Podcasts about Gehenna

Mark 9:36-50 (NKJV)Andrew, Isack, and Edwin discuss the horror of temptations, stumbling blocks, and causing others to sin.Read the written devo that goes along with this episode by clicking here.    Let us know what you are learning or any questions you have. Email us at TextTalk@ChristiansMeetHere.org.    Join the Facebook community and join the conversation by clicking here. We'd love to meet you. Be a guest among the Christians who meet on Livingston Avenue. Click here to find out more. Michael Eldridge sang all four parts of our theme song. Find more from him by clicking here.   Thanks for talking about the text with us today.________________________________________________If the hyperlinks do not work, copy the following addresses and paste them into the URL bar of your web browser: Daily Written Devo: https://readthebiblemakedisciples.wordpress.com/?p=23351The Christians Who Meet on Livingston Avenue: http://www.christiansmeethere.org/Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TalkAboutTheTextFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/texttalkMichael Eldridge: https://acapeldridge.com/ 

There are ten different words, or phrases used to represent hell, and each has their separate meaning and place. Sheol, Hades, and the Pit all represent the place where people exist currently. Gehenna, the Lake of Fire, and outer darkness represent the future hell where people will go after the Great White Throne Judgment Day. Satan and most likely his demons with him are cast into the lake of fire as it says in Revelation. The words Abyss, Abyssos, Bottomless Pit, and Tartarus each represent where demons are currently assigned, each area perhaps having certain fallen angels and demons. Understand more about these words and places which refer to hell, as Bill and Annette biblically explain each. For more information about Bill Wiese and Soul Choice Ministries please visit us at: https://soulchoiceministries.org/  You can find more of Bill's teachings at: BillWieseTV-YouTube

After a brief discussion about the challenges of introversion, this episode examines Paul's authority to judge unrepentant sin in 1 Corinthians 5, highlighting that biblical discipline is restorative, not punitive. It then explores the doctrine of hell as self-chosen separation from God, using both Jesus's teaching on Gehenna and C.S. Lewis's imagery. Pastor Derek next clarifies the meaning of baptism and the Lord's Supper as tangible means of grace. A listener question about Neo-Calvinism prompts discussion of Kuyper's “every square inch” theology and how it calls believers to integrate faith into all of life, while maintaining a gospel-centered humility. The episode concludes with reflections on prayer, noting that unanswered petitions often reveal God's deeper work of shaping our trust and dependence on Him.

Today's Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) Gospel - Luke 12:1-7 - At that time: So many people were crowding together that they were trampling one another underfoot. Jesus began to speak, first to His disciples, "Beware of the leaven–that is, the hypocrisy–of the Pharisees. "There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops. I tell you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more. I shall show you Whom to fear. Be afraid of the One Who after killing has the power to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, be afraid of that One. Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God. Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows." Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr Saint Ignatius, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day

Gospel Luke 12:1-7 At that time: So many people were crowding together that they were trampling one another underfoot. Jesus began to speak, first to his disciples, "Beware of the leaven–that is, the hypocrisy–of the Pharisees. "There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops. I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more. I shall show you whom to fear. Be afraid of the one who after killing has the power to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one. Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God. Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.” Reflection It's interesting that Jesus is speaking here to the disciples, and you wonder what went through their mind. He's saying that you have to be careful about those who are going to resist you and your work. But don't be afraid if they kill you, because even though they might do that, they can never harm you. You are in the care of the God who created you. He knows you. He will not let anything happen to you, that is not for you. This may have been the beginning of the disciples finally realizing how dangerous their ministry would become. Closing Prayer Father, we worry about so many things. We often we even worry about whether or not we are going to be accepted when we die. But over and over again, you have said to so many, to all of us, nothing can separate you from the love of God. When you intend, when you struggle, when you work, longing for connection with him, you have nothing to fear. You will always be with him forever. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friends of the Rosary,Today, we honor Ignatius of Antioch, the third bishop of Antioch in Syria, who suffered martyrdom in the Roman Amphitheater around 107, for unambiguously proclaiming the apostolic faith.About the Eucharist, he said, The Eucharist is 'the flesh of Christ' and the 'medicine of immortality.'Related to the immortality of the soul, in today's reading (Luke 12:1-7), Christ Our Lord is revealing to us:"I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more. I shall show you whom to fear. Be afraid of the one who, after killing, has the power to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one.Aren't five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God. Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows."Ave Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• ⁠October 17, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

At that time:So many people were crowding togetherthat they were trampling one another underfoot.Jesus began to speak, first to his disciples,"Beware of the leaven–that is, the hypocrisy–of the Pharisees."There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed,nor secret that will not be known.Therefore whatever you have said in the darknesswill be heard in the light,and what you have whispered behind closed doorswill be proclaimed on the housetops.I tell you, my friends,do not be afraid of those who kill the bodybut after that can do no more.I shall show you whom to fear.Be afraid of the one who after killinghas the power to cast into Gehenna;yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one.Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins?Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God.Even the hairs of your head have all been counted.Do not be afraid.You are worth more than many sparrows."

(Rm.4:1-8;   Ps.32:1-2,5,7,11;   Lk.12:1-7)   "Happy is the man to whom the Lord imputes not guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile."   All our sins shall be taken away by the Lord who watches over us and loves us, if we but believe. We must lay bare our souls, brothers and sisters.  We cannot hide from the eternal, piercing light of God.  His hand is upon us at all times; His heart is open always for our entering in.  It cannot be otherwise with the Lord of the universe, in whose sight "even the hairs of [our] head are counted."  And He who surrounds us desires but our love, desires but our faith, desires but that we come into His presence confessing our sins, and He will take them away.  And we shall not be "cast into Gehenna" but drawn into His kingdom. His kingdom is coming.  Jesus sees it as He gazes out at the dense "crowd of thousands" gathering before Him.  He sees the kingdom coming as men's hearts turn to Him.  And so He warns His disciples, who shall be the laborers to reap His harvest, "Be on guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy," for if they should take pride in their mission, if they should find in their deeds "grounds for boasting" and so forget the favor of God by which all are justified, they shall indeed tempt the fires of Gehenna.  "Everything you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight," for the Lord hears "what you have whispered in locked rooms."  So, keep your hearts set on Him and His goodness, and the truth of the Gospel will be proclaimed to the world, and you shall save your immortal soul. Jesus knows, too, that the faith of His disciples and their declaration of His Word to the world will bring persecution.  He sees in this scene, too, the cross set before Him, and He knows those who follow Him shall share in it as well.  And so He reassures His children that the Father is with them, that He treasures them even as He treasures His Son, and so the powers of this age will hold no reign over them, and that they should "not be afraid of those who kill the body and can do no more." Yes, our soul is in His hands.  He has power to forgive and to protect, if we but come to Him as children, if we but come to Him in faith.   ******* O LORD, all is known to you – let us confess our sins, and we will be saved. YHWH, of what can we boast, we who cannot forgive our own sins?  Truly, we are in your hands, and so should fear you. But in your kindness you readily forgive our transgressions; if we turn to you, our sins are wiped away.  And so, there is nothing we need fear, LORD, as long as our desire is for you. Help us to confess our faults that you might remove all our guilt.  Inspire us to call upon your NAME, O LORD, and we shall rejoice in your blessings.  If we but have faith in you, your justice will be upon us. There is nothing of consequence we can accomplish on our own, nothing but sin.  All the good that we do comes from you, and so, what cause have we to be proud?  Let us not be false in our love for you, LORD, but even in the deep recesses of our hearts proclaim your glory continually.  O may all men come to faith and be saved!

Lk 12:1-7At that time:So many people were crowding togetherthat they were trampling one another underfoot.Jesus began to speak, first to his disciples,"Beware of the leaven–that is, the hypocrisy–of the Pharisees."There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed,nor secret that will not be known.Therefore whatever you have said in the darknesswill be heard in the light,and what you have whispered behind closed doorswill be proclaimed on the housetops.I tell you, my friends,do not be afraid of those who kill the bodybut after that can do no more.I shall show you whom to fear.Be afraid of the one who after killinghas the power to cast into Gehenna;yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one.Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins?Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God.Even the hairs of your head have all been counted.Do not be afraid.You are worth more than many sparrows."

