Point Well Taken

Protestant "churches" are a lot like presidential suites in hotels. Despite what they're called, the president never actually stayed there. Thusly, despite the name "church", God isn't actually there.

- from Throne and Altar

On This Day

We remember the thousands killed by the Nazis with assistance from Ukrainian collaborators at Babi Yar ravine in Ukraine 64 years ago.

The Kommandos continued the liberation of the area from Jews and Communist elements. In the period covered by the report, the towns of Nikolayev and Kherson in particular were freed of Jews. Remaining officials there were appropriately treated. From September 16 to 30, 22,467 Jews and Communists were executed. Total number 35,782. Investigations again show that the high Communist officials everywhere have fled to safety. On the whole, leading partisans or leaders of sabotage detachments have been seized.

Einsatzgruppen Operational Situation Report USSR No. 101

Κύριε, ελέησον

Uniquely North Korean

North Korean students conduct a mass performance during the Arirang Festival in Pyongyang.
Photo: Lee Ock-hyun Yonhap/AP

The culture and art festival is part of two month festivities to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Workers' Party. Katolik Shinja has another photograph of the event.

Ah, the mass performances found in a communist country - bleak, hollow and yet strangely unique - have no equal in this world.

As Expected...

According to the SelectSmart.com Belief System Selector, my #1 belief match is Eastern Orthodox. What do you believe? Visit SelectSmart.com/RELIGION

Belief System Selector Results

Eastern Orthodox (100%)
Roman Catholic (100%)
Mainline – Conservative Protestant (86%)
Orthodox Quaker (80%)
Seventh Day Adventist (80%)
Mainline – Liberal Protestant (57%)
Orthodox Judaism (56%)
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) (54%)
Islam (50%)
Jehovah’s Witness (50%)
Hinduism (49%)
Liberal Quakers (37%)
Sikhism (37%)
Baha’i Faith (34%)
Jainism (28%)
Unitarian Universalism (28%)
Reform Judaism (28%)
Mahayana Buddhism (21%)
Theravada Buddhism (20%)
Christian Science (Church of Christ) (18%)
Neo-Pagan (11%)
Non-theist (11%)
Scientology (8%)
New Age (8%)
Secular Humanism (7%)
New Thought (5%)
Taoism (3%)

I'm rather surprised; finding Taoism occupying the bottom spot - I have always found its philosophy closer to my heart compared to the other faiths (excluding Christianity, Islam and Judaism).

Evangelism - As Camillus sees it

A rather insightful article by Camillus on the subject of evangelism and in particular street evangelism, posted almost seven months ago. This article has been slightly edited for the benefit of non-Catholics who read it.

"Evangelism"

Some people treat it just like a game. Somebody once said that I’ve scored 3 “kills” because I’ve brought 3 people to know about Christianity. Is this the attitude that we should have? Is it for personal glory amongst our Christian brothers and sisters? Do we receive a higher place in heaven when we die because of the “kills” we make?

I used to be from a free-denominational church. Over there, they taught us how to do street evangelism. What we would do - would be to spend 5 minutes with the person and try to share Christ with him. Well, can a person explain Christ in 5 minutes? Is our Lord so insignificant, that we can explain Him in 5 minutes? Instead of sharing Christ with others, we end up irritating them. I had a friend who was studying for his final exams, when some one approached him and asked him to spare 5 minutes of his time. Of course that friend agreed because it must have been rude to shoo him away. In the end, that evangelist took 45 minutes and in the end, my friend lost 45 minutes of his time to study for the paper.

Sometimes, I see street evangelists behave like insurance salesmen. Are we trying to sell Christ to others? I don’t see any sincerity in it. It’s like a "hi and bye" thing. Some are even so desperate to the point that they gather in groups to prey on people.

What should be the utmost importance is that we live our lives in goodness, so that we may be living examples of Christ in us. When we share of God’s goodness in our lives, we do it to encourage other Christians that God is with us. Sharing Christ with others in 5 minutes only works for people who have already been searching for God. What about those whom hearts have been hardened? It is our duty to soften hearts so that the spirit of God can touch them; and I feel that in order to do that, we have to live our lives to the fullest of the Gospel. It is through our actions, that people see the Gospel in us. We become the living Gospel. Love can soften hearts. Like in the workplace, offer help to others who need it. Be a good friend to others. Love your enemies. Pray for them. Do not take part in office politics. Not only will you make the office a better place to work in, but also, others will see Christ in you. Christ can change your life, so too, can He change the lives of others.

