Akita Suggagaki said:

I think something like recent polls have indicated lower approval even among republicans through they still approve more

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From here: Majority believes Trump moving US in wrong direction, poll finds

'In February 2025, 75% of people who are Republican or lean in that direction said they thought he had the mental fitness needed to do the job. In January, the number had decreased to 66%.

The number of Republicans who think Trump acts ethically in office also decreased from 55% to 42% over the same period.'

These numbers wouldn't be great across the board. But they are asking Republicans.

ThatRobGuy said:

Biden beating Trump in the polls will definitely help since in 2028 they're going to be running against each other for president, right?

Or is comparing two guys who aren't going to be running a bit of a fool's errand?

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It's like some kind of attempted retroactive victory dance.

Carl Emerson said:

Yep, mind you True Christianity is extreme in the fact that The Way is only accessible to those who, like the disciples left all and followed Him.

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Sorry if this is a bit long, but Im not sure, if you equate what you call true christianity with the only type of christianity being available:
As I told you, my life was in an extreme pit. God dramatically pulled me out of it and transformed my life beyond all recognition. But then he wanted something specific from my life, it was a lot, but I did not surrender to it. The result was twelve years of awfull sin and disobedience. At the end of that time, I had nowhere to live and asked if I could return to a Christian community I had previously lived in. The man in change of it welcomed me with open arms and said:

‘’God has given me a special love for you.’’

True to form, I left there when God wanted me to stay. A few months later I ended up on the streets, drinking with others in my state.

I met a woman, she had two children by two different fathers. She used to drink to oblivion, take drugs, got in trouble with the police, she’d never worked a day in her life, and the children were on an at risk register due to the father of one of the children who’d lived with her. She’d also been a prostitute for a short time. I lived were her for a couple of months, then asked her to marry me, as my conscience was seered at just living with her(believe it or not) She agreed to get married. I just prayed if it was wrong to marry her, God would stop the marriage going ahead.

We got married, and my wife totally changed. The children were taken off an at risk register, she went out to work, was faithfull to me, she stopped getting drunk, took no more drugs went to church, got baptised and we owned our own home. I've never seen anyone in the flesh change as much as my wife did. But even then, I did not surrender to God what he wanted from me. And, in the end my wife's behaviour was better than mine

After twenty years of marriage my wife died of cancer. I met a seventh day Adventist through the internet. I was about to lose my home, so asked her to marry me. I new nothing about the denomination then, apart from the fact they went to church on Saturdays, I figured no big deal bearing in mind Rom14:5 God showed me I shouldn’t marry the woman, but true to form I did anyway.

So I went to Ireland to live with her and her kids. Every time I knelt and prayed I heard the words ‘’leave her’’

Then she got pregnant, I told her I needed her to agree to the child being raised in the church of my choice, she refused to agree. I told her I would have to leave if she did not agree, she still refused to agree. I kept hearing the words ‘’leave her’’ So at fifty six I left to come back to England, to live on the streets for I had no money to live anywhere else. It was so hard leaving that day. I got on a tram, not knowing where to get off to get the ferry back to England. I suddenly felt impelled to just get off the tram, someone told me on the opposite side of the road I could catch a bus to the ferry port. When I got there I had over a three hour wait for a ferry, I was in two minds whether to go back to the woman, it was so hard to leave and it was a long wait for the ferry. The receptionist suddenly told me I could get me an earlier ferry that left in twenty minutes, I took it. God protected me in London for four months living on the streets. I was warned I would end up in hospital or dead, it was a dangerous part of the county to be sleeping rough, but I was always protected

I left London eventually and got taken in at the YMCA. Within two years I was given a nice flat to live in, in a nice neighbourhood. Normally there is a waiting list of six years or more to get such accommodation. God had helped me again

I never did what God wanted me to do, and I have to live with my failures, but I know God never has stopped loving me despite that, and he has always kept me safe and watched over me, so now, I stand with King David

I trust in God’s unfailing love forever and ever

And He gives that unfailing love to the least worthy, as I can personally testify to.
I cannot rationalise in my mind why God would still love me after the life I've lived, but I know he does, I have so much proof of it, I have received so much undeserved blessings from Him.
So I do have Christianity, but I doubt you would call it true Christianity

Genesis 1 is structured around time itself ？

The Barbarian said:

Most Christian schools, especially those from Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and Lutheran denominations, use standard texts.

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I was thinking about this the other day. In our state you have to pass a test to get a high‑school diploma, and in most states students are required by law to read and study evolution. I think that’s a good thing. People should understand how biodiverse ecosystems work.

Take biodiversity in our own city. On the community page, some people want all the wild cats killed. I remind them what happened in Europe when they wiped out the cats — the Black Plague exploded and half the population died. That usually shuts the conversation down fast. Cats protect the food supply by keeping rodents in check.

