This is the story of the miraculous appearance of the Virgin Mary to a Muslim in Bethlehem on the first day of Holy Week 2012. The Orthodox monastic community of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem related this story to Mr. Lycourgos Markoudes who writes here as he heard it. 

The story begins on Holy Monday afternoon when the Church of the Nativity was practically empty of pilgrims. The monks were in the area of the church where they attend to the needs of the church. This is a short distance from the steps that lead to the Cave of the Birth of Christ. At one point, they saw a man approach them and he appeared to be very emotional. He took two candles and with great emotion he approached the icon of the Panagia of Bethlehem. He lit the candles before the icon and with tears flowing from his eyes he turned towards the monks who were looking at him with concern. He told them that he was a Muslim from the area around Bethlehem and that during the previous day he saw the Holy Mother in his sleep. She invited him to visit the place where she had given birth to her Son and he was to enter the area through a low doorway. He was told to proceed to the right and then go to the area where he would find her and then light two candles before her icon.

This man had not visited this church since he was a very young child and he did not remember anything about it. When he arrived there on that afternoon, he left his car running with its emergency lights flashing in front of the main entrance of the church, in an area that has restricted parking. His wife had remained in the car. When he arrived, he proceeded to enter walking briskly toward the low doorway of the church. He realized as he was proceeding ahead that everything was exactly the way that our Holy Virgin had described it to him. He then went right and down some stairs of Justinian’s church and he entered the right area of it. This is the area that is under the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church and it leads to the Cave where Jesus was born. The icon of the Holy Mother was exactly in the place where she had indicated it would be. And the icon was exactly the same one he had seen in his dream.

It was the icon of the Panagia of Bethlehem. This wonderworking icon is the resident icon of the Church of Bethlehem and it is located on a prominent icon stand on the right side of the steps that lead to the Cave of the Birth of Christ. The facial features of this icon overflow with an infinite expression of love and calmness while the faint smile on her face brings joy to the hearts of pilgrims. The icon is surrounded with precious fabrics and jewels. There are no solid details about the origin of the icon but tradition says that it comes from Russia and it is connected with the Russian Empress Catherine. This Empress visited the Holy Land after a miracle that was performed by the Mother of God. As a result of this, she gave her imperial clothing so that the Mistress of the World could be dressed in them. She also gave her jewelry so that they could be placed on the icon. She also directed that future empresses should not wear rubies so that henceforth this distinctive honor would only belong to the Queen of Heaven. This is the icon that this Muslim came to reverence when he arrived at the Church of the Birth of Christ late afternoon of Holy Monday. He naturally did not know how to speak Greek and the conversation with the monks was in Arabic.

This was unbelievable news that this Muslim brought to the monks. The monks offered him a small icon of the Panagia which he accepted with thanksgiving. He left the church quickly, just the way he arrived, but he then returned again in a few moments. He had forgotten that the Virgin Mary had also told him that while entering the church, he should see her friends on the columns of the church. The monks then took him to see the columns of the church which have icons of saints painted on them; some of these icons today are just shadows, some are blackened and others are completely faded. These are life size figures of the Saints of our Church. These are the friends of our Panagia.

After seeing the columns the Muslim again left quickly and has never again returned to the church. But the All-Holy One, the Mother of God and our Mother, through this miraculous occurrence came to show her support for us so that we will have patience, hope and consolation and also to assure us that: “Her Son will come again and He will gather up all those who are close to Him.” Let us, therefore, not dare to distance ourselves from Him, so that we can taste His salvation. Amen. 

 