You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit
John 15:16

And because God chooses his people and calls them to Him, I believe that God will bring the ones He has chosen to you. I have brought people to church, but I didn’t share Christ with them. I was merely a road sign, pointing them to the Church.

- from Camillus’ blog

Evangelism - Prologue

Over the course of the next few days, I will attempt to discuss the sensitive topic of Christian evangelism.

Most of us have experienced it – it may come in the form of Jehovah’s Witnesses knocking on our doors on a Saturday morning or our friends inviting (sometimes even coercing) us to attend a service at their church. Some of us partake in what evangelicals call the Great Commission; i.e. to “go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Whatever the case may be, we have all been affected by Christian evangelism.

Given the rise of megachurches in Singapore as well as the increasing number of converts to their cause, I cannot idly sit by and watch as hapless youths are proselytised by the most unorthodox and underhand of means. Christian evangelism is no longer what it used to be – with trends like televangelism and street evangelism, it has reached levels no other religion on Earth can dream of.

Who can tell thy mighty works, O virgin saint?

For thou pourest forth miracles, and art a source of healings, and thou dost intercede for our souls, as the Theologian and the friend of Christ.

Kontakion (2nd tone)

The Falling Asleep of St. John the Evangelist and Theologian

He was called Theologian because he loftily expounded in his Gospel the theology of the inexpressible and eternal birth of the Son and Word of God the Father. It is for this cause that an eagle – a symbol of the Holy Spirit, as St Irenaeus says – is depicted on his icon, for this was one of the four symbolic living creatures that the Prophet Ezekiel saw (Ezekiel 1:10).

He was fifty-six when he left Jerusalem to preach the Gospel, which he did for nine years until his exile. He spent fifteen years on Patmos and lived another twenty-six years after his return to Ephesus.

Beloved Apostle of Christ our God, hasten to deliver a people without defence.
He who permitted you to recline upon His bosom, accepts you on bended knee before Him.
Beseech Him, O Theologian, to dispel the persistent cloud of nations, asking for us peace and great mercy.

Apolytikion (2nd tone)

Prosperity Teaching

The other night, I was reading up on the megachurch phenomenon when I came across Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia. I believe this church is rather well-known here in Singapore, judging by the number of times I’ve heard teenagers play their songs (especially from their latest live album God He Reigns).

What I found particularly appalling about Hillsong, other than its “happy clappy” style of worship, was its doctrine of Prosperity Teaching. Also known as Word-faith theology, it is one of the hallmarks of the church’s teaching as outlined in Hillsong founder Houston’s book You Need More Money. Basically, in a nutshell, it teaches that God wants his people to be wealthy and has given them the ability to unleash this power from within.

Ugh.

Many Christians oppose this teaching as unbiblical and heterodox. Honestly, I think that’s an understatement. It is blasphemous, heretical and theologically unsound. Teaching such as this runs completely contrary to the word of God. One cannot follow this teaching and continue to claim to be “Christian”. For what reason, then, is this being taught? Why, none other than to attract converts. People want to hear what they like. If the church preaches about struggle and suffering being necessary in salvation, how many would actually be attracted to it? The unfortunate congregation of Hillsong believe that they will become wealthy, unless of course, they lack piety. As Lenin once said, “a lie told often enough becomes the truth”. No other phrase could have described this evil doctrine better.

Have they forgotten what our Lord has said – Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Mark 8:33 – 35)? Christ’s teaching against the obsession with the accumulation of wealth must have had nothing to do with them.

For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Luke 18:25

Surely if the Almighty wanted His people to wealthy and prosperous, Jesus would not have been born into the household of Joseph. One only needs to see the lives of Christ’s disciples to know that this so-called doctrine is false.

Andrew and Peter were fishermen.
James and John were also fishermen.
Matthew was a tax collector for the Romans.
Simon was a zealot.

None of these occupations earned them huge salaries. They didn’t earn much more when they became the Disciples of Christ either. Being wealthy is almost always seen as a sign of God’s blessing – but remember Jesus’ words about how hard it was for a rich man to enter heaven. There is nothing wrong with being rich – it becomes wrong only when we begin to rely on wealth to make us happy.

