I'll be the first to say this is an old poll and I am more than welcome to see new contradictory evidence if it can be presented but....
https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/14/politics/independents-pew

I have never really met a self identified "Independent" who has had a truly centrist position (or; who argues "both sides" with equal vigor)

What do you all think of Independents? IF you are one, do you believe that you are an exception to that rule?

I was thinking, scientists say psychics breaks down when a star implodes. Everything`s limited to the speed of light, except when a star is imploding, dying, it can expand as fast as it wants to, they say.

Does that mean you can find a dying star, and then ride the wave when it implodes to travel faster than the speed of light? Is that the only way do it also?

I thought this was a possibility, but then it didn't make sense to me according to the scriptures and I stopped.

What does that mean? Should I have never been this foolish to think he already came back again? But I was new and haven't read the entire Bible. It was the very beginning where I was just learning about the Trinity.

Travis Turner, 46, of Appalachia, Virginia, has been missing since Nov. 20, according to the Virginia State Police. The Union High School football coach is considered a fugitive, police said.

State police on Monday obtained 10 warrants for Turner, including five counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of using a computer to solicit a minor, authorities said. The investigation remains ongoing and additional charges are pending, police said.

Amid his disappearance, the football team has advanced to the Virginia regional final, scheduled for this weekend, during their 12-0 season.

Rabbi's Daily Devotion ...
If you’re anything like me, some days you awake feeling refreshed, and other days you feel sluggish and unmotivated. On those days, you may not feel like praising God. But I want to encourage you to consciously choose to start your day by blessing the Lord, even when you don’t feel like it, because this decision will affect the course of your day.

This is the law of firstfruits. Giving God the first part of our day orders the rest of it. When we decide to sit before the Lord first thing in the morning and thank Him for His goodness and declare His praise, suddenly our emotions change, and God begins to empower us. We may have had no desire to praise Him just five minutes earlier, but after electing to do so as an act of our will, we soon find ourselves feeling good. We have joy. Our perspective changes. Through transitioning ourselves in the spirit by choosing to put God first, we shifted the atmosphere.

Jesus did not say, “Whosoever feels, come.” He said, “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Beloved one, we can’t control how we feel, but we can control our will. Let’s choose to give God the firstfruits of our day and set our course in Him. The more you do this, the stronger, happier, and more stable you will be.

_________________________________________________

Rabbi Kirt A. Schneider, Entering His Presence (Lake Mary, FL: Charisma House, 2023), Used by permission.

From AI is a valuable - easy reference system, similar to using Google, but faster to "I despise AI’s instant citations — they rob me of my noble art of winning debates through trivia hoarding and grammar policing, the true pillars of intellectual dominance."

Thoughts?

The AI system I use includes citations, so I'm pretty confident on the material.

What do you think?

Please delete

Lawsuit filed in West Virginia maintained that Justice and his wife received notice of the funds due since 2009 but didn’t pay

The lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court in their home state of West Virginia, maintained that the Justices had received notice from the US treasury department of the funds due since 2009 but had “neglected or refused to make full payment of those assessments”.

A separate filing later on Monday said the US justice department had struck a settlement with the political couple, who agreed to satisfy the full amount “plus statutory interest and other additions to tax accruing thereafter”. The agreement was pending a judge’s approval.

[Justice] had previously sought to dismiss as political attacks attempts to collect on financial debts for which he was on the hook.

Quartodecimanism: Myths and Facts

Myth: Those second-century Christians who ended the Paschal fast on 14 Nisan were called "Quartodecimans".
Fact: The word "quartodeciman" is not reliably attested until after the council of Nicea. It was never applied in the second century to those who ended the Paschal fast on 14 Nisan.

Myth: The second-century Christians who ended the Paschal fast on 14 Nisan celebrated Easter on the night of 14/15 Nisan.
Fact: They may have, but they may instead have celebrated on the night of 13/14 Nisan. This is the date when, according to the Gospel of John (John 18.28) Jesus ate the last supper with his disciples. Polycrates, in his letter to the Roman bishop Victor, wrote that "my family have always kept the day when the people [i.e. Jewish people] put away the leaven." The removal of the leaven, according to the nearly-contemporary Mishnah, begins on the night of 13 Nisan. (Mishnah Pesachim 1).