The modern obsession with leaving the world began, oddly enough, with a fall. In 1827, John Nelson Darby tumbled from his horse, banged his head, and started writing a new idea into the Christian imagination. He sketched a future where the faithful are whisked away from the grit and grief of history while the rest of creation burns. A quick exit. An escape hatch. A promise that the real home is elsewhere and that the earth is disposable, like a cracked cup you set in the bin.This is not ancient. It is not apostolic. It is recent and it is seductive. It tells a suffering people, your pain will be over soon, the plane is already boarding, no need to change anything down here. If you have felt that tug toward evacuation, you are not foolish. You are tired. That fatigue is understandable in an age of fires measured in miles, plague-years mapped by grief, and a public life where cruelty is mistaken for strength. The promise of escape is shaped to meet that ache. It is also a lie.The Kin-dom is already here.That is the heart of realized eschatology, the teaching we carried in the episode and carry again in this essay. “Eschatology” means the study of last things. Realized means the future is not only ahead of us. It is breaking in now. Jesus described it as a reign spread out among us, hidden like yeast in dough, like a seed in soil, like light within the body. The Kin-dom is the web of right relationship in which all can breathe, eat, heal, and flourish. Not a passcode. Not a flight plan. The Kin-dom is a way of living.From DespairDespair is honest. It names what is broken. The temptation is to make despair a home. Rapture-thinking offers a furnished apartment in that neighborhood. It whispers, if the world is going to burn, the moral thing is to detach. Sell your goods. Quit your job. Leave your lease. Tell yourself it will be over soon and the pain will end. The trouble is simple. People get left behind in our leaving. Children, neighbors, the unhoused, the exhausted caregiver down the hall. And the earth herself.We must say this plainly because our faith is not a riddle. Jesus did not ask us to decode news cycles. He asked us to feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, visit the sick and the imprisoned. These are not optional extras. They are the criteria he gave for what salvation looks like when it is walking around in a body. If we are known by our fruits, then escapism is sterile ground. It cannot grow love.There is another reason the escape story keeps getting told. It flatters power. If we are leaving any day now, then the powerful do not have to reckon with what their choices do to air, water, soil, and bodies. If the earth is a demo model to be replaced, who cares about rivers turned to poison or forests to ash. If the poor are props in a cosmic drama, who cares whether they eat. History shows the same pattern again and again. Doctrines that separate faith from works turn out to be very useful to those who profit from our apathy.To DiscoveryDespair does not have to be destiny. What if the ache we feel is not proof that the world is ending but a summons to begin. The Kin-dom has already arrived. We do not wait for permission to love. We do not ask empire how to heal. We participate in the life that is present.The early church learned this quickly. Expectations of an immediate ending gave way to the discovery that Christ is already here. Not absent. Present. Not awaiting return from a distance. Active in the web of relationships that make for life. If that is true, our question shifts. Instead of asking when we leave, we ask how to live. Instead of hunting for dates, we look for neighbors.This is where realized eschatology becomes simple and practical. If the Kin-dom is here, then our daily life is the place of devotion. Prayer is our breath when we choose to share air with one another. Eucharist is the shared table where food becomes love. Repentance is not a sad impossibility. It is repair as ordinary as changing a habit, paying a debt we owe to a community, or stepping back from a lie we learned to speak without thinking.There is an old word for hell in the gospels, Gehenna. It was a trash heap outside the city. When Jesus warns that some will be given over to Gehenna, he is not talking about a theme park in the afterlife. He is asking whether we want to live in a world organized like a dump, a society that treats people and places as disposable. The counter-picture is the Kin-dom. A shared life where no one is tossed aside.To DevotionDevotion is what love looks like on repeat. Not a one-time burst of zeal. A cadence. A rhythm. A set of holy repetitions that strengthen the soul for a lifetime of service. In the episode, we joked that rapture apparently means selling your Xbox and leaving a note. That is darkly funny. It is also a parable. If you can decide in a weekend to abandon your life, you can also decide in a weekend to begin again. The choice is yours. The drills are daily.Let us choose a set of practices that make us steady, supple, and brave. Think of them as everyday drills of freedom. No need for special terms. No need for perfect conditions. We begin where we are and repeat.1) Begin with breath and blessing.Each morning, sit for three slow breaths. On the in-breath, say inwardly, “Here.” On the out-breath, “Now.” Place a hand on your chest and another on your belly. Say out loud: “The Kin-dom is within and among us.” This is not a trick. It is a way of waking the body to reality.2) Touch the ground.Step outside if you can. Touch soil, trunk, leaf, or light. Name what you feel. Cool. Rough. Wet. Warm. This is devotion, not escape. The earth is the altar. You are a priest of the living world. Ask quietly, “How can I tend you today?”3) Choose one work of mercy.Every day, do one small act from the list Jesus gave. Feed someone. Offer water, literal or metaphorical. Share clothing or blankets. Write a card to someone ill. Give to a bail fund or visit someone who is locked away. If you cannot leave home, support a group that does. Make the Kin-dom tactile.4) Tell the truth with kindness.Practice a single sentence of truth-telling to pierce a lie you meet often. Not a speech. A sentence. For example, “No one is disposable.” Or, “Health care is not a luxury.” Or, “Libraries are sacred.” Use it when the moment comes. Gentle. Steady. Clear.5) Learn to say no.Refuse demands from power that require you to harm your neighbor, yourself, or the earth. Start small. Decline gossip that erases someone's dignity. Decline a purchase you know funds harm. Decline a schedule that turns you into a machine. Each no makes room for a larger yes.6) Make and keep a neighborly promise.Choose one ongoing commitment in your place. A monthly food distribution. A tenants' meeting. An interfaith meal. A neighborhood garden. Keep showing up. Devotion turns from idea to muscle when it is scheduled and communal.7) End the day with examen.Before sleep, name one wound you witnessed and one repair you practiced. Offer both to the Holy One. If you failed, ask for strength to try again. If you succeeded, give thanks without vanity. Tomorrow you will begin again.These are not random acts. They are kin-making acts that reveal the Kin-dom that already is. They keep us from the trap of despair and the temptation to acquiesce to the demands of power. They grow fruit where propaganda said nothing could grow. They teach the body that hope is not a mood. Hope is a practice.The History We Carry, The Future We ChooseIt helps to remember how we got here. After Darby's invention took root, other ideas cleared the way for it. Some preachers told us we are saved by believing the right things, not by doing the right things. Others taught that destiny is already set and our actions do not matter at all. Across centuries, those messages made it easier to bless wealth, ignore the poor, and outsource responsibility to an imagined timetable. Power liked that. Power still likes that.Creation Spirituality says no. It says the Holy is immanent, present in the soil, the river, the neighbor, the stranger. It says original blessing, not original sin, is the first truth about you. It says the Four Paths are a way to live: Awe that opens our eyes, Letting go of lies and fears, Creativity that builds what is needed, Transformation that turns wounds into wisdom. The Kin-dom is not hiding in the sky. It is shimmering in our shared life, asking to be chosen again.Scripture keeps the edge sharp:“The Kingdom of God is within you.”— Luke 17:21, WEB“Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”— Matthew 25:40, WEBRead those lines slowly. If the Kin-dom is within and among us, we cannot leave without leaving Christ. If Christ meets us in the hungry, the thirsty, the sick, the imprisoned, then love is measurable and daily. Faith is not nullified by works. It is made visible by works.A Pastoral Benediction For Beginning AgainHoly One, Light within all lights, you who kindle stars and soup kitchens, gardens and grief groups, teach us to stay. Unmask the cheap promise of escape. Give us instead the costly joy of devotion. Take our despair and convert it into discovery. Take our discovery and convert it into daily love. Let our hands become sacraments. Let our words become shelter. Let our homes become small monasteries of repair. The Kin-dom is here. Help us live like it.Amen.How We Keep GoingWhen the next prediction comes, and someone names a date for leaving, remember what Jesus said about dates and hours. Remember how relief can trick the heart. Then look around. Where are the needs at the bottom of the hierarchy. Food. Water. Shelter. Medicine. Safety. Belonging. Begin there. Begin again tomorrow. This is how we refuse the empire of abandonment. This is how we become citizens of the Kin-dom.You are not powerless. You are not alone. You are not late. The future you long for is arriving in your next act of care. It will not trend. It might not be glamorous. It will be real. The earth is not a prison to flee. It is the body of God, aching for our touch, ready to be healed.Creation's Paths book: . Please share your feedback with us we want to hear your experience.Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it.Thank you for Tips / Donations: * https://ko-fi.com/cedorsett * https://patreon.com/cedorsett * https://cash.app/$CreationsPaths* Substack: https://www.creationspaths.com/New to The Seraphic Grove learn more For Educational Resource: https://wisdomscry.com Social Connections: * BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/creationspaths.com * Threads https://www.threads.net/@creationspaths * Instagram https://www.instagram.com/creationspaths/#Rapture #RaptureMyth #AntiImperialFaith #RealizedEschatology #CreationSpirituality #Christopagan Chapters:00:00 Introduction: Why Do Christians Want to Escape the World?01:45 Announcements and Book Release02:31 Has Belief in the Rapture Failed Jesus?02:46 Biblical Context: Who Gets Taken?04:23 Jesus's True Criteria for Salvation05:07 The Reformation: Luther and Calvin's Influence06:35 Faith Alone vs. Works: The Protestant Divide08:01 The Fruits of Rapture Theology09:19 The Dark Psychology of Rapture Belief10:21 Power and the Reformation11:25 The Great Awakenings and American Christianity12:32 How the Rapture Enables Injustice13:13 Realized Eschatology: The Kingdom Is Here15:07 Offshoring Responsibility to Fiction16:19 Imagining a Better World Through Right Relationship18:07 The ‘I've Got Mine' Mentality18:48 Disposable Earth: Misreading Scripture20:54 Recent Rapture Predictions and Human Suffering22:37 Compassion for Rapture Believers23:44 The Work We Should Be Doing25:05 Ancient vs. Novel: The Age of Traditions Get full access to Creation's Paths at www.creationspaths.com/subscribe

In this episode of the Everyday Judaism Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe concludes the discussion of Siman 26 of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, covering halachot 14–22 of the mourner's Kaddish, completing the first book of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch. He emphasizes the spiritual significance of Kaddish in elevating the deceased's soul by declaring Hashem's oneness, while noting that modern practice of all mourners reciting Kaddish together reduces the relevance of precedence rules but underscores communal unity. Key points include:Recap of Kaddish's Purpose: Kaddish, recited by descendants, elevates the deceased's soul, as per Midrashic stories, by glorifying Hashem's name. The mourning stages—shiva (7 days, most intense), shloshim (30 days), the first year, and yahrtzeit (annual anniversary)—dictate Kaddish priorities, with shiva mourners taking precedence.Halacha 14–15 (Chazan Priorities): Leading prayers as chazan provides greater merit for the deceased than Kaddish alone, originally instituted for minors unable to lead. Shiva or shloshim mourners have precedence in leading services, except on Shabbos/Yom Tov unless they were the regular chazan. If two equally entitled mourners are capable chazans, they cast lots, splitting the service (one leads until Ashrei, the other from Ashrei onward). A chazan doesn't forfeit Kaddish rights but should yield to minors or less capable mourners.Halacha 16–18 (Multiple Mourners): Mourning for both parents on the same day doesn't grant extra Kaddish rights; one Kaddish covers both. Kaddish is recited for 11 months, not 12, to avoid implying the deceased was a great sinner (judged for 12 months in Gehenna). Counting starts from burial, not death, with adjustments for leap years (e.g., stopping on the 9th of Kislev). Rabbi Wolbe shares his grandfather's request for 12-month Kaddish, approved by Rabbi Elyashiv, reflecting humility, and notes his grandfather's rejection of eulogies to avoid exaggerated claims, as eulogies are scrutinized in heaven.Halacha 19–21 (Community and Women): If no parental mourners are present, someone who previously lost parents recites Kaddish for all deceased Jews. Other relatives (e.g., grandparents, siblings without children) may recite Kaddish if permitted by parental mourners. Women typically don't recite Kaddish in synagogue but can do so in a home minyan, ideally with others. A yahrtzeit observer unable to recite Kaddish (e.g., while traveling) can recite it at the next Ma'ariv, as Rabbi Wolbe illustrates with an email about arranging a minyan in Galveston for a cruise passenger's yahrtzeit.Halacha 22 (Greatest Merit): The greatest merit for parents is not just Kaddish but children living Torah-observant lives daily, honoring parents posthumously (per the Zohar, citing Exodus 20:12). Rabbi Wolbe emphasizes actions like keeping kosher or Shabbos as greater than Kaddish, sharing a story of a bumper sticker (“good” above grass, “bad” below) to highlight the opportunity to do good while alive for ancestors' merit.Community and Sensitivity: Rabbi Wolbe stresses avoiding disputes over Kaddish precedence, as fights dishonor the deceased. He praises communal efforts, like arranging minyans for travelers, and reflects on the psychological benefits of shiva for healing, noting the custom of walking around the block post-shiva to reenter life._____________The Everyday Judaism Podcast is dedicated to learning, understanding and appreciating the greatness of Jewish heritage and the Torah through the simplified, concise study of Halacha, Jewish Law, thereby enhancing our understanding of how Hashem wants us to live our daily lives in a Jewish way._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Marshall & Doreen LernerDownload & Print the Everyday Judaism Halacha Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RL-PideM42B_LFn6pbrk8MMU5-zqlLG5This episode (Ep. #63) of the Everyday Judaism Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe of TORCH is dedicated to my dearest friends, Marshall & Doreen Lerner! May Hashem bless you and always lovingly accept your prayer for good health, success and true happiness!!!Recorded in the TORCH Centre - Levin Family Studio (B) to a live audience on September 14, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on October 9, 2025_____________DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!_____________SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at https://www.TORCHpodcasts.com_____________EMAIL your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Please visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#Halacha, #Jewishlaw, #Mourning, #Kaddish, #Mourner, #Shiva, #Yartzeit, #Condolences, #Grief, #Sensitivities, #etiquette ★ Support this podcast ★

