There are aspects in this world that we prefer to ignore or have emotional distance from, r*pe, famine, genocide, torture. God said "thou shalt not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil so you shall surely die" this is correct, but people view it as a misunderstanding of the concept of death. The tarot card of death just represents change, a change in circumstances. We are constantly dying, each time we have a new insight, a new understanding which changes our perspective the Old self dies and a new self takes it's place. Death can be physical such as shedding off an old garment, but death is something we shalt not fear.

People have a cognitive detachment from "evil", there is evil in this world. Evil causes suffering, it causes despair.

It is important for me as a Christian to be able to understand evil, because there is suffering in this world caused by God (natural forces beyond our own control) and by man. We are called upon to help people, place ourselves in others shoes, treat people how you want to be treated, and you do that by understanding and empathizing with people who have both been victims of evil and who have been led astray.

I don't believe in evil, I believe in balance. I think evil is based on ignorance. You can't have light without darkness, order without chaos, hope without despair, good without evil, and knowledge without ignorance.

People have a cognitive distance from the realities of the world, homelessness leads to intense suffering, but when was the last time someone took the time to someone experiencing homelessness, talk to them, treat then like a person? It is ignorance that causes poverty, we prefer to live in ignorance and detach ourselves from people who suffer, cognitively, emotionally or psychologically because the reality of evil makes us uncomfortable.

Genocide, leads to immense suffering, we can all acknowledge that, but even efforts to personalize people experiencing genocide such as the book Maus where the characters were animalized served as a protective mechanism to create distance from evil.

In order to call upon the will of God, to be healers whether it's psychological, emotional, spiritual. You need to not just acknowledge evil, but to take steps to understand it. In order to forgive sinners, you need to understand the fact that there is sin within us all and to look beyond the sin and view them as an individual.

One thing I have understood about the concept of evil, is that deep down although people do evil things, people whom are deemed as evil are often victims of evil cast upon them themselves. The point of confession and being forgiven isn't just to state what you did, but to explore the deepest level of the psyche and acknowledge why you did the action you did. Was it a trauma response from neglect that caused you to react in a way that harms others? Taking responsibility for your actions and being forgiven means delving deep into the underworld of the psyche and working through, shedding light on the reasons why you did what you did, and deep down you will understandma truth about evil.

Deep down none of us are evil, we are pure. We forget our selves and build up a psychological shell of emotions, insecurity, pain, suffering. Evil comes from seperation from the divine, we build up an identity, are given a name, forget that we are all of God and view ourselves as man individual and separate from other man.

Let me share with you a secret about the law of karma and do onto others as you will have done onto you. If you hurt someone, you hurt God, if you help someone, you help God, if you love someone, you love God, if you hate someone, you hate God.

This is why we have a duty as Christians to eat from the tree and gain knowledge of both Good and Evil and by doing so, you will realize the evil within yourself and be able to deny and shed it, and the good within everyone else.

The word "Lucifer" appears in The Second Epistle of Peter (2 Peter 1:19) in the Latin Vulgate to refer to Jesus. Jesus refers to himself as the Morning Star in revelations.

Why did the Church turn Jesus into the devil?

The church realized that as symbols have effects on the deepest level of the psyche, associating a symbol of higher spiritual truth, knowledge and illumination with the devil would keep people ignorant and easy to control. Essentially the psychological consequence is they associated this symbol of Lucifer used to describe Jesus, and the word of Jesus with the devil and associated higher spiritual knowledge with fear.

The end effect, people are trapped in chains of fear and guilt unable to advance spirituality and looking for answers, not from within, but from an material source which they are afraid to question and can tell them anything making people easy to manipulate.

Enlil is a sumerian God of storms which serves as an adversity to man. I'm going to quickly attribute him to the Old Testament God. In the sumerian flood myth, he's the one responsible for destroying the Earth.

https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/amgg/listofdeities/enlil/

Enki however is a benevolent trickster God who is described as being in competition with his brother Enlil, while his brother Enlil is a harsh and judgemental God who keeps on destroying the Earth, then he keeps on interfering with his brother's plans. When Enlil destroys the Earth with the flood Enki is unable to prevent it and decides to save one good man who is named Atrahasis, and commands him to build an ark. I associate Enki with the New Testament God, with some aspects of Lucifer such as being a trickster spirit.

https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-asia/powerful-enki-epic-sumerian-babylonian-and-akkadian-deity-008141

Now correspondences with Jesus, who refers to himself as the morning star, I attribute him to Lucifer, my reasoning is made clear. A note about gender on the spiritual, it's way more fluid. A lot of deities typically represented as male, take female forms when you work with them, and vice versa. I correspond Ianna, the daughter of Enki to Jesus.