Myth: Victor tried to excommunicate the churches in the Roman Province of Asia.
Fact: Eusebius's account is anachronistic. We can read between the lines of Eusebius's account by examining the letter that Irenaeus wrote to Victor, which Eusebius quotes: "Never was this [difference in practice] made a ground for repulsing anyone, but the presbyters before you, even though they did not keep it, used to send the Eucharist to Christians from dioceses which did." So what Victor actually did was refuse to send the _fermentum_ to the Asian stranger-churches in Rome, not attempt to excommunicate the churches in Asia.

Myth: The Nisan-14 practice was the practice deprecated at the Council of Nicea.
Fact: The controversy at Nicea was between two schools of Sunday observance: Christians who might be called "Jewish calendarists" (and who were in later years called "Protopaschites") who wanted to celebrate Easter on the Sunday falling in the Jewish week of Unleavened Bread, even if that meant that the festival would fall before the spring equinox; and "Independent calendarists" who wanted to calculate their own month of Nisan and set the Easter festival to the third Sunday in that independently-calculated month of Nisan, so that the festival would always fall after the spring equinox. The "independent calendarists" carried the day. But the decision was controversial, with some Christians refusing to abide by it. One scholar has proposed that the Nisan-14 custom, moribound in the early 4th century, was revived in the later 4th century by Christians protesting against the Nicene decision, and who had read about the practice in Eusebius's book.

Myth: The controversy over the Nisan-14 practice was between the Eastern churches and the Western churches.
Fact: The Nisan-14 practice was confined to the Roman Province of Asia. All the other churches in the world, according to Eusebius, kept Easter on Sunday.

Myth: Those who kept the Nisan-14 practice were Torah-keepers.
Fact: The Evangelist Matthew's community were Torah-keepers, but there is no evidence connecting them to the Roman Province of Asia. The community in which the _Didache_ was written were partial Torah-keepers ("If you can shoulder the Lord's yoke in its entirety, then you will be perfect; but if that is too much for you, do as much as you can." But again there is no evidence linking them to Asia. The Nisan-14 assembly as it is known to us from Melito of Sardis's _Peri Pascha_ shows no evidence of Torah-keeping. Indeed, _Peri Pascha_ is partly Jew-hating.

The Newman Guide has recommended colleges for Catholic families for 20 years, but the 2025-2026 edition is the first that will recommend elementary schools, secondary schools, colleges, and graduate programs. The new guide follows the recent announcements of St. John Henry Newman becoming a doctor of the Church and a patron saint of Catholic education.

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Saint Catherine of Alexandria propers & commentary (EF)

Tuesday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time readings & commentary (OF)
Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr—Optional Memorial

Tuesday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time; Opt Mem of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin & Martyr readings & commentary (OF)

Daily Gospel

Saint Catherine of Alexandria Virgin, Martyr, Patroness of Students and Young Girls

Catherine’s Pure Philosophy

St. Catherine of Alexandria

The Life and Afterlife of the Saints: Catherine of Alexandria and Mother Seton

Saints of the Day

Sermons for Everyday Living - St Catherine of Alexandria 11/25/25

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We have The Word of God written down for us in the Scriptures (Genesis to Revelation), and we have The Word living within us in the person of the Holy Spirit speaking biblical truth to our hearts, as well, reminding us of the teachings of Christ Jesus. The Spirit gives us guidance and direction in holy living and in who God wants us to be, and in what he has called us to do as his disciples. He gifts us with Spiritual gifts, and God assigns us our body parts (ministries) within the universal and local body of believers in Christ.

[Acts 2:14-18,42-47; Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; 1 Corinthians 14:1-5; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 5:15-21; Ephesians 6:10-20; Philippians 2:1-8; Colossians 3:12-16; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 5:19-20]

And the Scriptures teach us, not only how we are to live as followers of Christ, regarding our own walks of faith in obedience to our Lord, but they teach us our responsibilities within the body of Christ, as a whole, to the body of Christ. For we are to minister to one another on a daily basis, according to the Scriptures. But before we teach others, we need to be those who are walking the walk God has marked out for us. We must not be those who are deliberately and habitually walking in sin against our Lord.

And if The Word of God is richly dwelling (living) within us, this is not about us just putting the Scriptures to memory in our minds. But it means that we are living what the Word teaches us. The Word of God is what guides and directs us each day in what to do, and in how to think, and in what to say, for the glory and praise of God, and not for selfish gain. And this does not make us absolutely perfect in every respect, but it must mean that we are following our Lord in obedience, and we’re not living according to the flesh.