Paul wrote “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:10).

Jesus taught us not to worry about money, rather, we ought to “seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you” (Luke 12:31). We are taught not to “lay up for ourselves treasures on earth…” but to “lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:19).

Indeed, where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Clapping?

A: Oh, clapping isn't the worst thing in the world, but it's out of place in a liturgy.
B: What about when clapping is part of the music...
A: When clapping is part of the music ...Run!

- from Edward's blog

Sacrilege

From The Hand of God, or Mere Coincidence?

Maurice Baring, a member of the well-known banking family, and a convert to Catholicism, was in Russia at the height of the Bolshevik revolution. He relates an incident that occurred in a Russian village when a band of atheists (calling themselves 'Bezbozhniks' i.e. 'Without God-ites'), arrived, mocking the faith of the peasants. The leader of the Bezbozhniks addressed a gathering of the villagers and taking a sacred icon said: "I will spit on this icon and you will see whether fire comes down from heaven to kill me, or not.” He then spat on the icon and said to the peasants: “You see God hasn't killed me.” “No,” said the peasants, "but we will." And they did.

Sacrilege means the profanation of something or somebody or some place set aside for the worship, glory and service of God.

The retribution for the sacrilege of the Bezbozhnik was swift in the instance recounted by Maurice Baring. But mention sacrilege these days, and you will be rewarded with a pitying glance, an uplifted eye on a dismissive wave of the hand. Sacrilege is as unfashionable a concept for many of our contemporaries as is the existence of the God whose majesty it offends.

We rightly deplore the use of lead in petrol, and fear carbon monoxide poisoning. The' 'green-house' effect is as lamented as the use of asbestos or the pollution of the sea by oil leakages. Yet sacrilege is more lethal, for it can kill the soul, not just the body; and it offends not simply nature, but the God of nature.

Sacrilege, whether acknowledged or not, is no longer the shocking things it was for our Catholic ancestors. It has become part of the air that we "liberated" moderns breathe; the staple diet of the dead or dying hearts of materialistic western societies, of big business, especially the publishing business, of many "educators", of politics, and of the entertainment industry, especially of the unrelenting, if ephemeral, media.

As young religious, I and my contemporaries used to be warned: sanctt sancte tractanda sunt, i.e. holy things must be treated holily. This needs repeating in a world grown used to hearing God's name, and the names of his saints, not just taken 'in vain' (i.e. lightly) but often coupled with obscenities and blasphemies.

The French Revolutionaries, Napoleon and successive atheistic governments in France helped make sacrilege fashionable, as did the Nazis, the Fascists, and the Communists in Russia, Eastern Europe, China, Spain and Mexico. But they were not the first; and recent history in the Middle East and Balkans, to say nothing of Rwanda, a number of Latin American countries, and East Timor, has shown that they are by no means the last.

Sacrilege in modern times is multi-faceted. Catholic faith and practice, morality and tradition are not only questioned, they are sacrilegiously derided and dismissed as irrelevant, or ridiculed by TV producers, "journalists", radio commentators, pop or movie stars, or politicians, many of whom arrogate to themselves prerogatives that properly belong to the Church, to bishops and priests and others legitimately authorised to teach or comment on matters of faith and morals.

Abuse of the Catholic Church is, sadly, also not uncommon among many Protestant sects whose vehement denunciation of the Mass, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Sacraments, the authority of the Pope and of the Church, even holy water and the sign of the Cross, constitutes sacrilege.

Light and Power

You are a PHOENIX in your soul and your
wings make a statement. Huge and born of flame,
they burn with light and power and rebirth.
Ashes fall from your wingtips. You are an
amazingly strong person. You survive, even
flourish in adversity and hardship. A firm
believer in the phrase, 'Whatever doesn't kill
you only makes you stronger,' you rarely fear
failure. You know that any mistake you make
will teach you more about yourself and allow
you to 'rise from the ashes' as a still greater
being. Because of this, you rarely make the
same mistake twice, and are not among the most
forgiving people. You're extremely powerful and
wise, and are capable of fierce pride, passion,
and anger. Perhaps you're this way because you
were forced to survive a rough childhood. Or
maybe you just have a strong grasp on reality
and know that life is tough and the world is
cruel, and it takes strength and independence
to survive it. And independence is your
strongest point - you may care for others, and
even depend on them...but when it comes right
down to it, the only one you need is yourself.
Thus you trust your own intuition, and rely on
a mind almost as brilliant as the fire of your
wings to guide you.You are eternal and because
you have a strong sense of who and what you
are, no one can control your heart or mind, or
even really influence your thinking. A symbol
of rebirth and renewal, you tend to be a very
spiritual person with a serious mind - never
acting immature and harboring a superior
disgust of those who do. Likewise, humanity's
stupidity and tendency to want others to solve
their problems for them frustrates you
endlessly. Though you can be stubborn,
outspoken, and haughty, I admire you greatly.