The glory of Greece is coming. Now it comes after the Third World War. Greece will have three days of war with the Turks, then it will remain neutral. From there, destruction will happen. After the Third World War, Orthodoxy will be the greatest empire. Neither Popes, nor Protestants, nor Turks. One flock under one shepherd. NATO and Russia will get caught up in there, over who will take the City. The blood of three and a half days will flow for eighteen miles. At three o'clock on the third day, according to the writings of the Saints, the sky will be covered, it will shine with the Holy Spirit, as if there were thousands of suns, it will be crimson, a red Holy Cross in the sky. There will be a heavenly rainbow from the sky towards Constantinople. Angels will be descending and ascending, stand, stand, peace be unto us. And where the heavenly rainbow ends, on two pillars, on two columns, a certain John. I asked the hermit, who will be Patriarch and Emperor? My child, it is a secret. Well, he will be of medium height, womanly face, a mark on his right foot, a Cross on his body. The ceremony, the enthronement, everything will take place with chanting. Archangel Michael will say, the one they crowned king, whatever he tells you is the will of God. First the Germans will believe. The Russian admiral will not be humbled, he will tell John to make his cross three times in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Russian, all the ships, English, French, all submerged, so that nothing remains. All the islands, the whole world, take and then build. Riches, everything. Eight years without taxes, take it. Thirsty, tired of your leaders, the liars, the thieves. Fear and terror of the ungodly. And then we will take our lands. It will include all of Arabia. Three and a half years everyone will believe. One flock under one shepherd. So that is why they said the glory is coming, the third empire of Greece. The Europeans will come from all over. We always wronged Greece and now Greece rules us. The wheel turns, God turns the wheel. Neither in chariots nor in horses. Therefore be patient, my children.

 Saint Paisios’ Prophecies About Turkey: A Spiritual Perspective

The image above presents several well-known sayings that are widely attributed to Saint Paisios the Athonite, one of the most revered Orthodox elders of the 20th century. According to Orthodox tradition and numerous testimonies, these prophecies describe major geopolitical changes that will take place in the region before a new era of peace.

Among the most frequently quoted statements are that Turkey will eventually be divided into three or four parts, that one-third of its population will perish in war, one-third will embrace Christianity after coming to know Christ, and the remaining one-third will migrate deeper into Asia. Another well-known saying attributed to Saint Paisios is that Constantinople will be returned to Greece—not because of Greek military victory, but through Divine Providence. He also spoke of a future conflict among the great powers, during which Turkey would suffer the consequences of its strategic position.

For many Orthodox Christians, these words are viewed as spiritual prophecies rather than political predictions. They are interpreted within the broader context of God’s providence, repentance, and the unfolding of history according to His divine will. Others regard them as part of the rich oral tradition surrounding Saint Paisios and approach them with caution.

Regardless of one’s perspective, the prophecies of Saint Paisios continue to inspire discussion among Orthodox believers around the world. They remain a significant part of contemporary Orthodox thought and are often revisited whenever major geopolitical developments occur in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Balkans, and the Middle East.

“Watch the signs of the times, pray without ceasing, and place your trust in God.” — A spiritual message often associated with the teachings of Saint Paisios.

Αυτό το βίντεο θα σας βοηθήσει να σωθείτε

 

Wisdom Teach

 

Learn the truth

 Fidel Castro is seen here looking upward, like Jesus, while pointing downward, referring to the god of the Freemasons.

The word “Lucifer” means “Light-Bearer” or “Bearer of Light.” According to this view, Freemasons are described as the “children of light” or, in reality, the “children of the devil.”

According to this claim, only five percent of Freemasons know that the organization is connected with the devil. Their goal is to deliver all of humanity to the devil.

After that, their supreme leader will get rid of all of you fools because you will no longer be needed.

Freemasons believe in an impersonal God called the “Great Architect of the Universe.” Jesus Christ, the Son and Word of God, the Lord and Savior, is regarded by them as merely an initiated teacher, like Pythagoras, Buddha, and others.

A Freemason is not required to change his religion. A Christian may remain a Christian, and a Muslim may remain a Muslim, while also maintaining Masonic membership.

The question is: Can a Christian also be a Freemason?

My Notes

 ORTHODOXY

ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΙΑ

English

The Church that was founded by the Lord Jesus Christ, received the Apostles, and has continued to be preserved until today is the Orthodox Church. It was not created by human efforts or inventions such as those that appeared in the West. Therefore, we cannot add to or remove from its teachings according to human opinions or compromises.

Ελληνικά

Η Εκκλησία που ιδρύθηκε από τον Κύριο Ιησού Χριστό, δέχθηκε τους Αποστόλους και συνεχίζει να διατηρείται μέχρι σήμερα είναι η Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία. Δεν δημιουργήθηκε από ανθρώπινες προσπάθειες ή επινοήσεις, όπως εκείνες που εμφανίστηκαν στη Δύση. Γι’ αυτό δεν μπορούμε να προσθέτουμε ή να αφαιρούμε από τη διδασκαλία της σύμφωνα με ανθρώπινες απόψεις ή συμβιβασμούς.

