader framework of Hindu philosophy, emphasizing the importance of dharma (moral and social duty), artha (material prosperity), and kama (sensual and emotional fulfillment). The marital relationship is also seen as a means of spiritual growth and mutual support in the journey of life.
Nikah (نکاح) is the Islamic term for marriage. It is a sacred and legal contract that establishes a marital relationship between a Muslim man and a Muslim woman. Nikah is considered a highly significant and virtuous act in Islam, and it is encouraged as a means of fulfilling half of one’s religious faith: “When a person marries, he has fulfilled half of his religion.”
Breaking out of a false paradigm is not enough. You have spent decades building relationships and a life. God has led you to where you are. Honor the journey of others.
An offering to the Lord; one tenth of one’s surplus after all responsibilities and needs have been taken care of. The primary purpose of collecting
The pattern hasn’t changed. God still speaks and we are both invited and challenged to authenticate His word using what He has already said.
Biblical stories are embedded into Chinese characters. Written Chinese arises from the beginning of Chinese civilization, which dates back about 4200 years. This means that the
Before Adam was cast out of the Garden of Eden (into the world in which death would enter, and Adam would be obligated to succumb
Restoration and apostasy are constants; one or the other is underway at all times. There is never stasis for Christ’s gospel. Apostasy loses, deducts, and subtracts truth. That process of losing light changes truth to error. To prevent salvation, it is not necessary for religion to become utterly corrupt; it is only necessary to change the ordinances and break the covenant.
https://youtu.be/tbspakv2Fyo?si=kjMvaUvZZkMYTBGZ Mormonism started and, in the last years of Joseph Smith’s life, returned to restoring a religion older than Christianity. The Apostle Paul wrote to
Because both Campbellites and Mormons shared the ideal of restoring a pure religion, they were destined to intersect. Campbellite ministers Parley Pratt and Sidney Rigdon began the contact. Rigdon was a dynamic preacher and a trusted follower of Alexander Campbell. Rigdon met the first Mormon missionaries as they passed through Ohio and was impressed enough with their message and the Book of Mormon to investigate the claims. He traveled to New York, met Joseph Smith, and was entirely satisfied. He not only joined the movement but quickly became one of the leaders of the new Mormon church.
Joseph Smith sought to restore primitive Christianity through divine revelation. At the age of 14, he had a divine experience in the woods, similar to Moses and Paul. He claimed that God and angels appeared to him, guiding him to translate an ancient book, the Book of Mormon, by divine power. Smith founded a church, translated new scriptures, and organized communities, all with the goal of restoring what he believed was lost Christianity due to apostasy.
While Roger Williams was patient, awaiting a restoration, Thomas Campbell aimed to actively cause one. A Scottish Presbyterian Minister who migrated to the United States in 1807, Thomas disagreed with Presbyterian teachings, leading to a split. He published a tract in 1809 titled “Declaration and Address of the Christian Association of Washington,” emphasizing the promotion of simple Evangelical Christianity and rejecting human authority and opinions in matters of faith.
The Protestant fathers achieved a great deal of good, but certain elements required for original Christianity couldn’t be reformed back into existence. Reforming a corrupt institution and recovering the original requires more than human effort – it demands God’s involvement and someone sent by God to undertake the work.
The Protestant fathers were able to protest against institutional Christian corruption, reform and improve Christianity, and publish the scriptures to allow the common man to read the words of Christ, prophets, and apostles for the first time. However, what they couldn’t achieve was the restoration of what had been lost. Between the close of the New Testament and the 16th century, Christianity had not merely declined; it had perished. It had become an institutionalized belief system with fixed forms of conducting that system. Professional clergy supported by the tithes and offerings of the believers was universally accepted before and after the Reformation. The church owned property and exercised control, with no separation between Christianity’s right to preach morality and the right to enforce morality. The Protestant Reformation fathers assumed that this was entirely proper.
The Protestant Reformation dramatically impacted the world. Even the target of the protest, Roman Catholicism, was improved by the rebellion. Unchallenged Catholic hegemony over political, economic, and religious life in Europe led naturally and inevitably to abuse. When Protestants gave people a choice, it forced Catholicism to compete. An early result was the Catholic Counter-Reformation. Although The Counter Reformation also had abuses, including the Spanish Inquisition, it also made needed reforms. Catholicism attempted a much-needed return to its spiritual foundation.
Luther’s 95 Theses. Zwingli published his 67th thesis, or criticisms of Catholicism. Unlike Luther’s specific topic of the sale of indulgences, Zwingli attacked Catholicism generally. His first statement directly rejected the 1302 Catholic claim that there was no salvation outside the Roman Catholic Church. Zwingli declared, “All who say that the gospel is invalid without the confirmation of the church err and slander God.”
John Calvin was a contemporary of Martin Luther. Calvin’s teachings developed into five Calvinist principles to summarize the core of Christian theology. These five principles are, first, the total depravity of man; second, God’s unconditional election; third, a limited atonement; fourth, irresistible grace; and fifth, the perseverance of the saints. The meaning of these principles can be briefly summarized.
One of the remarkable things throughout history, is the timing of who lives at the same time. It seems as if when God chooses to change the course of human history, His most effective means to accomplish that is to send into the world the right people at the right time to facilitate a revolutionary change in the course of human history. We see that at the time of the American Revolution when there was a gathering of intellectual and moral giants in one generation living in the American colonies: George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, James Monroe, and many others were contemporaries in the British colonies of America. These men agreed it was necessary to both rebel against a distant and unsympathetic monarch and also to replace an unresponsive government with a form of government that guaranteed individual freedom. Every one of them were needed for the revolution to succeed.