She is actually kind of a badass God, she is a God of war and love, but she keeps on overthrowing other God's and stealing their domains. Interesting to note that transvestites were actually sacred to her. The Lucifer I've worked with has been able to connect with transgender people quite easily and a lot of people I'm led to guide towards him tend to be transgender.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inanna

Reading up, although there are similarities to Inanna such as them both being associated with the "morning star", Jesus as a God better fits her twin brother Utu, who is a divine Judge associated with the Sun, and Jesus is a sun God.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamash

Am I claiming that Jesus is Utu or Shamash? No, but he shares attributes associated with them and making a correspondence of Gods among different religion can help improve your ability to train your abstract reasoning, understand Gods, and grasp hidden meanings that may be lost.

After some more reading Marduk would fit better.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marduk

Jesus = Morning Star attributed to the sun.

Revelation 22:16

Isaiah 14:12-17 was likely Old Testament God taunting Jesus.

The Marduk is known as Son of Sun, Marduk is also King of Babylon.

Marduk is associated with the Son of Enki, new testament god.

Like I said, it wasn't a serious exercise, but it did help me build and discover some connections between Jesus.

I actually became a Christian and discovered Christ because of Lucifer who I view and consider to be a friend and a patron.

The first time I got in touch with Lucifer was in 2015, I wasn't in a great state. First I was having a lot of synchronicities and then dissociation, and delusions. I have months of time that I don't remember or memories that make little to no rational sense. I had no idea what the heck was going on.

During this time, I wrote something to myself that I don't remember writing on the computer, a message during a dissociative episode that I saved and occasionally go back to. This is it.

"No external god, teacher, doctor, angel, magician, therapist, mentor, or friend can heal me, for the healing work can only be done by me. I can't wait for life to come and cure me of my problems, suffering and defects, a miracle isn't going to be granted by an angel, for the only one who's capable of my own healing is the god that resides inside my mind, body, spirit and soul. That god is me."

The first time I got in touch and started working with Lucifer was over 5 years later. I view and consider him to be my patron and my friend. I didn't associate it with Lucifer a few months after I started working with him.

Some notes on Lucifer according to the Bible:

The term Lucifer derived from a mistranslation, his actual name is Heylel, which stems from the same root as Hallulijah, and was mistranslated to Lucifer? Heylel ben-Sachar. The official translation is Holy son of the morning, mistranslated to Lucifer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shahar_(god)

Isaiah 14:12-17

Jesus calls himself the morning star in the book of revelations.

Revelation 22:16

16 “I, Jesus, have sent Mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the Bright and Morning Star.”

According to the King James Bible-based Strong's Concordance, the original Hebrew word means "shining one, light-bearer", and the English translation given in the King James text is the Latin name for the planet Venus, "Lucifer", as it was already in the Wycliffe Bible.

If you take Church theology then The word "Lucifer" appears in The Second Epistle of Peter (2 Peter 1:19) in the Latin Vulgate to refer to Jesus.

My experience with Lucifer is that he's kind, gentle and he helped me a lot with self-love. The reason I started reading the Bible, was actually because he encouraged me to.

One thing I've wondered about Church Christianity is when the words or Paul contridict with the teachings of Jesus, they seem to reject Jesus and take the words of Paul?

Jesus taught to sinners. I would argue that Judas wasn't a great example of someone who was free of sin.

It's too easy just to be like "Oh, Paul wrote the word of God" when he wrote his letters so Paul is equivalent to Jesus, and I think it is a logical error. We might as well be building altars and worshipping Paul if we are just going to reject Jesus.

My personal opinion is that Paul corrupted Christianity and led the religion astray.

Is Paul equivalent to Jesus? If not then how do you explain the many many contradictions between their writing and teachings? Either the word of Jesus was the word or God or the word of Paul was? They can't both be true.

This is why I reject Paul's writings almost entirely in my path, and I definately don't do what the Church does and prioritize above the teachings of Jesus when they do contridict.

This thread I am looking for a respectful debate.

!catholics !christians happy Third Sunday of Easter!

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First Reading

Peter said to the people:

"The God of Abraham,

the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,

the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus,

whom you handed over and denied in Pilate's presence

when he had decided to release him.

You denied the Holy and Righteous One

and asked that a murderer be released to you.

The author of life you put to death,

but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses.

Now I know, brothers,

that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did;

but God has thus brought to fulfillment

what he had announced beforehand

through the mouth of all the prophets,

that his Christ would suffer.

Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away."

-Acts 3:13-15, 17-19

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Responsorial Psalm

R. (7a) Lord, let your face shine on us.

or:

R. Alleluia.

When I call, answer me, O my just God,

you who relieve me when I am in distress;

have pity on me, and hear my prayer!

R. Lord, let your face shine on us.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Know that the LORD does wonders for his faithful one;

the LORD will hear me when I call upon him.

R. Lord, let your face shine on us.

or:

R. Alleluia.

O LORD, let the light of your countenance shine upon us!

You put gladness into my heart.

R. Lord, let your face shine on us.

or:

R. Alleluia.

As soon as I lie down, I fall peacefully asleep,

for you alone, O LORD,

bring security to my dwelling.

R. Lord, let your face shine on us.

or:

R. Alleluia.

-Psalms 4:2, 4, 7-8, 9

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Second Reading

My children, I am writing this to you

so that you may not commit sin.

