Showing posts with label Delight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Delight. Show all posts

05 July 2025

The RC Deep Dive Podcast



I've been blessed to be able to help out with a group of vintage RC car hobbyists with a new daily podcast about radio controlled cars called the RC Deep Dive. Here is the announcement that they have been making after posting our 100th episode yesterday, so I wanted to share it here too: 

Our new podcast, The RC Deep Dive, just posted its 101st episode, so we thought we would dare to come announce our podcast to the RC hobbyist community! After 101 episodes, we want your questions and topic ideas for future podcasts. Our focus is on vintage, classic, rere (re-release), and modern RC cars, buggies, trucks, and vans. We review RC model vehicles, hop-ups, and give you advice on how to fix, upgrade, repair, and improve your radio-controlled vehicles and teach you about the history of the RC hobbyist community and culture. We are all about that RC life!

You can find all our links to Podcast aggregators that host the RC Deep Dive podcast at https://linktr.ee/rcdeepdive . We are available on Android Podcasts, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Audible, BoomPlay, CastBox FM, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Player FM, Podbean, Pocket Casts, Podcast Addict, Podcast App, Podcast Guru, Podcast,ru, PodChaser, Poddtoppen, Podmailer, Podtail, Rephonic, YouTube, and YouTube Music. Our podcast host website is at https://rcdeepdive.podbean.com/ .

We look forward to your comments, likes, subscriptions, and creating podcasts based on your suggestions and questions!

Here are our episodes so far and our planned episodes for the future, along with the dates that they were published or will be pushed to podcast aggregator apps: 