This week, we start our look at the dragons native to the Outer Planes with the Lawful Evil quadrant of D&D's Great Wheel cosmology.  Join us as we look at the dragons native to Acheron, Baator, Gehenna, and Hades, as well as the impressive Shadowdrakes living in the River Styx.   Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links to all of our social media, streaming sites, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord. Our theme song is Massacre Anne, written and performed by Mary Crowell, and used with permission. You can find Mary's work online at marycrowell.bandcamp.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/DrMaryCCrowell. Our logo was illustrated by David Sutherland. You can find David's work online at instagram.com/wilex_73, or on DeviantArt at deviantart.com/davidsutherland.

In this episode of the Everyday Judaism Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe concludes the discussion of Siman 26 of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, covering halachot 14–22 of the mourner's Kaddish, completing the first book of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch. He emphasizes the spiritual significance of Kaddish in elevating the deceased's soul by declaring Hashem's oneness, while noting that modern practice of all mourners reciting Kaddish together reduces the relevance of precedence rules but underscores communal unity. Key points include:Recap of Kaddish's Purpose: Kaddish, recited by descendants, elevates the deceased's soul, as per Midrashic stories, by glorifying Hashem's name. The mourning stages—shiva (7 days, most intense), shloshim (30 days), the first year, and yahrtzeit (annual anniversary)—dictate Kaddish priorities, with shiva mourners taking precedence.Halacha 14–15 (Chazan Priorities): Leading prayers as chazan provides greater merit for the deceased than Kaddish alone, originally instituted for minors unable to lead. Shiva or shloshim mourners have precedence in leading services, except on Shabbos/Yom Tov unless they were the regular chazan. If two equally entitled mourners are capable chazans, they cast lots, splitting the service (one leads until Ashrei, the other from Ashrei onward). A chazan doesn't forfeit Kaddish rights but should yield to minors or less capable mourners.Halacha 16–18 (Multiple Mourners): Mourning for both parents on the same day doesn't grant extra Kaddish rights; one Kaddish covers both. Kaddish is recited for 11 months, not 12, to avoid implying the deceased was a great sinner (judged for 12 months in Gehenna). Counting starts from burial, not death, with adjustments for leap years (e.g., stopping on the 9th of Kislev). Rabbi Wolbe shares his grandfather's request for 12-month Kaddish, approved by Rabbi Elyashiv, reflecting humility, and notes his grandfather's rejection of eulogies to avoid exaggerated claims, as eulogies are scrutinized in heaven.Halacha 19–21 (Community and Women): If no parental mourners are present, someone who previously lost parents recites Kaddish for all deceased Jews. Other relatives (e.g., grandparents, siblings without children) may recite Kaddish if permitted by parental mourners. Women typically don't recite Kaddish in synagogue but can do so in a home minyan, ideally with others. A yahrtzeit observer unable to recite Kaddish (e.g., while traveling) can recite it at the next Ma'ariv, as Rabbi Wolbe illustrates with an email about arranging a minyan in Galveston for a cruise passenger's yahrtzeit.Halacha 22 (Greatest Merit): The greatest merit for parents is not just Kaddish but children living Torah-observant lives daily, honoring parents posthumously (per the Zohar, citing Exodus 20:12). Rabbi Wolbe emphasizes actions like keeping kosher or Shabbos as greater than Kaddish, sharing a story of a bumper sticker (“good” above grass, “bad” below) to highlight the opportunity to do good while alive for ancestors' merit.Community and Sensitivity: Rabbi Wolbe stresses avoiding disputes over Kaddish precedence, as fights dishonor the deceased. He praises communal efforts, like arranging minyans for travelers, and reflects on the psychological benefits of shiva for healing, noting the custom of walking around the block post-shiva to reenter life._____________The Everyday Judaism Podcast is dedicated to learning, understanding and appreciating the greatness of Jewish heritage and the Torah through the simplified, concise study of Halacha, Jewish Law, thereby enhancing our understanding of how Hashem wants us to live our daily lives in a Jewish way._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Marshall & Doreen LernerDownload & Print the Everyday Judaism Halacha Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RL-PideM42B_LFn6pbrk8MMU5-zqlLG5This episode (Ep. #63) of the Everyday Judaism Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe of TORCH is dedicated to my dearest friends, Marshall & Doreen Lerner! May Hashem bless you and always lovingly accept your prayer for good health, success and true happiness!!!Recorded in the TORCH Centre - Levin Family Studio (B) to a live audience on September 14, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on October 9, 2025_____________DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!_____________SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at https://www.TORCHpodcasts.com_____________EMAIL your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Please visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#Halacha, #Jewishlaw, #Mourning, #Kaddish, #Mourner, #Shiva, #Yartzeit, #Condolences, #Grief, #Sensitivities, #etiquette ★ Support this podcast ★

In this message, Pastor Marco explores how Jesus used the word Gehenna—a real place outside Jerusalem to reveal how Hell can break loose in our lives today. Through teachings on anger, lust, and the tongue, we discover that sin doesn't start on the outside but in the heart.

Send us a textWell, this one's not as long, but there are still fun tangents to enjoy. Tony even had "bonus material" for us! See you in two weeks for the penultimate episode, Elysium and Hades. There will be some big announcements included in that one. 

Send us a textA single word on a Roman cross has fueled centuries of debate: when Jesus told the repentant thief, “Today you will be with Me in paradise,” did He mean that very day—or was it a promise for later? We press into the text of Luke 23:43, trace how Scripture uses “today,” and show why context, not punctuation tricks, decides the meaning. Along the way, we tackle the related claim that Jesus descended into hell, testing 1 Peter 3:18–20 and 1 Peter 4:6 with careful hermeneutics, and clarifying how Hades, Sheol, Gehenna, and “corruption” fit into the larger biblical story.We explore Psalm 16's prophecy—“You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor let Your Holy One see corruption”—and connect it to Acts, Lazarus's fourth‑day resurrection, and the Passion timeline where Jesus' bones remain unbroken and His body preserved from decay. Rather than rely on later summaries or move commas to protect a system, we let Scripture interpret Scripture. The result is a clear, hopeful reading: Jesus meant exactly what He said, and the thief's comfort was immediate, not postponed. That assurance reveals something about death, paradise, and the presence of Christ that steadies our faith and comforts our grief.If you've wrestled with the “descent into hell,” wondered where Jesus was between death and resurrection, or felt torn between tradition and text, this study offers a grounded path forward. Come for the exegesis, stay for the hope: the Savior who conquered death keeps His word—today. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves good Bible study, and leave a review to help others find it.Support the show

Send us a textA single detail at the cross changes everything: Jesus' bones were not broken. We follow that thread from Exodus 12:46 to the crucifixion and discover how the spotless Lamb fulfills the law with surgical precision. From there, we open a bigger conversation about decay, resurrection timing, and the promise of Psalm 16 that the Holy One would not see corruption—why the timeline around Lazarus matters, and how providence orchestrates what looks like chaos into exact fulfillment.The heart of the episode tackles a word problem that has misled countless readers: “hell” in English hides multiple biblical terms. We walk through Sheol and Hades as “the grave,” clarify Tartarus as the abyss where rebellious angels are held, and define Gehenna as the lake of fire—the final state where body and soul reunite for judgment. Along the way, we weigh Luke 16 and the rich man, thread it into Revelation 20's courtroom scene, and recover a grounded view of human nature as body and soul together. The goal isn't to win a jargon war; it's to keep the Gospel clear, the stakes honest, and our teaching faithful.We also wade into Genesis 6 with fresh eyes. Are the “sons of God” fallen angels producing giant hybrids, or is Scripture describing intermarriage and men of renown? We argue for a sober, text-driven reading that lines up with Jesus' teaching about angels and keeps biblical theology intact. Finally, we revisit what “angel” means—messenger—and why that helps make sense of Matthew 25's “devil and his angels.” Precision serves discipleship; careful words protect true hope. If you care about atonement, resurrection, judgment, and clear witness, this one will sharpen your toolkit and your confidence.If this helped clarify a few things you've always wondered about, tap follow, share it with a friend who loves word studies, and leave a review with the question you want us to tackle next.Support the show

Send us a textStart with the words we think we know: Nephilim, giants, fallen ones. We take a hard look at the Hebrew roots and the narrative context that shaped Genesis 6 and Numbers 13, asking whether “giants” points to sheer size or to men of renown—violent rulers, tyrants, and warrior elites who loomed large over their age. The spy report of “grasshoppers” sounds less like zoology and more like fear under pressure, and Goliath's stature becomes a lens for what “extraordinary” might mean without drifting into myth.From there, we draw the map most listeners never get in one place: Sheol and Hades as grave/realm-of-the-dead language, Tartarus as the abyss—the prison imagery of chains and darkness—and Gehenna as the post-resurrection lake of fire. We test the map against key passages: the rich man and Lazarus for conscious experience beyond burial, Jude 6 for bound angels awaiting judgment, Revelation's bottomless pit for the cosmic lockup, and 1 Peter 3:19 for Christ's proclamation to spirits in prison. Each step sharpens the difference between the intermediate state and final judgment, and why mixing these terms creates confusion about where bodies and spirits are now and where they will be.Our tone stays grounded and candid. We correct midstream, admit tensions, and mark open questions for a dedicated follow-up, because precision matters when talking about the unseen. If you care about biblical theology, semantic nuance, and how language shapes our view of the afterlife, this conversation will give you a clearer framework to study and discuss with others. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves textual deep dives, and leave a review with your take: tyrants or titans—and where do you place Tartarus on your map?Support the show

