Over 60,000 People Every Year Get Adult Stem Cell Treatments, Embryonic Cells Help No One

An interesting story from www.lifenews.com about stem cell research. This follows this post about Texas's new abortion laws. For two very interesting books click HERE.
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Over 60,000 People Every Year Get Adult Stem Cell Treatments, Embryonic Cells Help No One

Home Posts   David Prentice, Ph.D.     Washington, DC

We are now just a little more than two weeks away from Christmas when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus and reflected on the wonder of God taking on the form of a human being, especially starting as a newborn baby born under humble circumstances.

But that human being didn’t start his earthly form at birth, but rather nine months earlier, as an embryo.
King David expresses it as “unformed substance” in verse 16 of Psalm 139, an apt description of our early embryonic morphology. The biological truth is that the existence of every new human organism did indeed begin at the formation of that first new organismal cell, the zygote, the combination of the egg and sperm. The lack of recognizable human structures, the unformed substance of our earliest existence, does not invalidate the humanity of our earliest stages of life.
Strange then that early human embryos, our most vulnerable stage of life and “the least of these” our fellow humans, have been targeted especially in recent years, as a source of stem cells that we were told would cure all known maladies. Yet the facts have been, and continue to be, obscured by proponents of embryonic stem cell research who are so eager to harvest stem cells from tiny humans they are blind to the truth that there are plentiful alternative sources.
Embryonic stem cells have been known to exist for decades and were studied for many years before being grown successfully in the lab. One initial point people must realize is that the isolation of human embryonic stem cells requires the destruction of a young human embryo, and often many embryos are destroyed before one successful cell culture is achieved.
And what of the “potential” for cures? After over 30 years, not very many mice have benefited from embryonic stem cell therapy, and to date there is no proven success with human embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are the least likely type of stem cell to help any patients. Their very nature—a tendency to incessant growth—means that they are much more likely to form a tumor than to form healthy tissue, and so embryonic stem cells risk the life and health of those who are injected with them.
Even some embryonic stem cell advocates are beginning to admit failure. The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, charged with spending $3 billion of state taxpayer dollars primarily for embryonic stem cell and human cloning research, has lately been funding mostly grants for non-embryonic stem cell research, hoping that they will have something to show for their expenditures which so far have yielded nothing from embryonic stem cells. Given the ethical taint of embryonic stem cell research, creating and destroying human life specifically for destruction, the trend away from embryonic stem cells is encouraging both for ethics as well as for practical needs of patients.
The new, ethical method of producing iPS cells (induced pluripotent stem cells) is also encouraging. The iPS cells are made by adding a few genes to a normal cell such as a skin cell, causing the normal cell to look and act like an embryonic stem cell, yet without use of embryos, eggs, or cloning technology. There is often confusion here. Even though iPS cells use an adult cell (not a stem cell) as the starting material, they are definitely not “adult stem cells,” but rather an ethically derived version of embryonic stem cells.
They can be made from any person, starting with almost any normal cell, and have already been used in the laboratory as models to study cell growth, differentiation, and the development and potential treatment of disease. For example, Israeli scientists have made iPS cells from heart patients, then turned the iPS cells into beating heart cells in the lab, to study heart disease.
Adult stem cells remain the gold standard among stem cells when it comes to helping patients. The first transplants, using whole bone marrow, were done decades ago, but it took many years before these transplants were accepted as therapeutic successes. It wasn’t until the 1990s that doctors began isolating human adult stem cells, rather than using bone marrow. Today, adult stem cell transplants remain the only successful use of stem cells for patients, as documented by hundreds of published, peer-reviewed scientific articles. Adult stem cells can be isolated from many different tissues, including bone marrow, blood, muscle, fat, and umbilical cord blood, and isolating the adult stem cells from tissues of a patient or a healthy donor does not require harming or destroying the adult stem cell donor. That gives adult stem cells a distinct ethical advantage over embryonic stem cells. Over 60,000 people around the globe are treated each year with adult stem cells, because adult stem cells have a proven record at saving lives and improving health.
Here are a few samples of adult stem cell advances in the last year.
Heart damage. Adult stem cells continue to pile up the evidence for their success at improving the health of damaged hearts. Repair of damaged heart muscle in patients has been documented both for new heart attack damage as well as for patients with chronic heart failure. Doctors at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles used adult stem cells from the hearts of the patients themselves, grown in the lab and then injected back into the patients’ own hearts. They found that the adult stem cells could re-grow damaged heart muscle and reduce scars in the heart tissue. Meanwhile Yale scientists used a young girl’s own bone marrow adult stem cells to grow heart tissue and blood vessels to repair the girl’s congenital heart problem. And doctors from the Texas Heart Institute in Houston presented evidence that adult stem cells from a patient’s own bone marrow could repair damaged areas of hearts suffering from severe heart failure, allowing the heart to increase its pumping capacity to deliver oxygenated blood to the body.
Muscle repair. Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have shown that adult stem cells from the muscle of young mice can improve the health and extend the life of aged mice. While this doesn’t mean that the cells are truly the fountain of youth, it highlights the possibility of using adult stem cells for muscle repair, as well as the ability eventually to isolate “rejuvenating factors” from adult stem cells in muscle or other tissues.
New windpipes. Italian Dr. Paolo Macchiarini, who is a visiting professor at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, continues to improve on his procedure to grow new windpipes for patients. Dr. Macchiarini has grown new trachea for at least eight patients, using the patient’s own adult stem cells from bone marrow to grow functional windpipes in patients with cancer or other tracheal problems. His most recent advance this year was using a synthetic substrate on which the adult stem cells are seeded, allowing them to grow and take the shape of a normal windpipe.
Grow your own transfusion. French scientists showed for the first time that a few adult stem cells from a patient could be used to grow enough red blood cells in the lab for a transfusion. The adult stem cells efficiently produced new cells that survived transfusion back into the patient’s body and functioned normally.
If you’d like to see a few examples of the success of adult stem cells, see the videos at stemcellresearchfacts.org. For the latest facts on adult stem cell transplants see lozierinstitute.org.