  1. The Tamiya Frog Hop-Ups: CVD or UJ Drive Shafts over the Dog Bones or Hex Drive 2025-03-27
  2. The Tamiya Grasshopper Hop-Ups: Oil-Filled CVA Shock Dampers using Grasshopper II Parts 2025-03-28
  3. Hidden Upgrades for the Grasshopper II from the Rising Fighter 2025-03-29
  4. Which Grease to Use? Moly vs. AWG vs. Cera HG 2025-03-30
  5. Which Battery Should I Use in my R/C car? 2025-03-31
  6. Hop-Up Tires and Wheels for your Tamiya and other brand R/C Buggies, Cars, Trucks, and Vans 2025-04-01
  7. Stabilizing Gearboxes in the Tamiya Grasshopper, Hornet, Grasshopper 2, and other R/C Vehicles 2025-04-02
  8. The MIP Super Ball Diff for Tamiya ORV R/C Vehicles, including the Frog, Brat, Blackfoot, and Super Beetle 2025-04-03
  9. HOW-TO: Upgrade your Tamiya Grasshopper to a Hornet and your Grasshopper II to a Super Hornet 2025-04-04
  10. 380 Tuned Motors vs 540 Motors: What's the right choice? 2025-04-05
  11. The Special Color Edition R/C Cars 2025-04-06
  12. Who Really Owns your Local Hobby Shop and R/C Car Brands? 2025-04-07
  13. Let's Get into Traxxas! 2025-04-08
  14. The Elusive Super G Tamiya R/C Buggies 2025-04-09
  15. What Causes Grubscrew Issues in the Grasshopper 2 with a 380 Sport Tuned Motor? 2025-04-10
  16. What are the Top 10 Selling R/C Vehicles of all Time? 2025-04-11
  17. A Simple 3-D Printed ORV Trailing Shock Arm Can Save your R/C Car! 2025-04-12
  18. Which Cements, Glues, and Solvents to Use on your R/C Cars? 2025-04-13
  19. Do Low-Profile Servos Allow you to use Larger Batteries in your Grasshopper/Hornet Family of R/C Buggies? 2025-04-14
  20. What are the Best Tools to Build your R/C Vehicle? You Might be Surprised! 2025-04-15
  21. The Missing Cera Grease HG Mystery 2025-04-16
  22. Sticks or Pistol Grips: Which is best for your R/C Vehicles? 2025-04-17
  23. Tamiya vs. HobbyWing: Which ESC is Best for You? 2025-04-18
  24. The Flysky and DSServos Takeover of R/C 2025-04-19
  25. R/C Cars and Trucks in Pop Culture 2025-04-20
  26. Cutting, Sanding, Masking, & Painting Lexan (Polycarbonate) R/C Vehicle Bodies 2025-04-21
  27. HOW-TO:  Fix Common Throttle and Transmitter Issues 2025-04-22
  28. BRAT Attack! Why those Subaru BRAT Wheels & Tires are so Popular On R/C Buggies 2025-04-23
  29. What is that Cardboard Disk that goes on your 540 Motor? 2025-04-24
  30. What do Shock Damper Oil Colours and Numbers Mean? 2025-04-25
  31. Which Shock Oil is Best for the Grasshopper/Hornet Family of R/C Buggies? 2025-04-26
  32. What is the Best Shock Damper Oil for ORV Chassis Based Tamiya R/C Models? 2025-04-27
  33. HOW-TO:  Easily Fix R/C Vehicle Steering Issues 2025-04-28
  34. Is Using Marine Grease in R/C Cars a Good Idea? 2025-04-29
  35. HOW-TO:  Fix Broken Shock Towers 2025-04-30
  36. HOW-TO:  Solve Servo Woes 2025-05-01
  37. Aftermarket Third Party Hop-Up Option Makers 2025-05-02
  38. HOW-TO:  Lower  the CoG on the Lunchbox & other R/C Monster Trucks 2025-05-03
  39. Upside Down Shock Dampers? 2025-05-04
  40. The RC Deep Dive Podcast Theme/Intro song 2025-05-05
  41. Is a Frog with a MIP Super Ball Diff Slower? 2025-05-06
  42. Why is the Tamiya Frog Called the Mighty Frog in Japan? 2025-05-07
  43.  R/C Boy: The Radio-Controlled Vehicle Manga 2025-05-08
  44. R/C Street in Hong Kong 2025-05-09
  45. The History of R/C Vehicles 2025-05-10
  46. What are LiFe Batteries and are they Worth the Tamiya Tax? 2025-05-11
  47. What are RTR, XB, & XSA R/C Vehicles? 2025-05-12
  48. Minimum & Maximum Temperatures for R/C Components 2025-05-13
  49. What was the CPR Unit in R/C Vehicles? 2025-05-14
  50. What is the Best Wheel and Tire Choice for your 4WD R/C Cars? 2025-05-15
  51. What is Understeer & Oversteer, and How Do You Fix It? 2025-05-16
  52. Tamiya R/C Vehicle Promo Videos 1976-2025 2025-05-17
  53. Steel vs. Aluminium Pinion Gears: Does it Really Matter? 2025-05-18
  54. What is a Square Set Up? 2025-05-19
  55. HOW-TO: Upgrade your Grasshopper with Hornet Parts 2025-05-20
  56. HOW-TO: Upgrade to Oil Filled Shocks on the FAV & SRB Chassis R/C Buggies 2025-05-21
  57. Why are Ball Bearings an Essential Hop-Up and Which Bearings are Best in R/C Cars? 2025-05-22
  58. Red vs. Blue vs. Green vs. Orange Thread Lock in R/C Cars 2025-05-23
  59. What was the R/C Vehicle Golden Age? 2025-05-24
  60. Our Potential New Theme Song for the RC Deep Dive Podcast 2025-05-25
  61. Shock Spring Sizes & Colours: What Does it All Mean? 2025-05-26
  62. HOW-TO:  Clean and Maintain Your R/C Vehicles 2025-05-27
  63. What R/C Cars Have Different Names in Japan vs the RotW? 2025-05-28
  64. Where are R/C Vehicles Most Popular? 2025-05-29
  65. Why Tamiya Subaru BRAT Wheels and Tires Instantly Sellout! 2025-05-30
  66. Are O-Rings Needed in CVDs and UJs? 2025-05-31
  67. ORV Gearbox Bearings: Tamiya Metal or Fast Eddy Rubber Seals? 2025-06-01
  68. R/C Cars and their Place in Japanese Culture 2025-06-02
  69. Is the Vintage 3-Piece Wheel Actually Superior? 2025-06-03
  70. The Evolution of R/C Car Wheel Connectors 2025-06-04
  71. What is Binding and How to Fix it? 2025-06-05
  72. Are CVDs Necessary in the HotShot Family of R/C Cars? 2025-06-06
  73. The T-Tool: The Iconic 4-Way or Cross Box Wrench History 2025-06-07
  74. HOW-TO: Identify Causes and Fix Rear Axle Slop 2025-06-08
  75. The Importance of Getting the Frog's Front Arms Right 2025-06-09
  76. Beyond the Frog: Tamiya's Racing Championships 2025-06-10
  77. Pro-Line & CRP Bumpers: Improved Function & Fashion! 2025-06-11
  78. Best Wheels & Tires for the GH2 or Super Hornet 2025-06-12
  79. Best Foam Inserts for Hornet Large Diameter Wheels 2025-06-13
  80. What is Camber and How Do you Adjust it? 2025-06-14
  81. What to do About the Extra-Long Frog Body Mounts? 2025-06-15
  82. Where in the World are the Best Vintage R/C Car Racetracks? 2025-06-16
  83. Design Thinking in Tamiya's First 100 R/C Buggies 2025-06-17
  84. Hacking Flysky R/C Vehicle Transmitters 2025-06-18
  85. HOW-TO: Remove Decals from R/C Vehicles 2025-06-19
  86. Why do the FGH R/C Buggies Remain Iconic After Over 40 Years? 2025-06-20
  87. Why is Tamiya’s Lavender Paint not the Correct Hue? 2025-06-21
  88. What Exactly do the ORV Radius Arms Do? 2025-06-22
  89. Let’s Get into Kyosho! 2025-06-23
  90. The Bumper Paradox: How Stronger Parts Wreck your R/C Cars! 2025-06-24
  91. HOW-TO: Prepare, Glue, Vent, and Balance your R/C Tires 2025-06-25
  92. Decoding Different Diff Oils for your R/C Vehicle’s Differential Gears 2025-06-26
  93. Can Washers Fix Axial and Radial Play in R/C Ball Bearings? 2025-06-27
  94. Which Screws are the Best to Use in R/C Vehicles? 2025-06-28
  95. HOW-TO: Get a HobbyWing 1060 Power Switch to Fit Correctly in a Tamiya R/C Model Chassis 2025-06-29
  96. The 10 Must-Have Hop-Ups for the Tamiya Frog 1/10th Scale R/C Buggy 2025-06-30
  97. Tamiya RC Cleaner Products Reviewed 2025-07-01
  98. To Paint On-Sprue or Off-Sprue? 2025-07-02
  99. What Exact Colour of White or Yellow Paint Ought to be Used for Headlights? 2025-07-03
  100. What is Tamiya Gear Diff Putty and How Do You Use It? 2025-07-04
  101. What are the Dry and Cure Times for Tamiya AS, PS, TS, X, and XF Paints? 2025-07-05
  102. Vintage BRAT Attack vs. RestoMod Hornet Large Diameter Hop-Ups 2025-07-06
  103. The RestoMod Movement, Blockhead Motors, and Jun Watanabe 2025-07-07
  104. R/C Rally Car Legends: Audi Quattro vs. Lancia 037 2025-07-08
  105. Do Softer Shock Springs Require Hard Damper Oil? 2025-07-09
  106. What are Parma Double Wheel Adapters and How Do They Work? 2025-07-10
  107. R/C Jargon: Racing, Bashing, Crawling, Driftin, Speed Running, and More! 2025-07-11
  108. HOW-TO: Fix Lexan (Polycarbonate) Body Shell Cutting Mistakes 2025-07-12
  109. R/C Rally Car Legends: Audi Quattro vs. Lancia 037 2025-07-13
  110. Should You Grease Your Gearbox Where it Connects to Your Chassis? 2025-07-14
  111. HOW-TO: Fix White Stress Lines in Your R/C Model Chassis 2025-07-15
  112. The Evolution of the Vintage and ReRe Grasshopper/Hornet Family Chassis 2025-07-16
  113. HOW-TO: The Rock Hopper Custom GH2 Build 2025-07-17
  114. The (Mighty) Frog's Superiority Amongst Vintage and ReRe 2WD R/C Buggies 2025-07-18
  115. HOW-TO: Use Pearl PS Paints on RC Model Polycarbonate Body Shells 2025-07-19
  116. Team Associated Green Slime, Black Grease, and Stealth Diff Lube 2025-07-20
  117. Why Aluminum Knuckles for the HotShot Family of 4WD R/C Buggies? 2025-07-21
  118. CA Super Glue vs. Clear Silicon Sealant for Tire Glueing 2025-07-22
  119. Are Grasshopper and Hornet Shock Brace Bars the Real Deal? 2025-07-23
  120. Fixing All Front End Slop in the HotShot Family of 4WD R/C Buggies 2025-07-24
  121. What is the History of the R/C ORV Chassis and it's Many Colors? 2025-07-25
  122. Why are the Pro-Line and CRP ORV Hop-Up Bumper Exactly the Same? 2025-07-26
  123. Hopper to Rocket: The History of Speedrunning the Tamiya Grasshopper 2025-07-27
  124. HOW-TO: Fix Mismatched Electronics Connectors in R/C Vehicles? 2025-07-28
  125. What is the CRP ORV Chassis Stiffener for the BRAT, Frog, Blackfoot, Super Beetle, etc.? 2025-07-29
  126. What are the Most Popular Colors to Paint the Tamiya Frog R/C Buggy? 2025-07-30
  127. Anytime Baby! The Wild Story of Tail Wing Mottos on Tamiya R/C Buggies 2025-07-31
  128. The Super Sabre v Thunder Shot Problem of 1987 and 2022/2023 2025-08-01
  129. Should you Combine Ball Diffs with Carbon Fiber Gearboxes and Support Tensioners? 2025-08-02
  130. HOW-TO: Paint Chrome Details on Your R/C Model Vehicles? 2025-08-03
  131. Changing Chassis: Why Some Tamiya ReRe R/C Models Have Very Different Chassis 2025-08-04
  132. Power to the People: Alternate Placements of the Power Switch 2025-08-05
  133. The Electric Handy Drill: A Great Hop-Up Tool that Need Hop-Ups Inself! 2025-08-06
  134. To Paint the Windows or Not to Paint the Windows? That is the Question 2025-08-07
  135. What are Hop-Up Nerf Wings , and Do You Really Need Them Today? 2025-08-08
  136. HOW-TO: Get the Most Out of Your A3 Hobby Mats and R/C Car Stands 2025-08-09
  137. How Can the Miniature Manufacturing CNC Alloy Heatsink Save Your R/C Model Vehicle? 2025-08-10
  138. HOW-TO: Fix the Hornet Shocks Preventing Proper Grasshopper Bofy Fitment 2025-08-11
  139. What is the Best Material for Static Balancing R/C Model Vehicle Wheels and Tires? 2025-08-12
  140. HOW-TO: Fix the Front Top Shock Mount Screws From Sticking Out So Far 2025-08-13
  141. The Frog Fit: The Proper Way to Mount Your R/C Buggy Body Shell 2025-08-14
  142. What Does the CRP HotShot Nerf Wing Do, and Can it Fit the Super HotShot? 2025-08-15
  143. C-Ring Necessity in Stock vs. Hopped-Up Frogs 2025-08-16