*~*~*Claim Your Wings - Pics and Long Answers*~*~*
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Random Joke

A: Where were you yesterday?
B: Cemetery.
A: Oh, someone dead?
B: All of them.

- from Edward

Apodosis of the Elevation of the Cross

Lord, save Your people and bless Your inheritance, granting our rulers to prevail over adversaries, and protecting Your commonwealth by Your Cross.

Apolytikion (1st tone)

Things I Love to Do - e.g. Argue over intepretation of the Bible

I have engaged in many arguments about the Christian religion with Protestant Christians (clergy and laity alike) ever since I was a mere child of 14. The most recent one was on Saturday, 18th September. I must say I really appreciate your words on the Bible, Clement. Thank you so much.

Some of his words to me that night:

Well, Paul said... If the Bible is not true... then our faith is meaningless!

What do you base your faith on?

Because if it's going to be anything else besides the bible, God's word, told me so, then our argument from henceforth will be meaningless

If you undermine the authority of the Bible... you undermine the authority of God's word...

If the Bible isn't made up of absolute literal truth, then how do you know what is true and what is figurative?

Aha... By YOUR human interpretation, I wouldn't be surprised

Oh... hmm… That reminds me... then how did you guys come up with the Eucharist with that half-truth interpretation of yours? Oh... perhaps that was one of the few things that was not an allegory

I know exactly how you feel toward the Orthodox and Catholic Churches (it’s the same institution with different names, isn’t it?). Personally, attending services gives me the chance to worship Mary and adore her as the creator of an Almighty God. I find the idea of worshipping the various saints and martyrs so appealing. Of course, I really love knowing that salvation is completely up to me and my righteousness apart from the grace of God. I feel a deep pride in the Church’s many murders of so-called heretics. Many people think this a problem, but really, I have no idea what they’re talking about. I am unaware of any commands of God against this sort of thing, because of course I never read the Bible.

What’s the thing you call the Word of God? I never heard of such a thing. Is that, like, what some of you call the Bible? I used to read something called that back at the Bible-Presbyterian Church – but that was so long ago and I’ve forgotten most of it anyway.

Thank you again for setting me straight. I have never ever heard before that our entire faith is based on the Bible. I always thought that I had to perform some magical rituals to make God known to me. I see clearly now that when the big black book we used to read together in my former church says “This is my Body which is given for you” (Luke 22:19) actually really means something else like “this is the bread that is symbolic of my body which is given for you”.

At this point I’m guessing the following verses must have been slips of tongue on Jesus’ part.

I am the bread of life
John 6:48

The bread I shall give is my flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world
John 6:51

For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed
John 6:58

And finally, thanks for making me see that all that stuff in John 3 about being born again of water and the Spirit really means water and the Spirit are complete opposites.

Which reminds me: I just *love* adding absurd human traditions, myths and legends to the pure word of God. Also, I get a real kick out of enslaving myself to little rules and regulations so as to chain myself with fear and cut myself off from the love of God.

It is so good to *finally* after all these years, have somebody who *really* knows the Word of God to clue me in. Who would have thought that all those years of studying.... what's that big black book called again? Ah! Yes – “the Bible”.

Anyway, who would have thought that all those years of studying the Bible, hearing sermons and attending Bible study could have left me so totally ignorant of what Scripture really means? Thank you ever so much for enlightening me. I am eternally grateful.

Attention all Orthodox and Catholics, feel free to add your favourite spiritually crippling legend, lie, or practice to the pool. The more the merrier! That's what makes enslavement to the traditions of men and utter blindness to the saving gospel of Jesus Christ fun!

Attention all Protestants!