And then, as the body of Christ, we are to be teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. So this is not about sitting through a “worship service” singing songs someone else picked out for all of us to sing. But this is about us ministering to one another with such spiritual songs, i.e. the kinds of songs which literally do teach and admonish us in our walks of faith in obedience to the Lord, much like many of the old hymns which many are no longer singing, most of which I love to sing.

And if whatever we do, in word or deed, we are to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, we are not to do so falsely and hypocritically. We are not to do or speak in his name what is contrary to who he is and to what he teaches us in how we are to live as his followers. For “in his name” has to do with “according to his character,” and “according to his will and purpose.” So what we do or say in his name must be according to the teachings of the Scriptures and not according to our own will and purpose and thinking.

Therefore, we must be diligent students of the Scriptures who study them in their appropriate biblical context, who compare Scripture with Scripture to make certain they agree, and who test whatever we are hearing from other sources against the truth of the Scriptures to make certain we are believing in and following the truth of God’s word and not the lies so popularized in today’s “Christian” culture. We must not rely on other humans to tell us the truth, but we must be those who study the Scriptures for ourselves.

And in all that we do in the name of Christ we should be giving thanks to the Lord for his goodness, for his mercy, for his compassion, and for his love for us in giving his life up for us and in rising from the dead so that, by faith in him, we can now die to sin and live to God and to his righteousness in walks of surrender to Christ, in obedience to his commands, and in holy living – all in the power and wisdom of God, and not of our own doing; not of our flesh. For we have so much to be thankful for, for the grace of God in our lives.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

My Sheep

Based off John 10:1-30 NIV
An Original Work / June 24, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

My sheep hear me. They know me.
They listen to my voice and obey.
I call them and lead them.
They know my voice, so they follow me.
They will never follow strangers.
They will run away from them.
The voice of a stranger they know not;
They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that
I am the gate, so you enter in.
Whoever does enter
Will find forgiveness and will be saved.
Nonetheless whoever enters
Not by the gate; other way,
He is the thief and a robber.
Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,
Who laid his own life down for the sheep.
I know them. They know me.
They will live with me eternally.
The thief only comes to steal and
Kill and to destroy the church.
I have come to give you life that
You may have it to the full…

They know my voice, so they follow me.

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In Word or Deed
An Original Work / November 25, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Synopsis

Florida's Attorney General is investigating Campbell's over potential violations of the state's lab-grown meat ban, following a secret recording of an executive. The probe, triggered by concerns about 'bioengineered meat,' could lead to significant job losses in the state. This investigation intensifies scrutiny on the company's operations and regulatory compliance.​

Hundreds of jobs hang in the balance at Campbell's after Florida’s attorney general warned that he will 'shut down' any company violating the state’s ban on lab-grown meat, following the launch of an investigation. The probe was triggered by a secret recording of a company executive, which raised concerns about potential non-compliance, raising fears of large-scale layoffs at Campbell's in the region.

Attorney general James Uthmeier minced no words while reacting to a ghastly revelation which directly affects the Floridians at large.

Continued below.

Some say Tartaria was a myth or a conspiracy theory but I can assure you it was not.

And on this thread I will try to prove it.

1. The Tartarians had the knowlede of how to access free energy from the Ionosphere & Nickola Tesla knew abot this technology.
2. The Tartarians built some of the most bueatiful buildings that we see around the world today.
3, Most of the Tartarians buidings were wiped out during of a mud flood which even today when dug down they can be found.

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Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father, You are the God who restores. You see the wounds of our hearts, the losses we have endured, and the seasons that felt stripped bare. Yet You promise that nothing is wasted in Your hands. Thank You for being faithful to redeem what was taken and for reminding me that restoration is not only possible, but certain in Your timing. May this devotional be a reminder that You are the Potter, shaping me into a vessel of honor, and that my latter days can be greater than my beginning. In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.

Devotional Message
Key Verse: “And the Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.” Job 42:10 (NKJV)
Job’s story is one of profound loss and miraculous restoration. He lost his possessions, his family, his health, and even the support of those closest to him. Yet when he prayed for his friends, God restored him. His wealth was doubled, his family renewed, and his latter days were blessed more than his beginning. Job’s testimony became a witness of God’s faithfulness across generations, showing that restoration often comes after obedience and forgiveness.

