Sir Joseph said:

Thanks for the response AlexB23 but you overestimated my tec abilities. I needed more specificity and got it from Maria. I'm on board now.

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You are welcome. Congrats on figuring this out from Maria.

The big puma fungus – credit Rewild, released.

The first and only fungus on a global conservation outfit’s ’25 Most Wanted List’ has been found in the rain-soaked mountains of Chile, almost 40 years after it was first documented.

The big puma fungus is actually quite small, and despite being on the ’25 Most Wanted List’ it’s also rather unremarkable, being slightly greyish brown, and no bigger than a [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]ake.

GNN is always abreast of updates to the brilliant conservation initiative Search for Lost Species which has rediscovered several wondrous species of plants and animals through collaborative scientific expeditions to look for forms of life not seen in over ten years.

Continued below.

– credit, Shannon Bell, released.

Despite the Central Appalachia ecosystem being historically famous as coal country, under this diverse broadleaf canopy lies a rich, biodiverse world of native plants helping to fill North America’s medicinal herb cabinet.

And it turns out that the very communities once reliant on the coalfields are now bringing this botanical diversity to the country.

“Many different Appalachian people, stretching from pre-colonization to today, have tended, harvested, sold, and used a vast number of forest botanicals like American ginseng, ramps, black cohosh, and goldenseal,” said Shannon Bell, Virginia Tech professor in the Dept. of Sociology. “These plants have long been integral to many Appalachians’ livelihoods and traditions.”

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Tellyontellyon said:

By tree I mean a tree

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You don't define your use of a word by restating the word. From my limited study, but more than most people's, my above answer stands. Whatever idea you got of Christ possibly being crucified on a tree, be it a single palm tree trunk or a tree with branches, such counters historical evidence (primarily art) and church writings.

As the video explains well, most scholars today agree that Jesus was crucified in typical fashion on a T-shaped cross. The JW's dispute this in order to differentiate themselves from traditional Christianity, not so much from a necessary translation of the greek word used, which could mean either cross or stake. In any case, I don't see anyone else proposing a tree as you ask, and I think it'd be a hard proposition to defend. I'd suggest that there are far better, legitimately controversial and better questions to ponder on.

To deter cats i plant land mines!!!

Boy Scout Simon Starnes – Family photos

A boy scout and his family were volunteering at a local food pantry when he realized the outdoor seating was in need of a little TLC.

Looking for a project to help get him nearer to his title of Eagle Scout, and despite having little experience in carpentry, 14-year-old Simon Starnes got to work.

Sister BJ’s Pantry, run by Sister Barbara Joseph Foley, offers free meals to the homeless with a special community emphasis on Friday and Sunday mornings, when these less fortunate patrons come to sip free coffee and take a long breakfast on the days when the nearest food bank isn’t open.

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Beekeeper Ross Main and grandfather William – SWNS

A tad late for Grandparent’s Day, a man in Scotland recently found the hives tended by his grandfather that were presumed sold or lost for over 14 years.

Locating them in a quarry, he took up beekeeping in order to assume responsibility for his inheritance and his business now sells honey to farmers markets across Scotland.

Ross Main grew up with, and was very close to, his grandfather William, a beekeeper who regularly took him along to check on the bees.

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The word 'life' appeared in ESV Jn 6 13 times. Jesus declared that he was the bread of life.

Jn 6:

60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?

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Some months later, just before he was arrested, he promised to send the Paraclete/Spirit after his death.

63 It is the Spirit who gives life;

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The Paraclete-Sprit gives Zoe-Life.

Strong's Greek: 2222. ζωή (zóé) — 135 Occurrences

BDAG:
① life in the physical sense, life
② transcendent life, life

the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

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This life dwells in our human spirit.

Paul elaborated in Ro 8:

10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

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The indwelling Spirit, the Paraclete, gives us life in our human spirit. The Paraclete gives life and is life himself.

See also

• How to grow in faith

Some of the sound waves common in rock music stimulate the flesh to act of its own free will. Rock music is not the only music that makes this happen.

So it's not "satanic" per se, unless you're saying you are the devil.

Michu said:

Thank you sister and thank you for sharing your story!

I'm definitely taking that to heart, I have this belief though that he molds me, that I'm under-going a process that he wants me to. Only God knows for what reason, but so far I can see how the challenges has made me a better man. It's hard though, sometimes I wish I just feeled blessed and thankful. I need to have patience.