03 March 2020

The 5 Types of Love in Ancient Greek

Though there are more Greek words for love, variants and possibly subcategories, a general summary considering these Ancient Greek concepts are as follows:

Agápe (ἀγάπη agápē) means "love: especially charity; the love of God for man and of man for a good God." Agape is used in ancient texts to denote feelings for one's children and the feelings for a spouse, and it was also used to refer to a love feast. Agape is used by Christians to express the unconditional love of God for his children.

Éros (ἔρως érōs) means "love, mostly of the sexual passion." The Modern Greek word "erotas" means "intimate love". Plato refined his own definition: Although eros is initially felt for a person, with contemplation it becomes an appreciation of the beauty within that person, or even becomes appreciation of beauty itself. Plato does not talk of physical attraction as a necessary part of love, hence the use of the word platonic to mean, "without physical attraction". In the Symposium, the most famous ancient work on the subject, Plato has Socrates argue that eros helps the soul recall knowledge of beauty, and contributes to an understanding of spiritual truth, the ideal "Form" of youthful beauty that leads us humans to feel erotic desire – thus suggesting that even that sensually based love aspires to the non-corporeal, spiritual plane of existence; that is, finding its truth, just like finding any truth, leads to transcendence. Lovers and philosophers are all inspired to seek truth through the means of eros.

Philia (φιλία philía) means "affectionate regard, friendship", usually "between equals". It is a dispassionate virtuous love, a concept developed by Aristotle. In his best-known work on ethics, Nicomachean Ethics, philia is expressed variously as loyalty to friends (specifically, "brotherly love"), family, and community, and requires virtue, equality, and familiarity. Furthermore, in the same text philos is also the root of philautia denoting self-love and arising from it, a general type of love, used for love between family, between friends, a desire or enjoyment of an activity, as well as between lovers.

Storge (στοργή storgē) means "love, affection" and "especially of parents and children". It is the common or natural empathy, like that felt by parents for offspring. Rarely used in ancient works, and then almost exclusively as a descriptor of relationships within the family. It is also known to express mere acceptance or putting up with situations, as in "loving" the tyrant. This is also used when referencing the love for one's country or a favorite sports team.

Xenia (Greek: ξενία, romanized: xenía, meaning "guest-friendship") is the ancient Greek concept of hospitality, the generosity and courtesy shown to those who are far from home and/or associates of the person bestowing guest-friendship. The rituals of hospitality created and expressed a reciprocal relationship between guest and host expressed in both material benefits (such as the giving of gifts to each party) as well as non-material ones (such as protection, shelter, favors, or certain normative rights).

08 November 2011

"The Antichrist" by The Very Reverend Archpriest Boris Molchanoff

The Lord Jesus Christ said, "....I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (St. Matthew 16:18). What do the gates of hell signify?
The Jews had the custom of gathering under the leadership of their elders, by the city gates, for the discussion of political, legal and social questions. These meetings were the last appeal of all litigation, and here all divine commandments were announced. They were vested with a definite authority among the people. This Jewish custom of meeting at the city gates is mentioned in the Book of Ruth (IV:1,11). A description of an active wife in the Book of Proverbs (31: 23) says that, "Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land." He is invested with the trust of society and takes an active part in important meetings. (Prof. V.V. Bolotoff).

The "gates" of hell" signifies not only the forces of hell, but in general staff of Hell's power. Their most important meeting is dedicated to developing a plan for a general battle with the Church. The Church and Hell are represented as two warring powers. And in this war with Hell, according to Christ's words, the Church will remain invincible.

Hell's war plan with the Church is called the "Mystery of Iniquity" in the Holy Scriptures (2 Thessalonians 2:8). The iniquity has been working for centuries and will have its culmination in the appearance of the Antichrist ( 2 Thessalonians 2:8). The Antichrist can come only as a result of universal Apostasy, that is, the abjuration of the people from God and His paths, when God's grace will withdraw from the people.
"And in the latter times of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up." (Daniel 8:23)
"Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders...." (2 Thessalonians 2:9)
All of the evil in its fullest strength which human nature can accept and endure will be concentrated in the person of the Antichrist. Thousands of years were required to develop and perfect the kind of human seed that was required to receive the purest most perfect Fruit of the human tree in the person of the Most Blessed Virgin. Comparably, for the appearance of the most depraved fruit, capable of containing within itself all Satanic malice, an entire line of human generations will be demanded in the direction of greatest corruption and defilement of human nature, based upon mad hatred towards Christ and war against His Church. "It can be admitted," says Pro. Belyaeff, "that innate and acquired evil, gradually accumulating in a long line of ancestors of the Antichrist, transmitted with each new generation, will reach such a degree of force in the Antichrist himself, which human nature is capable of containing, revealing and enduring. The evil which lives in mankind, will reach the highest limit of its development in him." (Godlessness And The Antichrist, Vol. 1. p. 193).

Of course, to the degree that evil strengthens in man's will, diabolic activity within man will increase also, as the devil thus receives greater access to man's soul. Inasmuch as the Antichrist's personal evil will and its corruption will reach the limit of its greatest growth, the relationship of the devil to him will reach the limit of maximum nearness, which will be expressed in the devil himself continuously acting in the person of the Antichrist, "God", says St. John of Damascus, "Foreseeing future depravity of his will (the Antichrist's) will allow the devil to inhabit him." ("The Exact Exposition Of The Orthodox Faith", Book IV, Chapter 26) St. Cyril of Jerusalem teaches the same. (Teaching, V. 14). St. Andrew of Kessary says that the Antichrist "will come out of the gloomiest and remotest lands of the earth to which the devil is banished." (Interpretation of the 11th chapter of the Apocalypse, 30th chapter.) Blessed Theodore writes, "Man's enemy, clothed in human nature, God's adversary, the demon, usurping God's Name, will appear in the world before Christ's coming." ("An Exact Exposition Of Divine Dogma", chapter 23, printed in "Christian Readings", 1844, Chapter IV, page 355.) Laktancy, Gezihy of Jerusalem and Blessed Heronim, call the Antichrist the son of Satan.

In agreement with such teachings of the Holy Fathers, the life of the Antichrist cannot admit one moment free from satanic action. It must already appear in the very birth and even in his conception, peculiar and exceptional in its depravity. "From a defiled virgin will actually be born his (the devil's) weapon." says St. Ephrem the Syrian. This is also confirmed by St. John of Damascus. "A man (the Antichrist) will be born from fornication."