But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,

Jesus Christ the righteous one.

He is expiation for our sins,

and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.

The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep

his commandments.

Those who say, "I know him," but do not keep his commandments

are liars, and the truth is not in them.

But whoever keeps his word,

the love of God is truly perfected in him.

-1 John 2:1-5a

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Alleluiah

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Lord Jesus, open the Scriptures to us;

make our hearts burn while you speak to us.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

-Luke 24:32

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Gospel

The two disciples recounted what had taken place on the way,

and how Jesus was made known to them

in the breaking of bread.

While they were still speaking about this,

he stood in their midst and said to them,

"Peace be with you."

But they were startled and terrified

and thought that they were seeing a ghost.

Then he said to them, "Why are you troubled?

And why do questions arise in your hearts?

Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.

Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones

as you can see I have."

And as he said this,

he showed them his hands and his feet.

While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed,

he asked them, "Have you anything here to eat?"

They gave him a piece of baked fish;

he took it and ate it in front of them.

He said to them,

"These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you,

that everything written about me in the law of Moses

and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled."

Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

And he said to them,

"Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer

and rise from the dead on the third day

and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,

would be preached in his name

to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

You are witnesses of these things."

-Luke 24:35-48

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The last few lines of the second reading stuck out to me. While God is merciful, those who flaunt his laws blatantly while speaking of how much they love them must have some deal of cognitive dissonance going on.

How do Christians explain the fact that there tend to be like over 10 different Gods in the earlier books of the Old Testament, with some of the God's representing individual God's in Caananite mythology such as Baal Hammon, which were translated sometime when Monothesism after the Babylonian captivity took place and they were changed to "Lord" or "my lord"? For example an appropriate translation for Elohim, the creator God in Genesis would be "God's and Goddesses" because the word had both masculine and feminine pronouns?

If the Bible isn't written from a polythesistic perspective then do you take the perspective of the Jewish mystics that God was androgynous and had both masculine and feminine energy? Then how you rationalize it with transgender people not being valid if God was composed of masculine and feminine energy and was essentially androgynous and we were made in God's image. Considering that the Old Testament laws were thrown out with the coming of Jesus, the only thing Jesus said about homosexuality was Matthew 19:11-12.

I don't believe in church dogma, and I'm not trying to be like "gotcha", I'm just genuinely curious how the church rationalizes this concept that God was an androgynous being composed of the both Masculine and the feminine with the conception that being transgender is somehow wrong or something and how you explain it?

Do Not Worry

22 Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.

23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.

24 Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?

25 And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

26 If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?

27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

28 If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?

29 “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.

30 For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.

31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

32 “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

33 Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.

34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

My mom is happy to use a trans kids pronouns, and my dad is just concerned people will think I'm Muslim. I don't care what people think at this point, though. I feel like my parents will laugh at me and/or guilt trip me like they did when they found out I was more conservative. However, they're now more accepting of it. I'm thinking of talking to my mom privately first and pointing out that if she's going to use a trans kids pronouns, she should allow me to veil because her logic is that the more you oppose a child's endeavors, the more they'll go in that same direction, so it should thus be the same for me. As for my dad, I'll try and have a one on one, serious conversation with him without him laughing at me or trying to make it a joke. I'll point out that kids my age are literally becoming atheists and getting into drugs while I want to cover myself more and that if he's really concerned with people thinking I'm Muslim I can wear a cross around my neck. I will also offer to pay for all of the needed under caps and veils with my own money. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Sorry for the bad writing form lol. God bless! ♥️ IMPORTANT NOTE: Y'all I'm talking about just veiling my hair, not my face.

UPDATE: I told my mom and while she doesn't like it, she says she'll talk to my dad about it. I requested to be in this conversation and she said sure. I'm crying out of joy and hopefulness right now!!! I'll update further when the conversation happens. Thank you guys so much for the support.

As a man, I found women who wore a veil (over the hair, not the face you mention) to increase attractivenesd. Same with long, modest dresses. Though not required of course, it's just a tangible representation that you are serious about modesty, purity and the like.

lmao

I'm just recently rekindling my relationship with God after years of neglecting him and rebelling. I only know what I know about God and Christianity because I was taught about it a lot when I was young. It was a weird and twisted version of Christianity that I was taught though, so now I have so many questions since I am older. I feel like everyone around me either hates God or believes in a twisted version of him. I came out as trans many years ago, but now I can't help to think that I am sinning in the eyes of God because of what I was taught as a kid. I've been scared to research or find an answer because I know the answers will be very mixed. I just feel lost, and I can't shake any negative feelings about all of this. Am I sinning? Am I giving into temptation? Am I believing something false? There's no middle ground that I can find. I haven't been able to do anything but internalize all of how I'm feeling. Is this path really right in the eyes of God?

Being trans isn't a sin. Be yourself. God does not hate the LGBT community and being LGBT will not condemn you to heck. My advice is to be Christ like, avoid false prophets, and avoid fake Christians. Be kind to others, forgive others, and pray. If you seek Jesus you will find him. Be cautious, those who preach hatred, ignorance, and discrimination are not of God. God is not a tyrant and has nothing but love for you.

this is so fricking far from biblical holy shit.

