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Evangelical

2023-12-19T09:24:45-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

There’s No Such Thing As An Ugly Christmas Sweater

Last updated on: December 19, 2023 at 9:24 am By Ellen Fannon

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There is a sweet Christmas song called “The Friendly Beasts.” In the song, the animals describe the gifts they gave to Baby Jesus. The donkey, all shaggy and brown, carried his mother up hill and down, carrying Baby Jesus safely to Bethlehem town. The cow all white and red gave him her manger for a bed and a pillow for his head. The dove from the rafters high cooed him to sleep that he should not cry. The camel all... Read more

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The Friendly Beasts

Ugly Christmas sweaters

2023-12-06T12:47:51-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Take That Little Drummer Boy and Beat Him With His Drumsticks

Last updated on: December 6, 2023 at 12:47 pm By Ellen Fannon

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Where Did Christmas Songs Originate? I wonder how many people know the first Christmas song recorded in history. No, it isn’t Jingle Bells. It is “The Magnificat.” For those who are scratching their heads and saying, “Huh?”, this is the song Mary sang after the angel Gabriel appeared to her. Then I like to think “The First Noel” may have had some historical origins, as well, since supposedly it was the first song sung by angels to assure the frightened... Read more

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2023-11-30T11:08:44-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

My Husband May Get a Lump of Coal This Christmas

Last updated on: November 30, 2023 at 11:08 am By Ellen Fannon

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Where Did the Idea of Christmas Gift-Giving Originate? I had always believed that the tradition of gift-giving on Christmas originated with the wise men bringing gifts to baby Jesus. Much to my surprise, I discovered that gift-giving actually had pagan origins. Long before Jesus was born, pagans were giving gifts during Saturnalia, an ancient Roman pagan festival honoring the agricultural god Saturn. The holiday, which occurred near the winter solstice, gave us many of the traditions we now associate with... Read more

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2023-11-14T12:15:14-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Theology 101: Man Should Not Live Alone With Bread

Last updated on: November 14, 2023 at 12:15 pm By Ellen Fannon

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My Preschooler’s Takeaway On His Sunday School Lesson “What did you learn in Sunday school today?” I asked my preschooler as we drove home from church. “Man should not live alone with bread,” he replied. I pondered his answer for a moment. “Do you mean man should not live by bread alone?” I asked. He shrugged. “Yeah, something like that.” “Do you know what it means?” I prodded. Driving with a captive preschooler was a good time to instill spiritual... Read more

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Baptism from a preschooler's perspective

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2023-11-20T20:50:33-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

My Painful Rejection at Barnes and Noble

Last updated on: November 20, 2023 at 8:50 pm By Ellen Fannon

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A Prophet and An Author Are Rejected in Their Hometowns The Bible tells us in Luke 4:24 that Jesus, after being rejected in his hometown, replied with the words, “No prophet is accepted in his hometown.” I have always been somewhat baffled by the fact that the Jews were anxiously looking for the Messiah, and when He showed up, they didn’t recognize Him. Still, in their defense, I might have been a bit skeptical too, if I had played hide-and-seek... Read more

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2023-11-21T01:39:25-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Marriage Incompatibility: The Battle of the Thermostat

Last updated on: November 21, 2023 at 1:39 am By Ellen Fannon

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Were Adam and Eve Perfectly Compatible Before the Fall? I sometimes wonder if when God made Adam and Eve they were perfectly compatible before the Fall. For example, they were both naked in the beginning, and I’m guessing Eve didn’t complain that it was too cold while Adam vigorously fanned himself with a fig leaf because of the heat. After the Fall, did Eve require twice the number of animal skins as Adam to keep warm? Is the inevitable pairing... Read more

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hot-natured and cold natured

Marriage incompatibility

2023-11-06T11:16:19-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

My Body is a Temple: A Decrepit, Crumbling Ruin

Last updated on: November 6, 2023 at 11:16 am By Ellen Fannon

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My body is a temple? More Like a Crumbling Ruin Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, NIV.) The Bible tells me my body is a temple. I’m not quite sure how to take that. I think, in my case, my temple is more of a... Read more

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2023-10-23T12:12:00-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Free Candy? Why I Love Halloween

Last updated on: October 23, 2023 at 12:12 pm By Ellen Fannon

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Halloween Means Free Candy Regardless of all the conflicting religious views on Halloween, I loved Halloween as a child when I could dress up and get free candy. It was a time of fun and innocence without all the Satanic undertones. This was back in the olden days when children dressed up in costumes usually created by their mothers, such as an old bedsheet with two eyes cut out for a ghost. There were none of these foo-foo outfits, such... Read more

General Christian

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2023-10-23T12:07:07-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Secrets to Successful Biblical Writing: Goat Hide and Fish Bones

Last updated on: October 23, 2023 at 12:07 pm By Ellen Fannon

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Step One: Goat Hide I sometimes wonder how the writers of Scripture managed to get their words down on parchment or papyrus or whatever they had available to write on. Imagine having to get hide from an animal before sitting down to write those words that the Lord gave you before they went out of your head. Of course, things could have been worse. Some verses in Ezekiel and Jeremiah were written on clay. Some parts of Exodus, Deuteronomy, and... Read more

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2023-10-10T12:04:47-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Did Baal, The Fertility God, Need an Urgent Bathroom Break?

Last updated on: October 10, 2023 at 12:04 pm By Ellen Fannon

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Elijah and the prophets of Baal – An Amusing Biblical Story The story of the contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal, found in 1 Kings 18:17-40, is one the most amusing stories in the Bible. To give you some background, King Ahab, of the northern kingdom of Israel, married a heathen woman named Jezebel, who henpecked and corrupted him to allow the worship of Baal and Asherah, a pagan fertility god and goddess. This did not sit well... Read more

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Elijah and the prophets of Baal

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