Joel’s prophecy echoes this truth: “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten…” (Joel 2:25 NKJV).

God’s promise is that what feels wasted will never remain wasted in His hands. He redeems time, fruitfulness, and dignity. Restoration is not only about material things but about peace, joy, and testimony being renewed.

Jeremiah 30:17 assures us: “For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,” says the Lord. (NKJV). His restoration touches every part of our lives - body, mind, soul and spirit.

When I read Job 42:10, I sensed God confirming to me that, He is working on my behalf to restore what was stolen. Just as Job’s restoration followed forgiveness and prayer, my act of forgiving those who wronged me has opened the door for renewal. The “doubling” may not always be material, but it will be seen in spiritual fruit, ministry impact, and the quiet dignity of restoration. God’s reassurance is like a steady anchor. Even when circumstances feel uncertain, His promises remain unshaken.
Scripture confirms this promise across generations: God restores time and seasons lost (Joel 2:25 NKJV), health and dignity (Jeremiah 30:17 NKJV), and gives a double portion of honor and joy (Isaiah 61:7 NKJV). He restores joy, strength, and peace (Psalm 51:12 NKJV; 1 Peter 5:10 NKJV), and rebuilds what was ruined, bringing new beginnings (Amos 9:14 NKJV; Isaiah 43:19 NKJV). Undoubtedly, the latter days can be greater than the beginning, and what was consumed will be redeemed for His glory. Restoration is God’s work, not mine; forgiveness and obedience unlock blessing, and my testimony - like Job’s - will echo His faithfulness.

And the Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. Job 42:10 (NKJV)

Meaning: Job’s restoration began with forgiveness. His willingness to pray for his friends - the very ones who had misunderstood and accused him - revealed humility and obedience. God honored this posture by restoring him abundantly. This shows us that restoration is not triggered by demanding justice or clinging to bitterness, but by surrendering to God’s way of mercy.

Application: Forgiveness is often the hardest step, yet it is the key that unlocks renewal. When I intercede for others, even those who hurt me, I align myself with God’s heart. My prayers become seeds of blessing, and God’s favor flows into my life. Restoration begins when I let go of resentment and choose obedience.

Affirmation: I choose forgiveness and prayer, knowing that God’s restoration flows through humility. My obedience opens the door for His blessing, and my prayers for others invite His renewal into my own journey.

“So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten…” Joel 2:25 (NKJV)

Meaning: The locusts symbolize destruction, wasted time, and fruitfulness consumed. God’s promise is that even years stripped bare by pain or emptiness can be redeemed. He is Lord over time itself, able to restore dignity, fruitfulness, and joy.

Application: I can trust that no season of my life is wasted. Even the barren years are woven into God’s plan of redemption. What felt consumed will be renewed, whether through ministry impact, fresh opportunities, or renewed joy. His timing redeems what seemed lost forever.

Affirmation: I believe God is redeeming my lost seasons. What was consumed will be returned in abundance, and my testimony will shine with His faithfulness.

“For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,” says the Lord. Jeremiah 30:17 (NKJV)

Meaning: God’s restoration is holistic. He heals physical wounds, emotional scars, and spiritual weariness. His renewal touches every part of life, bringing wholeness where brokenness once reigned. Restoration is not partial - it is complete healing.

Application: In weakness, I can cling to His promise of healing. Whether I face physical pain, emotional scars, or spiritual fatigue, God’s restoration brings wholeness. His healing is both present and eternal, renewing me daily and preparing me for eternity.

Affirmation: My health, joy, and peace are being restored by the Lord’s faithful hand. I am being renewed from the inside out, and His healing is my testimony.

“Instead of your shame you shall have double honor… everlasting joy shall be theirs.” Isaiah 61:7 (NKJV)

Meaning: God replaces shame with honor and sorrow with joy. His blessings exceed losses, showing His abundant grace. Restoration is not equal exchange but overflowing abundance. Where shame once defined me, dignity now reigns.

Application: Even when I feel diminished or overlooked, God promises to lift me up. His restoration is abundant, replacing shame with dignity and sorrow with joy. He does not simply balance the scales - He pours out double honor.

Affirmation: I rejoice in the portion God has given me. My shame is replaced with honor, and His joy is everlasting in my life.

“Behold, I will do a new thing… I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19 (NKJV)

Meaning: God’s restoration is creative and surprising. He brings life where there was barrenness and makes a way where there was no way. His new beginnings spring forth in unexpected places, proving His power to transform desolation into abundance.