Send us a textWhat if the most misread line in Romans 10 isn't about hell at all—but about how close Christ already is? We take a hard look at “Who shall ascend?” and “Who shall descend?” and show why Paul's point is pastoral, not cartographical. From there, we unpack the dense vocabulary that often gets blended together: Hades and Sheol as the grave, Tartarus as a term tied to confinement and torment, Gehenna as final judgment, and paradise as the presence of the Lord. The result is a clean map of timing and terms that keeps the spotlight on faith's immediacy rather than on speculative afterlife geography.We also dig into the thorny questions listeners ask most: Where do bodies and spirits go between death and resurrection? Are Abraham's bosom and paradise the same? Did the raised saints in Matthew 27 receive glorified bodies? And how were Old Testament believers saved before the cross? Walking through Romans 3, we show how Christ's propitiation publicly declares God's righteousness for “sins that are past,” uniting every era under one gospel: grace through faith. Along the way, we explore why the Spirit's presence is not a New Testament novelty but the lifeblood of true faith across the ages.Expect clarity without jargon, careful attention to context, and a practical payoff: confidence that the word is near—on the lips and in the heart. If you've wrestled with the abyss, the grave, and the timing of judgment, this conversation offers categories sturdy enough to carry real-life faith. Listen, share with a friend who loves theology debates, and leave a review to tell us where you landed.Support the show

In our final look at the parables of Jesus, we are going to study what may be a parable or may be an account of something that actually happened. Either way, this parable teaches us, in a powerful way, the imminent danger the unredeemed soul stands in every single day; along with the solution to that danger - repentance.

DateSeptember 21, 2025SynopsisIn this sermon from the "Baggage Claim" series, we confront one of Christianity's heaviest burdens: the doctrine of hell and divine punishment. Brian Recker reveals how fear-based theology creates devastating spiritual baggage in our relationships with God, ourselves, and others. Through fresh historical and biblical insights, he reframes Jesus's teachings about Gehenna not as threats of eternal torment, but as urgent calls to build loving communities in the present. Drawing from Matthew 7:12, Luke 19:10, and 1 John 4:18, Recker invites us to exchange our fear-laden baggage for the transformative truth of our belovedness.Pre-Order Hell Bent by Brian ReckerAbout The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.

Send us a textThe Season is wrapping up! Seth and Celina have a good discussion about the differences, but also the similarities, of the Beastlands with other heavens, and laughingly cringe their way through the awful, desperate brutality that is Gehenna. Then, as an added bonus, we have Tony, from Dungeons and Disciples drop by for a short interview, and to get a sense of what his and Josh's show is about. It was fun having him share some about it, and get to know him a bit, too. Enjoy this "anitpenultimate" episode, and be sure to come back for the Second Wind, then the last discussion of two specific Planes next month. The final episode, a complete Wrap Up of all the Planes, will come in November, with its possible Second Wind dropping in December. 

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Matthew 23:13-22  - Jesus said to the crowds and to His disciples: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves. “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If one swears by the temple, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.' Blind fools, which is greater, the gold, or the temple that made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘If one swears by the altar, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.' You blind ones, which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it; one who swears by the temple swears by it and by Him Who dwells in it; one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by Him Who is seated on it.” Memorial of Saint Louis of France Memorial of Saint Joseph Calasanz, Priest Saints Louis and Joseph, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2) Pope Leo recommends the moral teachings/theology of the great pre-Vatican II moralist and Saint, Alphonsus Ligouri https://southernorderspage.blogspot.com/2025/08/pope-leo-recommends-moral.html 3) Birthright citizenship is much more complex than media wants you to believe https://www.returntoorder.org/2025/08/birthright-citizenship-is-much-more-complex-than-the-media-wants-you-to-believe/ 4) United States: Conversions to Catholicism at highest level in 20 years https://fsspx.news/en/news/united-states-conversions-catholicism-highest-level-20-years-54011

This week, I'm back in Bergen, Norway, for a captivating three-part conversation with Svartalv from Gehenna. I caught up with him before and after the band's epic return to the stage at this year's Beyond The Gates festival. Along the way, we dive into his personal journey back to the band, the future of Nocturnal Breed, his other projects, and much more.   On the Weekly News Rant, Marco from Stellar Master Elite joins me to round up the latest singles from 1914, Der Weg Einer Freiheit, Testament, and Tombs for judgment . PLUS: Conspiracy X is back with their new EP, "Ground Zero," and an exclusive Premiere on The Sphere!   Please support the bands featured on this episode: Gehenna: https://gehennadarknessshallrise.bandcamp.com Conspiracy X: https://conspiracyx.bandcamp.com/    Slagmaur: https://www.facebook.com/slagmaurofficial     Subscribe for weekly black and death metal interviews, news rants, and track reviews! Follow me on X, Instagram and Facebook, and check out the other podcasts by the Horsemen Of the Podcasting Apocalypse:  Horrorwolf 666, Iblis Manifestations, Everything Went Black, Necromaniacs and The Sol Nox Podcast. Thumbnail Credit:  The Almighty NECROSHORNS (https://www.instagram.com/necroshorns/)

Sing to the LORD a new song of praise in the assembly of the faithful. Let Israel be glad in their maker, let the children of Zion rejoice in their king. The Lord takes delight in his people.A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 23:13-22, today's readings).“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves.”Out of frustration but also out of love for the Father and those who hear him, Jesus criticizes the scribes and Pharisees for obstructing themselves and others from the path to God. “You do not enter [the Kingdom of heaven] yourselves,” Jesus says, “nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.” Jesus points out that these “blind guides” swear by the gold of the temple and the gift on the altar and believe that makes them obligated—all while neglecting to recognize what makes the temple and altar that make these things sacred. Jesus directs the gaze of the scribes and Pharisees beyond the constricting rituals that produce children of Gehenna to the perfect love and mercy of the Father enthroned in heaven and incarnate in his Son.Father in heaven, redirect my gaze to you when I get caught up in hierarchies and orders of things that end up only keeping me from you. Let me hear the invitation to stay close to your Son, as I hear in the Gospel acclamation: “My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.” As Jesus says, one is not obligated to or by the gold of the temple or the gift on the altar but by you who make all that is sacred. Give me the grace, Lord, to look to you and you alone and not what surrounds you, to go to you where I find you truly present—body and blood, soul and divinity—in the Eucharist.Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Welcome to Gehenna: It's Like Hell, but With Worse Real Estate and More Bureaucracy” Announcement: Missed an episode? Repent your sins and redeem yourself on YouTube, where archived episodes of The RPGBOT.Podcast are now available for your listening pleasure. Come for the laughs, stay for the existential dread. Show Notes – Episode Title: “Gehenna: Evil Slopes and Infernal Bureaucracy” Summary: In this infernal episode of the RPGBOT.Podcast, the hosts return from Gen Con only to plummet straight into the burning basalt slopes of Gehenna—a plane so depressing it makes the Shadowfell look like Disneyland. They dive into the lore of the plane's inhospitable geography, wildly impractical city design, and the kinds of inhabitants that only a sadistic game designer could love. Along the way, we meet Nymicry (a city that wants to eat you), the Tower of Arcana (where bureaucracy is tattooed into your skin), and the city of Portent (built on a corpse, because why not). The hosts explore the goddess of torture, debate whether the Rogue class needs therapy or just a rebrand, and try to answer the ultimate question: “Why would anyone go to Gehenna… on purpose?” 2014 Dungeon Master's Guide (affiliate link) 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide (affiliate link) Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes (affiliate link) Forgotten Realms Wiki - Gehenna Ghengis Sean  RPGBOT.Podcast Episodes The Abyss Archeron Arcadia The Beastlands Bytopia Carceri Celestia The Ethereal Plane The Feywild Hell Part 1 Hell Part 2 Limbo Mechanus Pandemonium The Shadowfell Key Takeaways: Gehenna is the DMV of the multiverse—agonizingly slow, unbearably hostile, and absolutely full of paperwork. Gen Con was great! Unlike Gehenna, which is a hostile volcanic rockslide with a bad attitude. Every layer of Gehenna slopes downward, because gravity hates you too. Nymicry is a mimic the size of a city, proving once again that your GM can be too creative. The Tower of Arcana is where contracts are etched into skin, because parchment is for cowards. Portent is a yugoloth-shaped city with a throne that whispers spoilers into your ear. The only native species are bar guests, who seem suspiciously like people who got stuck at Gen Con after dark. Leviatar, the goddess of torture, rules with cruelty and creativity—think “Hellraiser meets HR onboarding.” Torch is a city where crime is a feature, not a bug. Bonus: there's a blood swamp. Rogues are cool, but maybe need a PR team—they're mechanically solid but struggle to stand out. Gehenna is full of flavor, if your flavor is emotional suffering and lava. At RPGBOT.net and The RPGBOT.Podcast, our brains are made of real meat. We are not the fever dream of a rogue algorithm trying to understand humor. We are, tragically, real people—with dice in one hand and sarcasm in the other. RPGBOT: It's Soylent Green for the RPG crowd—made from actual humans, not generative AI. Want more planar deep-dives, class analysis, and volcanic despair? Visit RPGBOT.net for guides, breakdowns, and the kind of nerdy brilliance that even Gehenna can't melt. If you enjoy the show, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. It's a quick, free way to support the podcast, and helps us reach new listeners. If you love the show, consider joining us on Patreon, where backers at the $5 and above tiers get ad free access to RPGBOT.net and the RPGBOT.Podcast, can chat directly to members of the RPGBOT team and community on the RPGBOT.Discord, and can join us for live-streamed recordings. Support us on Amazon.com when you purchase products recommended in the show at the following link: https://amzn.to/3NwElxQ Meet the Hosts: Tyler Kamstra – The tactical mind behind RPGBOT.net, Tyler sees the Pathfinder action economy like Neo sees the Matrix. Randall James – Technologist, lore enthusiast, and fully prepared to duel Peter Jackson over which LotR edition reigns supreme. Ash Ely – Resident cynic, chaos agent, and AI's worst nightmare. Fueled by sarcasm and sweet, sweet table-flipping energy. How to Find Us: In-depth articles, guides, handbooks, reviews, news on Tabletop Role Playing at RPGBOT.net Tyler Kamstra BlueSky: @rpgbot.net TikTok: @RPGBOTDOTNET Ash Ely Professional Game Master on StartPlaying.Games BlueSky: @GravenAshes YouTube: @ashravenmedia Randall James BlueSky: @GrimoireRPG Amateurjack.com Read Melancon: A Grimoire Tale (affiliate link) Producer Dan @Lzr_illuminati

