Ian Smith

@GameM3574 @matt_everhard Blessings.

@mithSIM @matt_everhard You are blinded by institutional protestantism and unfortunately just want to argue and lead the poor folk in rural japan down the wrong path with you. Enjoy your salary and travel perks

The more I search, the more I find expensive baptisms in the EO/GO churches. This one costs a grand... I have found dozens of examples now...

@GameM3574 @matt_everhard I have tried to be respectful, but it is clear that you just want to argue. Ultimately, you are blinded by institutional loyalty, which is fine, as I said, gauche and unseemly. If your conscience isn't disturbed, then you do you.

@mithSIM @matt_everhard Note how you are arguing from silence instead of a "faith based pastor" giving me a real verse. It also doesnt say he needed to confess that God is one consubstantial being, 3 persons equal in power glory and majesty... i guess that means belief in the trinity is unnecessary.

38 Then he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the Eunuch, and he baptized him. [38b, totally real bible verse: At which point, Philip discussed the totally voluntary fee for this service--and since the Eunuch was very wealthy, he paid Philip handsomely.] 39 And as soon as they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the Eunuch saw him no more: so he went on his way rejoicing.

@mithSIM @matt_everhard It is voluntary and suggesting it does not go against the bible. If it does quote the chapter and verse

@GameM3574 @matt_everhard Regardless, putting a price on baptism is gauche and unseemly. Even if someone wants to give a one-time gift for such a thing, it should be voluntary, without any compulsion.

@mithSIM @matt_everhard Do pentecoastal pastors buy mansions?

@GameM3574 @matt_everhard Do Catholic nuns frequent casinos (the answer is yes, unfortunately).

@mithSIM @matt_everhard Do you honestly think the baptism fees go to bishops bank accounts and they use it to sustain their labish lifestyles?

@GameM3574 @matt_everhard I'm a faith based missionary supported by the generosity of individuals and churches--I don't take a salary from the small rural Japanese church where I pastor.

@mithSIM @matt_everhard And i bet your church used church funds for that and gives you a salary regardless.

I'm preaching at a funeral tomorrow (for an absolute chad of a deacon who served the church faithfully for more than sixty years). Church scrambled to make the funeral service happen in less than 24 hours. Piano, order of service, food, etc. No one is getting paid--because we're a body; we do this for eachother because we love God and we love eachother.

@mithSIM @matt_everhard Thats assuming thats all there is to baptism. Dunking in tap water and go your merry way. Maybe in your paradigm sure.Secondly, the fees are different for tithing members oftentimes. Thirdly, you assume the priest or bishop or clergymen or chanters do not have a right to be paid

@GameM3574 @matt_everhard >practical costs of a service Dude, I don't know what your water bill is like there, but filling up a bathtub costs at the most a couple of bucks. People tithe, no need to charge them to get dunked--especially considering its a win-win for the church.

@mithSIM @matt_everhard Sure! Is paying the church for the practical costs of a service the equivalent of paying for the service itself eg baptism or marriage?

@GameM3574 @matt_everhard Maybe knowing the bible well enough to know that simony is a sin.

@mithSIM @matt_everhard So what about free baptism qualifies the Baptist church as true?

@GameM3574 @matt_everhard No, but faithfully preaching and teaching the Gospel does.

@mithSIM @matt_everhard Because a free baptism is what determines that a church is true. Lol.

@JoshuaBarzon 7. Aisle seat with easy access to the toilet. I'll probably feel really guilty about my worldliness but also edified after the flight

Where would you sit?

@antemodernist @ShitpostRock2 Unfortunately, it does not appear to be. This was actually published in 2023.

@ShitpostRock2 Is this AI generated?

''Bro just go read some books'' Meanwhile the newest James Bond book:

MCC pastor laments that Asherah, the "female divine presence who was worshipped alongside Adonai," and who is the ancient consort (wife) of God, has been "written out of the bible."

It is probably because I have lived in Japan for over a decade--but Conbini food isn't quite all that its made out to be. While better in comparison to options overseas, there are much better sandwiches available at your average coffee shop here. Plus inflation has hit conbini quality really hard--ingredients are lower quality, more preservatives, more artificial flavoring.

@mithSIM 過大評価だと思うんですね。どんなところがそう感じましたか？

A lot of foreigners come to Japan for sushi, ramen, and wagyu. Then somehow they leave talking about the convenience store egg sandwich. I know it sounds stupid. It’s just bread, egg, and mayo. But if you’ve had one in Japan, you get it. The bread is soft. The egg is creamy. There’s no crust. The mayo is mild. And somehow the whole thing just works. In many countries, a gas station or convenience store sandwich is something you buy when you have no other choice. You eat it because you’re hungry, not because you expect it to be good. But in Japan, people try a cheap egg sandwich from 7-Eleven, Lawson, or FamilyMart and go: “Wait, why is this so good?” That’s the funny part. For Japanese people, it’s not special. It’s just something you grab before work, at the station, or late at night when you’re too tired to think. But for visitors, it feels weirdly impressive. Not because Japan invented the egg sandwich. It didn’t. Japan just took a very normal food and made it soft, clean, cheap, and reliable. And honestly, that might be one of the most Japanese things ever.

@timothyjphelan Do you love your brothers and sisters in the Lord? Are you their judge? What would you have thought of Jeremiah, or Elijah, or our Lord Jesus speaking to the crowds?

This is an uncomfortable image for me as a Christian. In Japan, loudspeaker vehicles are familiar enough. But this one is announcing a call to repent. On the back are words that read: “Liberation from sin,” “Christ’s gift to you,” “Cleansing of the heart,” “Eternal life,” and “Bible.” These are serious words. Presenting them this way makes them much easier to dismiss.

@BigDickBarclay The acting... or lack there of.... youtu.be/zj1fKadycjc?si…

@BigDickBarclay In case you're in the mood for cringe: youtu.be/dGaQoMOxeHc?si…

She ruined supernatural and mystery science theatre. Even one of those would be worth excommunication from Minecraft imo

@airkatakana @shinobu_books Downgrade.

@shinobu_books korea is having similar(?) problems where they are now trying to revise the constitution, to change the name of the constitution itself from 大韓民國憲法 to 대한민국헌법 since the official name is still in chinese characters they have to keep using it like that lol

You and ex-pm Koizumi share the same opinion! Can't find the video of this, but when Koizumi was PM he once scolded members for using too much English. "Use words people can understand." (And everyone laughed) Though nowadays complianceコムプライアンス is pretty common.

@chaimarieee @BigDickBarclay She's the 'type,' of one of the Bioware devs that made DA2. Series flatlined after that.

@BigDickBarclay she was annoying as fuck in dragon age 2, can't even voice act idk why she was there