Application: I can expect renewal even in desolate places. His restoration is not limited by my circumstances; He creates rivers in deserts and paths in wilderness. What feels impossible becomes possible in His hands.

Affirmation: God is making a way in my wilderness. He is bringing new beginnings, and His rivers of life are flowing into my desert places.

Closing Prayer
Lord, thank You for Your promises of restoration. You are faithful to redeem what was lost, heal what was broken, and multiply what was diminished. Teach me to walk in forgiveness, obedience, and trust, knowing that Your timing is perfect.
May my testimony, like Job’s, echo with hope and encouragement for others. Strengthen me with peace, dignity, and joy as You unfold new beginnings in my life. Anchor me in Your reassurance and let my life shine as a vessel of Your Word, Spirit, and love. In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen

Journalizing Questions to Ponder
1. What losses in my life do I need to trust God to restore?
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2. How does forgiveness open the door to renewal in my journey?
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3. Which scripture on restoration speaks most deeply to my current season?
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4. How can I testify of God’s faithfulness even before restoration is complete?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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5. What new beginnings might God be preparing in areas that feel barren?
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To the Holy Spirit
Thank You for guiding every word, guarding every step, and glorifying Jesus through it all. All glory, honor, praise and worship goes to
God Almighty, for He alone is worthy to receive it all.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Scripture Acknowledgement: All Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version® (NKJV). Used with permission.
All rights reserved. Special thanks to Bible Gateway for providing accessible, searchable Scripture resources that support devotional
writing and spiritual study.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
May these words echo grace, healing, and truth wherever they are read.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I never had a girlfriend in my 22 years of life until I met the love of my life in 2024. She passed away earlier this year. She wasn't perfect but was closer to it than anyone I've ever met. Witty, innocent, gorgeous, thoughtful, forgiving, the whole 9 yards. We were waiting until marriage to have sex, both of us were virgins. She told me she didn't know what she would do if I died first, and that she would probably become a nun. I told her I would never remarry if anything were to happen to her. We didn't get a chance to get married to begin with, but sure enough, something did happen to her. I intend to honor the spirit of what I promised, I know there is no Biblical obligation, but I find it to be romantic to do so. But it has been and will be difficult for me. It's been 6 months since she passed now. I don't know why the Lord took her from this earth so early. She was just 19. I know that there's no marriage in heaven, but I really want to see her again. Without getting too graphic, we were not 100% innocent. We never had sex, but we definitely had very intimate moments together. Have I already defiled the marriage bed with her? Were/are we one flesh? Does that even matter when it comes to seeing her again? How can I find the resolve to honor what I promised to her? I don't mean to spark any played-out gender war nonsense but I am generally unimpressed with the American dating pool. I'm not necessarily longing for another woman, but I always envisioned myself having a family one day. Has anybody else been in a similar situation?

I binned mindless late-night scrolling when I realised sunrise prayer felt like cardboard because my brain was mush.
The first week was boring, week two I dreamt again, week three I actually wanted to open my Bible.

Drop yours below—no shame, no sermon—just one sentence on the joy-thief you ditched and how life smells different.
Curious what tiny things we’ve all walked away from.

Grace, Jason in Japan

Good evening

I'm 46 married, 2 kids.
Grew up Lutheran. Kind of did my own thing for about 30 yrs when i left for the Marines at 18.
Back full circle now, been doing alot of reading and researching and listening to Catholic podcasts, etc (Wife is Catholic, she also is getting back into it.) Anyway I have been doing research because I didn't know much about Catholicism.
Wanting to become Catholic but I don't know the first thing about that right now. Maybe about 2 months back into my journey. Any advice along the way always appreciated and not judged.

Looking forward to spending more time here in the community. Definitely had to find some like minded individuals to talk with.

Thank you for taking the time to read and God Bless!

A lay preacher I had a lot of time for as a young Christian told me a basic principle: "The OT is in the NT revealed, the NT is in the OT concealed). And I've been thinking there is a warning here not to take the OT as normative without reference to the OT. A good example is why Christians believe that the system of OT sacrifices of animals don't apply to the Church today.

But I wonder if there are not more examples. Now I know some Christians make a lot of

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Mt 5:17-20

But, in Jesus' day, those commandments would include the commandments for animal sacrifices that were still being done in Jesus' time.