I wish I could make the same point about taxes. Detroit is the perfect example. They couldn’t resist gouging people for taxes, and it destroyed the city. People were evicted from beautiful homes that eventually got gutted and burned to the ground. When your house is worth $20,000 and the tax bill is $3,000–$4,000 a year, that’s not sustainable. People simply couldn’t pay, so they left. The abandonment was driven by taxes people couldn’t afford.

I spent a good portion of my life doing remodeling and renovation, so it hits me hard to see those beautiful homes destroyed — all because the so‑called elected officials didn’t know how to manage a city.

And now HUD ends up selling FHA‑foreclosed homes to local governments for $1 if they sit unsold for six months. That’s what happens when a tax system collapses: the city ends up begging someone to take the property just to get it back on the tax rolls.

HUD sells FHA‑foreclosed homes to local governments for $1 if they’ve sat unsold for six months.

Cities can then resell them cheaply (sometimes for $1) to:

• Homebuyers
• Nonprofits
• Developers

These homes are usually in:

• Detroit
• Cleveland
• Buffalo
• St. Louis
• Baltimore
• Milwaukee
• Pittsburgh
• Dayton
• Toledo
• Youngstown
• Flint
• Saginaw
• Gary, Indiana

Basically: Any city with massive tax foreclosure and population loss ends up with $1 houses.

When Christ is depicted on the cross, He is dead, but He is not hanging limply but rather standing on the cross because He is victorious over death. He is also at peace. Christ is also not depicted with the crown of thorns on the crucifix, and the plaque often reads "King of Glory" instead of the abbreviation of "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" (INRI in Latin, INBI in Greek)

Isn’t it just that we should just trust in the Lord & not worry about what we think are contradictions in our eyes? The Lord told the rich young man to keep the commandments ( Matthew 19:16-19 as per Matthew 19:16-31). St. Paul tells us how to live with the world in Romans 13:1-14 with the particular verses 8 through 10 which are the Lord’s commandments.


The Lord says the golden rule is Matthew 7:12 as per Matthew 7:1-12 which is the law & prophets. The Lord says on the commandments are which the law & prophets depend ( Matthew 22:36-40). Everything was fulfilled on the cross ( John 19:25-37). St. Paul affirms this in Romans 3:21-25.

The Lord’s ways are not our ways as per Isaiah 55:1-13. Isn’t St. Paul giving us an answer to this in Romans 5:1-21?

Hans Blaster said:

I don't know what the "AI" was ingesting, unless it was only smoothing your writing. This "AI" output is full of category errors and other serious failings.

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AI is really, really really a mess. Eventually you pull the plug and turn it off because I give up on getting it to work. It is a reflection of what is on the internet which is mostly garbage.

Hans Blaster said:

agnostic. Science does not have beliefs,

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That is what agnostic means. It is a term I use. Do you have something more recent. Maybe we should just say neutral. Althogh AI is anything but neutral. It tends to be bias above and beyond the call of duty.

Hans Blaster said:

All (proper) science is done without concern for religious ideas.

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Point made, point taken. He was actually one of the very few to talk about Planck at the beginning., Although this is becoming more popular and wide spread now. On the TV show (big bang) he was almost a central charactor.

Hans Blaster said:

(I thought he was attacking the creationist fools that lived around me.)

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I guess you can not blame him for that when it is pretty much open season for that.

Hans Blaster said:

You (or your AI) is going to have to back that up.

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Ask and you shall reveive. One of the most widely cited examples of Hawking’s dismissive tone toward Christian belief. Calling the Christian hope of resurrection a “fairy story” is, by any reasonable standard, direct and dismissive.

1. “There is no heaven or afterlife… that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.”​

— Interview with The Guardian, 2011

Hans Blaster said:

Again you are implying, if not stating outright, that irreligion causes health problems. It doesn't.

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I remember going through those cardio‑diet classes. Talk about denial being more than just a river in Egypt. When my brother died, his arms were really covered with bruises from all the stents. When they checked me I was stent free bubble free. Because I quit eating meat for the most part. Something a lot of people are not willing to do.

One guy owned a Dairy Queen restaurant. He was a really nice guy. As nice as they come. So can you imagine being confronted with the damage you have done to your customers?

I can because I sold hunting knives for 20 years. People told me they just like to collect knives. But I was in an Amish market where people raised their own food. I had a vision once of all the blood that my knives has spilled and it was a LOT. That is justice being confronted and having to face up to what we have done with our life.

I was a carpenter, so it was a tool, not a weapon for me. Even I told the kids that they had to decide if they use the knife for good or evil. Which is exactly what you are saying. Science is neutral. Ai is neutral. We decide if we use it for good for for evil and everyone will be accountable for what they have done.

For a carpenter, you build a home, for a surgeon a knife is used for healing and for good.

pasifika said:

What Rest?