I would like to raise some questions on the nature of your faith.

What is the meaning of Christian stewardship – to own or to serve?

What is the difference between Christianity and the earthly institutions of your religion?

More importantly,
Where does conviction end and fanaticism begin?

Conference in Rome

The time now in Rome is 2:04 pm, 18th September (Sunday).

Our metropolitan bishop is currently in Rome attending a conference on Christianity in China. He should have finished his presentation by now – it began at 11 am. It begs this question – why is his presentation scheduled to be at this time? Shouldn’t everyone be in church at this time on Sunday?

For more information on the Orthodox Church in China, please visit Orthodoxy in China.

My Calling in Life =)

You will be an author or poet.
You spend most of your time thinking up characters
and situations that sometimes you get caught up
in them. Come back to the real world once in a
while to jot your ideas down.
We have the next JK Rowling!
Please rate and message.


What is your calling in life? With manga pictures!!!
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Quite true. I never thought of myself as a poet, but then, I do make one hell of storyteller... =)

What is Love?

O mortals!
What is love that binds beyond life on earth?

To all corners in a pair we fly
Braving summer and winter by and by.

Union is bliss; parting is woe!
Agony is boundless for a lovelorn soul!

Sweetheart, give me word…
Trail of clouds drifting forward…

Amid mountains capped with snow
Whither shall my lonesome soul go?

Theme song from The Return of the Condor Heroes

More on the subject of love tomorrow!

How to Judge a Woman by Her Handshake

From Ladies' Home Journal

Find out the powerful message behind her greeting.

By giving a woman’s hand a shake, you can also get a grip on her personality. “A handshake sends a powerful message,” says Robert E. Brown, a California management consultant, long-time handshake observer and lecturer on the psychology of handshakes. According to Brown, the best greetings engage the full hand and involve eye contact and a brief linger, all of which signify sincerity, confidence and openness. Beware of the shakes that are:

• Half-handed: A fingers-only squeeze may show a lack of connection and a fear of intimacy.
• Clammy: A cold and indifferent shake typically conveys fear or nervousness.
• Two-handed: This double grab tells you that the woman wants intimacy too quickly; it may be a sign she can’t be trusted.
• Over-the-top: When her palm faces down in relation to yours, she’s expressing superiority and dominance.

Russian Hospitality

I’m not one of the types to ramble on and on about my utterly boring life, but I think this incident really does deserve a mention.

After a having a hearty dinner consisting of stewed beef and yoghurt (yes, in the same plate) at Far East Plaza, Camillus, Patrick and I headed down to Nadezhda Russian Restaurant along Arab Street for supper. Yes, the obsession with food is a much cherished characteristic of the Singaporean culture.

We weren’t planning on anything heavy. I was just craving for a glass of that refreshing Russian beverage, kvas. After all, we just had dinner a half hour ago and I’m no glutton. All we ordered later on were just two glasses of kvas and a plate of potato pancakes with sour cream (which we all shared). The waiter was surprised we ordered so little. The other patrons were ordering plate after plate of dumplings and shashlik (skewered meat).

Later, the manager, a homely Belarusian lady with an affable character, came up to our table and asked us about the food (like all good restaurant managers do) and of course asked if we would like some more to eat. She told us that the restaurant enjoyed good business today and would give us one free dish. Later, that treat was increased to three dishes. We ended up having more than we had originally planned for. Bear in mind I’m not talking about cold leftovers – we had piping hot borsch (beetroot soup), pork dumplings and potato pancakes. Camillus repeatedly expressed his guilt over our receiving of dishes. I shared his sentiments, but never put them into words. We repeatedly thanked the manager before we left.

How many do you know would do something like this today? I have only encountered one such incident so far in all my 17+ years of life. I have spent much time with Russians (and Russian-speaking people) and this is the first time one has been so hospitable. What makes this even more special is that I have not met her on any previous occasion. Her generous act reminds me that there are still people today who are gracious and hospitable.

Nadezhda Russian Restaurant is located along Arab Street, opposite Golden Landmark Hotel. Nearest MRT station: Bugis. You can't miss it.

On another note, she asked me to return to the restaurant soon – she’d introduce teenage Russian girls to me. =)

Thoughts on the Cross

The cross is the symbol of Christianity – based on the manner of Christ’s death on the cross. To true Christians, it represents victory over death and sin since it was through the death of our Lord that death was conquered. It was an instrument of shame that was used to overcome death and bring salvation and eternal life.