In addressing some of the many grave violations of human dignity today, we can draw upon the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, which emphasized that “all offenses against life itself, such as murder, genocide, abortion, euthanasia, and willful suicide” must be recognized as contrary to human dignity.[53] Furthermore, the Council affirmed that “all violations of the integrity of the human person, such as mutilation, physical and mental torture, undue psychological pressures,” also infringe upon our dignity.[54] Finally, it denounced “all offenses against human dignity, such as subhuman living conditions, arbitrary imprisonment, deportation, slavery, prostitution, the selling of women and children, degrading working conditions where individuals are treated as mere cowtools for profit rather than free and responsible persons

!christians !catholics Jet lag edition, I had a flight that landed at 8 AM so I went to 8:45 AM Mass today then slept from 11-6.

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First Reading

The community of believers was of one heart and mind,

and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own,

but they had everything in common.

With great power the apostles bore witness

to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,

and great favor was accorded them all.

There was no needy person among them,

for those who owned property or houses would sell them,

bring the proceeds of the sale,

and put them at the feet of the apostles,

and they were distributed to each according to need.

-Acts 4:32-35

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Responsorial Psalm

R. (1) Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love is everlasting.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Let the house of Israel say,

"His mercy endures forever."

Let the house of Aaron say,

"His mercy endures forever."

Let those who fear the LORD say,

"His mercy endures forever."

R. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love is everlasting.

or:

R. Alleluia.

I was hard pressed and was falling,

but the LORD helped me.

My strength and my courage is the LORD,

and he has been my savior.

The joyful shout of victory

in the tents of the just:

R. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love is everlasting.

or:

R. Alleluia.

The stone which the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone.

By the LORD has this been done;

it is wonderful in our eyes.

This is the day the LORD has made;

let us be glad and rejoice in it.

R. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love is everlasting.

or:

R. Alleluia.

-Psalms 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24

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Second Reading

Beloved:

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God,

and everyone who loves the Father

loves also the one begotten by him.

In this way we know that we love the children of God

when we love God and obey his commandments.

For the love of God is this,

that we keep his commandments.

And his commandments are not burdensome,

for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world.

And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.

Who indeed is the victor over the world

but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ,

not by water alone, but by water and blood.

The Spirit is the one that testifies,

and the Spirit is truth.

-1 John 5:1-6

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Sequence

Christians, to the Paschal Victim

        Offer your thankful praises!

A Lamb the sheep redeems;

        Christ, who only is sinless,

        Reconciles sinners to the Father.

Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous:

        The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.

Speak, Mary, declaring

        What you saw, wayfaring.

“The tomb of Christ, who is living,

        The glory of Jesus' resurrection;

bright angels attesting,

        The shroud and napkin resting.

Yes, Christ my hope is arisen;

        to Galilee he goes before you.”

Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.

        Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!

        Amen. Alleluia.

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Gospel

On the evening of that first day of the week,

when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,

for fear of the Jews,

Jesus came and stood in their midst

and said to them, "Peace be with you."

When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.

The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you.

As the Father has sent me, so I send you."

And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,

"Receive the Holy Spirit.

Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,

and whose sins you retain are retained."

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,

was not with them when Jesus came.

So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord."

But he said to them,

"Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands

and put my finger into the nailmarks

and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."

Now a week later his disciples were again inside

and Thomas was with them.

Jesus came, although the doors were locked,

and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you."

Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands,

and bring your hand and put it into my side,

and do not be unbelieving, but believe."

Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me?

Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples

that are not written in this book.

But these are written that you may come to believe

that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,

and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

-John 20:19-31

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That's where you're wrong. https://t.co/mUDeyLHM82 pic.twitter.com/rlgtOaGUZK

— John Valravn (@jmc_nanban) April 3, 2024

!classics !lgbt

The Catholic girl is literally me pic.twitter.com/VW7DjHpJN3

— ♱ ıYı Petrusya ıYı ♱ (@Petrusya_73) March 22, 2024

Anyone who actually knows Catholic girls. Even really conservative ones. Know that none are like that

!catholics !christians Happy Palm Sunday! Or not. The readings today are sad.

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At the Procession of the Palms Gospel

When Jesus and his disciples drew near to Jerusalem,

to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives,

he sent two of his disciples and said to them,

“Go into the village opposite you,

and immediately on entering it,

you will find a colt tethered on which no one has ever sat.

Untie it and bring it here.

If anyone should say to you,

‘Why are you doing this?' reply,

‘The Master has need of it

and will send it back here at once.'”

So they went off

and found a colt tethered at a gate outside on the street,

and they untied it.

Some of the bystanders said to them,

“What are you doing, untying the colt?”

They answered them just as Jesus had told them to,

and they permitted them to do it.

So they brought the colt to Jesus

and put their cloaks over it.

And he sat on it.