Welcome to Gehenna: It's Like Hell, but With Worse Real Estate and More Bureaucracy” Announcement: Missed an episode? Repent your sins and redeem yourself on YouTube, where archived episodes of The RPGBOT.Podcast are now available for your listening pleasure. Come for the laughs, stay for the existential dread. Show Notes – Episode Title: “Gehenna: Evil Slopes and Infernal Bureaucracy” Summary: In this infernal episode of the RPGBOT.Podcast, the hosts return from Gen Con only to plummet straight into the burning basalt slopes of Gehenna—a plane so depressing it makes the Shadowfell look like Disneyland. They dive into the lore of the plane's inhospitable geography, wildly impractical city design, and the kinds of inhabitants that only a sadistic game designer could love. Along the way, we meet Nymicry (a city that wants to eat you), the Tower of Arcana (where bureaucracy is tattooed into your skin), and the city of Portent (built on a corpse, because why not). The hosts explore the goddess of torture, debate whether the Rogue class needs therapy or just a rebrand, and try to answer the ultimate question: “Why would anyone go to Gehenna… on purpose?” 2014 Dungeon Master's Guide (affiliate link) 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide (affiliate link) Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes (affiliate link) Forgotten Realms Wiki - Gehenna Ghengis Sean  RPGBOT.Podcast Episodes The Abyss Archeron Arcadia The Beastlands Bytopia Carceri Celestia The Ethereal Plane The Feywild Hell Part 1 Hell Part 2 Limbo Mechanus Pandemonium The Shadowfell Key Takeaways: Gehenna is the DMV of the multiverse—agonizingly slow, unbearably hostile, and absolutely full of paperwork. Gen Con was great! Unlike Gehenna, which is a hostile volcanic rockslide with a bad attitude. Every layer of Gehenna slopes downward, because gravity hates you too. Nymicry is a mimic the size of a city, proving once again that your GM can be too creative. The Tower of Arcana is where contracts are etched into skin, because parchment is for cowards. Portent is a yugoloth-shaped city with a throne that whispers spoilers into your ear. The only native species are bar guests, who seem suspiciously like people who got stuck at Gen Con after dark. Leviatar, the goddess of torture, rules with cruelty and creativity—think “Hellraiser meets HR onboarding.” Torch is a city where crime is a feature, not a bug. Bonus: there's a blood swamp. Rogues are cool, but maybe need a PR team—they're mechanically solid but struggle to stand out. Gehenna is full of flavor, if your flavor is emotional suffering and lava. At RPGBOT.net and The RPGBOT.Podcast, our brains are made of real meat. We are not the fever dream of a rogue algorithm trying to understand humor. We are, tragically, real people—with dice in one hand and sarcasm in the other. RPGBOT: It's Soylent Green for the RPG crowd—made from actual humans, not generative AI. Want more planar deep-dives, class analysis, and volcanic despair? Visit RPGBOT.net for guides, breakdowns, and the kind of nerdy brilliance that even Gehenna can't melt. If you enjoy the show, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. It's a quick, free way to support the podcast, and helps us reach new listeners. If you love the show, consider joining us on Patreon, where backers at the $5 and above tiers get ad free access to RPGBOT.net and the RPGBOT.Podcast, can chat directly to members of the RPGBOT team and community on the RPGBOT.Discord, and can join us for live-streamed recordings. Support us on Amazon.com when you purchase products recommended in the show at the following link: https://amzn.to/3NwElxQ Meet the Hosts: Tyler Kamstra – The tactical mind behind RPGBOT.net, Tyler sees the Pathfinder action economy like Neo sees the Matrix. Randall James – Technologist, lore enthusiast, and fully prepared to duel Peter Jackson over which LotR edition reigns supreme. Ash Ely – Resident cynic, chaos agent, and AI's worst nightmare. Fueled by sarcasm and sweet, sweet table-flipping energy. How to Find Us: In-depth articles, guides, handbooks, reviews, news on Tabletop Role Playing at RPGBOT.net Tyler Kamstra BlueSky: @rpgbot.net TikTok: @RPGBOTDOTNET Ash Ely Professional Game Master on StartPlaying.Games BlueSky: @GravenAshes YouTube: @ashravenmedia Randall James BlueSky: @GrimoireRPG Amateurjack.com Read Melancon: A Grimoire Tale (affiliate link) Producer Dan @Lzr_illuminati

Support us - become a CTC Partner: https://crosstocrown.org/partners/Featured playlist: The Church (That Meets in My Home) — https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5Yobt1jZDd9Zzn8Ufa-BNciyYv04Cl6mMy books:Exalted: Putting Jesus in His Place — https://www.amazon.com/Exalted-Putting-Jesus-His-Place/dp/0985118709/ref=tmm_pap_title_0God's Design for Marriage (Married Edition) — https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Design-Marriage-Married-Amazing/dp/0998786306/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1493422125&sr=1-4&keywords=god%27s+design+for+marriageGod's Design for Marriage (Pre-married Edition) — https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Design-Marriage-What-Before/dp/0985118725/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_topcrosstocrown.org@DougGoodin

Beyond the Gates 2025, held from July 30 to August 2 in Bergen, Norway, was a must-visit for metal fans. This iconic festival, set across historic venues like Grieghallen and USF Verftet, delivered a killer lineup with King Diamond's first Norwegian show in 19 years, Paradise Lost, Misthyrming and more. Featuring 18 bands making their festival debut and epic sets like Gehenna's original lineup and Abbath tearing through Immortal's discography, it was a diverse celebration of black, death, and heavy metal. Fresh from Bergen, here's my review of the thirteenth edition of Norway's legendary festival.   Thumbnail credit: The ALMIGHTY Necroshorns (https://www.instagram.com/necroshorns/)