English

Many people have not yet understood the influence of modern ideological movements that seek to shape human thought and society. Through systematic efforts over many years, new forms of control and influence over opinions and beliefs have developed.

Ελληνικά

Πολλοί άνθρωποι δεν έχουν ακόμη κατανοήσει την επιρροή σύγχρονων ιδεολογικών ρευμάτων που επιδιώκουν να διαμορφώσουν την ανθρώπινη σκέψη και κοινωνία. Μέσα από συστηματικές προσπάθειες πολλών ετών έχουν αναπτυχθεί νέες μορφές ελέγχου και επιρροής στις απόψεις και στις πεποιθήσεις των ανθρώπων.

English

According to the Christian faith, Satan seeks to lead people away from God through deception. Christians believe that false teachings and misleading spiritual experiences can confuse people and distance them from the truth of Christ.

Ελληνικά

Σύμφωνα με τη χριστιανική πίστη, ο Σατανάς επιδιώκει να απομακρύνει τους ανθρώπους από τον Θεό μέσω της πλάνης. Οι χριστιανοί πιστεύουν ότι ψευδείς διδασκαλίες και παραπλανητικές πνευματικές εμπειρίες μπορούν να μπερδέψουν τους ανθρώπους και να τους απομακρύνουν από την αλήθεια του Χριστού.

English

The Orthodox Christian tradition teaches that miracles of Christ continue to be remembered and experienced through the life of the Church. One example mentioned by Orthodox believers is the Holy Light at the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem, which they consider a sign of divine grace.

Ελληνικά

Η Ορθόδοξη χριστιανική παράδοση διδάσκει ότι τα θαύματα του Χριστού συνεχίζουν να μνημονεύονται και να βιώνονται μέσα από τη ζωή της Εκκλησίας. Ένα παράδειγμα που αναφέρουν οι Ορθόδοξοι πιστοί είναι το Άγιο Φως στον Ναό της Αναστάσεως στα Ιεροσόλυμα, το οποίο θεωρούν σημείο της θείας χάρης.

English

The first step in destroying a nation is often said to be the destruction of its memory: its books, culture, and history. When a people forgets its roots, it becomes easier for others to redefine its identity.

Ελληνικά

Το πρώτο βήμα για την καταστροφή ενός έθνους συχνά λέγεται ότι είναι η καταστροφή της μνήμης του: των βιβλίων, του πολιτισμού και της ιστορίας του. Όταν ένας λαός ξεχνά τις ρίζες του, γίνεται ευκολότερο για άλλους να επαναπροσδιορίσουν την ταυτότητά του.

English

God will judge humanity according to faith and actions. Christianity teaches that human beings have a natural desire to seek God because this desire has been placed within them by the Creator.

Ελληνικά

Ο Θεός θα κρίνει την ανθρωπότητα σύμφωνα με την πίστη και τα έργα της. Ο Χριστιανισμός διδάσκει ότι ο άνθρωπος έχει μέσα του τη φυσική επιθυμία να αναζητήσει τον Θεό, επειδή αυτή η επιθυμία έχει τοποθετηθεί μέσα του από τον Δημιουργό.

English

The name “Lucifer,” meaning “light-bearer,” has been interpreted in different ways throughout history. In Christian tradition, Lucifer became associated with the fall of Satan, while various movements have used the symbol of light with different meanings.

Ελληνικά

Το όνομα «Εωσφόρος», που σημαίνει «αυτός που φέρει το φως», έχει ερμηνευθεί με διαφορετικούς τρόπους στην ιστορία. Στη χριστιανική παράδοση, ο Εωσφόρος συνδέθηκε με την πτώση του Σατανά, ενώ διάφορα κινήματα έχουν χρησιμοποιήσει το σύμβολο του φωτός με διαφορετικές σημασίες.

Black magic in kongo

  We welcome Father Damaskinos from Cyprus. He is a monk and a missionary in Africa. Father, we welcome you, and we would like to hear some of your experiences from Africa.