Many people spread their cloaks on the road,

and others spread leafy branches

that they had cut from the fields.

Those preceding him as well as those following kept crying out:

“Hosanna!

    Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

    Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!

Hosanna in the highest!”

-Mark 11:1-10

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First Reading

The Lord GOD has given me

a well-trained tongue,

that I might know how to speak to the weary

a word that will rouse them.

Morning after morning

he opens my ear that I may hear;

and I have not rebelled,

have not turned back.

I gave my back to those who beat me,

my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;

my face I did not shield

from buffets and spitting.

The Lord GOD is my help,

therefore I am not disgraced;

I have set my face like flint,

knowing that I shall not be put to shame.

-Isaiah 50:4-7

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Responsorial Psalm

R. (2a) My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

All who see me scoff at me;

they mock me with parted lips, they wag their heads:

“He relied on the LORD; let him deliver him,

let him rescue him, if he loves him.”

R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

Indeed, many dogs surround me,

a pack of evildoers closes in upon me;

They have pierced my hands and my feet;

I can count all my bones.

R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

They divide my garments among them,

and for my vesture they cast lots.

But you, O LORD, be not far from me;

O my help, hasten to aid me.

R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

I will proclaim your name to my brethren;

in the midst of the assembly I will praise you:

“You who fear the LORD, praise him;

all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him;

revere him, all you descendants of Israel!”

R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

-Psalms 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24

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Second Reading

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,

did not regard equality with God

something to be grasped.

Rather, he emptied himself,

taking the form of a slave,

coming in human likeness;

and found human in appearance,

he humbled himself,

becoming obedient to the point of death,

even death on a cross.

Because of this, God greatly exalted him

and bestowed on him the name

which is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bend,

of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,    

and every tongue confess that

Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

-Philippians 2:6-11

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Verse Before the Gospel

Christ became obedient to the point of death,

even death on a cross.

Because of this, God greatly exalted him

and bestowed on him the name which is above every name.

-Philippians 2:8-9

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Gospel

The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread

were to take place in two days' time.

So the chief priests and the scribes were seeking a way

to arrest him by treachery and put him to death.

They said, “Not during the festival,

for fear that there may be a riot among the people.”

When he was in Bethany reclining at table

in the house of Simon the leper,

a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil,

costly genuine spikenard.

She broke the alabaster jar and poured it on his head.

There were some who were indignant.

“Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil?

It could have been sold for more than three hundred days' wages

and the money given to the poor.”

They were infuriated with her.

Jesus said, “Let her alone.

Why do you make trouble for her?

She has done a good thing for me.

The poor you will always have with you,

and whenever you wish you can do good to them,

but you will not always have me.

She has done what she could.

She has anticipated anointing my body for burial.

Amen, I say to you,

wherever the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world,

what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve,

went off to the chief priests to hand him over to them.

When they heard him they were pleased and promised to pay him money.

Then he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,

when they sacrificed the Passover lamb,

his disciples said to him,

“Where do you want us to go

and prepare for you to eat the Passover?”

He sent two of his disciples and said to them,

“Go into the city and a man will meet you,

carrying a jar of water.

Follow him.

Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house,

‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room

where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”'

Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready.

Make the preparations for us there.”

The disciples then went off, entered the city,

and found it just as he had told them;

and they prepared the Passover.

When it was evening, he came with the Twelve.

And as they reclined at table and were eating, Jesus said,

“Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me,

one who is eating with me.”

They began to be distressed and to say to him, one by one,

“Surely it is not I?”

He said to them,

“One of the Twelve, the one who dips with me into the dish.

For the Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him,

but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.

It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”

While they were eating,

he took bread, said the blessing,

broke it, and gave it to them, and said,

“Take it; this is my body.”

Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them,

and they all drank from it.

He said to them,

“This is my blood of the covenant,

which will be shed for many.

Amen, I say to you,

I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine

until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Then, after singing a hymn,

they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Then Jesus said to them,

“All of you will have your faith shaken, for it is written:

I will strike the shepherd,

    and the sheep will be dispersed.

But after I have been raised up,

I shall go before you to Galilee.”

Peter said to him,

“Even though all should have their faith shaken,

mine will not be.”

Then Jesus said to him,

"Amen, I say to you,

this very night before the cock crows twice

you will deny me three times.”

But he vehemently replied,

“Even though I should have to die with you,

I will not deny you.”

And they all spoke similarly.

Then they came to a place named Gethsemane,

and he said to his disciples,

“Sit here while I pray.”

He took with him Peter, James, and John,

and began to be troubled and distressed.

Then he said to them, “My soul is sorrowful even to death.

Remain here and keep watch.”

He advanced a little and fell to the ground and prayed

that if it were possible the hour might pass by him;

he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you.

Take this cup away from me,

but not what I will but what you will.”

When he returned he found them asleep.

He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep?

Could you not keep watch for one hour?

Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test.

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”

Withdrawing again, he prayed, saying the same thing.

Then he returned once more and found them asleep,

for they could not keep their eyes open

and did not know what to answer him.