The Holy Fathers Iriney ("Against Heresy", Book V, chapter 30), Ippolit (Legends about Christ and the Antichrist), and also Ilariy, Ambrose, Ieronim and Augustus, remark that the Antichrist will be of Jewish ancestry, from the tribe of Dan.

In the Synaksare, stated in the Week of Lent without meat, we read that, "The Antichrist will come and be born, as St. Ippolit of Rome declares, from a depraved wife and self-styled virgin, which is from the Jews, from the tribe of Dan." (Lenten Triod) Such indications in God's Word have several foundations:
  • In the prophecies of Patriarch Jacob about each of his sons becoming the progenitors of the tribes of Israel, the fate of Dan's ancestors is depicted in such a way that can only be ascribed to the Antichrist. "Dan shall be a serpent on the way, an adder in the path..." (Genesis 49, 17)
  • In the prophecies of Ierenim: "From Dan himself...(Ierenim VIII,16)
  • In the prophecies of the Apocalypse, enumerating the remainder of all the tribes of Israel, marked by the Angel for salvation, the tribe of Dan is absolutely excluded. (Revelations VII, 4-8).
  • According to the teachings of the Holy Fathers, the devil, exalting the Antichrist, will try to vest his coming with all the signs of the coming of the Son of God to earth. (See St. Cyril of Jerusalem, the 150th catechistic word; St. Ephrem the Syrian, the 39th word, in the Russian translation Blessed Theodore, "A Short Exposition of Divine Dogma", Chapter 23, St. Ippolit, "The Legends of Christ and the Antichrist")
Of course, some resemblance of the Antichrist to Christ will only be external and in essence deceitful, for the whole life and all the deeds of the Antichrist will be an incensed and blasphemous revolt against Christ and His Church. This false external resemblance to Christ will appear in the very birth of the Antichrist. Keeping in mind that Christ was born a Virgin, the devil will produce his weapon from a virgin, not from a pure virgin, however, but from one filled with every vice and satanic filth. Then, as the Lord until he was thirty years old remained in obscurity, so the Antichrist, we assume, will, until the age of 30, remain in clandestine solitude and obscurity. As Christ began His saving service with sermons of His Divine teaching and miracles, so will the Antichrist begin his completely destructive service with the delusion of the people with his false teaching and incredibly shameful, deceitful miracles. As it was pleasing for the Lord to reveal Himself to all the people as the Messiah by solemnly entering Jerusalem and into its Temple, so the Antichrist will reveal himself as the false Jewish Messiah, the international monarch, in him solemn ceremonial entrance into Jerusalem and his enthronement in the temple of Jerusalem, which will by that time be restored.

The Lord's entry into Jerusalem, says Archbishop Innokenty of Herson, was "for all Jews a national declaration that Jesus Christ was veritably the Messiah. Indisputable proof of this are His own words, proclaimed before the gates of Jerusalem, saying: "If thou hadst known, even now, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace: But now they are hid from thine eyes." (Luke XIX, 42.) "With this day, with the rejection of the Messiah, the fate of the Israelite nation was decided for eternity." (The Last Days on Earth of Jesus Christ")

On the day when the Antichrist shall enter into Jerusalem as the false Messiah, forever and irrevocably the fate of his contemporaries will be decided. Blessed are those who, on the last day given by God for the conclusive self-determination of the people, will see the Antichrist as Satan's servant and the inescapable peril of all mankind which recognized him. Finally, as the Lord revealed Himself to the world and fulfilled His service as a Prophet, as King and as High Priest, so will the Antichrist concentrate all this triple power in his hands and complete his destructive service as the teacher of all mankind, as the monarch of an international monarchy and as the highest primate of all religions, demanding reverence for himself as God.

The entire life and activity of the Antichrist may be examined in three periods:

The FIRST PERIOD of the Antichrist from the day of birth to the moment of his social appearance will pass in clandestine obscurity. St. John of Damascus says that, "Antichrist will be raised secretly." (The Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith", Book IV, Chapter 26.)

The SECOND PERIOD of the Antichrist's life will be opened by his thunderous entry on the world stage in the role of a universal teacher or "prophet". It is very possible that he will begin his activity during a world war, when people, enduring all its horrors, will not see any way out of the calamitous dead end. All the concealed levers for the solution will be in the hands of a secret society assisting the Antichrist.

The Antichrist will offer the most successful project for solving the world crisis from the perspective of political and social wisdom, which would establish a uniform political and social order in the whole world. Exhausted from the shock of war, spiritually blinded humanity will not only by unaware that this project is a cowardly trap, enticing it into the most degrading and merciless slavery, but on the contrary, will recognize it as a manifestation of scholarship and genius.

Universal advertisement about the Antichrist as a brilliant thinker, new leader, and savior of mankind, will thunder over all nations in the shortest possible period of time. "Evil spirits dispersed in the universe, will awaken a general, inflated opinion about the Antichrist in man, a general enthusiasm and an irresistible attraction for him." (St. Ephraim the Syrian, 16th word.)

In this period of his activity, the Antichrist will not use any force and will try to win men's trust and affection with his deceitful and hypocritical public mask of virtue. He, according to the expression of Vladimir Soloviev, "will throw a gleaming veil of kindness and truth over the mystery of iniquity." "He will come," said St. Ephrem the Syrian, "in an image which will seduce everyone. He will come as a humble, kind, hater of falsehood (as he will say about himself), rejecting idols, preferring piety and kindness, loving the poor, bearing extremely handsome features, constant, sweet to everyone, respecting especially the Jewish nation because they will be awaiting his coming...He will take sly measures to please everyone, will not accept gifts nor speak in anger, will not show an overcast countenance, but will entice the world with a decorous exterior until he is enthroned." (See previous citation.)

From the great wealth of ascetical experience from our great men of podvig, it is known that when the black devil cannot overcome an ascetic, encountering unswerving opposition from him, a stronger devil comes as an "angel of light" (II Corinthians, XI, 14), attempting to awaken sympathy and trust towards himself in the ascetic, and easily charming him away to destruction. Thus, we can imagine how easily and quickly the bright image of the Antichrist will attract general sympathy towards itself after the filthy devil of Bolshevism.

As a result of such deceit, "the need to invite the Antichrist will arise" within the very temperament of man's spirit. "A beckoning voice will resound in man's society, expressing urgent need for a genius of geniuses, who would raise material development and prosperity to the highest degree and establish affluence on earth". (Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninoff. Vol IV, page 313.)

The hypocrisy of the Antichrist in this period will reach the point that he, even in his relationship to Christians, will not oppose them, but will appear ready to be their benefactor. He will try to imitate Christ in the external, showy side of his life. The majority of Christians, not guided by the spiritual wisdom of the Church, but by worldly wisdom, will not see this deceit, recognizing the Antichrist as Christ who has come to earth a second time. The monks of the Solovetsky monastery pass on the answer given by Righteous Zosima to his disciples when he was asked how the Antichrist could be recognized. Righteous Zosima said, "When you will hear that Christ has appeared on earth, know then that this is the Antichrist." This answer is most precise. "The world or mankind will not recognize the Antichrist, it will recognize him as Christ, it will proclaim him Christ.....