Thank you. First of all, I would like to thank God for giving me the opportunity to be here in Cyprus, the land of holy people.

As far as magic is concerned, the situation among the people there is catastrophic. There is no love between people.

One time, I asked someone who was carrying a small wooden figure: “Why do you have this with you?” He answered me: “With this, I protect myself and my family from the magic of other people.” He placed all his faith in this small wooden figure.

When we baptize people there, we explain to them that they must remove these magical objects from themselves. One person was not convinced to take it off. No matter how much we tried to put him in the water to baptize him, he was unable to enter. An invisible demonic force was pushing him away.

Eventually, he was baptized, but he had not truly accepted the faith. When he was in church to receive Holy Communion, he fell down and had convulsions, like an epileptic seizure. We explained to him the reasons why this happened, but he did not want to listen, and he died without confessing the truth.

One day, I was with a priest there, and we saw a naked girl. The priest said to me: “This girl is a magician. She came from another village far away.”

I asked: “How did she come here from such a distance?”

The priest answered: “You do not know. She came flying through the air.”

According to what was believed there, in order to succeed in magic, she had taken a small child, torn out the heart, and drunk the blood. In this way, they believed that demons held magicians in the air and allowed them to fly.

Another time, Father James was in Africa and asked a magician: “How do you harm people?”

The magician said: “Look, I touch them and I cause them problems.”

Father James replied: “Do the same to me.”

The magician answered: “I cannot touch you. You, the Orthodox priest, are full of fire.”

Another time, a man believed to be possessed by a demon went to a Catholic priest to ask him to cast the demon out of him. According to the story, the demon inside the man said to the Catholic priest: “You are a Capuchin. Do you think I can hear you?”

The speaker then says that, according to his belief, Catholics do not have divine grace.

Now I will tell you another story.

Three former magicians went and were baptized without confessing their sins first. According to the story, the demons said to them: “We do not care what you have done, but do not mention it to Father Meletios.”

Before being baptized, these three men had killed a woman and her two children. Someone witnessed this, found others, and they went to kill this former magician.

The former magician then made a deal with the demons, saying: “If someone kills me, I want you to reveal to my family who my killers are.”

They took him to bury him. According to the story, an invisible force did not allow the coffin to be buried. The coffin pulled the men who were carrying it in another direction, leading them to the house of the people who had killed the former magician, in order to reveal who the murderers were.

At the funeral, everyone was frightened. They did not know what to do. The dead man appeared to begin breathing inside the coffin, and his son started speaking to him, believing that his father was alive, although he was not.

After the murderers were revealed and everyone became afraid, his son came to me asking for help. I brought another priest with me to bury him.

Everyone who was there was very frightened. After they saw what we did, how we prayed according to the Orthodox tradition, and how we prayed for the repose of the man’s soul and buried him, they believed that we had greater spiritual power than they did.

All of you must lisen to this miracle of Virgin Mary

A bus arrived on the first of November. I will not say from which part of Athens. On the first of November, Saint David is celebrated.

The priest and the people sat in the hall, about fifty people, and I decided to tell them something that had deeply moved me. I had learned it that summer. I will tell it to you.

While I was speaking, a man and a woman kept making the sign of the cross over their mouths continuously. I thought they must have woken up early, and because we had been traveling and were tired, the poor people wanted to yawn, and that was why they were crossing their mouths. That is what I understood.

So listen to what I told them.

Some pilgrims had come to the monastery. They had visited a church of the Virgin Mary in Karpathos. There is a large church there, very beautiful, surrounded by cliffs down to the sea, and the only entrance is from the front. There is also a square where the people of Karpathos sit together.

When the Divine Liturgy ended, the old priest said, “Do you see this chandelier? Such a magnificent chandelier. We have not seen one like it in any church in Greece. I ask the gentleman who donated it to come forward and tell us why he made this gift.”

A man came forward and said the following:

“I am forty-six years old. Forty years ago, when I was six, my mother died. My father worked on ships and with sponge diving. He could not raise me alone, so after a short time, he married another woman.

We came here to the church of the Virgin Mary and sat in the square, as people usually do. As evening began to fall, my stepmother took me by the hand, led me to a place where nobody else was, and threw me off the cliff.