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His rest, the rest we enter by faith. Heb4:2 that an entire generation missed out on because of their unbelief, disobedience and rebellion Heb 4:6 Eze20:13 Eze20:15-16 why we are told not to follow in that same example of disobedience Heb4:11 if we hear His voice and not harden our heart Heb3:7-19.

Benyamin Netanyahu - part of a speech in the Israeli Knesset:
“In these days, on the eve of Purim, at times like this, the people’s ranks must be tightened, standing shoulder to shoulder. I trust our commanders, our fighters. I trust our people, and I trust you, citizens of Israel,” he said.

Rather sad that he doesn’t trust God, because about 70 Prophesies tell us that God intends to Judge and punish all those in the Holy Land area who refuse to acknowledge Him. Zephaniah 1:1-16

The church I attend promotes Lent. On Ash Wednesday there are ashes to put on the forehead or back of the hand and Lent is discussed. It's up the the individual to participate or not.

weary2025 said:

For all we know they gave their money away. I think we should follow Jesus and Paul here. They teach against having or wanting wealth

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They may have done, but as you say, it is only "for all we know," as nothing is stated in Scripture, either of them being commanded to do so, of of them doing so.

weary2025 said:

And if you push out police like democrats did then that's what you get, murder and rape.

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Yes. In America. That’s my point.

weary2025 said:

Isn't the Bible the greatest teacher we have?

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Jesus did not even mention the Bible will be our teacher post-resurrection.

John 16:13
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

John 14:26
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you.

The Bible is mentioned elsewhere. The Greek word used is "biblaridion" which is translated in English as "little book" and the Bible is indeed a "little book" compared to the ancient scrolls.

Revelation 10:9
And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.

Say it aint so said:

President Donald Trump's administration has been heralding the construction of data centers to power artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure across the country. But many red state residents are becoming increasingly angry about data centers' intrusion on their rural communities.​

That's according to a Tuesday article by the Washington Post's Evan Halper entitled "The data center rebellion is here, and it's reshaping the political landscape," which reported that residents in deep-red states like Indiana, Oklahoma and elsewhere are showing up in droves to public hearings solely to speak out against proposed data center construction. The Post zeroed in on an ongoing conflict over a planned data center in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, where Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) has championed the project.​

​

"We know Trump wants data centers and Kevin Stitt wants data centers, but these things don’t affect these people," Trump supporter Brian Ingram said. "You know, this affects us."​

​

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright admitted that the data centers are unpopular as they have been tied to higher utility costs in adjacent communities, due to their immense power requirements. And the Post noted that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has also railed against data centers due to both their electricity consumption and their draining of precious freshwater sources. MSN​

Maybe there is hope they will realize what they voted for.

Keep in mind the Trump admin is fighting tooth and nail to prevent states from being to regulate these data centers, with the same vigor they are trying to prevent states from regulating gambling taking place in their own states.

Just what America needs, more degenerate gamblers.

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On the state levels, regulation of AI on the technology & data centers is a bipartisan concern.

Forest Fire

NxNW said:

Anything about the actual state of the union, though?

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It will start at 9pm eastern time.

partinobodycular said:

As Jesus pointed out in Matthew 5:28 it's actually lust that's the sin, but the law can't tell what's in a person's heart and so it judges them according to the act alone, and not according to what's in their heart.

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You imply that Jesus thinks the act of adultery may or may not involve lust, and we just can't know. That's not true at all.

partinobodycular said:

Homosexuality is thus universally condemned because of the act itself, regardless of whether that act was born out of lust or love. Therein lies the law's flaw... it cannot judge hearts.

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You are trying to say that the law is insufficient because breaking the law might actually be a good thing. That's a form of antinomianism, a Christian heresy. It has nothing to do with Jesus, who said that "not even the smallest part of the law will be abrogated." The point about judging the heart has to do with those, like the Pharisees, who fulfilled the letter of the law but did not fulfill the spirit of the law. It did not have to do with people who outright break the letter of the law. Laws literally exist so that vice can be rooted out. Your notion that we can't enforce laws because laws concern behavior but we should judge the heart rather than focusing on any particular behavior is rather crazy. Again, Jesus is a rigorist. He is not saying, "Don't worry about adultery. Feel free to commit adultery all you like as long as you don't lust therein." He is saying, "Adultery is a terrible sin of lust, but just because you have avoided that terrible sin of lust does not mean that you have avoided the sin of lust."

A person can claim all the titles they want, but if they have never believed in Jesus for Eternal Life. Then they condemned already and will remain condemned unless they at some point in their life believe in Jesus for Eternal Life!

Guys

dms1972 said:

Is science a metanarrative?​

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I think science has become a metanarrative. It would be hard to overestimate the way that epistemic attitudes are routinely tuned to what is popularly believed to be the scientific method, both popularly and even in academia. The scientist is universally idolized, and has become the measure of what counts as worthwhile.

Educators reward graduates revering academics.

RWARD