 

10 July 2011

Prosperity Theology is another Modern Lie of New Religions Created by Man and for Man

According to Wikipedia, "Prosperity theology (also known as prosperity doctrine, the health and wealth gospel, or the prosperity gospel) is a Christian religious belief whose proponents claim has tens of millions of adherents, primarily in the United States, centered on the notion that God provides material prosperity for those he favors. It has been defined by the belief that "Jesus blesses believers with riches" or more specifically as the teaching that "believers have a right to the blessings of health and wealth and that they can obtain these blessings through positive confessions of faith and the 'sowing of seeds' through the faithful payments of tithes and offerings." In the words of journalist Hanna Rosin, the prosperity gospel "is not a clearly defined denomination, but a strain of belief that runs through the Pentecostal Church and a surprising number of mainstream evangelical churches, with varying degrees of intensity." It arose in the United States after World War II championed by Oral Roberts and became particularly popular in the decade of the 1990s. More recently, the theology has been exported to less prosperous areas of the world, with mixed results."

The only way one can believe in this new teaching is to reject God's Church and God's Word, thereby rejecting God. Here are some clear examples from the Bible showing the lie of this materialistic, worldly lie of Satan. Again from the KJV:
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
(Mat 6:19-34)

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
(Mat 16:24-27)

Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
(Mat 19:21-24) 
If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
(1Ti 6:3-12) 
If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
(Tit 1:6-16) 
Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
(Jas 5:1-6)
Some serve God, some serve money and the world. Some follow God, some follow the money and the world. Some do all for God, some do all for money and the world. Some have only God in their heart, some have only money and the world in their heart. Some claim they know God, but only know money and the world! Who or what will you serve, value, love, and know? As for me and my house, like Jesus (Joshua in the KJV) of Nun, we will serve the Lord.


CNBLUE Vol. 1 - First Step (Limited Edition)

09 June 2011

Russian-Chinese consultations concerning contacts and cooperation in religious sphere held in Moscow

The first consultations of the Russian-Chinese group for contacts and cooperation in religious sphere were held on June 8, 2010, at the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations.

Background: in November 2009, a delegation of Russia’s Presidential Council for Cooperation with Religious Associations, which included representatives of the Department for External Church Relations, visited China at the invitation of China’s State Administration for Religious Affairs, to discuss the development of Russian-Chinese cooperation in the religious sphere in accordance with the 2009-2012 Action Plan for Implementation of the Treaty of Good-neighbourly Relations, Friendship and Cooperation between the two countries.

This Plan adopted by Russian President Medvedev and PRC Chairman Hu Jingtao provided for the development of dialogue and cooperation between the major religious confessions in Russia and China and the establishment of contacts between the Presidential Council for Cooperation with Religion Associations and the State Administration for Religious Affairs, as well as between the Interreligious Council in Russia and the Chinese Association for Cultural and Religious Relations.

As a result of the 2009 visit, two memoranda were signed between the two bodies, one on general issues concerning the development of Russian-Chinese contacts and cooperation in the religious sphere, the other concerning a procedure for Chinese Orthodox students’ studies in theological schools of the Russian Orthodox Church.

On the basis of the memorandum of understanding, a Russian-Chinese group was set up for promoting contacts and cooperation in the religious sphere. Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, was appointed to lead the Russian members of the joint group.

The first consultations were co-chaired by Metropolitan Hilarion and Mr. Zhang Labin, deputy director of the State Administration for Religious Affairs. The Russian side was represented by high state and church officials as well as high-ranking representatives of the Buddhist and Muslim communities in Russia. The Chinese party to the talks consisted of governmental officials from the State Administration for Religious Affairs.

The group considered a wide range of issues concerning cooperation between Russia and China in the religious sphere, among them, various aspects of cooperation between the Orthodox faithful in the two countries and the current activity of the autonomous Chinese Orthodox Church.


CNBLUE Vol. 1 - First Step (Limited Edition)

25 September 2010

Milestones!

First black, brown, green, and yellow poops, bath, first doctor's visit, first smile, first diaper change without crying, first pee on diaper changer, first projectile poop on diaper changer, these he already has passed.

Friday my son was 4 weeks old.

Today he transitions from a bassinet to a crib.



Tomorrow he is 30 days old. A big milestone on his Chinese side.

Monday he is 1 month old.

In 11 days he is 40 days old and ready to be Baptized.

60 days late, he has another big Chinese (Especially in Hunan Province) milestone, day #100.

But the milestone I am most looking forward to is first night without waking up! :-) Sweet dreams!

06 February 2010

Shen Yun Performing Arts Family Review

So last night we went to see the show since we were comped 3 tickets. The costumes, the interactive backdrop, and much of the dancing was beautiful, so overall I liked it.

My wife did not. She said classical Chinese dance shows in China were much much better, especially in Changsha. My daughter quasi-agreed, saying that this is probably the best you can get in America, but that the Miao people's show in old Feng Huang Chen in Hunan Province, China was much better. She was disappointed that the M.C. said that you could not see a show like this in China. But, the M.C. was right, because this show was promoting Falun Gong/Falun Dafa.

Although it is definitely talking about the teachings of Falun Dafa about half of the performances, the other half is historical dances and stories. Some sites have complained about this evangelism, and anti-PRC polemics such as the liberal, secular Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the anti-Falun Gong site, Facts.org.cn. That said, was surprised that after the show there was no handing out of leaflets about Falun Gong, free copies of the Epoch Times, or any other thing. It was more like they were telling us about their faith and not trying to recruit us.

With the program guides, there was a comment sheet to fill out. I voted the performance a Very good, my daughter called it good, and my wife called it poor. There were a lot of Chinese people there, not just Falun Gng memas well as Americans of all types of backgrounds. Most people dressed up nice, as if going to a ballet or theatrical performance. New Tang Dynasty Television in Dallas was there doing interviews with performers and people who loved the show.

Anyway, if you have never been to China, I think you will like this show, so if you are interested, you can see when they will near your city at the Shen Yun Performing Arts Website and see a preview at the Sound of Hope Network.



19 January 2010

Shen Yun Performing Arts

A little about a show coming to my area, and may be coming to a city near you as well:

Shen Yun Performing Arts presents classical Chinese dance and music in gloriously colorful and exhilarating shows. An art form several millennia old, Chinese dance is refreshingly dynamic and expressive. Ancient legends and heroic figures come to life through its leaps, spins, and delicate gestures.

Shen Yun premieres over a dozen new dances and songs each season. State-of-the art, animated digital backdrops conjure up blossoming landscapes and celestial palaces. The Shen Yun orchestra meanwhile performs all-original compositions while combining classical Western and Chinese instruments as never before.

A Shen Yun show is art you can feel good about. Themes of kindness, compassion, and courage are brought out through the songs of eminent vocalists and stunning choreography. The human spirit triumphs over adversity in powerful, thought-provoking dances. It's a truly uplifting and inspiring experience.

Shen Yun Performing Arts (formerly known as Divine Performing Arts) is a triumph of collaboration, bringing together leading dancers, choreographers, and musicians from around the world. Its productions are unique in being not only tremendously fun and entertaining, but also educational, enriching, and uplifting.

The company’s rich repertory breaks new ground by focusing on the authentic cultural heritage of classical China while also giving artistic treatment to the world around us. Each year, Shen Yun premieres an entirely new program of dances, songs, and musical scores.

