"Only great pain is the ultimate liberator of the spirit…. I doubt that such pain makes us 'better'; but I know that it makes us more profound."—Frederich Nietzsche.

"To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering."—Nietzsche

"That which does not kill us makes us stronger."—Nietzsche

I don't know if Nietzsche read his Bible, but he seemed to know a bit about pain and suffering.

One of the primary arguments non-believers make against Christianity is that if God is good and defined as love, why does He allow so much pain and suffering in the world?

Worship is defined as reverence and adoration of God. This can be done in numerous ways. When we attend Sabbath and holy-day services we are expressing reverence for God. Studying His words and praying to Him can be included in worship. Singing hymns to God and helping other brethren are also forms of worship for God. But let's not forget the idea of giving (tithes and offerings) as a form of worship too.

By providing tithes and offerings we can assist our fellow brethren who are in need of physical sustenance (food, clothing, and shelter). Local church groups and our national church headquarters do assist needy brethren from time to time. Without any support from our brethren, our needy brothers and sisters would have a more difficult time.

One of the arguments critics of the Bible make is that there are seeming contradictions in the Scriptures. I disagree with that assessment. Careful study of the Scriptures will reveal the seeming contradictions can be resolved.

One of these seeming discrepancies revolves around the person of King Abijah (Abijam) of Judah. In the book of Kings, this king's name is Abijam (1 Kings 15:1), while in Chronicles, he is called Abijah (2 Chronicles 11:21-22).

The variation in names, such as Abijam and Abijah, often occurs due to differences in transliteration and translation practices over time and across different biblical texts.

Over the past few years, we have written a few blogs on the rise of right-wing or nationalist political parties in Europe. We have seen evidence of this in Hungary, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, and other locations.

Most recently (September 2024), Germany has been added to this growing list. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has placed first with about 32.8 percent of the vote in the state of Thuringia and a close second in the state of Saxony with 30.8 percent of the vote. In State elections in 2014, AfD was garnering about 10 percent of the vote in Thuringia and 9 percent in Saxony. Since other parties are refusing to cooperate with the AfD it is not likely to significantly alter the state of German politics, but it is proof of a sea change in the post-World War II generation.