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Ecumenism bridges a major gap: The Virgin Mary

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about Mary. This follows this post about Pearl Harbor. This follows this post about Jesus Christ and Christmas. For a free magazine subscription or to get the books recommended for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.

World News and Trends

Ecumenism bridges a major gap: The Virgin Mary

 by Jerold Aust, John Ross Schroeder Estimated reading time: 1 minute

Some Protestants are now beginning to accept the Roman Catholic devotion to the Virgin Mary.

Some Anglicans are now beginning to accept the Roman Catholic devotion to the Virgin Mary. Wrote Stephen Bates, the religious affairs correspondent of The Times: “After nearly 500 years of intense division, Anglicans and Roman Catholic theologians yesterday decided that one of the two faiths' most fundamental differences—the position of Mary, the mother of Christ—should no longer divide them.”
A new document titled “Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ” was recently published in Seattle. It says: “We don't consider the practice of asking Mary and the saints to pray for us as communion dividing … We believe that there is no continuing theological reason for ecclesiastical division on these matters.” The Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission produced this document.
Historically, Protestants have normally had difficulty with the Catholic belief embodied in the idea of an Immaculate Conception, in essence meaning Mary was free from the stain of what theologians call original sin. Another stumbling block has been the Roman Catholic belief of her assumption into heaven, body and soul. Most Protestants have generally contended that there is no biblical basis for this religious belief.
Now at least one or two branches of Protestanism appear to be putting the goal of ecumenism before these and other differences—and perhaps gradually coming around to the Catholic way of thinking. To understand whether or not Mary is really in heaven, please request our free booklet Heaven and Hell: What Does the Bible Really Teach? (Source: The Guardian [London].)

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  Jerold Aust

  United Church of God Pastor

  Jerold Aust has served in the ministry for 45 years, as a public speaker for 51 years, a published writer for 31 years, and is employed by UCG’s Media and Communications Services. He is a Senior Writer, interviewer, and editor for The Good News Magazine and also teaches Speech Communication for UCG’s ministerial online program.

Black Lives Matter? 35% of Aborted Babies are Black Even Though Blacks are 13% of the Population

An interesting story from www.lifenews.com about Black abortions. This follows this post about Senate appointment procedures. This follows this post about Planned Parenthood's current plans. For two very interesting books click HERE.
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Black Lives Matter? 35% of Aborted Babies are Black Even Though Blacks are 13% of the Population

National   Steven Ertelt, Micaiah Bilger     Washington, DC

As LifeNews.com reported last week, a new Centers for Disease Control report shows good news across the country as abortions and abortion rates continue to drop to historic levels.