Based in New York, Shen Yun Performing Arts is a nonprofit organization that is independent of China’s communist regime and which seeks to revive the true, five-millennia-old artistic tradition of China that thrived before decades of suppression by the Chinese communist state. The company seeks to breathe new life into traditional Chinese culture while providing audiences everywhere with an experience of sublime beauty.

Shen Yun Performing Arts came into being in 2006 with a vision of cultural renewal. It was then that leading Chinese artists and several small performance companies joined together to revive an artistic tradition. For its first two-plus years the company was known as Divine Performing Arts.

Today, Shen Yun is proud to consist of three dance companies, three orchestras, and a host of choreographers, composers, costume designers, backdrop artists, and artistic staff.

The response to Shen Yun’s productions has been phenomenal. Laughter, tears, and standing ovations are a common sight. In its inaugural 2006-2007 season the company performed for some 200,000 people. In 2007-2008, the number swelled to 600,000 and has continued to expand since.

Shen Yun has already graced many of the world’s greatest stages, including New York’s Radio City Music Hall, London’s Royal Festival Hall, Washington DC’s Kennedy Center, and Paris’ Le Palais de Congrès.

Once the producer of shows titled variously Chinese Spectacular, Holiday Wonders, and Shen Yun, the company now often performs under simply its own name. Each year Shen Yun Performing Arts travels the world, performing on tour across Europe, North and South America, Oceania, and Asia.

Classical Chinese dance (or “Chinese dance”) is an altogether unique dance heritage. In its early stages it was mainly passed down among the common people, through members of the imperial court, and as part of ancient theater.

Over the years, dancers reorganized, refined, experimented with, and reworked it to arrive at the extraordinary system of classical Chinese dance known today. It is part of the divinely inspired heritage that is China’s five-millennia-old culture, and one means by which that culture lives on, having been built upon China’s deep-running, traditional aesthetic tradition.

Classical Chinese dance has as its foundation China’s divinely inspired culture of five thousand years. The unique art of Chinese dance that we know today, with its impressive scale and system, is the product of generations of dancers’ many years of artistic experience combined with their refining, reorganizing, and reworking of the art form.

Classical Chinese dance has its own complete set of training methods in foundational skills, a strict regimen for perfecting bearing and form, and means of training for skill sets such as jumps, turns, and flips, as well as extremely demanding aerial techniques, culminating in an enormous dance system. The aerial movements of classical Chinese dance contain a wealth of high-flying dives, dexterous leaps, and diverse spins.

It is the deeper resonances of traditional Chinese culture, however, that imbue a dancer’s movements with such rich expressive power. The dancer is thus capable of not only portraying a given figure’s disposition or mood, but even the vivid expressions unique to a certain age, whatever the land or time.

Here’s your chance to discover the dance and music that have won the hearts of millions. Shen Yun Performing Arts presents an exhilarating celebration of China’s traditional arts featuring world-class performers, stunning costumes and backdrops, powerful drum rhythms, and a full orchestra at most shows.

Experience a lost heritage in this remarkable production inspired by the legends and values of centuries of Chinese culture before communist rule. Discover firsthand why Shen Yun’s performances—critically acclaimed as “breathtaking,” “brilliant,” and “glorious”—have delighted audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

It's a stunningly expressive art form that is millennia-old, with a vocabulary of movement so rich as to range from elegant to explosive to everything in between. Meet Chinese dance.

Perhaps no other art form in the world can boast such strong expressive qualities and diversity of technique as classical Chinese dance. Shen Yun Performing Arts’ choreography ranges from grand imperial processions to legions of thunderous drums, with gorgeously costumed dancers moving in stunning synchronized patterns.

The visual effect is a tableau of purity, goodness, and beauty. At once rich in variation and immensely difficult, this dance form’s athletic movements and graceful technique have won high acclaim, with its aerial skills, in particular, often leaving audiences in awe. Shen Yun is notably the only company to have strictly authentic classical Chinese dance as part of its repertoire.

Imagine gracefully twirling about with tea cups perched delicately atop your head, or fistfuls of chopsticks beaten rhythmically about your body, and you can begin to picture the character, color, and vivacity of Shen Yun’s ethnic and folk dance.

The many distinctive ethnic groups within China and around her borders provide a wonderful array of material from which to choreograph and compose. These dances might whisk you away to the plains of Tibet, the shores of a Dai village, or the sprawling plains of Mongolia.

One of Shen Yun Performing Arts’ trademarks, these dances give dramatic portrayal to the cherished stories of yesterday and today. Their figures embody the most exalted virtues of Chinese civilization, and convey a message or moral that is still relevant today. Many have inspired people for generations, such as the tales of heroine Mulan and general Yue Fei. Others quietly lead lives of great courage today that are sure to move and inspire.

From the opening gong, reminiscent of a vast bell, that heralds the start of each show to the soulful erhu solos and hypnotic bamboo flutes throughout, audiences are in for a melodious treat at each Shen Yun Performing Arts production.

The Shen Yun Performing Arts Orchestra brings together two of the world’s greatest classical music traditions, Chinese and Western, in a masterful fusion. With Western instruments as its base, the orchestra brings out Chinese musical flair through a variety of Chinese instruments.

All of the music the 40-plus member orchestra plays is original and composed to fit perfectly with each dance. The live accompaniment adds an energy and joyful exuberance like nothing you’ve experienced before.

Performances by leading solo musicians are an integral part of the Shen Yun experience. Audiences are often surprised by the expressiveness and powerful emotion conveyed by the two-stringed Chinese erhu, with its otherworldly quality that stirs the soul as few instruments can.

Sopranos and tenors with piano accompaniment sing impassioned arias that give voice to the deepest of spiritual longings as well as to hopes that have shaped Chinese culture for centuries.

They invite you to discover for yourself the sounds that critics are calling “flawless,” “fantastic,” and “absolutely perfect.”

Majestic celestial palaces. Sprawling Mongolian grasslands. Cascading clouds.

The breathtaking digital backdrops at each Shen Yun Performing Arts show bring classical Chinese dance into the 21st century, giving each scene an added visual depth and grandeur. Each backdrop is custom-designed to match exactly a given dance’s costumes, story line, lighting, and even choreography.

Some of the backdrops begin as a painting, some are created digitally. Many are animated, allowing flower petals to sweep gently across fields and snow to softly fall. Come show time, each is manually operated to integrate precisely with the rhythms of the performance.

From radiant golden-hued Tang dynasty gowns to elegant Manchu court chopine shoes, each costume is carefully designed and tailored with meticulous care. Apparel has always been an essential part of China’s five-millennia-old, divinely-bestowed culture, and Shen Yun Performing Arts brings this heritage to life on stage.

The costumes begin with a combination of historical example and new inspiration, and extend to a months-long hunt across countries and continents for just the right materials. The result on stage is a visual feast in which brave warriors do battle in vibrant uniforms and beautiful silken dresses swirl and flow like water.

“There’s just something about them,” audience members often say.

Indeed, more than just being accomplished artists, members of Shen Yun Performing Arts bring an unusual depth to their work. They take to heart an ancient Chinese belief: that to create true art, there must first be inner beauty.

Many draw personal inspiration from traditional Chinese culture and practices, such as the self-cultivation method of Falun Dafa, and naturally bring a calm expressiveness and depth to their work.

Counted among the company’s artists are winners of top international competitions in dance and music along with exceptionally accomplished choreographers and composers. No other Chinese performing arts company boasts such a remarkable body of talent.