Another aspect of the OT is there's a lot of wars and killing. If Israel was successful on the battlefield (i.e. killed lots of people) then that meant God was blessing them and vice versa. When Jericho fell we read:

They devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys. Josh 6:21
The donkeys might lead them into idolatry! Everyone seems to include babies.

David is praised not so much for his poetry but for killing lots of people. Joshua holds up Moses' arms so the Israelites can kill lots of Amalekites:
So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
Ex 17:10-13

And there are many more examples in the OT. Not exactly blessed are the peacemakers or turning the other cheek. So I think we need to be very careful about drawing moral lessons for Christian behaviour from things that were done in the OT narratives or history books. Reference should always be made to the relevant teaching in the NT and we should interpret the OT in the light of the NT not vice versa. So hopefully any donkeys that might stray into a church in the next few weeks will be safe.

I prayed today. I asked God for clarity. He rather quickly opened my eyes to the bitter reality of a fallen world corrupted to the bone by the Devil.

I have come to the conclusion that entertainment is Satan's counterfeit of Christian joy, and that the industry of such is Satan's tool to bring destruction upon unbelievers and sterility to the witness of believers. Woe to the lukewarm who rely upon their assurance of salvation and make for themselves false gods which neutralize their witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Woe to those who make darkness and worldliness an important factor in their lives, for the fruit of their ministry is rotting from the inside out. Woe to the unequally yoked who cheat on God with the world, especially those who dare to conflate their affair with the world with the Gospel witness. Those who believe yet are unfaithful to the covenant between them and God are putting their souls in great peril. Woe are those who proclaim the Gospel and yet promote worldly entertainment with a glaze of "Christianity," for their ministry is a ministry of leading the sheep astray and confusing the goats, not bringing clarity to what is true.

Music as entertainment is one of Satan's greatest spells of destruction upon this world. Music moves the soul. Satan vies for our souls. Music is an act of worship. If we aren't using music as an act of worship to God, we are worshipping something that is not God, and all that worship ends up being funneled to the Devil himself. For where God is not, the Devil is there, masquerading as whatever we want him to masquerade as. The Devil's greatest trick is to convince unbelievers that he doesn't exist, and to convince believers that he's not the focus of idolatry. We are at war against spiritual forces. Whatever moves the soul the greatest is the greatest spiritual battlefield. Music is one of the greatest avenues for both God and the Devil to work within us. The road to Heaven is narrow and the Devil longs to drag us off the tightrope of holiness.

The Devil wants us to believe that music is a neutral medium. It is not, and is in fact one of the Devil's most powerful strongholds. We must be exceptionally diligent and perceptive of the Devil's wiles so that we may avoid his sleazy tricks. That is why it is imperative that we listen to music that is glorifying to God. Woe is the road that mixes the holy and the profane. Woe be the industry of Satan in the name of Jesus Christ our LORD. Great is the music that glorifies the LORD in truth and righteousness. Great is he who takes music out of the Devil's clutches in Jesus' holy Name. Great is the LORD who purifies music and makes it a vehicle for worship and glory. Great is the LORD who delivers those from the world and into His holy Presence. Great is the LORD whose believers make noise for Jesus Christ.

Now regarding music with a dark, angsty, aggressive vibe, I randomly bumped into a comment section on YouTube and it had quite the impact on me.

Poster: Question. Why does heavy, head banging music calm me down when I’m upset?? I am saved also.

Commenters:

1. A: Because you enjoy it and there's nothing wrong with that told this by my pastor when I was younger in my teens We'll taking my class to take Communion at church {DISAGREE}
2. B: Could it be calming down a demon that is influencing you? I believe that one can be saved and still be influenced by demons. Refusing to participate in negative, destructive thinking and behaving is not easy but it is effective. Bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. 2 Cor. 10:5 Best wishes {AGREE}
3. C: @B that’s exactly whats going on {AGREE}
4. C: Because you feed your demons then they comedown and give you different emotions. You feel relief till next time. Pray to God when you’re sad or happy. He is you Father He will help you. {AGREE}
5. D: @B there’s wisdom in this. Yes this has been my experience. {AGREE}
6. D: @C agreed from experience {AGREE}
7. E: Yes I totally agree!! I was recently delivered from ANGER, RAGE AND VIOLENCE. And haven’t had ANY RECENT episodes or desires for listening to hard rock music to calm me down. PRAISE GOD! {AGREE}
8. Simply because it is what you enjoy. Nothing to do with what this guy is saying, the only thing in music that can negatively influence you is what you allow. I myself often listen to different types of German, Russian and Celtic music, as well as Gregorian music and so called "dark chant" and "dark choir" music, the latter of which is often very peaceful and calming, relaxes the mind and helps me to think more clearly. {MIXED}