She returned with crocodile tears, shouting, ‘I lost my child! The child fell! I lost my child!’

My father went out of his mind. It had become dark, and there was no way for anyone to go down the cliff. The jackals began to cry out. My father, together with the village president, the police officer, the teacher, and everyone else, sat at the edge of the cliff, calling out:

‘Kostaki, don't be afraid. In the morning we will come and get you.’

All night long, this continued.

As soon as dawn broke, they heard my voice.

‘Dad, I'm fine. I'm on the beach over there.’

I named a specific beach that they all knew.

They thought they had gone crazy. The people gathered all the ropes in town. A young man tied himself to a large tree and climbed down the cliff. He found me and brought me back up.

As soon as my father embraced me, he said:

‘My Kostaki, why, my boy? Why did you leave us in agony all night if you were alive?’

I replied:

‘Dad, when Mother threw me, some people caught me.’

She later died in prison; policemen were present.

‘A lady took me into her arms.’

My father understood.

‘And why didn't you call out?’

‘Because the lady would cover my mouth and say, “Not now, my boy, because they will kill each other.” But when morning came, she told me, “Now call out,” and then she left.’

The priest understood. He took me by the hand and led me into the church.

‘Was this lady Saint Irene? Saint Catherine? Saint Paraskevi?’

‘No,’ I kept saying.

When we reached the iconostasis, and I saw the icon of the Virgin Mary, I said:

‘This is the lady who held me in her arms all night.’

Then the man said:

‘This Virgin Mary, who became my mother in my difficult hour, did she not deserve a gift? I went to Canada, studied chemistry, and with the first money I earned, I donated this chandelier.’

I was so moved by this story that whenever anyone came that year, whether a few people or many, I would say the following:

‘Sit down and let me tell you a story. Let me tell you how our Virgin Mary runs to help us even when we do not call her.’

As I was telling this story on the bus, when I finished describing the miracle, I continued:

‘Do you see, my Christians, our Virgin Mary—’

I did not have time to say anything else.

Those people who had been crossing their mouths were demon-possessed. I did not know it, but the others on the bus knew, and they grabbed them because they stood up to beat me.

Feeling safe because they were being restrained, I said the following:

‘What is it, devil? Were you offended because we are speaking about the Virgin Mary?’

And they replied:

‘You filthy people! In this filthy monastery,

you are ruining my plans!’

They were insulting her. They did not want to hear about her. They did not want to hear about her son.

I tell you, they were so ready to beat me. But since I was safe, I said the following:

‘Since it bothers you so much, I will keep talking about it.’

However, I assure you, when I left the monastery, a nun told me the following:

‘Do not go around telling this story, my child, because who knows what temptation will come upon us. Every time we tell it, some temptation follows.’

That is how angry the devil becomes.

 

1. Turkey is about to finish as a state 

(as prophesied by: Saint Paisios, Elder Joseph of Vatopedi, Eldress Galaktia, Metropolitan Neophytos, Saint Cosmas of Aetolia)

📌 It won’t collapse by revolution or internal conflict alone, but by external – military and spiritual – intervention (e.g. from Russia, according to Saint Paisios).

❗ It will break into pieces: Kurds, Alevis, Turkic peoples, and foreigners.

⸻

✅ 2. Cyprus regains its territories

📌 The occupied areas will be abandoned by Turkey — not handed over officially, but no longer under its control.

🕊 Morphou, Varosha, and other areas will return — without conditions, without exchanges.

🏠 Refugees will return without asking for permission.

⸻

✅ 3. Settlers and Turkish soldiers leave

🔻 The settlers will leave either out of fear, or peacefully — there will be no power to support them.

⚖️ Turkish-Cypriots who choose to stay will live in peace, with respect and freedom, but without administrative power.

⸻

✅ 4. Reunification of Cyprus – but under a divine condition

🙏 All of this will happen if the people repent.

✝️ If there is faith, humility, and gratitude, God will protect the new unified state.

📖 Saint Paisios:

“You will get it back, but if you don’t change, they’ll take it from you again — this time in another way.”

⸻

✅ 5. Spiritual and national renewal of Cyprus

🌿 Cyprus will become a light of Orthodoxy in the East.

👶 New saints will arise from the suffering of the refugees.