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God certainly does test us and mold us into His likeness. And molding can REALLY hurt at times. And yes, it can be hard. The way I began feeling blessed was reading all the verses where God tells us He is blessing us and repeating those verses to myself hundreds and hundreds of times. When I told myself I was broke, I stayed broke. But once I told myself I was blessed, things changed. It DID NOT happen overnight. I had to keep doing it even when I didn't feel like it, and even when I didn't see a darn thing happening. I had to prove to myself that God wasn't lying - that I really was blessed like He said. The Bible says God's word is light and truth, and it says God watches over His promises to perform them. You can choose to feel thankful. I thank God everyday for even tiny little things that nobody would notice. I have gotten in the habit of just thanking Him for anything and everything. And the Bible says God loves a grateful heart. You will be fine. I'm praying for you and I'm sure there are others on this board who are praying too. God bless you and keep you! (Yes! Patience is key!!!!)

“It’s called we do a little trolling”

Sister Mary Antona Ebo, a Franciscan Sister of Mary, is pictured in the front row at the center with her superior, Sister Eugene Marie Smith, as they march in Selma, Ala., March 10, 1965, to support voting rights for Black Americans. A new book from Ignatius Press, "Catholic Heroes of Civil and Human Rights: 1800s to Present," tells the story of 16 different Catholics who advocated for human dignity and is set for release Sept. 13, 2024. (OSV News photo/courtesy St. Louis Review)

The authors of a new book profiling 16 holy men and women who championed civil and human rights want readers to know: You can be a saint.

"Most importantly, they should understand that every single person, through the power of God, can do the things that these men and women did," Matthew Daniels, coauthor of "Catholic Heroes of Civil and Human Rights: 1800s to Present," said during a virtual book launch Sept. 9.


This is the cover of "Catholic Heroes of Civil and Human Rights: 1800s to Present," by Matthew Daniels and Roxanne King. (OSV News photo/courtesy Ignatius Press)

Daniels, a distinguished professor of law, political science and human rights at Anderson University in Anderson, South Carolina, and founder of the human dignity advocacy group Good of All, together with coauthor Roxanne King, former editor of the Denver Catholic Register and a freelance writer, spoke about the book at the virtual event held ahead of its Sept. 13 release.

More than 100 people registered for the hour-long event that took place on the 40th anniversary of the publication of a pastoral letter by U.S. Black Catholic bishops as a witness to Black American communities called "What We Have Seen and Heard." It also marked the feast day of St. Peter Claver, a Jesuit priest who ministered to Africans under slavery, and advocated for their human dignity, during the 17th century in Cartagena, Colombia.

Continued below.

A priest who filed suit against Fr. Thomas Rosica says he hopes to encourage priests who have suffered sexual harassment and assault at the hands of other clerics to come forward, and because he believes Rosica should continue to be restricted from priestly ministry.



Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB. Image via National Shrine/YouTube

Fr. Michael Bechard of the Diocese of London, Ontario, told The Pillar this week that he hopes his story might encourage other priests harmed in the Church to find healing.

The Pillar reported last month that a Canadian priest had filed a lawsuitalleging that he was sexually assaulted by the formerly influential media figure Fr. Thomas Rosica during the run-up to World Youth Day 2002, which was held in Toronto.

The Pillar subsequently reported that the same priest had lodged a canonical complaint against Bishop Ronald Fabbro of the Diocese of London, Ontario, alleging that the bishop had failed to act when informed about his allegations against Rosica.

The lawsuit was filed under a pseudonym, and the priest was not identified in The Pillar’s reporting.

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Gregory Thompson said:

Thank you for sharing.

Sometimes having an audio bible playing the background helps to magnify the effect of things being brought back to remembrance by the Holy Spirit.

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That is very good advice. Very effective tool for learning.

CV NEWS FEED // Courage International, a Catholic apostolate that ministers to those who experience same-sex attraction, will hold a weekend retreat in Southern California from November 15-17.

As CatholicVote previously reported, “Courage International was founded in 1980 to provide a community and resources for persons who struggle with same-sex attraction and want to live chaste lives according to Catholic Church teaching.”

According to the timeline featured on Courage’s website, in 1981, the members decided on the five goals of the apostolate: chastity, prayer and dedication, fellowship, support, and good example. Later that year, the apostolate was named Courage.

The upcoming retreat is for members of Courage as well as for members of EnCourage. The latter supports families and loved ones of those “who identify as LGBTQ,” according to Courage’s website.

A press release from Courage states that the retreat is an opportunity “to spend time in prayer and fellowship with Courage and EnCourage brothers and sisters as we nourish our minds, bodies, and souls with daily Mass, confessions, Holy Hours, the Liturgy of the Hours, and inspirational talks.”