He returned a third time and said to them,

“Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?

It is enough. The hour has come.

Behold, the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners.

Get up, let us go.

See, my betrayer is at hand.”

Then, while he was still speaking,

Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived,

accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs

who had come from the chief priests,

the scribes, and the elders.

His betrayer had arranged a signal with them, saying,

“The man I shall kiss is the one;

arrest him and lead him away securely.”

He came and immediately went over to him and said,

“Rabbi.” And he kissed him.

At this they laid hands on him and arrested him.

One of the bystanders drew his sword,

struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his ear.

Jesus said to them in reply,

“Have you come out as against a robber,

with swords and clubs, to seize me?

Day after day I was with you teaching in the temple area,

yet you did not arrest me;

but that the Scriptures may be fulfilled.”

And they all left him and fled.

Now a young man followed him

wearing nothing but a linen cloth about his body.

They seized him,

but he left the cloth behind and ran off naked.

They led Jesus away to the high priest,

and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together.

Peter followed him at a distance into the high priest's courtyard

and was seated with the guards, warming himself at the fire.

The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin

kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus

in order to put him to death, but they found none.

Many gave false witness against him,

but their testimony did not agree.

Some took the stand and testified falsely against him,

alleging, “We heard him say,

‘I will destroy this temple made with hands

and within three days I will build another

not made with hands.'”

Even so their testimony did not agree.

The high priest rose before the assembly and questioned Jesus,

saying, “Have you no answer?

What are these men testifying against you?”

But he was silent and answered nothing.

Again the high priest asked him and said to him,

“Are you the Christ, the son of the Blessed One?”

Then Jesus answered, “I am;

and ‘you will see the Son of Man

seated at the right hand of the Power

and coming with the clouds of heaven.'”

At that the high priest tore his garments and said,

“What further need have we of witnesses?

You have heard the blasphemy.

What do you think?”

They all condemned him as deserving to die.

Some began to spit on him.

They blindfolded him and struck him and said to him, “Prophesy!”

And the guards greeted him with blows.

While Peter was below in the courtyard,

one of the high priest's maids came along.

Seeing Peter warming himself,

she looked intently at him and said,

“You too were with the Nazarene, Jesus.”

But he denied it saying,

“I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.”

So he went out into the outer court.

Then the cock crowed.

The maid saw him and began again to say to the bystanders,

“This man is one of them.”

Once again he denied it.

A little later the bystanders said to Peter once more,

“Surely you are one of them; for you too are a Galilean.”

He began to curse and to swear,

“I do not know this man about whom you are talking.”

And immediately a cock crowed a second time.

Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said to him,

“Before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times.”

He broke down and wept.

As soon as morning came,

the chief priests with the elders and the scribes,

that is, the whole Sanhedrin held a council.

They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate.

Pilate questioned him,

“Are you the king of the Jews?”

He said to him in reply, “You say so.”

The chief priests accused him of many things.

Again Pilate questioned him,

“Have you no answer?

See how many things they accuse you of.”

Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.

Now on the occasion of the feast he used to release to them

one prisoner whom they requested.

A man called Barabbas was then in prison

along with the rebels who had committed murder in a rebellion.

The crowd came forward and began to ask him

to do for them as he was accustomed.

Pilate answered,

“Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?”

For he knew that it was out of envy

that the chief priests had handed him over.

But the chief priests stirred up the crowd

to have him release Barabbas for them instead.

Pilate again said to them in reply,

“Then what do you want me to do

with the man you call the king of the Jews?”

They shouted again, “Crucify him.”

Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?”

They only shouted the louder, “Crucify him.”

So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd,

released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged,

handed him over to be crucified.

The soldiers led him away inside the palace,

that is, the praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort.

They clothed him in purple and,

weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on him.

They began to salute him with, "Hail, King of the Jews!”

and kept striking his head with a reed and spitting upon him.

They knelt before him in homage.

And when they had mocked him,

they stripped him of the purple cloak,

dressed him in his own clothes,

and led him out to crucify him.

They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon,

a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country,

the father of Alexander and Rufus,

to carry his cross.

They brought him to the place of Golgotha

— which is translated Place of the Skull —,

They gave him wine drugged with myrrh,

but he did not take it.

Then they crucified him and divided his garments

by casting lots for them to see what each should take.

It was nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified him.

The inscription of the charge against him read,

“The King of the Jews.”

With him they crucified two revolutionaries,

one on his right and one on his left.

Those passing by reviled him,

shaking their heads and saying,

“Aha! You who would destroy the temple

and rebuild it in three days,

save yourself by coming down from the cross.”

Likewise the chief priests, with the scribes,

mocked him among themselves and said,

“He saved others; he cannot save himself.

Let the Christ, the King of Israel,

come down now from the cross

that we may see and believe.”

Those who were crucified with him also kept abusing him.

At noon darkness came over the whole land

until three in the afternoon.

And at three o'clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice,

“Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”

which is translated,

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Some of the bystanders who heard it said,

“Look, he is calling Elijah.”