I never really thought about music from that perspective before, but I feel like that makes a lot of sense. Sin invites demons to take residence beside us and oppress us at every possible opportunity. They know they can't get us, so they'll torment us and turn us away from God. It makes sense that demons would be gladdened by dark things in our lives, hence why partaking in dark things might "calm us" for the time being. But Satan and his minions are ravenous and are never truly satisfied. They seek out our bondage to sin and latch themselves there. We must rebuke the Devil and his legions in the name of Jesus Christ.

As I'm growing in my newfound faith in the Savior, my taste in music and entertainment as a whole has been completely flipped on its head. I used to listen to a lot of extremely dark metal, most often black metal, doom metal, and sometimes extremely harsh grindcore and death metal, but now being on the road to righteousness, I have no room for music that will hamper the peace of the Holy Spirit. I've lately been drawn to ambient, some glitch, some IDM, drone, minimalism, etc. All of it is instrumental so voices won't distract me from reading the Bible and other holy activities like prayer and meditating on the Scripture.

I might eventually return to some form of Christian rock/metal once I become more mature in my faith, but that's purely up to the LORD.

I encourage discussion on the matter and this is not dogmatic, just personal observation.

Those who say that open carry of guns causes no problems should consider something that happened in Jacksonville, FL, last December. Deputies pulled a man over and ordered him out of the car. He had a gun in a holster. The Deputies decided that was legal. (I’m not so sure.) Still, they did not want to talk to an armed man at a traffic stop. One Deputy tried to lift the gun out of the holster. Maybe it was a tight fit, and did not come out easily. Deputy Mindy Cardwell wound up shooting driver Jason Arrington in the leg with his own gun.

We are told that Deputy Cardwell was dismissed, at least as a patrol Deputy, although she is still working part time for the Sheriff’s Department.

A source very friendly to guns warns us that “criminals do not fear guns—they seek them.” Open carry of a firearm can attract criminals who want to steal the gun.


Sources
Florida officer fired after she accidentally shot a driver with his own gun during a traffic stop
gunsamerica.com/digest/open-carry-goes-horribly-wrong

“There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead.” - 1 Corinthians 15:41–42
Luke 19:17
“Well done, good servant; because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.”

Matthew 5:19
“Whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

1 Corinthians 7:38
“So he who marries his fiancée does well, but he who refrains from marriage will do even better.”

Matthew 19:12
“There are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.”

Revelation 14:4
“These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins… These follow the Lamb wherever he goes.”

what do all these verses mean?

You may have read this thread title and thought "of course atheism exists, my coworker is an atheist" or something like that.

No, your coworker just calls himself an atheist, but in reality he just worships lower gods than Christ (such as video games, anime, porn, money, etc

Here is the scripture I see as backing this up:

“Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.” - Philippians 3:19

In my opinion, as someone who is neither a priest or a theologian, this shows that all atheists worship their own god(s), which dismantles many pretentious atheist arguments such as "I just worship one less god than you do" and "religion is inherited", etc;

Scripture does not really define what atheism is aside from it being foolish so I wanted to make this thread to ask if we as Christians should even believe in such a thing as atheism

Judge dismisses James Comey and Letitia James cases, finding prosecutor's appointment invalid​

Don't cheer too quickly -

The North Dakota Supreme Court has narrowly upheld a state law that bans abortions in nearly all circumstances, overturning a lower court ruling against it.

Last Friday, the state’s highest court released an opinion in the case of Access Independent Health Services, Inc., et al v. Drew H. Wrigley et al., which centered on whether a 2023 state law banning abortion is constitutional.

Although three of the five justices who heard the case found the ban unconstitutional, North Dakota requires a supermajority of the court to strike down a law on constitutional grounds.

State Supreme Court Justices Daniel Crothers and Lisa Fair McEvers found the ban unconstitutional, with Daniel Narum, a district court judge who sat in place of recused Justice Douglas Bahr, joining them.

Continued below.