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Angel Studios, a company that has helped produce, fundraise and distribute popular faith-based movies and television programming, is set to become a publicly traded business as it seeks to build on its success.

In a statement published Wednesday, Angel Studios stated that it entered into a business agreement with Southport Acquisition Corporation with the goal of becoming a publicly listed company on the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ listed under the symbol "AGSD."

The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2025.

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Former University of Louisville professor Dr. Allan Josephson, above, alleges he was fired after voicing his personal views about treating youth with gender dysphoria during a panel at The Heritage Foundation in 2017. | Courtesy Alliance Defending Freedom

A former professor at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky, who alleges he was harassed and fired for voicing his opinions about gender dysphoria, is headed back to district court for trial after achieving victory in an appeals court last week.

A three-judge panel for the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday in favor of Allan M. Josephson, who claimed he was demoted and essentially ousted by the University of Louisville in 2017 after sharing his opinions about how best to treat young people suffering from gender dysphoria during a panel at the Washington, D.C.-based conservative think tank Heritage Foundation.

"The defendants argue that they are entitled to Eleventh Amendment immunity and
qualified immunity. The district court disagreed, and so do we," the 6th Circuit decision written by Biden appointee Judge Andre Mathis states.

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One of the most compelling tales in the Old Testament is the story of Samson and Delilah. It's a narrative that has captivated audiences in Sunday School classes, sermons, and even Hollywood films. The tale is fascinating because it offers a vivid illustration of how a man can be utterly undone by his desires, abandoning common sense and devotion to God in pursuit of fleeting pleasures.

What makes Samson’s story particularly intriguing is the contrast between his physical strength and his moral weakness. Samson was considered the strongest man in Hebrew history, capable of single-handedly defeating entire armies. Yet his downfall didn’t come at the hands of a mightier warrior, but rather through the deceptive allure of a woman. Samson’s lust ultimately led to his undoing, serving as a cautionary tale for countless others who have followed a similar path to ruin.

Lust is a powerful force, and it has been the cause of downfall for many throughout history. From defrocked pastors to disbarred judges, from disgraced politicians to impeached presidents, the desire for sexual gratification has been a thorn in the side of men for ages. It’s a sin that has destroyed families, ruined careers, and shattered lives.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus deals directly with the sin of lust. He explains that the Law of God goes far beyond mere outward obedience. The Law’s true purpose is to address the heart’s intentions, not just external actions. In Matthew 5:27-30, Jesus challenges the superficial understanding of the Law regarding sexual purity, showing that God requires more than just abstaining from physical acts of sin; He also demands that we flee lust as well.

1. The Letter of the Law: 'You shall not commit adultery'


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imsaneru said:

so I don't know what to think.

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imsaneru said:

They are not vultures. They take what they want and leave the rest for the next animal to eat. Use to be they would hunt down and kill any animal that would be a danger to children. Now the federal parks are starting to re establish the ecology the way it was before man

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AlexB23 said:

That is true. For instance, with the inquisition, the Vatican was most certainly corrupt, and eventually had to correct their own mistakes years later.

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Don't forget that if you're referring to the Inquisition that was in operation in Spain in the 15th and 16th centuries, it was not an inquisition sanctioned by the Holy See---it was an organ of the Spanish crown, operated by a renegade friar named Tomas Torquemada; the Vatican had nothing to do with it. The Holy See condemned the cruelty and excesses perpetrated by the Spanish Inquisition several times.

4. “I” as the last word in a sentence.​

This mistake is remarkably common, yet a correct example would be “Karlee talked with Brandon and me.” The trick to getting this one straight is to take the other person’s name out of the sentence and see if your personal pronoun choice still sounds right. “Karlee talked with I” is awkward and incorrect.

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Years ago I was a postman doing rounds in an industrial area in part. One of the customers was a panel beater and he happened to repair a ding I was involved in.

His sister was the post office cleaner and she claimed he'd find money if he fell in the toilet. He just seemed to have the knack.

But I noticed that whenever he answered the phone he would say in a jocular voice "It is I!" which technically is the last word in the sentence.

What does this look like in today’s world, in September of 2024? Everyone is not like this, right? But sometimes it appears as though the majority are. It seems especially difficult to find godly men among us who fit the biblical qualifications of overseer, elder, and/or deacon. There seem to be few men among us who are full of integrity, honesty, honor, faithfulness, moral purity, and uprightness, who have not sold themselves out to idolatry and to sexual immorality and to diluting the gospel to make it more pleasing to the flesh.