14 January 2010

Invasion of the Super-Fruits!

Who or what are the 12 superfruits?
  1. Açaí from South America
  2. Blueberry from North America and Northern Europe
  3. Cranberry from North America and Northern Europe
  4. Durian (King of Fruits) from Southeast Asia
  5. Goji (Wolfberry) from China
  6. Guarana from South America
  7. Mango from India, Southeast Asia and Oceania
  8. Mulberry from Asia
  9. Pomegranate from Greece, Saudi Arabia and California
  10. Purple Mangosteen (Queen of Fruits) from Southeast Asia and Oceania
  11. Red Grape from Central Asia, Europe and California
  12. Seaberry (Sea-Buckthorn) from Asia and Europe
Apples, Oranges, Tomatoes, Strawberries, Black Cherries, Red Raspberries, and Blackberries achieve many of the criteria to be superfruits.

Many juices lately have been marketed including one or more of the above super-fruits and Resveratrol (Reservatrol comes from super-fruits such as grapes and mulberries), but what are the advantages of the Super-Fruits?
  1. Acai provides increased energy levels, improved sexual performance, improved digestion, detoxification, high fiber content, improved skin appearance, improved heart health, improved sleep, and reduction of cholesterol levels.
  2. Blueberries inhibit mechanisms of cancer cell development and inflammation in vitro and may alleviate the cognitive decline occurring in Alzheimer's disease and other conditions of aging. They can block replication of the hepatitis C virus and might help to delay disease spread in infected individuals.Feeding blueberries to animals lowers brain damage in experimental stroke and may help prevent urinary tract infections. Other animal studies found that blueberry consumption lowered cholesterol and total blood lipid levels, possibly affecting symptoms of heart disease.Additional research showed that blueberry consumption in rats altered glycosaminoglycans which are vascular cell components affecting control of blood pressure.
  3. Cranberries are a source of polyphenol antioxidants, phytochemicals with possible benefits to the cardiovascular system and immune system, and as anti-cancer agents. Cranberry juice is able to inhibit and even reverse the formation of plaque by Streptococcus mutans pathogens that cause tooth decay. Cranberry juice components also show efficacy against formation of kidney stones. Raw cranberries and cranberry juice have shown promise as anti-cancer agents in in vitro studies. Cranberry tannins have anti-clotting properties and may reduce urinary tract infections and the amount of dental plaque-causing oral bacteria, thus being a prophylaxis for gingivitis. There is also benefit of cranberry juice consumption against bacterial infections in the urinary system.
  4. Durian fruit contains a high amount of sugar, vitamin C, potassium, and the serotonergic amino acid tryptophan, and is a good source of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. It is recommended as a good source of raw fats by several raw food advocates. A decoction of the leaves and roots has been prescribed as an antipyretic. The leaf juice is applied on the head of a fever patient and/or drank. Traditional Chinese medicine consider the durian fruit to have warming properties liable to cause excessive sweating. The Javanese believe durian to have aphrodisiac qualities. Pregnant women and alcoholics should not eat durian.
  5. Goji's medicinal benefits, especially due to its antioxidant properties, include potential benefits against cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, vision-related diseases (such as age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma), having neuroprotective properties or as an anticancer and immunomodulatory agent. Goji/Wolfberry leaves may be used to make tea, together with Lycium root bark (called dìgǔpí; 地 骨 皮 in Chinese), for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). A glucopyranoside and phenolic amides isolated from wolfberry root bark have inhibitory activity in vitro against human pathogenic bacteria and fungi.
  6. Guarna has shown to give memory, alertness and mood increases, platelet and weight loss. Other laboratory studies showed antioxidant and antibacterial effects, and also fat cell reduction in mice.
  7. Mangoes are rich in a variety of phytochemicals and nutrients. The fruit pulp is high in prebiotic dietary fiber, vitamin C, polyphenols and provitamin A carotenoids. Mango peel and pulp contain other phytonutrients, such as the pigment antioxidants - carotenoids and polyphenols - and omega-3 and -6 polyunsaturated fatty acids which may counteract free radicals in various disease mechanisms. Mango is an effective inhibitor in laboratory models of prostate and skin cancers. An extract of mango branch bark called Vimang, isolated by Cuban scientists, contains numerous polyphenols with antioxidant properties in vitro and on blood parameters of elderly humans.
  8. Mulberries, in traditional and folk medicine is believed to have medicinal properties and as a source of anthocyanins for functional foods. The skin is a source of Reservatrol.
  9. Purple Mangosteen has a combination of nutrient richness, antioxidant strength and potential impact for lowering risk of human diseases. It also has a cooling effect, the opposite of the durian.
  10. Pomegranates rind and the bark of the pomegranate tree is used as a traditional remedy against diarrhea, dysentery and intestinal parasites. The seeds and juice are considered a tonic for the heart and throat, and classified as a bitter-astringent, and considered a healthful counterbalance to a diet high in sweet-fatty (kapha or earth) components. The astringent qualities of the flower juice, rind and tree bark are considered valuable for a variety of purposes such as stopping nose bleeds and gum bleeds, toning skin, firming-up sagging breasts and treating hemorrhoids. Pomegranate juice is also used as eyedrops as it is believed to slow the development of cataracts. Juice of the pomegranate is effective in reducing heart disease risk factors and has been shown to reduce systolic blood pressure. Juice consumption may also inhibit viral infections, while pomegranate extracts have antibacterial effects against dental plaque. Extracts of the fruit can inhibit the proliferation of human breast cancer cells.
  11. Red Grapes have properties such as reducing susceptibility to vascular damage, decreased blood vessel constriction, and lowering blood pressure. Concord grape juice is showing potential benefits against the onset stage of cancer, platelet aggregation and other risk factors of atherosclerosis, loss of physical performance and mental acuity during aging and hypertension in humans. The skin is also a great source of Resveratrol. Together with tannins, polyphenols and polyunsaturated fatty acids, grape seed constituents display inhibitory activities against several experimental disease models, including cancer, heart failure and other disorders of oxidative stress.
  12. Seaberries' nutrient and phytochemical constituents have potential value as antioxidants that may affect inflammatory disorders, cancer or other diseases. The fruit of the plant has a high vitamin C content—about 12 times greater than oranges. The fruit also contains dense contents of carotenoids, vitamin E, amino acids, dietary minerals, β-sitosterol and polyphenolic acids.
So why has no company made a juice from all of these 12 super-fruits, the 7 reservist super-fruits, and the one fruit not listed that seems to be in every super-fruit concoction... Pear.

But what good is pear juice, other than a pleasant taste?

Pears can be useful in treating inflammation of mucous membranes, colitis, chronic gallbladder disorders, arthritis, and gout. Pears can also be beneficial in lowering high blood pressure, controlling blood cholesterol levels, and increasing urine acidity. They are good for the lungs and the stomach. Most of the fiber is insoluble, making pears a good laxative. The gritty fiber content may cut down on the number of cancerous colon polyps. Most of the vitamin C, as well as the dietary fiber, are contained within the skin of the fruit.

I think the pear should be the 8th reserve super-fruit, giving us, truly, 20 delicious super-fruits to choose from.