One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed

and gave it to him to drink saying,

“Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.”

Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.

    Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.

When the centurion who stood facing him

saw how he breathed his last he said,

“Truly this man was the Son of God!”

There were also women looking on from a distance.

Among them were Mary Magdalene,

Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome.

These women had followed him when he was in Galilee

and ministered to him.

There were also many other women

who had come up with him to Jerusalem.

When it was already evening,

since it was the day of preparation,

the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea,

a distinguished member of the council,

who was himself awaiting the kingdom of God,

came and courageously went to Pilate

and asked for the body of Jesus.

Pilate was amazed that he was already dead.

He summoned the centurion

and asked him if Jesus had already died.

And when he learned of it from the centurion,

he gave the body to Joseph.

Having bought a linen cloth, he took him down,

wrapped him in the linen cloth,

and laid him in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock.

Then he rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb.

Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses

watched where he was laid.

-Mark 14:1-15:47

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the Passion in the Garden actually makes me cry, what a brutal betrayal.

Something I'm curious about, if any theology nerds want to chime in, is Pontius Pilate's status. There's a lot of apocrypha from early Christianity proclaiming him either a saint or confirmed to be in Hell. The true answer is presumably in the middle but I wonder if any figures of authority have spoken or written of it.

Ramadan and Lent overlap this year. They both are holy times for our respective faith communities to fast, give charitably and focus on prayer, and call us to not only deepen our relationship with our Creator, but with those around us.

— Cardinal Cupich (@CardinalBCupich) March 22, 2024

/r/Catholicism post

It noted that an increasing number of Indian states were implementing anti-conversion laws, “creating an environment where any Christian who shares their faith can be accused of a crime, intimidated, harassed and even met with violence.”

The CBCI statement, signed by its president Archbishop Andrews Thazhath and secretary general Archbishop Anil Couto, came two days after police arrested Fr. Dominic Pinto, a priest of the Diocese of Lucknow, and six others following claims that they had sought to convert Hindus in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

A spokesman for the Lucknow diocese said there was “not an iota of truth” in the accusation.

In May 2023, it emerged that a bishop and a nun were facing prosecution following an inspection of an orphanage in Katni, Madhya Pradesh, a central state ruled by the BJP. Bishop Gerald Almeida and Sr. Liji Joseph were accused of seeking to convert the orphanage's children to Christianity — a claim described as “a blatant lie” by a local priest. They were granted anticipatory bail in June.

Pope Francis accepted the 77-year-old Almeida's resignation as Bishop of Jabalpur Jan. 13.

!catholics !christians happy Saint Patrick's Day!

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First Reading

The days are coming, says the LORD,

when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel

and the house of Judah.

It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers

the day I took them by the hand

to lead them forth from the land of Egypt;

for they broke my covenant,

and I had to show myself their master, says the LORD.

But this is the covenant that I will make

with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD.

I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts;

I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

No longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives

how to know the LORD.

All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD,

for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.

-Jeremiah 31:31-34

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Responsorial Psalm

R. (12a) Create a clean heart in me, O God.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;

in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.

Thoroughly wash me from my guilt

and of my sin cleanse me.

R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.

A clean heart create for me, O God,

and a steadfast spirit renew within me.

Cast me not out from your presence,

and your Holy Spirit take not from me.

R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.

Give me back the joy of your salvation,

and a willing spirit sustain in me.

I will teach transgressors your ways,

and sinners shall return to you.

R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.

-Psalms 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15

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Second Reading

In the days when Christ Jesus was in the flesh,

he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears

to the one who was able to save him from death,

and he was heard because of his reverence.

Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered;

and when he was made perfect,

he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

-Hebrews 5:7-9

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Verse Before the Gospel

Whoever serves me must follow me, says the Lord;

and where I am, there also will my servant be.

-John 12:26

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Gospel

Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast

came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee,

and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.”

Philip went and told Andrew;

then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

Jesus answered them,

“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

Amen, amen, I say to you,

unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,

it remains just a grain of wheat;

but if it dies, it produces much fruit.

Whoever loves his life loses it,

and whoever hates his life in this world

will preserve it for eternal life.

Whoever serves me must follow me,

and where I am, there also will my servant be.

The Father will honor whoever serves me.

“I am troubled now. Yet what should I say?

‘Father, save me from this hour'?

But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour.

Father, glorify your name.”

Then a voice came from heaven,

“I have glorified it and will glorify it again.”

The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder;

but others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”

Jesus answered and said,

“This voice did not come for my sake but for yours.

Now is the time of judgment on this world;

now the ruler of this world will be driven out.

And when I am lifted up from the earth,

I will draw everyone to myself.”

He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.

-John 12:20-33

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BREAKING - #PopeFrancis on civil unions: “It is right that these people who live the gift of love can have legal coverage like everyone else.”
Quote taken from upcoming book, fully released March 19, with excerpt here -https://t.co/zC6Lab75wf pic.twitter.com/Hk7xBm1aAF

— Michael Haynes 🇻🇦 (@MLJHaynes) March 14, 2024

@carpathianfriendly this is your fault for breaking your lent vows.