🕍 The churches that were destroyed will be reopened.

⸻

✅ 6. Caution – A new trap may come from the West

⚠️ After the fall of Turkey, others will try to influence Cyprus through:

• Godless laws

• Pressure for de-Christianization

• A new form of slavery (economic, ideological)

📖 Eldress Galaktia:

“The serpent flees from the East, but returns from the West with a suit and a contract.”

⸻

📌 Final Warning – and Divine Promise:

✝️ If Cyprus thanks God for her freedom,

🙌 If she rebuilds her churches and schools in faith,

🌅 Then she will become an island of peace and holiness

A Theological Critique of Reincarnation in Christian Thought

Abstract

The doctrine of reincarnation, widely present in various Eastern religious and philosophical systems, is incompatible with classical Christian anthropology and soteriology. This paper examines reincarnation in contrast with biblical teaching, patristic theology, and the Christian doctrine of resurrection, arguing that reincarnation undermines the concepts of final judgment, bodily resurrection, and the uniqueness of Christ’s redemptive work.

1. Introduction

Reincarnation posits that the human soul undergoes multiple successive embodiments in different lives, often governed by moral causality (e.g., karma). This cyclical model of existence stands in contrast to the linear understanding of human life in Christian theology, which affirms creation, a single earthly life, death, judgment, and resurrection.

2. Biblical Anthropology and the Uniqueness of Human Life

Christian Scripture consistently presents human life as singular and non-repetitive. A foundational text is:

“It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27)

This verse is frequently cited in patristic and modern theology as a direct rejection of transmigration theories. Human existence is understood as historically grounded and eschatologically directed toward divine judgment, not cyclical repetition.

Furthermore, Genesis presents humanity as created once in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), emphasizing personal identity rooted in a unique act of divine creation.

3. Resurrection Versus Reincarnation

A central distinction between Christianity and reincarnationist systems lies in the doctrine of the resurrection of the body. Christian faith affirms not the escape from bodily existence, but its transformation:

“Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20)

The resurrection of Christ is not symbolic liberation from material existence but the inauguration of renewed embodied life. As such, salvation is not achieved through repeated cycles of moral correction across multiple lives, but through participation in the redemptive work of Christ in history.

St. Irenaeus of Lyons emphasizes the continuity of embodied existence in salvation, arguing against Gnostic interpretations that devalue the body (Against Heresies, V).

4. Soteriology and the Finality of Judgment

Reincarnation introduces a gradualist moral framework in which ethical imperfection is resolved through successive lives. In Christian theology, however, salvation is understood as both a divine gift and a decisive encounter within a single life, culminating in final judgment.

The Epistle to the Hebrews reinforces the finality of Christ’s sacrifice:

“He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Hebrews 9:26)

The concept of repeated lives risks undermining the urgency and singularity of repentance, replacing definitive judgment with indefinite moral progression.

5. Patristic Refutation of Transmigration

Early Christian writers explicitly rejected reincarnation and related philosophical systems.

• St. Justin Martyr argued that the soul does not pass into other bodies but awaits resurrection (First Apology).
• St. Irenaeus affirmed bodily resurrection as essential to salvation history.
• Tertullian emphasized personal identity continuity in resurrection, rejecting transmigration as incompatible with divine justice.

These Fathers consistently linked human identity, moral responsibility, and divine judgment within a single, unrepeatable life.

6. Psychological Interpretations of “Past-Life Memories”

Modern claims of reincarnation often appeal to reported “past-life memories,” especially in children or under hypnosis. However, contemporary psychology and neuroscience offer alternative explanations, including:

• memory reconstruction
• cryptomnesia (forgotten information resurfacing)
• suggestion under hypnosis
• confabulation under altered states of consciousness

From a Christian theological standpoint, such experiences are not considered evidence of transmigration but subjective phenomena requiring psychological rather than metaphysical interpretation.

7. Conclusion

Reincarnation, while philosophically and spiritually appealing in certain traditions, is incompatible with the core doctrines of Christianity. It conflicts with the biblical teaching of a single earthly life, undermines the finality of judgment, and contradicts the doctrine of bodily resurrection. Christian theology instead presents a unified vision of human existence grounded in creation, redemption in Christ, and resurrection into eternal communion with God.