Truth really can be stranger than fiction.
First Page - Now launched! All the stories are true, or based on real events. Unlimited reading for $4.99 / month. No downloads. Read on your phone, tablet or computer.
La verdad puede ser más extraña que la ficción.
First Page - ¡Ya está en marcha! Todas las historias son verídicas, o están basadas en hechos reales. Lectura ilimitada por $4.99 / mes. No hay que descargar nada. Lea en su teléfono, tableta u ordenador.
Manna Minutes Podcast: Eye-opening Bible study in less than five minutes! Access all episodes here.
Manna Minutes en español:
Estudio bíblico que nos hace abrir los ojos en menos de cinco minutos! Acceda a todos los episodios aquí.
Manna Minutes Podcast auf Deutsch:
Augenöffnendes Bibelstudium in weniger als fünf Minuten! Alle Episoden finden Sie hier.
Was There A Curse On Helen's Romantic Life?
The Third Man by Angela Sheffield is based on a true story. Read chapter one now!
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¿Qué tiene que ver conmigo? por Teófila Gottfried
Lo que leemos en la Biblia tiene que ver con todos los seres humanos, sean cristianos o judíos, ateos o agnósticos, budistas, musulmanes o adherentes a alguna de las filosofías o nuevas religiones que surgen en el mundo. ¿Por qué? Ver mayor información sobre este interesante libro.
Scripture of The Day - St. John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Escritura del día - San Juan 14,6
Jesús le dijo: Yo soy el camino, y la verdad, y la vida; nadie viene al Padre, sino por mí.
Bibelstelle des Tages - Johannes 14,6
Jesus spricht zu ihm: Ich bin der Weg und die Wahrheit und das Leben; niemand kommt zum Vater, denn durch mich!
Christian Dating Scams: Learn How to Detect Them
Christian Dating Scams As Prevalent as Secular Ones
Just as there is fake gold that glitters, there are fake Christians who also appear to glitter. They are members of free and fee-based, secular and Christian dating sites. They work hard to pull off what are known as Christian dating scams. Many have had much success and will continue to have success unless the people on whom they attempt to prey wake up to their subtle, but surely detectable signs of fraud.
Nigerian Internet Dating Scams on Christian Web Sites
Although Nigerian Internet dating scams are probably the most popular of the fraud committed online, they certainly are not the only danger circulating. What is more is that more and more of these scams are becoming less and less Nigerian. In other words, it is getting harder to tell whether you are dealing with a Nigerian at all. However, certain things should raise high suspicion of a Nigerian scam whether you are on a secular or Christian site. Many of these evil people are posing as believers in Jesus and setting up online dating fake profiles to commit as many Christian dating scams as possible. You don't have to be one of their victims.
Detecting an Internet Dating Fake Profile
The purpose of secular or Christian dating scams is almost always to swindle people out of their money. Sometimes the scammer simply is a miserable individual who seeks to make as many others as miserable as him or herself. Whatever the reason/s may be, you can learn how to avoid all scams whether they are Nigerian Internet dating scams or from a different nation. Christians should also be aware of some of the unique signs characteristic of Christian dating scams. As we point out the things for which honest and legitimate singles should watch, we will specify what things are unique to Christian dating. The following is a list of strong warning signs of online dating fake profiles and/ scammers:
1. The individual states that he/she could not figure out how to upload a photo to the profile, but asks you for your personal email to which he/she can easily attach photos. If you know how to attach a photo to an email, you also know how to upload a photo to your profile. Although scammers use fake photos on profile, this is suspicious.
2. Messages written in very bad English should raise suspicion, particularly of possible Nigerian Internet dating scams. Don't be fooled if you receive a photo of someone who appears fair-skinned and appears to be of European descent. A Nigerian, someone from Ghana, India or Pakistan might be behind the messages. Many of the scammers from Africa and Asia pretend to be German, Russian, Italian or from some other European nation, but the atrocious English they speak is characteristic of Nigerians. We asked one scammer posing as a German to hand-write a letter in German and attach it to an email. We also asked him (if it was a he) to call (he had been given a phone number) and speak a few sentences in fluent, NATIVE German. He went silent knowing that his work in Christian dating scams would not be successful with us.
3. Beware of claims of instant love. Scammers often speak of an unexplained, God-given attraction to you, and of a belief that they are falling or have fallen in love with you. They make excessive use of terms of endearment and tend to be melodramatic. This is a huge warning signal and a tactic that has been very profitable for scammers who prey on gullible and desperate singles, especially Christian singles. Mentioning God is always one of their tactics when they are involving themselves in Christian dating scams.
4. A strong accent characteristic of many Nigerians is not a good sign of a genuine profile. Obviously, this warning sign is for those who have progressed to phone conversations. For example, the individual claims to be German and to speak German, but has no German accent. Native speakers of German who learn English almost always speak with an accent that is undeniably German. Native speakers of Spanish, Italian, or Chinese who learn English also tend to speak with accents that identify their mother tongue. When things don't add up, they should be heavily questioned. When very satisfactory answers aren't supplied, it is because you have uncovered a pack of lies.
5. Unwillingness to communicate via the dating website is another sign that something is probably very wrong. While it's perfectly understandable to want to exchange personal email addresses, it's best to talk through the dating site until all suspicions have been cleared. Scammers don't like to do this because there will be a record of their messages to you on the site. If you think you are dealing with someone legitimate and would like to exchange email addresses just in case something happens with communication through the dating site, that's fine. However, it's safer to keep communication through the dating site.
6. Christian dating scams always include the individual speaking of his/her belief in God. Christians beware. Scammers, particularly those who are followers of Islam, are very evasive about the gospel. They might try to impress you with their knowledge of the Bible by quoting a few scriptures. Nevertheless, they will not ever be specific about how they came to receive Jesus as Savior--because they do not believe in Jesus at all. They might say that they belong to a church, but will never give a name of the church or the pastor or talk about specific activities in their church.
7. Scammers, including those who commit Christian dating scams, tend to be silent when it comes to their family members and friends. Usually, they have some sad story about the tragic loss of mother, father, and sometimes other family members. They have no friends. However, they might have fake children whom they claim to be very important to them.
8. They make promises to come to meet you in person, but they're always far away, usually in a foreign country attending to business. Suddenly something tragic happens. They or their child becomes deathly ill and is in need of medical care. Their half million or million dollar business deal is about to fall through. The list of fake tragedies is a very long one. What matters is that you are asked to financially help them so that things can get back to normal for the two of you to start your lives together. You should NEVER EVER give/"loan" even one penny to someone you've met online, but never in person even once. Be aware that some people have been swindled by someone they met once in person.
9. When an individual's date of birth does not reflect the age that he/she claims to be, you'd probably do well to cease communication. It's difficult to keep lies straight, so scammers might make mistakes such as these, hoping you won't notice. Scrutinize everything that he/she says. Where there are inconsistencies, question him/her. Scammers don't like to waste time with people on whom they can't prey, so they tend to quickly go silent. However, be aware that they might attempt to make you feel guilty for being an uncaring Christian. This might be seen with those who are attempting Christian dating scams. Please don't fall for it.
Online dating fake profiles, Nigerian Internet dating scams, and Christian dating scams can be completely avoided if you heed the warning signs. This allows you to keep access to so many more people whom you might not ever meet offline.
Based on true events, The Third Man by Angela Sheffield, brings the Bible up close and personal as the characters face real issues of life: Betrayal, deceit, romance, bitterness, anger against God, hopelessness, will power, perplexity, triumph, unforgiveness, mental illness, and the "Alcohol made me do it" excuse. Read chapter one FREE now.
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