Hi, so long story short my boyfriend and I have been together for 6 years now. When we first started dating he was pretty progressive and he even went to pride parades with me, said he was really disappointed after Roe v Wade was overturned, etc. But in the past 1.5 or so years he really started falling into the “traditional” beliefs, became a lot more Catholic, and socially conservative. We've had a lot of big disagreements in the last year, starting with the Barbie movie last summer…..he has made condescending comments about “woke leftists”, the “west is losing their morals”, etc. Then recently I saw on Instagram reels (I just happened to come across posts he's liked), that he's liked reels that were making fun of pronouns and then one about how couples with kids without a mom are “unnatural”. He also liked one about how modern feminism is destroying society. I am seriously appalled that he has these views and I'm so dissappointed. He doesn't voice it to me because he knows how upset and defensive I get, but now I know what he actually thinks. I just have a feeling he's listening to those podcasts about being “alpha males”, the need for women to have kids, importance of Christianity in society….etc. Anyway obviously it seems like the answer is pretty clear here, but is it possible for a person like this to be convinced otherwise? Could he drop these beliefs? It's just hard because he used to be a different person..and we've been together for so long, we live together, so much is tied up. But it seems like for the most part people who go down this route only go deeper in it. It's not too dramatic of a reason to break up with someone, right? Each time I've brought it up he's said I'm being too controlling about his views and we should agree to disagree. He says I'm being a “militant leftist who doesn't have room for other views”……I can't handle being with someone who has such disrespectful views and I'm just wondering what went wrong..and when…and also, I just hate what Instagram reels, TikTok, and these certain male influencers have done lately. It's bizarre to see so many guys turn right wing in the past year

The are onto you, being Catholic is a Q-adjacent ideology.

!catholics !christians The time change would've thrown me off this morning but I woke up unexpected early

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First Reading

In those days, all the princes of Judah, the priests, and the people

added infidelity to infidelity,

practicing all the abominations of the nations

and polluting the LORD's temple

which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.

Early and often did the LORD, the God of their fathers,

send his messengers to them,

for he had compassion on his people and his dwelling place.

But they mocked the messengers of God,

despised his warnings, and scoffed at his prophets,

until the anger of the LORD against his people was so inflamed

that there was no remedy.

Their enemies burnt the house of God,

tore down the walls of Jerusalem,

set all its palaces afire,

and destroyed all its precious objects.

Those who escaped the sword were carried captive to Babylon,

where they became servants of the king of the Chaldeans and his sons

until the kingdom of the Persians came to power.

All this was to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah:

“Until the land has retrieved its lost sabbaths,

during all the time it lies waste it shall have rest

while seventy years are fulfilled.”

In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia,

in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah,

the LORD inspired King Cyrus of Persia

to issue this proclamation throughout his kingdom,

both by word of mouth and in writing:

“Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia:

All the kingdoms of the earth

the LORD, the God of heaven, has given to me,

and he has also charged me to build him a house

in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

Whoever, therefore, among you belongs to any part of his people,

let him go up, and may his God be with him!”

-2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23

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Responsorial Psalm

R. (6ab) Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!

By the streams of Babylon

we sat and wept

when we remembered Zion.

On the aspens of that land

we hung up our harps.

R. Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!

For there our captors asked of us

the lyrics of our songs,

And our despoilers urged us to be joyous:

“Sing for us the songs of Zion!”

R. Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!

How could we sing a song of the LORD

in a foreign land?

If I forget you, Jerusalem,

may my right hand be forgotten!

R. Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!

May my tongue cleave to my palate

if I remember you not,

If I place not Jerusalem

ahead of my joy.

R. Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!

-Psalms 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6

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Second Reading

Brothers and sisters:

God, who is rich in mercy,

because of the great love he had for us,

even when we were dead in our transgressions,

brought us to life with Christ — by grace you have been saved —,

raised us up with him,

and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,

that in the ages to come

He might show the immeasurable riches of his grace

in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

For by grace you have been saved through faith,

and this is not from you; it is the gift of God;

it is not from works, so no one may boast.

For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works

that God has prepared in advance,

that we should live in them.

-Ephesians 2:4-10

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Verse Before the Gospel

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,

so everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.

-John 3:16

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Gospel

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

“Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,

so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him might not perish

but might have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,

but that the world might be saved through him.

Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,

but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,

because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

And this is the verdict,

that the light came into the world,

but people preferred darkness to light,

because their works were evil.

For everyone who does wicked things hates the light

and does not come toward the light,

so that his works might not be exposed.

But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,

so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

-John 3:14-21

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Today's readings are about mercy, an essential part of Lent. The verse before the Gospel is a single-line summary of Christianity.

Cyrus mentioning God in the first reading is interesting. Persia at this time was Zoroastrian, which is a dualistic religion with one good deity and one evil deity. I suppose this meant that the Zoroastrians recognized the Jews as fellow worshippers of the good deity.