A Sermon for the Sixth Sunday after Trinity St. Matthew 5:20-26 by William Klock In last Sunday's Gospel we were with Jesus and Peter in that fishing boat as Jesus preached to the crowd on the shore.  I said that I had a pretty good ides the sorts of things Jesus was preaching, because both Matthew and Luke preserve versions of his favourite sermon about the kingdom.  Today's Gospel gives us a snippet of Matthew's version of that sermon.  In Matthew 5:20 Jesus says to the gathered crowd, “I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”  In the words leading up to this, Jesus was preparing the people to hear this.  He talks about being the salt of the earth and the light of the world and a city set on hill and a light held high on a lampstand for everyone to see.  “That's how you must shine your light in front of people!” he says, “Then they'll see what wonderful things you do, and they'll give glory to your father in heaven.”  Do your works, does you the way you live make people take notice and give glory to God?  That's a tough one, isn't it?  And then, just in case people might be thinking that Jesus came to do away with the law and the prophets: “Don't suppose that I came to destroy the law or the prophets,” Jesus said, “I didn't come to destroy them.  I came to fulfil them!  I'm telling you the truth: until heaven and earth disappear—and since that won't happen this just means never—not one stroke, not one dot, is going to disappear from the law until it's all come true.  So anyone who relaxes a single one of these commandments, even the little ones, and teaches that to people, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.  And anyone who does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”  And this is where Jesus says those words, “Yes, let me tell you: unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.”   Because Jesus was doing and saying so many things that a lot of people thought weren't right, I suspect some people thought that Jesus was teaching an easier way to the kingdom.  The Pharisees were mad because he didn't seem to keep the law with the same zeal that they thought everyone should, but I suspect there were others who thought Jesus was offering them a way to God without all the spiritual rigor and rules.  Just this week I found myself talking to someone who had left an orthodox, biblical church a few years ago and is now worshipping at a United Church.  The reason: “They aren't so strict.  They let people be themselves.  They aren't so bound to the Bible.”  In other words: The United Church offers a way to God that you can follow on your own terms.  I suspect some people thought Jesus was doing a sort of First Century Jewish version of that.  And so Jesus makes it clear that this is not the case.  No, just the opposite in fact.  Not even the Pharisees with all their zeal for torah, not even they meet the standard.  Later in the sermon he'll go on to talk about the wide and narrow way that will lead Israel to destruction and the narrow gate that few can find and the narrow and difficult way beyond that leads to the kingdom.  No, Jesus hasn't come to relax the standard.  Not at all. But before we can go on we need to ask a couple of questions.  When Jesus talks about “righteousness”, what does he mean?  Well, for the Jews “righteousness” was bound up with torah, with the law and with God's covenant.  A righteous person was someone who was faithful to God and to the covenant and that meant, fundamentally, that he was faithful in living the law that God had given his people. The name “Pharisee” means “separated one”.  That's what Israel was supposed to be.  The Lord had delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt to be his people and he gave them a law, he gave them torah, as a way of life that would separate them and that would make them distinct from every other people on earth.  When the nations looked at Israel they were supposed to be moved to give glory to God.  But for most of their history, the Israelites didn't do a very good job of being that separate and distinct people.  They were selective in their obedience.  They worshipped idols.  And so just as he cast Adam and Eve out of the garden and out of his holy presence, the Lord cast out Israel and sent her in exile to Babylon.  Righteousness means “covenant faithfulness” and if Israel wasn't going to be faithful to the covenant, then in order to be faithful himself to the covenant, the Lord would have enact the covenant curses that he promised would befall his people if they didn't keep their end of the covenant—if they were unrighteous. As I've said before fairly recently, the Pharisees knew all of this.  More than that, they believed that the exile was, after a fashion, still ongoing.  Because Israel was still ruled by pagans and because the Lord's presence had never returned to the temple.  They desperately wanted an end to Roman rule and even more than that, they prayed for the Lord's return.  But that wasn't going to happen as long as Israel was still unfaithful—still lacking in righteousness.  So the Pharisees decided to set an example.  They weren't just going to obey the law as best they could; they were going to live their whole lives as if they were priests in the temple.  They wouldn't just keep themselves from sin.  They'd keep themselves ritually pure at all times.  They were ready for the Lord to return.  If only they could get everyone in Israel just as ready!  But not everyone in Israel was as interested in righteousness as they were.  There were a lot of people who just weren't as serious about God's law as they were.  But worse were the compromisers—the Jews who gradually assimilated to the pagan ways of the Greeks and Romans and the people who willingly and knowingly became traitors to the covenant: tax collectors and sinners. Think of it this way: The Pharisees saw themselves in the midst of a culture war.  And they knew it wasn't the first time Israel had faced a culture war.  And so their heroes were the righteous men of Israel's past culture wars.  One of those heroes was Phinehas, one of Aaron's grandsons.  In the book of Numbers we read how Balak, the King of Moab, had hired a prophet to curse the Israelites.  But the prophet, Balaam couldn't do it.  Every time he opened his mouth to curse the Israelites, the Lord caused blessings to spill out.  So Balak, instead, sent a bunch of beautiful Moabite women to infiltrate the Israelite camp and to entice the men of Israel to worship the Canaanite god Baal with them.  Isreal's first culture war.  The men were enticed into sexual immorality and then into idolatry—those two always go hand-in-hand.  But Phinehas, came upon one of the Israelite men in flagrante delicto with one of these women.  Filled with holy zeal, Phinehas grabbed a spear and ran them both through together.  That was the end of Israel's first culture war and Phinehas became a hero for his righteous zeal. But much more recently, the Pharisees looked back on the heroes of the Maccabean Revolt—about 160 years before.  In those days Judah was ruled by Greeks.  And the Greeks just sort of thought that because their culture was so superior to everyone else's, everyone would just assimilate given the chance.  Think of Gus in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.  “There are two kinds of people: Greeks and everyone who wish they was Greek.”  But no matter how many temples or gymnasiums the Greeks built, the Jews wouldn't assimilate.  Antiochus IV Epiphanes had enough of it and finally outlawed the law.  If you circumcised your son, you and he would be executed.  He defiled the Lord's altar by sacrificing a pig on it.  In Second Maccabees we read a horrific story of seven brothers and their mother who were tortured and gruesomely martyred when they refused to eat pork.  Jews were forced to offer sacrifices to Zeus.  Mattathias Maccabeus was watching as one Jewish man caved into that pressure.  The writer of First Maccabees tells us how Mattathias burned with zeal for the law, just like Phinehas had.  He ran forward and killed the man at the altar, then turned and killed the King's soldier.  That would kick off a revolt against the pagan Greeks.  But the Maccabean revolutionaries didn't just go after their foreign rulers; like Mattathias they went after compromising Jews as well. They were the inspiration for the Pharisees.  The Pharisees didn't have that kind of power.  They couldn't force anyone to keep the law or to keep it better.  But they had the same kind of zeal.  They desperately wanted, they prayed for the Lord to return to Zion to destroy the Romans and all the other unrighteous pagans—and all the compromisers like the tax collectors and sinners in Israel, too. And—getting back to Jesus peaching on the hillside—and Jesus now says that even that kind of zeal, that kind of righteousness isn't enough to get folks into the kingdom.  In other words, to the people who were coming to Jesus thinking he was making it easier—kind of like some modern liberal spirituality that you can shape to your own liking—Jesus says, “No.  I didn't come to make it easier.”  But then he condemns even the Pharisees.  They were the most righteous people around and even they weren't going to make the cut.  So what now?  Imagine all the people holding their breath to hear what Jesus is going to say next.  They really, really want to know.  Before he ever started preaching, they'd seen him doing all the Messiah things: casting out demons, healing the sick and the blind and the deaf.  They knew without a doubt that the God of Israel was somehow acting in and through Jesus, so they had to think that when he preached, he preached with authority and he spoke for God.  He's got their attention now.  Now they want to know what it means to be more righteous than even the Pharisees. So Jesus goes on and says, “You have heard it said to the people of old, ‘You shall not murder'; and anyone who commits murder shall be liable to judgement.  But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgement; anyone who insults his brother with foul and abusive language will be liable to the lawcourt; and anyone who says, ‘You fool,' will be liable to the fires of Gehenna.”   And Jesus keeps going on like this.  If we skip down to 5:27—picking up just were today's Gospel ends—Jesus says something similar about adultery.  “You have heard it said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.'  But I say to you: everyone who gazes at a woman in order to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”  On and on.  Divorce falls in Jesus sites too: Divorce is wrong.  Marriage is a life-long covenant.  Tell the truth, he says, and you won't need to make oaths for people to believe you.  The law commanded justice and put limits on retaliation, but Jesus says, “Don't resist evil with violence”, “turn the other cheek”.  “When someone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat, too.  When someone forces you to go one mile, go a second one with him.”  And in verse 43 Jesus puts a cherry on top of all this.  They knew that the law was about loving your neighbour, but then they got the idea that the only people who were their neighbours were their fellow Jews.  Love your neighbours, yes, but hate your enemies—people like the Romans, the tax collectors, and the sinners who openly rejected God's law and covenant.  Love your neighbours.  Pray for God to smite your enemies.  And Jesus says, “No!  I tell you: love your enemies!  Pray for people who persecute you!”  Why?  “So that you may be sons [and daughters] of your Father in heaven.”   Do you want to have a share in the kingdom?  Do you want to be a child of the Father?  Do you want to know how to have a righteousness—a covenant faithfulness—greater than even the Pharisees?  Do want people to glorify God when they see how you live?  Then love the way that God loves.  That's what righteousness has always been about: it's been about a people that conforms to the heart of God.  Righteousness is about sinlessness, but it goes deeper than that and that's what the Pharisees and so many others in Israel had forgotten even though it was there all along: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and your neighbour as yourself.” Brothers and Sisters, this is what kingdom people look like in a culture war.  They love the way God loves.  This is the narrow gate, this is the difficult path that leads to the kingdom and life with God.  It's hard.  All we have to do is look around us.  Things haven't changed much since Jesus preached this two thousand years ago.  We're in the middle of a war ourselves and it seems like Christians are prone to the same two failures.  There's a ditch on either side of the road.  You fall into the ditch on this side when you give in and compromise.  Whether it's the Judeans who went along with the Greeks, leaving their sons uncircumcised, eating pork, and making offerings to Zeus or the Christians today who give up and buy into the pagan world's notion that love is whatever you make it, anything goes, and we can all live and fellowship with God on our own terms.  Brothers and Sisters, compromise with a godless and anti-gospel culture isn't the way.  Jesus didn't come to make it easier to get into the kingdom, but there are a lot of people and churches today who think that the answer to the culture and to dwindling interest in the gospel is to lower the bar and to make it easier to think of yourself as a Christian.  Appealing to the cultural moment might get you a few followers in the short term, but it will land you in the outer darkness, weeping and gnashing your teeth just as surely as the opposite error will. The opposite error—the ditch on the other side of the road—is Phariseeism.  And that happens when we forget that the gospel wins not through violence and force but when Christians love the way that God loves.  Brothers and Sisters, no amount of compelling, force, violence, or political power will ever move the heart of an unbeliever to give glory to God because of what they see in us.  But in the midst of a culture war it's very easy for God's people to think that seizing the reigns of power is the answer.  We'll do anything, compromise just about anything, team up with just about anyone no matter how ungodly they are, to get our hands on that power.  And we can do it all with a zealousness like that of Phinehas or Mattathias that feels so right.  We try to meld Caesar and Jesus together, forgetting that Caesars bloody and violent way is the opposite of the gospel, which conquers through love.  You can't trust in Jesus and at the same trust in horses and chariots.  You can't trust in Jesus and at the same time trust in political power.  Jesus demands our allegiance and our trust—all of it and without compromise.  And it's when we give him that full allegiance that we have the loving heart of God.  It's when we're willing to follow Jesus as we turn the other cheek, as we give both our shirt and our coat, as we go the extra mile, even as we go to our own deaths, it's then that world takes notice and give glory to God.  That's how the gospel captivates hearts and transforms the world. Brothers and Sisters, that's the narrow gate and the difficult path.  Don't give up on righteousness when the going gets tough.  And never forget that law is ultimately about loving God and loving our neighbours—everyone—the way God loves them—enough to give his own son.  Love them as God does—even your worst enemy—even to point of sacrifice.  That's how God once captivated your heart and it's how he will captivate theirs. Jesus stresses just how important this is.  Going back to the end of our Gospel in Matthew 5:23 he says, “So, if you are coming to the altar with your gift and there you remember that your brother has a grievance against you, leave your gift right there in front of the altar, and go first and be reconciled to your brother.  Then come back and offer your gift.”   We probably miss the significance of this.  To go to the temple in Jerusalem to make an offering to God was the peak of righteousness, of covenant faithfulness.  This took precedence over everything else.  No one.  No. one.  Would go to Jerusalem.  And remember, Jesus is preaching in Galilee, a three day's journey from Jerusalem.  No one would trek all that way, carrying their animal for sacrifice or buying one at an exorbitant price at the temple, wait their turn, and then standing there with the priest ready to make the sacrifice, suddenly realise they needed to go all the way back home to make something right with a brother or a sister.  Yes, I think Jesus is using a bit of hyperbole here, but he wants to drive his point home, because this is how people—especially the Pharisees thought.  If you were doing it for God, nothing else mattered.  Think of the priest and the Levite in Jesus' parable, leaving a man for dead on the side of the road lest they become ritually impure.  For all their talk of loving God, they'd forgotten just how much God loves us and they'd failed to live it out.  That's why they grumbled when Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners.  They'd forgotten that all of heaven rejoices over a sinner who repents. No, says Jesus.  Never think that you're honouring God if, at the same time, you're failing to love your neighbour the way God loves him.  Never think you're doing God's work if, at the same time, you've compromised his call to faith and to faithfulness.  Never think you're building the kingdom if, at the same time, you're compromising its principles.  Instead, stop what you're doing and make things right.  Go back and love your neighbour.  Reconcile and make things right with him.  Remember that you serve the God who gave his son out of love in order to reconcile sinful you to himself.  Have that kind of love in your heart and let it shape every thing you do. Brothers and Sisters, every Sunday we recite those words of Jesus: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, You shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”  Don't just mindlessly say those words.  Be shaped by them.  Love God and love your neighbour with everything you've got and then you will have that righteousness greater even than that of the scribes and the Pharisees. Let's pray: O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