The CDC released its 2013 abortion surveillance report on Wednesday, showing a 5 percent drop in abortions from 2012 and a 20 percent drop since 2004. The CDC data, which is incomplete because the government does not require states to report abortion numbers, reported 664,435 abortions in 47 states in 2013. The abortion rate was 12.5 abortions per 1,000 women ages 15-44.

In comparison to 2012, the new data indicates that about 34,500 fewer babies lost their lives to abortion in 2013.

But the good news does not extend to the African-American Community. That’s because the percentage of abortions done on black babies continues to be at alarming levels. The new CDC report makes it clear that even though black Americans constitute just 13% of the US population 35% of the babies killed in abortions are black babies.

CNS News has more on the shocking percentages from the latest CDC report:

Although black Americans make up 13.3% of the U.S. population, they comprised 35% of the total abortions “reported” – 128,682 babies killed — in 2013, according to the latest Abortion Surveillance report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
That number, 128,682 black abortions, comes from only 29 reporting areas, according to the CDC. It does not include black abortions from the following states: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
According to the CDC, there were 664,435 abortions total – white, black, Hispanic, other — reported in 2013 from 49 reporting areas. But that number does not include abortions from California, Maryland and New Hampshire.
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For those abortions known by race, in addition to the 128,682 black babies killed, there were 134,814 white babies, or 37.3% of the total reporting. Whites make up 77.1% of the population, according to the Census Bureau.
For Hispanics, who comprise 17.6% of the U.S. population, there were 68,761 abortions reported, which was 19% of the total.

The Associated Press reports the CDC has not recorded a lower abortion rate since 1971, two years before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Roe v. Wade and its companion case Doe v. Bolton, which allowed for legalized abortion on demand through all nine months of pregnancy. In 1971, several states had legalized abortion; but it was not legal throughout the U.S.
Abortion rates have been dropping steadily in the past several years as pro-lifers worked to pass a historic number of pro-life laws in states across the country. Pregnancy resource centers and sidewalk counselors also have been playing an integral role, offering pregnant and parenting families resources and information to empower them to choose life for their unborn babies.

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about movies. This follows this post about music.  For a free magazine subscription or to get the books recommended for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.

Movies and the Culture Wars

 by Larry Greider Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

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A look back tells us clearly where today's movies are headed. Are they morphing—shape shifting—your values?

The 63rd Golden Globe Awards in January 2006 shocked some people with four awards validating director Ang Lee's movie Brokeback Mountain . Academy Award nominations followed, and this story about two homosexual cowboys received considerable media attention and promotion around the world. The movie attempts to warm the audience to a sensual relationship between two married men. These are not the cowboys of your parents' era.
My generation could hardly imagine John Wayne falling in love with another cowboy. I don't think it would have made Clint Eastwood's day either. Yet Hollywood producers try to convince us that we must lighten up. Cowboys used to be quintessentially masculine role models that spoke of a lifestyle that defined bedrock values including displaying men as leaders of traditional families.
Shaping our culture
There was a time when movies validated traditional Christian values rather than pushing the limits of what many thought to be appropriate. We have come a long way from the epic Civil War picture, Gone With the Wind, first shown on the big screen in late 1940. At the time this cinematic showpiece was accused of pushing the limits when Rhett Butler said a four-letter word and left his shirt unbuttoned. Many movie theaters boycotted this risqué rendition of Margaret Mitchell's tale of sacrifice and hardship during America's bloody Civil War.
The makers of movies and television shows have often been accused of moving society along a liberal path, all the while insisting that they just reflect the latest trends.
For Christians, this is another test of our bedrock values. Either we spot the slippery, moral slide, or we float slowly along with the murky current of change. At the end time, the Bible reveals that the state of mankind will become worse and not better. “But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:13 2 Timothy 3:13But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
American King James Version×).
A movie comparison
A good illustration of this remaking of American values is revealed in two different movies based on a similar script: Academy Award winners High Noon in 1952 and Unforgiven in 1992 .
Peter Gibbon, in his book A Call to Heroism , makes the case that people today have a different view of heroes and a different culture to evaluate them. He compares these two movies produced 40 years apart. In the earlier version, Gary Cooper won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of a U.S. marshal in High Noon. Forty years later, Unforgiven also won four Academy Awards including Best Picture.
High Noon opens in the morning sunshine with a wedding, while Unforgiven opens in the night rain in a brothel. High Noon starts with a kiss; Unforgiven with the slashing of a prostitute. Will Kane, the hero of High Noon , is a U.S. marshal; Will Munny, the hero of Unforgiven , was a reformed killer and alcoholic reduced to pig farming. High Noon was set in the town of Hadleyville; Unforgiven in a town called Big Whiskey whose sheriff, Little Bill, was a sadist.
High Noon ends with order restored. Unforgiven ends essentially as it opens–in the dark and rain, in sorrow and violence, with anarchy ascendant. High Noon was about physical bravery and moral courage, about overcoming fear and fatigue, about doing the right thing no matter what the cost. Unforgiven was about weakness and revenge (Peter Gibbon, A Call to Heroism : Renewing America's Vision of Greatness , pp. 144-145).
What's the message?
A day at the movies offers a titillating opportunity to experience the latest adventure with high-tech graphics and special effects, including dynamic digital sounds. But the most critical part of high profile entertainment is the message that is communicated. Movies have often been an accurate commentary of culture. Directors feel they are reflecting the world around them. Arguably, the film industry picks up on marginal themes and moods that often shape the attitudes of others.
More and more people use sensate imagery to form their values rather than the written Word of God that makes them think through a scenario and compare it with the moral laws given to mankind. Powerful images, especially those coupled with high technology, sound and glamour, can move the emotions and taunt the conscience. Are you wise enough to notice the subtle, and sometimes not-so-subtle, provocations?
A few days ago, my wife and daughter were watching a 1942 black-and-white film about famous baseball player Lou Gehrig, The Pride of the Yankees, with swelling big band sounds and formal clothing (men wore ties and ladies were in dresses). My initial inclination was to see what else was on (a bad habit of mine), but I soon realized this was not a cheap, old movie (starring Gary Cooper and Babe Ruth), but a touching tribute of courage, love and responsibility. I don't advocate that we go back to black-and-white Turner Classics, but audiences don't need crassness and vulgarity to entertain them. Good values can entertain and also inspire!
How to make a difference
The issue here is who defines values. Is it Hollywood or the Holy Bible? The way to make a difference is to boycott the type of material that degrades Christian values. There was a time when the majority of people recognized when something was outside acceptable bounds. The “bounds” seem to be moving more and more with some advocating that “bounds” are archaic.
The current interest in culture wars is encouraging, when we consider the number of people who feel some things in our culture have gone too far. But how far the entertainment industry will go largely depends on the next generations of ticket buyers. Patrons can vote with their wallets and decide what to put into their minds.
Perhaps there are a few people reading this who might want to make a few movies of their own, based on vertical themes that inspire and teach. How wonderful it would be to have access to good, wholesome entertainment that takes the high road of morality and virtue. The future belongs to our young adults. If you want to win the culture wars, speak up and make it clear what you want to see at the movies. VT

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What’s Planned Parenthood’s “Doomsday Plan” Under President Donald Trump?

An interesting story from www.lifenews.com about Planned Parenthood's current plans. This follows this post about an extreme abortion position. For two very interesting books click HERE.
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What’s Planned Parenthood’s “Doomsday Plan” Under President Donald Trump?

National  

Katie Yoder      Washington, DC

                                                                   

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MSNBC is predicting doom and gloom for Planned Parenthood’s future. It’s been a long time coming, though, considering that the abortion giant’s future depends on ending others’ futures.
During her MSNBC show Wednesday night, host Rachel Maddow invited Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards on as a guest. With Richards, Maddow focused on the “risk” to abortion and fretted about a “doomsday scenario” after Donald Trump’s win in the 2016 presidential election.
After reading a Planned Parenthood statement reacting to the election, Maddow worried about abortion groups’ emergency back-up plan. Earlier this year, Planned Parenthood endorsed Hillary Clinton for president, while Donald Trump boasted support from pro-life leaders.
“My question though is, for the people who work in this field of civil rights, for the people who work on reproductive rights under all the pressures they’ve been under all these years,” Maddow began, “is there a doomsday plan for a time like this?”
By “a time like this,” Maddow clarified she meant a time with “Mike Pence as vice president, the Republicans in control of the House, the Republicans in control of the Senate and a conservative majority, potentially a big one, on the Supreme Court.”
For an answer, Maddow turned to Richards.
“Am I right to ask about a doomsday plan?” Maddow pressed. “Do you see this as a doomsday scenario for reproductive rights?”
SIGN THE PETITION! Congress Must De-Fund Planned Parenthood Immediately

Richards responded by saying “our doors stay open.”
“Planned Parenthood’s been around for a hundred years,” she said, “and we’ve been fighting for the right to reproductive healthcare for that long.”
Maddow next asked about the 1973 Supreme Court case that legalized abortion in America. “Do you think that Roe vs. Wade is at risk?” she asked Richards.
“Absolutely,” Richards responded. “I mean, I think Roe vs. Wade was on the ballot in this election.”
If it was, it didn’t work in Planned Parenthood’s favor. But Richards didn’t dwell on that.
“Mr. Trump has said that in his acceptance speech that he was going to govern for all Americans,” she said. “I hope that includes women, because of course women overwhelmingly did not vote for him, particularly women of color.”
She did not admit, however, that white women “helped elect Donald Trump” – and that’s according the New York Times.
Richards went on to call Roe v. Wade the “right to safe and legal abortion.”
“And it is supported by people of all parties,” she said (it is also opposed by people of all parties, Ms. Richards). “So it is important, and we will absolutely be fighting for a justice of the Supreme Court who supports this right for women.”
Maddow burst her bubble: “I don’t think you will get a justice of the Supreme Court who will support this right for women.” But Maddow gave Richards a change to encourage abortion supporters in her next question.
“For people who want to recommit themselves to the things in this country that they can control that they think are good for the country, people who care a lot about what you’re saying about reproductive rights,” she asked, “what do you think people can do?”
Richards recommended Americans “join organizations and join movements that represent their – their point of view and their values.” For her, of course, that meant organizations like Planned Parenthood.
Her hope came from “young people” who are “overwhelmingly progressive.”
“[T]hey’re taking action and to me that’s where we’re investing in Planned Parenthood, is a whole new generation of folks who believe in LGBT rights, they believe in women’s rights, and civil rights and voting rights and criminal justice and immigrant rights,” she concluded.
An abortion giant “investing” in a “new generation” is downright ironic. Never mind boasting about protecting Americans’ rights – except for those of society’s most vulnerable: the unborn.
LifeNews Note: Katie Yoder writes for Newsbusters, where this originally appeared.

Message To Great Britain: No Membership Will Cost You

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about the Brexit vote. This follows this post about Iran. This follows this post about the immigration threat. For a free magazine subscription or to get the books recommended for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.

Message To Great Britain

No Membership Will Cost You

 by Darris McNeely 2 commentsListen Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

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Behind the Brexit vote is the historical reality and prophetic legacy of Europe's power structure. What does it mean for Britain and the EU moving forward?

Fred Mouniguet/Unspalsh

Great Britain's relationship to the EU has changed. Will the economic skyline of the UK be in peril? How will future events change Europe? [Photo: The Shard skyscraper in London]

It is startling to read a news item that directly reminds you of a Bible prophecy. Comments by Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel and by French President Francois Hollande about Great Britain’s new relationship with the EU after the Brexit vote are ominously close to such a statement in Revelation 13.
Revelation 13 describes a world super power that arises near the conclusion of this age. It is described as a “beast,” which is the biblical language for a large national power that dominates whole regions of the world. This political power is joined by a second “beast,” which performs great signs that deceive. It is this second beast that “causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or in their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the number of the beast, or the number of his name” (Revelation 13:16-17 Revelation 13:16-1716 And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
American King James Version×).

It appears a more determined Europe will emerge from this crisis—a power determined to push forward its stated course in today’s world.

Here is described an economic power that controls trade in goods and services on a global scale. It works in connection with a religious power. Historically, Europe is the seat of such a power. Today we are watching the EU struggle through the effect of Great Britain’s decision to pull out of the European Union after more than 40 years of membership. Last week’s vote shocked Europe. EU leaders are working out their anger, their concern and their uncertainty through contradictory public statements. No one seems to know the longterm effect Britain’s decision has.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande seem to have a firmer grasp of a future direction than most. After a meeting of EU heads of state they emphasized that full access to the market meant full membership and nothing less. Freedom to trade within the bloc accompanies acceptance of free movement of people within the bloc, a key reason Great Britain’s citizens voted to leave. “To access the internal market, [a country] must respect the four liberties: liberty of circulation of goods, of capital, of services and people,” President Hollande said. “It must also contribute to the EU budget, he said” (Wall Street Journal, Laurence Norman, Valentina Pop and Jenny Gross, “EU Leaders Warn U.K of Brexit Cost at Brussels Summit, July 29, 2016 “). Speaking to the German Parliament, Chancellor Merkel said, “We will ensure that negotiations won’t be conducted according to the principle of cherry-picking, those wanting to leave the family can’t expect all obligations to become obsolete while privileges would continue to exist” (ibid).
EU leaders are not in a mood to allow Britain to continue on as if nothing has changed. Great Britain’s relationship to the EU has changed. Its economic future is in peril. Its influence among the nations will diminish. It trading future with the world’s largest trading bloc will be altered. At present Europe is not looking benignly on Britain’s decision. Future events, even the aftermath of this dramatic event, will change how Europe sees itself. Europe is too big to fail and it will not see its global position eroded by Brexit or future crisis. It appears a more determined Europe will emerge from this crisis—a power determined to push forward its stated course in today’s world.
Revelation 13 describes a Europe-based global power that holds the world enthralled. It will dictate political, cultural, humanitarian and even religious standards to a world looking for order and security. We are seeing the rumblings of such a state in the headlines of this significant event.

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  Darris McNeely

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  Darris McNeely works at the United Church of God home office in Cincinnati, Ohio. He and his wife, Debbie, have served in the ministry for more than 43 years. They have two sons, who are both married, and four grandchildren. Darris is the Associate Media Producer for the Church. He also is a resident faculty member at the Ambassador Bible Center teaching Acts, Fundamentals of Belief and World News and Prophecy. He enjoys hunting, travel and reading and spending time with his grandchildren.

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about Hell. This follows this post about Jeroboam. For a free magazine subscription or to get the books recommended for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.

Who Will Go to Hell?

 by Gary Antion 3 comments Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

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What is hell? An indepth look at the true, Bibical meaning of hell.

It’s a word that few really understand, yet most people will go there. It is usually considered the location for the incorrigibly wicked. It might be used to express anger or frustration. It may be used as a destination to assign to those you do not like. However, the hell that is described in the pages of the Bible is a very real place. You may be surprised to learn who goes to that location!
Some Christians believe hell is the place for the souls of the wicked. Others think hell is a state of mind. Some don’t believe hell exists at all. As we’ll see, there are three hells described in the Bible. One of these is hot enough to consume the “soul.” We’ll also see that there is a hell for the fallen angels or demons.
Have you ever attended a funeral and been unsure of where the deceased was headed? Most preachers, out of kindness, do not assign a deceased person to hell. However, many in the audience may wonder about the deceased’s future considering his or her lack of genuine spirituality while alive.
What is hell? In the Bible the word hell is mentioned 54 times. It is translated from four different words. The only one in the Old Testament— sheol in the Hebrew—and one in the New Testament— hades in Greek—have the meaning of the grave, a pit or the abode of the dead. Sheol is the only word in the Old Testament from which hell is translated in the King James Version of the Bible. It is translated “hell” 31 times. Hades is translated “hell” 10 times in the New Testament.
In Psalms 6:5 Psalms 6:5For in death there is no remembrance of you: in the grave who shall give you thanks?
American King James Version×and 30:3 the psalmist speaks of sheol as the grave. Amos the prophet uses sheol to state that one may dig into “hell”—indicating the grave that was in the earth (Amos 9:2 Amos 9:2Though they dig into hell, there shall my hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, there will I bring them down:
American King James Version×, King James Version throughout). When Jonah was in the belly of the great fish (or whale as wrongly translated), he was said to be in “hell” (Jonah 2:2 Jonah 2:2And said, I cried by reason of my affliction to the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and you heard my voice.
American King James Version×). All of those words for hell are translated from the Hebrew word sheol .
We see in 1 Corinthians 15:55 1 Corinthians 15:55O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?
American King James Version×the word grave translated from hades . In the book of Acts, King David is said to have been in “hell.” Since David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14 1 Samuel 13:14But now your kingdom shall not continue: the LORD has sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be captain over his people, because you have not kept that which the LORD commanded you.
American King James Version×) and will rule with God in His Kingdom (Jeremiah 30:9 Jeremiah 30:9But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up to them.
American King James Version×), he would not have gone to the hell that is traditionally pictured for the incorrigibly wicked. Notice Acts 2:27 Acts 2:27Because you will not leave my soul in hell, neither will you suffer your Holy One to see corruption.
American King James Version×, 29 where David is in “hell” or the grave, but with the promise that he will not remain there forever. He will be resurrected from “hell” (hades) or the grave.
So, the first “hell” we’ve looked at is simply the grave—the place of the dead, both good and evil!
Another “hell” of the Bible is far hotter than the traditional view of hell. The second “hell” is translated from the Greek word gehenna and literally means the Valley of Hinnom, a place outside Jerusalem where trash was burned. Gehenna is also associated with fire and is called hell fire (Matthew 5:22 Matthew 5:22But I say to you, That whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whoever shall say, You fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
American King James Version×) or the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15 Revelation 20:15And whoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
American King James Version×).
This second “hell” is a place where the incorrigible will be sent as a final punishment after the last judgment. If they have deliberately turned from God, they will be resurrected and cast into gehenna (hell) and burned completely (see Revelation 20:14 Revelation 20:14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
American King James Version×and Malachi 4:1-3 Malachi 4:1-31 For, behold, the day comes, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yes, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that comes shall burn them up, said the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But to you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and you shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 3 And you shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, said the LORD of hosts.
American King James Version×, which describes the wicked as ashes under the feet of the righteous). God will destroy all those who deliberately refuse to submit to Him once they know Him.
The third “hell” refers to the restraint of the demons. Tartaroo is used in only one place in the Bible (2 Peter 2:4 2 Peter 2:4For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved to judgment;
American King James Version×) and is used only in reference to the demons being chained or restrained until the time of their judgment by God.
The concept of heaven and hell in traditional Christianity heavily depends on the doctrine of the immortality of the soul. Yet, in the Bible, the phrase immortal soul is nowhere to be found.
On the contrary, the word soul is translated from the Hebrew and Greek words nephesh and psuche , which mean “life.” Animals are called nephesh , and nephesh (whether human or animal) can die (see Genesis 1:20 Genesis 1:20And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that has life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
American King James Version×, 24, where nephesh is translated “creature”; Ezekiel 18:4 Ezekiel 18:4Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sins, it shall die.
American King James Version×, 20; 22:27; Psalms 33:19 Psalms 33:19To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
American King James Version×). The psuche can also die as shown in Matthew 10:28 Matthew 10:28And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
American King James Version×and Revelation 16:3 Revelation 16:3And the second angel poured out his vial on the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.
American King James Version×.
So, we see that human beings will go to hell (the grave) when they die, but they will be resurrected from the grave. Some will be resurrected to eternal life and others to judgment. Those who have deliberately rejected God and His ways will be burned up in gehenna (hell) fire (Revelation 20:14 Revelation 20:14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
American King James Version×). The demons await the time of final judgment in yet another “hell”—tartaroo —their condition of imprisonment here on earth, restrained from venting their full fury on mankind and reserved to judgment at the end (Jude 6).
Thank God the day is coming when there will be no more death or sorrow (Revelation 21:4-5 Revelation 21:4-54 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said to me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
American King James Version×). At that time, there will no longer be a hell—the grave—for human beings.

God's plan Kingdom of God Heaven and Hell Difficult Scriptures Doctrinal Beliefs

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  Gary Antion

  Elder, United Church of God

  Gary Antion is a long-time minister, having served as a pastor in both the United States and Canada. He is also a certified counselor. Before his retirement in 2015, he was an instructor at Ambassador Bible College, where he had most recently also served as Coordinator.