And this isn’t just targeted against men, but they are supposed to be the ones leading us, right? They are the ones who are supposed to be modeling for us what a true biblical Christian should look like and act like. They are to be the pastors and overseers and elders and deacons, and they are supposed to be the head of their households who love their wives as Christ loved the church and who gave himself up for her. And they are to be leading their children in paths of holiness and righteousness, by example.

But from reading the statistics on marital infidelity, on porn addiction, on divorce, and on addiction to sexual immorality, it doesn’t appear that the majority, including some pastors, are following the biblical model for what a man of God should look like, and what an overseer should be like, and what a godly husband and father should look like. Statistics appear to give the opposite impression, as do the actions and the words of many who claim Jesus Christ as Lord and as Savior. So many worldly professers of faith.

And, again, this is not targeted just against men, but men are mentioned first because they are the ones given the responsibility by God to be our leaders in the gatherings of the church and in our homes. So when that breaks down, the whole family unit breaks down from what it is designed by God to be. But all of us who profess faith in Jesus Christ are to be those who are walking no longer in sin but in holiness and in righteousness, and in walks of obedience to our Lord’s commands – all in the power of God!

So, this is a call to God to save us from the spiritual condition that so many who profess faith in Jesus Christ are in today, which is far from what God has planned and purposed for our lives. And it is absolutely true that so many now utter lies as just a natural course of life and conversation. Lies and liars abound just about everywhere you look these days – in the home, in the church, in the government, and in the media, etc. And faithfulness, unless it is being faithful to idolatry, also seems to have nearly vanished.


And it isn’t just the physically poor who are being plundered. But it is the poor in spirit, those of genuine walks of faith in Jesus Christ, who take him at his word, and whose lives are committed to death to sin and to living to God and to his righteousness in walks of faithfulness and in obedience to the Lord in holy living. We are being attacked, lied to, lied about, assaulted, and persecuted for righteousness’ sake. And we are largely being marginalized or struck down because we still hold to the gospel that Jesus taught.

Now, with regard to our Lord’s protection, he does not promise us that he will protect us from being hated and mistreated and marginalized and persecuted for the sake of his name, and for the sake of his gospel, and for the sake of righteousness. He tells us plainly that if we follow him with our lives that we will be hated and persecuted as he was hated and persecuted and that some of us will even be put to death for our walks of faith in the Lord. But he will protect us through our trials from giving in to Satan.

But even there we must cooperate with him in his work of grace in our lives, and we must follow him in wherever he leads us in doing what his word commands that we must do. And that includes enduring with patience unjust sufferings and persecutions. And that includes us loving our enemies and praying for them and doing good to them and speaking to them in ways which can be beneficial for them spiritually if they will listen. For it is not our job to get even with people. It is to love and to forgive even our enemies.

Why Are You Afraid?

An Original Work / December 5, 2013
Based off Various Scriptures

Do not be afraid.
Your Lord is always by your side.
Serve the Lord in righteousness
Before Him all your days.

Those who hate the light
Will not come to the Lord.
They fear their deeds
Might be noticed.
So, they hate the light,
And they embrace the night.

Do not be afraid,
Although your enemy attacks.
Dare to share your testimony
Of God’s saving grace.

Do not fear their threats,
But honor Christ, your Lord.
Be prepared to give an answer
For the hope you have,
With gentleness; respect.

Why are you afraid?
For all that’s hidden will be shown.
What I tell you, speak in daylight.
Let the truth be known.

Do not be afraid
Of those who’ll take your life.
Fear the Lord with understanding.
Trust Him with your life,
And give not up to strife.

Do not be afraid.
Take courage, it is I, your Lord.
Bow before Me; now adore Me.
Oh, why do you doubt?

Listen to the Lord.
Get up and bear His name!
Run and tell the world He loves them.
Jesus came to save.
Give Him your all today.

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KevinT said:

In a Newtonian world view, we would say that God with a perfect understanding of the current state of every atom can know all about the incoming asteroid or colliding galaxies.

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Assuming no randomness, Newton was aware of the mathematical limitations in solving the general case of the Three Body Problem.

KevinT said:

But if there truly is randomness built in by God, then God Himself could theoretically not know exactly how it will play out.

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See How does God perform thinking?

7thKeeper said:

Yes for being past tense, but appealed means that someone has appealed something. Not that he will appeal it in the future or is in the process of doing so. It tells nothing of the result of the appeal. That's a different thing.

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Sorry but I'm not going to keep rewinding back to several days ago.