On today's episode, we dive deep into the spiritual journey of Aaron Abke, a returning guest who has continually challenged and expanded our understanding of the divine, the scriptures, and the very fabric of our spiritual beliefs. Raised as a third-generation pastor's kid, Aaron's upbringing was steeped in evangelical Christianity, but his quest for truth led him down a path that diverged dramatically from his roots. This divergence was not born out of rebellion, but from a deep and sincere desire to understand the teachings of Jesus, which he felt had been obscured by centuries of dogma and distortion.Aaron's story is one of profound awakening. He began to question the very foundations of his faith during his time at Oral Roberts University, where he studied biblical hermeneutics, exegesis, and early church history.Through rigorous study, Aaron began to see contradictions between the teachings of Paul and the words of Jesus himself. This realization sparked a journey that would take him far beyond the confines of traditional Christianity, into the rich and diverse spiritual traditions of the East. “What if this is true, right? If you're a Christian listening to this, what if this is true, that your Master Jesus had his gospel distorted and changed over time and lost to time, and you've been following mostly a false gospel of his?” Aaron asks, challenging us to consider the possibility that the Jesus we know today may not be the true reflection of the historical figure who walked the earth.Aaron's exploration of Eastern philosophies, particularly Hinduism and Buddhism, opened his eyes to the universal truths that transcend religious boundaries. He found striking similarities between the teachings of Jesus and those of other spiritual masters, leading him to a deeper understanding of Jesus as an enlightened being, rather than merely the figurehead of a specific religion. “Jesus was an enlightened avatar, like so many of the other ones that have graced our planet,” Aaron explains. This realization led him to see the common threads that run through all major spiritual traditions—a truth that is universal and unchanging, despite the cultural and historical differences that shape how it is expressed.In this episode, Aaron delves into the concept of hell, a topic that has been used for centuries as a means of control and fear within religious institutions. He explains how the original Hebrew and Greek texts have been mistranslated, leading to the widespread belief in a literal hell as a place of eternal torment. “The word that Jesus used in every single reference was the word Gehenna, which was like the city garbage dump of the day,” Aaron clarifies. He challenges us to reconsider what we've been taught and to explore the true meanings behind these ancient texts. Aaron's insights reveal a Jesus who was more concerned with spiritual enlightenment and liberation than with enforcing rigid doctrines or instilling fear.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/next-level-soul-podcast-with-alex-ferrari--4858435/support.

There's something profoundly liberating about peeling back the layers of history and finding the raw, untamed wisdom beneath. On today's episode, we welcome Neil Douglas Klotz, a scholar and mystic whose journey into the Aramaic roots of Jesus's teachings unveils a radically different understanding of the man, his message, and the world he lived in.The Jesus many of us have encountered is a product of centuries of translation, political maneuvering, and cultural adaptation. The blue-eyed, English-speaking figure who stands at the center of Western Christianity is a far cry from the Aramaic-speaking mystic who roamed the hills of ancient Palestine. Neil Douglas Klotz takes us back to the beginning, to the words that Jesus actually spoke, words that vibrate with an entirely different rhythm than those found in the King James Bible. “If you read ‘spirit' in the New Testament,” he says, “just put ‘breath' over that word, because that's what the Aramaic also means.”It is in this forgotten wisdom that we find a Jesus who wasn't simply demanding belief but rather inviting participation.One of the most profound mistranslations, according to Klotz, is the oft-quoted phrase “believe in me.” In Aramaic, the more accurate translation is “believe like me.” This shifts the message entirely—Jesus wasn't asking for blind devotion but instead urging people to embody faith in the way he did, to step into the divine flow as he had.The Aramaic worldview, Klotz explains, did not divide existence into rigid dualities. There was no separation between body and soul, breath and spirit, heaven and earth. The kingdom of heaven, Jesus said, is not some far-off celestial domain but something “within and among” us. The words for “within” and “among” are the same in Aramaic—suggesting that the divine is not a place to go but a way to be, something alive in the interconnected web of existence.And what of hell? Another grand misunderstanding, says Klotz. Jesus never spoke of a fiery pit of eternal torment but rather referred to Gehenna, a literal burning trash heap outside of Jerusalem. The idea of an eternal damnation was a much later addition, a political tool used to control through fear. The Jesus of Aramaic tradition wasn't threatening souls with punishment—he was urging people to purify their burdens, to release what weighs them down, to transform their suffering rather than be consumed by it.Even the crucifixion, Klotz suggests, is layered in mystery and translation errors. The idea of Jesus returning, he argues, is not about a second coming in the clouds but rather about a recognition of Christ's presence in one another. “We will see Jesus in each other and in nature,” he says. “That's the Second Coming.” Perhaps the greatest tragedy of organized religion has been its insistence on externalizing the divine, when all along Jesus was saying: It's here, now, inside you.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/next-level-soul-podcast-with-alex-ferrari--4858435/support.

We continue with our discussion of the Gehenna War! We dig into war art, topics and issues that can come with using war as a theme at your table, and lots of JUICY JUICY lore.   Check it out!   https://www.patreon.com/BlankBodies http://blankbodies.com our theme is: Millions of Dead Cyborgs - Paralyze https://paralyzeevm.bandcamp.com/track/millions-of-dead-cyborgs Portions of the materials are the copyrights and trademarks of Paradox Interactive AB, and are used with permission. All rights reserved. For more information please visit worldofdarkness.com.

Gospel Matthew 10:24-33 Jesus said to his Apostles:  “No disciple is above his teacher, no slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, for the slave that he become like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household! “Therefore do not be afraid of them. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.” Reflection Jesus is warning his apostles about the encounters they will have. And if there is a house that has been run by an evil master, the people in that place will be evil. But he reminds them, don't be afraid of evil, because it always breeds itself in the hidden part of a place in darkness. And so Jesus is reminding his disciples that he will always help them proclaim the truth, and that the disciples should not be afraid of those who can't kill the soul, even though they can kill the body. And why would he give them that advice, unless you would also follow up with what he says? I am in love with you. You are valuable to me. Every hair on your head is counted. Don't be afraid. Just acknowledge me. Even though it is risky and it exposes evil. Closing Prayer There's always been evil in the world. And it's important not to be afraid of it. Because that gives it all the power it needs to rob us of the peace and the well being, that is a sign that we know we are loved and we are cared for. Convince us of this love of God for us, and never let us be afraid. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friends of the Rosary,In today's Gospel (Matthew 10:24-33), Jesus tells his Apostles:"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;rather, be afraid of the one who can destroyboth soul and body in Gehenna."Through the power of Christ, we are connected to the source of life, receiving all the unconditional love of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In this spiritual place, we are safe from the snares and attempts of the Evil One, who wants to devour our souls. The Prince of Darkness might kill our body, but not our eternal soul.Through our prayer, we ask for the grace to be protected from the assaults of Satan and our secular society, which is pushing us to the cliff of destruction.St. Peter, in his first letter (1 Peter 4:14), which we also read today, tells us:"If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you,for the Spirit of God rests upon you."Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• ⁠July 12, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Jesus said to his Apostles: “No disciple is above his teacher,no slave above his master.It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher,for the slave that he become like his master.If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul,how much more those of his household!“Therefore do not be afraid of them.Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed,nor secret that will not be known.What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light;what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;rather, be afraid of the one who can destroyboth soul and body in Gehenna.Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin?Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge.Even all the hairs of your head are counted.So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.Everyone who acknowledges me before othersI will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.But whoever denies me before others,I will deny before my heavenly Father.”

Visit our Patreon page to see the various tiers you can sign up for today to get in on the ground floor of AIPT Patreon. We hope to see you chatting with us on our Discord soon!NEWSRobert Kirkman and Dan Mora take the wheel on Transformers with issue #25Lee Bermejo kicks off 25 'Amazing Visions' variant cover series ending with #1000Marvel fleshes out 'Marvel Zombies: Red Band' due out September 2025Marvel's ultimate universe explodes in October 2025, and the Maker is backVault unveils ATHANASIA, a haunting superhero graphic novel from Daniel Kraus and DaniWerewolves clash with Vikings in Image Comics' new horror series 'Viking Moon'New series 'Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' launches October 2025Our Top Books of the WeekDave:Tramps of the Apocalypse #1 (Alice Darrow)Absolute Martian Manhunter #4 (Deniz Camp, Javier Rodriguez)Chris:​​News from the Fallout #1 (Chris Condon, Jeffrey Alan Love)Feral #14 (Tony Fleecs, Tone Rodriguez, and Trish Forstner)Standout KAPOW moment of the week:Chris: Green Arrow #25 - Chris Condon, MontosDave: Ultimate Spider-Man #18 (Jonathan Hickman, Marco Checchetto)TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEKChris: Gehenna: Naked Aggression #1 (Patrick Kindlon, Maurizio Rosenzweig)Dave: Captain America #1 (Chip Zdarsky, Valerio Schiti)JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.Dave:  Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe One Last Time #4 (Davide Paratore)Chris: Godzilla vs. Thor #1 (Aaron Kuder Main Cover)Interview: Ethan Parker and Griffin Sheridan, covering their upcoming Godzilla: Escape the Deadzone #1, Blink and You'll Miss It #1, and Bring on the Bad Guys: Green Goblin (July 02, 2025) - June 30thLet's start with Bring on the Bad Guys: Green Goblin — Norman Osborn is such a rich, terrifying character. What part of his history were you most excited to dig into, and what makes your take on the Goblin stand out?Norman's been a villain, a businessman, a politician, and sometimes even a twisted version of a hero. How do you approach writing a character who's constantly shifting between personas?Your Godzilla: Escape the Deadzone series introduces a walled-off wasteland, kaiju lore, and the myth of a half-man, half-kaiju survivor. How did you approach building suspense and worldbuilding in this isolated, almost post-apocalyptic setting?Writing Godzilla means balancing spectacle with humanity. What's your approach to telling grounded stories in the shadow of kaiju-level destruction?Now onto Blink and You'll Miss It — the tone and premise feel so personal and unique. How did this story come together, and what inspired you to tell a love story with a sci-fi twist?There's a big emotional core in Blink and You'll Miss It, but also some wild time-manipulation ideas. How did you balance the heart with the high-concept hook?You're juggling three very different projects — a Marvel villain origin, a giant monster epic, and a bittersweet romantic mini. How do you shift your mindset between such wildly different tones and genres?All three books deal with identity in some form — Norman's fractured psyche, a couple navigating time, and characters caught between humanity and monsters. Is that a theme you're consciously exploring across your work, or something that just naturally emerges?Fun one to wrap things up: If the Green Goblin got his own kaiju-sized glider and showed up in the Godzilla universe… how long would he last, and which monster would absolutely wreck him first?