Orthodox and Catholic Christians often make the sign of the cross by using their right hand to “draw” a cross upon their bodies.

The Exaltation of the Cross is one of the twelve great feasts in the Orthodox calendar (compare with the Invention of the Cross, celebrated in the Catholic Church on the 3rd of May).

However, in recent decades the cross has lost both its significance and meaning. People adorn themselves with crosses large and small alike be they Christian or not. All kinds of crosses – from beautiful to the downright grotesque – can be found in almost any shop that sells apparel today. How could this have come to be? The very symbol of our salvation has been degraded to a mere fashion accessory. Interestingly enough, it has not yet happened to the symbols of other religions. Do you see pendants shaped as the Star of David, crescent and star and/or wheels with eight spokes on the racks of department stores? I think not. Even if they are, they are not as readily available as crosses. What is this supposed to mean – being Christian is fashionable today? What about tomorrow then? This is not what Christianity is about! The reason true Christians have donned crosses and crucifixes around their necks are to remind themselves of our Lord’s sacrifice and His words to “take up the cross” and not because a cross made our necks look good.

With that in mind, let us celebrate the full significance of the victory of the cross over the powers of the world, and the triumph of the wisdom of God through the cross over the triumph of the world. Relish the full glory of the cross as a source of light, hope and victory for the people of Christ.

Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18

The Feast of the Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross is celebrated today, the 14th of September. It commemorates the finding of the True Cross of our Lord by St. Helena, the mother of the Emperor Constantine. It is also a time to celebrate the universality of the work of redemption accomplished through the Cross: the entire universe is seen through the light of the Cross, the new Tree of Life which provides nourishment for those who have been redeemed in Christ.

Rest from labour. A Fast is observed today, whatever day of the week it may be.

You who were lifted upon the Cross of Your own will, O Christ our God, bestow your compassions upon the commonwealth that bears Your name.
By Your power, gladden our faithful rulers, giving them victory over their adversaries.
May your alliance be for them a weapon for peace, an invincible standard.

Kontakion (4th Tone)

St. Sophia Church in Harbin

Now a museum of the multicultural architecture in Harbin.

The building of St. Sophia began in September 1923 and was completed nine years later in 1932. At that time, many Chinese believed that the church would damage the local feng-shui, so they donated money to build what is now the largest Buddhist group of buildings in Heilongjiang – the Ji Le Temple in 1921.

St. Sophia Church was consecrated on the 12th of December, 1932. It was the largest Orthodox Church building in the Far East then and it remains so till this day. There were more than 15 Orthodox churches in addition to 2 cemeteries until 1949. The communist revolution and the subsequent Cultural Revolution saw many of them destroyed. Now, about 10 churches remain standing – while only in one are services held.

St. Sophia Church was renovated in 1997, and since then it has been used as a showcase of the multicultural architecture and art in Harbin. It is located at 95 Toulong Street in the central district of Daoli.

I'm glowing red!

Your aura shines Red!


What Color Is Your Aura?
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I'm Augustine?

You are Augustine! You are a great thinker, but be
careful not to let your past immoderation freak
you out about good times. It's really ok to
take some pleasure in material things.


Which Saint Are You?
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Character Test

Before I begin actual posting, please allow me to run this test.

First, some Greek:

εν αρχη ην ο λογος και ο λογος ην προς τον θεον και θεος ην ο λογος

Followed by Arabic:

فِي الْبَدْءِ كَانَ الْكَلِمَةُ، وَالْكَلِمَةُ كَانَ عِنْدَ اللهِ. وَكَانَ الْكَلِمَةُ هُوَ اللهُ

Now let's try some Cyrillic:

В начале было Слово, и Слово было у Бога, и Слово было Бог.

Moving on to Oriental languages; beginning with Han characters:

太 初 有 道 ， 道 与 神 同 在 ， 道 就 是 神 。

And concluding this test with Hangeul:

태초에 말씀이 계시니라 이 말씀이 하나님과 함께 계셨으니 이 말씀은 곧 하나님이시니라

If you have problems viewing the Chinese, Greek or Cyrillic characters, please set your browser's character coding to Unicode (UTF-8).

In the beginning

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.