12 January 2010

2nd Chronicles, Chapter 20


(King James Version & Chinese Union Version-Simplified Characters)

1 It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. 1 此後,摩押人和亚扪人,又有米乌尼人,一同来攻击约沙法。
2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi. 2 有人来报告约沙法说:「从海外亚兰(又作以东)那边有大军来攻击你,如今他们在哈洗逊他玛,就是隐基底。」
3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 3 约沙法便惧怕,定意寻求耶和华,在犹大全地宣告禁食。
4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD. 4 於是犹大人聚会,求耶和华帮助。犹大各城都有人出来寻求耶和华。
5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, 5 约沙法就在犹大和耶路撒冷的会中,站在耶和华殿的新院前,
6 And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? 6 说:「耶和华我们列祖的神啊,你不是天上的神吗?你不是万邦万国的主宰吗?在你手中有大能大力,无人能抵挡你。
7 Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? 7 我们的神啊,你不是曾在你民以色列人面前驱逐这地的居民,将这地赐给你朋友亚伯拉罕的後裔永远为业吗?
8 And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying, 8 他们住在这地,又为你的名建造圣所,说:
9 If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help. 9 『倘有祸患临到我们,或刀兵灾殃,或瘟疫饥荒,我们在急难的时候,站在这殿前向你呼求,你必垂听而拯救,因为你的名在这殿里。』
10 And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not; 10 从前以色列人出埃及地的时候,你不容以色列人侵犯亚扪人、摩押人,和西珥山人,以色列人就离开他们,不灭绝他们。
11 Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit. 11 看哪,他们怎样报复我们,要来驱逐我们出离你的地,就是你赐给我们为业之地。
12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee. 12 我们的神啊,你不惩罚他们吗?因为我们无力抵挡这来攻击我们的大军,我们也不知道怎样行,我们的眼目单仰望你。」
13 And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. 13 犹大众人和他们的婴孩、妻子、儿女都站在耶和华面前。
14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation; 14 那时,耶和华的灵在会中临到利未人亚萨的後裔玛探雅的玄孙,耶利的曾孙,比拿雅的孙子,撒迦利雅的儿子雅哈悉。
15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. 15 他说:「犹大众人、耶路撒冷的居民,和约沙法王,你们请听。耶和华对你们如此说:『不要因这大军恐惧惊惶;因为胜败不在乎你们,乃在乎神。
16 To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. 16 明日你们要下去迎敌,他们是从洗斯坡上来,你们必在耶鲁伊勒旷野前的谷口遇见他们。
17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you. 17 犹大和耶路撒冷人哪,这次你们不要争战,要摆阵站著,看耶和华为你们施行拯救。不要恐惧,也不要惊惶。明日当出去迎敌,因为耶和华与你们同在。』」
18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD. 18 约沙法就面伏於地,犹大众人和耶路撒冷的居民也俯伏在耶和华面前,叩拜耶和华。
19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high. 19 哥辖族和可拉族的利未人都起来,用极大的声音赞美耶和华以色列的神。
20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. 20 次日清早,众人起来往提哥亚的旷野去。出去的时候,约沙法站著说:「犹大人和耶路撒冷的居民哪,要听我说:信耶和华你们的神就必立稳;信他的先知就必亨通。」
21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. 21 约沙法既与民商议了,就设立歌唱的人,颂赞耶和华,使他们穿上圣洁的礼服,走在军前赞美耶和华说:「当称谢耶和华,因他的慈爱永远长存!」
22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. 22 众人方唱歌赞美的时候,耶和华就派伏兵击杀那来攻击犹大人的亚扪人、摩押人,和西珥山人,他们就被打败了。
23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another. 23 因为亚扪人和摩押人起来,击杀住西珥山的人,将他们灭尽;灭尽住西珥山的人之後,他们又彼此自相击杀。
24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped. 24 犹大人来到旷野的望楼,向那大军观看,见尸横遍地,没有一个逃脱的。
25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much. 25 约沙法和他的百姓就来收取敌人的财物,在尸首中见了许多财物、珍宝,他们剥脱下来的多得不可携带;因为甚多,直收取了三日。
26 And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day. 26 第四日众人聚集在比拉迦谷(就是称颂的意思),在那里称颂耶和华。因此那地方名叫比拉迦谷,直到今日。
27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies. 27 犹大人和耶路撒冷人都欢欢喜喜地回耶路撒冷,约沙法率领他们;因为耶和华使他们战胜仇敌,就欢喜快乐。
28 And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the LORD. 28 他们弹琴、鼓瑟、吹号来到耶路撒冷,进了耶和华的殿。
29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel. 29 列邦诸国听见耶和华战败以色列的仇敌,就甚惧怕。
30 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about. 30 这样,约沙法的国得享太平,因为神赐他四境平安。
31 And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 31 约沙法作犹大王,登基的时候年三十五岁,在耶路撒冷作王二十五年。他母亲名叫阿苏巴,乃示利希的女儿。
32 And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and departed not from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the LORD. 32 约沙法效法他父亚撒所行的,不偏左右,行耶和华眼中看为正的事。
33 Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers. 33 只是邱坛还没有废去,百姓也没有立定心意归向他们列祖的神。
34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, who is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel. 34 约沙法其余的事,自始至终都写在哈拿尼的儿子耶户的书上,也载入以色列诸王记上。
35 And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly: 35 此後,犹大王约沙法与以色列王亚哈谢交好;亚哈谢行恶太甚。
36 And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Eziongeber. 36 二王合夥造船要往他施去,遂在以旬迦别造船。
37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken thy works. And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish. 37 那时玛利沙人、多大瓦的儿子以利以谢向约沙法预言说:「因你与亚哈谢交好,耶和华必破坏你所造的。」後来那船果然破坏,不能往他施去了。





10 January 2010

2009 -> Transitioning -> 2010


What a year 2009 was! I was forced to switch from Mac OS X to Windows XP with the death of my last Mac, which also switched my Linux distro from FixStars' Yellow Dog Linux to Ubuntu (except on the Sony PlayStation 3). I finally got my wife home after a year of  immigration red tape, I lost another beloved grandparent, I changed jobs, got laid off, moved to a state I never thought I would return to, and learned a lot. And that last part is important. If you stop learning, you are dead. Never stop learning. I have likely learned more about myself this year than any other year of my life. No, it was not some spiritual introspection, or anything like that, but my wife teaching me about myself. She obviously knows me better than I know myself, and she assures me this is "a normal phenomenon". Her knowing me so well has helped me to overcome many of my failings, and she is helping me to become a much better man, every day!

This last year my brother's family and my family have started a new tradition. Every weekend we have dinner together. Usually at his home, although we bring dishes, and sometimes a movie to watch.This last year has also seen my daughter go from a "D+" average student to an "A-" average student. Likewise, my wife has decided to become a Christian. I never forced any beliefs on her, but being in a community with many Chinese Christians, they could better explain the Faith, which has made her into a strong believer. Her strong zeal has helped my zeal to return as well. These 3 changes above are all because of my move back to Texas. An unanticipated move that I see happened for a reason. His Will be done!

Next year will come with many ore changes as well, I am sure. My daughter will become a senior in high school. My wife will be Baptized, we will likely have a new baby on the way, and I hopefully will find a new, good job. I ask your continued prayers, my friends, and may us all have a successful, prosperous, enlightening 2010, and come 14 February, a blessed Chinese Lunar Calendar's Year of the Tiger! As my daughter would say, "RAWR!"