In this episode, I sit down with Benjamin Guerry - guitarist, vocalist and founding member of The Great Old Ones - at Fortress Festival 2025 for a discussion of their latest album, “Kadath”, French black metal, his love of H.P. Lovecraft and his perspective on who reigns supreme as the greatest metal frontman of them all. Then, on the weekly news rant I give you my verdict on new singles by Lord Belial, Biohazard, Abigail Williams, Nailed to Obscurity, and Till Lindemann.  I also answer your questions, including my top 5 favourite releases of 2025 so far, my ideal retirement (!) and the albums I'm most looking forward to for the remainder of the year.  PLUS: the black metal album cover that's got every man, woman and their dogs' attention, and a follow-up to last week's comments about My Dying Bride.   Please support the bands featured on this clip The Great Old Ones: https://thegreatoldones.bandcamp.com/   Warhammer 666: https://warhammer666kult.bandcamp.com/  Gehenna:  https://gehennadarknessshallrise.bandcamp.com/      Subscribe for weekly black and death metal interviews, news rants, and track reviews! Follow me on X, Instagram and Facebook, and check out the other podcasts by the Horsemen Of the Podcasting Apocalypse:  Horrorwolf 666, Iblis Manifestations, Everything Went Black, Necromaniacs and The Sol Nox Podcast.

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Matthew 5:27-32 - Jesus said to His disciples: "You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna. "It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery." Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church Saint Anthony, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day DO NOT counterprotest this Saturday, 14 June 2025, at the 1,500 locations planned by the marxist leftists 2, 3, 4) Sam Shamoun on everything you ever wanted to know about Islam, Part 2

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Matthew 5:20-26 - Jesus said to His disciples: "I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven." You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny." Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2, 3) Father Juan Gutierrez on a miraculous healing that occurred to him 4) Leftist violence planned for the 14 June 2025 anti-ICE "We Don't Do Kings protests"

Gospel Matthew 5:27-32 Jesus said to his disciples: "You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna. "It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” Reflection This is one of those passages that talks about the difference between the law and being one who follows the law, or being someone who has the integrity of the law within their heart, and they don't have to worry about what the rules are, but they just simply know what they need to do. They understood it. That's the heart of this passage, I believe. If you have integrity, if you have the spirit in you animating you, you will do the right thing. Closing Prayer Father, we tend to lean upon our logic or our own capacity to make ourselves do what we're supposed to do. And that's not in any way, shape or form what God has established as his kingdom. We're transformed people, we're different, we are awakened to a reality that is now the heart of who we are. Bless us with this gift and we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jesus said to his disciples:"You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.But I say to you,everyone who looks at a woman with lusthas already committed adultery with her in his heart.If your right eye causes you to sin,tear it out and throw it away.It is better for you to lose one of your membersthan to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.And if your right hand causes you to sin,cut it off and throw it away.It is better for you to lose one of your membersthan to have your whole body go into Gehenna."It was also said,Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.But I say to you,whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful)causes her to commit adultery,and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

Read OnlineIf your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna. Matthew 5:29–30This imagery of tearing out your eye and cutting off your hand is clearly meant to get our attention. Though we can be certain that Jesus is not actually suggesting we mutilate our bodies, we should not hesitate to prayerfully ponder this imagery so as to understand the truths Jesus is speaking.Saint Augustine, in reflecting upon this passage, states: “By the eye we must understand our most cherished friend…” Augustine further points out that Jesus specifically mentions the “right eye” as a way of denoting those friendships that have a “higher degree of affection” (Serm. in Mont. i. 13.). Thus, although friendship—especially very close friendship—is a gift, sometimes those close to us can become a source of sin or an occasion of sin. In that case, they are not truly friends, and it might be better to limit or even end that relationship rather than to allow it to lead us into sin.Think about the people in your own life. Though we must love all people with the love of God, friendship is more than love. Friendship establishes a special bond with another and opens you up to their presence and influence in your life. When you establish a friendship, you allow another a certain influence in your life. When that influence is good, then the friendship produces much good fruit. But when that influence is evil, then that friendship becomes a danger to the good of your soul. In that case, it may need to be torn out or cut off so that you are not drawn into serious sin or even the occasion of sin.When a friend in your life becomes an occasion of sin to you, your love for them must remain, but it must also change. Love, in this case, may take on the form of a loving rebuke, a withdrawal of your own heart, or a limiting of your interactions. But this is love. By analogy, when a person sins against God, their relationship with God also changes. God withdraws His friendship. He is less present to the person, and their internal communion diminishes or even ends when the sin is serious. This is not a lack of love on God's part; it is simply the effect of sin. So also in our relations with another, when the grace of God is not mutually given and received between two people, then friendship in the truest sense is not possible. True friendship is always centered in God's grace and dependent upon it. Therefore, when God is excluded from a relationship, that relationship must change from a true friendship to a relationship that imitates God's love for a sinner. Mercy, compassion and forgiveness must continually be offered, but interior communion and unity will end. But this is love.Reflect, today, upon those in your life whom God has given you to love. First, reflect upon those relationships that do have God at the center. These relationships will become true friendships and will produce an abundance of good fruit in your life. Rejoice in these friendships and give thanks to God for them. Second, reflect upon any relationship that does not bear good fruit. As you do, prayerfully consider how you approach that relationship. Do you attempt to maintain a “friendship” even though God is not able to be the center of that relationship? If so, ponder how God is calling you to change that relationship so that it more fully reflects the love God has for you and for that other person in your life.My Lord and true Friend, I thank You for loving me with a perfect love. I pray that I will always be open to that love so that my unity with You will ever deepen. I also pray that I will be an instrument of Your love to others. Please give me the grace to love everyone in my life in the way that You love them, nothing less and nothing more. Jesus, I trust in You.Image:  El Salvador beneint by Lluís Ribes Mateu, license CC BY-NC 2.0Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Gospel Matthew 5:20-26 Jesus said to his disciples: "I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven. "You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” Reflection One of the ways in which I love to talk about the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, is that it is a kind of resonance, a kind of energy that flows out of us. And nothing is more clear in terms of the intention of Jesus that we enter into a kingdom called the kingdom of understanding and compassion and forgiveness. That we recognize one another as partners in this work, and that we all fail. And how wrong it is to start picking at each other and blaming each other for mistakes that are made and not understanding we all share the same human nature and the same struggles. Why call a brother a fool when all of us are at times foolish? Closing Prayer Father, you tell us over and over again that you can awaken in us an intention. And it overrides the common experience we have with one another when we are critical and judgmental and demeaning to one another because of weaknesses. Just give us the strength we need to be more honest and more real. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg trash-talks about Gehenna.  Episode 1275 Greg's new book: Inspired Imperfection Dan's new book: Confident Humility Send Questions To: Dan: @thatdankent Twitter: @reKnewOrg Facebook: ReKnew Email: askgregboyd@gmail.com Links: Greg's book:"Crucifixion of the Warrior God" Website: ReKnew.org  

Read Online“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna.” Matthew 5:21–22The passage quoted above gives us three deepening levels of sin that we commit against another. These sins were new teachings not contained in the Old Testament. By this teaching, Jesus' call to radical holiness and love of neighbor is made very clear.The first level of sin is simply to be “angry” interiorly. The sin of anger is an interior attitude of disgust toward another. Jesus says that the consequence of having anger toward another is that you will be “liable to judgment.” The second level of sin is when you say to another “Raqa.” This Aramaic word is difficult to translate but would include some form of expression of one's anger toward another. It would be a derogatory way of saying to another that they are unintelligent or inferior. The third level of sin Jesus identifies is when you call another “fool.” This word is an even stronger expression of Raqa and would be a verbal criticism of them, indicating that the person is a lost soul in a moral sense. It's a strong moral condemnation of another that is expressed.So, do you struggle with anger? Jesus' calling to freedom from all levels of this sin is a high one. There are many times in life when our passion of anger is stirred up for one reason or another, and that passion leads to one of these levels of sin. It's a common temptation to want to condemn another with whom you are angry in the strongest way possible. It's important to understand that this new teaching of Jesus is truly not a burden when understood and embraced. At first, it can seem that these laws of our Lord against anger are negative. That's because lashing out at another gives a false sense of satisfaction, and these commands of our Lord, in a sense, “rob” us of that satisfaction. It can be a depressing thought to think about the moral obligation to forgive to the point that disordered anger disappears. But is it depressing? Is this law of our Lord a burden?The deep truth is that what Jesus teaches us in this passage is, in many ways, more for our own good than that of others. Our anger toward another, be it interior, verbally critical or all-out condemning, can be hurtful toward the person with whom we are angry, but the damage these forms of anger do is far worse for us than them. Being angry, even interiorly, even if we put on a happy face, does great damage to our soul and our ability to be united to God. For that reason, it is not this new law of our Lord regarding anger that is the burden, it is the anger itself that is a heavy burden and a burden from which Jesus wants you free.Reflect, today, upon the sin of anger. As you do, try to see your disordered anger as the real enemy rather than the person with whom you are angry. Pray to our Lord to free you from this enemy of the soul and seek the freedom that He wants to bestow.My merciful Lord, You call us to perfect freedom from all that burdens us. Anger burdens us. Help me to see the burden that my anger imposes upon me and help me to seek true freedom through the act of forgiveness and reconciliation. Please forgive me, dear Lord, as I forgive all who have hurt me. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Fra Angelico, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Why do purgatory and hell exist? The Catechism teaches us today about the existence and the meaning of purgatory and hell. We learn that purgatory is a transitional state of purification while hell is the state of permanent separation from God. Fr. Mike reminds us that nobody drifts into heaven because “we cannot be united to God unless we freely choose to love him.” Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 1030-1037. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Listen to the FULL episode here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/128901088 Listeners sent us 49 pages of questions and comments—and in this bonus episode, we tackle some of the best. We explore whether Paul's theology rewrote the faith, how James and Paul define “salvation” differently, and why First Timothy might not even be Pauline. We also dive into whether Jesus really talked about hell more than heaven, what “saved through childbearing” could mean, and why Acts and Galatians paint two conflicting timelines of Paul's journey. Other highlights include: Did Paul influence the Gospels? Why doesn't Paul quote Jesus? Is Acts trying to legitimize Paul? What even is Gehenna, and should we rethink hell? Where do Nate and Shelby land with their own faith? Plus, an honest conversation about community, politics, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and how to live together with deep differences. Thoughts, questions, stories? Please email  contact@almostheretical.com Become a member and get: 1. Bonus episodes and aftershows 2. All full-length, ad-free episodes 3. Access to Heretical Together (our private community of 350+ listeners) Become a member: almostheretical.com/premium Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices