Reluctant Theologian said:

Why not speak to your local church pastor or priest? You need someone in-person I think. Be blessed ...

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I don't have one.

I regret very very much choosing “applied statistics” when I returned to college.

At that time, I believed the IT industry was too fast-moving for me, so I turned to statistics. Only now do I realize that belief was misguided—the IT industry actually suits me. Studying applied statistics was almost entirely a waste of time. And money (I still haven't paid back).

I regret not seeking more guidance in prayer before making that choice (that was during the period when I stopped praying the Rosary, which would have saved me from regret). I should have studied something else.

Casper and the Angels

Jonestown News Updates
Tourism at the Site: A private tourism company in Guyana, Wanderlust Adventures, has begun offering guided tours of the former Peoples Temple compound, a decision met with mixed reactions from survivors. The company defends the tours as an educational opportunity to discuss the dangers of blind faith, while some survivors view it as an "abuse" and a way to profit from tragedy.
47th Anniversary: November 18, 2025, marks the 47th anniversary of the mass murder-suicide, in which 918 people died.

ME: Since, I was part of the Military clean up team. I think this is disgusting.

Googled Jonestown news, there are some stories on it.

The cheap health insurance promoted by Trump officials has this catch



The loophole for short-term plans


Short-term plans, which were previously limited to a duration of four months, were vastly expanded in 2018 by the Trump administration, which saw them as an alternative to ACA plans, which they opposed. To make the short-term plans more accessible, the Trump administration ruled that a short-term policy could last as long as three years.

“President Trump is bringing more affordable insurance options back to the market,” Health Secretary Alex Azar said at the time. “These plans aren’t for everyone, but they can provide a much more affordable option for millions of the forgotten men and women left out by the current system.”

Even some insurance companies wondered whether this relaxation of regulations was a good idea. Cigna executives raised objections to the proposed rule, worrying that consumers would end up with a cheaper short-term plan but “find themselves in need of certain benefits or protections.” Aetna suggested adding more consumer protections to the short-term plans. The largest health insurance company, UnitedHealth Group, however, recommended approval of the proposed rule “as quickly as possible.”

In the year after the rule was loosened in 2018, another 600,000 consumers turned to the policies, according to a 2020 study by congressional Democrats. While solid estimates of the total number of annual enrollees are hard to come by, they put the figure at 3 million.

Problems quickly emerged, their study said. Incentivized by larger sales bonuses, brokers were using deceptive marketing materials to sell short-term policies, the report said. It “is unclear what kind of value consumers are getting for their premium dollars,” it said, “other than a false sense of security.”

Last year, debate erupted again when the Biden administration reversed the Trump rule and restored the four-month limit on the policies. This year, though, the Trump administration announced it was again coming up with its own definition of “short-term” and would not prioritize enforcement of the Biden-era rule.

In comments for this article, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said in a statement that the short-term plans can play “a crucial role in offering stopgap coverage solutions ... and can be significantly cheaper than ACA coverage.” The agency also noted that the administration has sought to expand access to “catastrophic” health plans, a form of ACA coverage with high deductibles but lower premiums that had been limited by age and income. In 2025, 54,000 people enrolled in them, according to researchers.

In a statement for this article, UnitedHealthcare said, “Short-term plans are designed to meet consumer demand for more flexible, low-cost options, but they are not for everyone. We encourage people to make informed decisions about their health insurance coverage and compare different types of plans.”

9Rock9 said:

Hello!

I'm undecided about eschatology but doing some research on it. I think good points are made for both amillennialism and premillennialism. The only view I currently hold to with is inaugurated eschatology (or "already and not yet") where most prophecy has double fulfillment.

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Can you explain what you mean by this? For example, scripture prophesies about the second coming of Christ. Do you think that has a double fulfillment? Another example is that the dead will all be resurrected (John 5:28-29). Do you think that has a double fulfillment?

9Rock9 said:

It's normally associated with George Eldon Ladd, who was a premillennialist, but I don't see why one can't be amillennial and also agree with inaugurated eschatology.

I'm wondering if one can hold to a non-literalistic premillennialism?

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I suppose that's technically possible, but I have not ever seen any premils who take that approach.

9Rock9 said:

Like, I don't think the events in Revelation are strictly chronological and probably could be oit of order or just the same events from different angles.

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Agree. It's usually Amils who see it that way, but some Premils see it that way, also. But, Amils see Revelation 20:9 as another angle of the return of Christ. It talks about fire coming down from heaven to destroy those who come against the camp of the saints. Amils take that to be referring to unbelievers opposing the church and then Jesus coming in flaming fire to take vengeance on them (2 Thess 1:7-10) by bringing fire down upon the entire earth (2 Peter 3:10-12).

9Rock9 said:

I also don't know if I believe the 1,000 years mentioned in the book to be be a literal millennium.

Could one believe in a Millennial State after the Second Coming, but not think the Millennial Kingdom will be a literal 1,000 years?

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Technically, yes, but I've never seen anyone claim to believe that.

Always in His Presence said:

According to AI - it is a close up photograph of the top side of an intel Xeon Platinum 848+ processor

The golden/bronze color and the distinctive pattern of circles and squares are the exposed copper layers of the processor’s integrated heat spreader (IHS) after the nickel plating and lid have been removed (a process called “delidding”).

What you’re seeing is the actual silicon dies (the four large rectangular chips arranged around the center) and the surrounding copper heat-spreading structure that sits directly under the lid on these server-grade CPUs. The circular features are thermal vias and structural supports in the copper IHS.

Perhaps you have a different view of these tiles?

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Which AI said that? It was quite wrong, here’s what a Xeon Platinum 8480 die looks like:


You can tell the image he linked is of ceramic tiles and not of CPU dies because of the extreme variability between each tile, and obvious grouting and contamination (and he found them at a local cemetary that had Druze persons buried).

I am probably (a) the most advanced user and developer of LLM-based AI systems on this, in that I now engage in prompt engineering professionally and have also done work at the forefront of an AI sentience. I am also among the members who along with my Roman Catholic friend @Michie who I don’t think is enthusiastic about AI to put it midly, whereas I am, for me, LLM systems are the fulfilment of a lifelong dream, would most strongly caution against relying on “AI”, especially an unnamed AI, as an authority. Indeed once in an argument with a member who tried to cite the output of an AI against the Roman Catholic Church I pointed out this was an appeal to unqualified authority, and proved it by producing an article from Grok about how Pope Gregory XVII in the 1970s following a fictional encyclical, complete with a Latin title, canonized one of the founders of their denomination, who was known for her outspoken criticism of the RCC.

I love AI, but I don’t trust AI; all output from AI should be checked, and as a systems programmer who in my career has seen photographs of countless CPU dies in the trade press I am 90% sure the image above is not of a CPU die, and if it is, it was of one that was de-lidded in such a rough and incompetent manner as to deform the heatsinks in a manner that happens to resemble ceramic tiles.

Now, I’m not an expert in the Druze religion (few people are, who aren’t Druze, indeed even among the Druze they have a hieratic caste that alone is fully indoctrinated into their belief system), but I did find images of Druze ritual hats that have stylistic similarities to the tiles linked to: SYRIAN – DRUZE ceremonial religious glass beaded hats

"ILLEGAL" immigrants.

Bradskii said:

It really seems that you don't like the guy and that he's going to be bad new for NY. I think you don't want him to do well. But I Really like that you don't feel that you always have to agree withTrump. That's quite refreshing.

From here: Trump says he ‘absolutely’ would live in Mamdani’s New York during unexpectedly cordial first meeting – US politics live

'When asked by a reporter whether he would live in New York under Mamdani’s leadership, Trump said “absolutely”. “We agree on a lot more than I would have thought,” Trump said. “I want him to do a great job, and we’ll help them do a great job.”

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I will say, that was an entertaining meeting...

I especially chuckled at the part where a reporter asked Mamdani "You've said Trump is a fascist, do you still feel that way?"

Mamdani was just starting to give his "political" answer of "well, I've stated before that..."

When Trump grabbed his arm and said "It's okay, just say yes...it's a lot easier to say yes... I don't mind" and they both laughed.

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Maybe we're witnessing the beginning of a comedic "Odd Couple" situation

Or perhaps a begrudging "well, we're stuck with each other, might as well try to make the best of it" situation like this

Dan Perez said:

And I wrote. Heb. 9 :18.

#1. WHERE UPON //. HOTHEN. is an ADVERB

# 2 NEITHER. // OUDE. is an ADVERB

# 3. THE // is a DEFINATE ARTICLE in the NOMINATIVE CASE in the SINGULAR

# 4 FIRST // PROTOS in the NOMINATIVE CASE n the SINGULAR

# 5 ( TESTAMENT ). WAS DEDICATED //. EGKAINIZ. in the PERFECT TENSE in the INDICATIVE MOOD in. the SINGULAR

# 6 WITHOUT // CHORIS. is an. ADVERB

# 7 BLOOD //. HAIMA in. the GENITIVE CASE in. the SINGULAR in. the NEUTER

This isbn why the OLD COVENENT. could could not save BECAUSE CHRIST BLOOD had not yet shed

ON THE CROSS and why Gentiles would never be saved

AS ATONMENT was what kept all SAFE with. the

The PRIEST

The ALTER

THE SACIFICE

THE BLOOD THAT WAS SPRINKLED ON THE ALTER

dan p

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Yes you're right the old covenant could not save anyone.

We do not receive Jesus' blood intravenously, so blood type is irrelevant.

Long live the counter-culture

The rise of Islamist extremism in the north of the country, especially in regions such as Cabo Delgado, has had a devastating impact on the lives of believers. Churches have been burned down, pastors abducted and many killed. The objective of these groups is to, while church youth leaders are at particular risk from violent drug traffickers.

Meet "Pastor Mario"

In Mozambique, we Christians are targets of much persecution, many believers are raped, killed, several churches and houses destroyed.

PASTOR MARIO, CHURCH LEADER IN MOZAMBIQUE

What has changed this year?

Mozambique rose by two positions on this year's World Watch List. Islamist militants continued their hate campaign against Christians, which intensified after 11 Christians were executed in September 2023. In 2024, extremists launched a campaign targeting Christians called Kill Them Wherever You Find Them. Additionally, the fight against Islamist militants in Cabo Delgado was weakened after a multi-national peacekeeping mission withdrew their troops.

What does Open Doors do to help Christians in Mozambique?

Open Doors supports persecuted Christians in northern Mozambique by providing emergency aid, persecution survival training and economic empowerment projects.

How can you pray for Mozambique?

• Pray for protection for believers in northern Mozambique as the region remains unstable and vulnerable to attacks from extremist groups.
• Please pray that God will comfort and heal Christians who are severely traumatised because of the violent attacks.
• Pray for Open Doors partners who work in Mozambique to be protected as they seek to strengthen the faith of believers.

Mr. Homan is correct. There are legal pathways & laws to follow. I think sometimes people get this impression of Christ that He is trying to just be liberal & liked & thus allow every behavior. No He had a standard. We have trouble deciphering it. All nations must have border laws in order to retain sovereignty. We don't exist as a bunch of tribes on this planet in a vacuum where we can all sit down at the campfire. The reality is that all humans live in tension. I like so many people wait for a 2nd Coming that would dissolve this toxicity. But one has to understand the financial burden place on citizens from this huge transgression. The Democrats allowed this because they want a compliant people to come in & eventually get to the voting booth. This people will do what they're told which is to vote for the hand that feeds. It's Pavlovs dogs. Then you lose all control of society. If they can get freebies, then maybe John Q should not pay his property taxes. Or maybe John Q should go steal a bicycle or rob a bank. Society breaks down if you don't have a decorum. Its all too easy to want to be liked & look benevolent to the people. It's like better to be popular than right. Well being popular is not always correct. This is not a matter of 50 migrants. It's much more. Why should the American people redistribute their hard-earned income now to these people & bring down their own standard of living. They could jeopardize their own ability to eat, pay rent or mortgage, get food, etc. And please don't give me this but if you do great in heaven will be your reward. Tell that to a cancer patient. And the Church does not appear to have an answer to the drug problem, trafficking, & crime. It's like saying don't worry we have the money to pay for the cost on society for the fentanyl. don't worry if someone does too much charity & now can't pay the rent, we will send 2 loaves & 5 fish. It's also easy to see that church attendance has declined & it may appear that these migrants make for easy bait to fill the pews. So it appears everyone has a motive of exploitation. When a society lacks a standard & plays everyone gets a trophy, it degrades the standard. We have our own homeless, our own vets, drug addicts, mentally ill, poor, & even these days middle class.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the Somalia fraud story is the scale, with total costs running into the billions of taxpayer dollars. That raises the question: What happened to all that money?
The Somali fraud rings have sent huge sums in remittances, or money transfers, from Minnesota to Somalia. According to reports, an estimated 40 percent of households in Somalia get remittances from abroad. In 2023 alone, the Somali diaspora sent back $1.7 billion—more than the Somali government’s budget for that year.
Our investigation reveals, for the first time, that some of this money has been directed to an even more troubling destination: the al-Qaida-linked Islamic terror group Al-Shabaab. According to multiple law-enforcement sources, Minnesota’s Somali community has sent untold millions through a network of “hawalas,” informal clan-based money-traders, that have wound up in the coffers of Al-Shabaab.

The Minnesota government hands out taxpayer money with little checking or follow-up.

Well then let the Vatican take them in. People don't exist for the sake of redistributing their own income & letting their own standard of living fall apart. We have a legal pathway.

Glory to God!

Chrystal-J said:

I find these suicides horrifying. People were upset when the cult "Heaven's Gate" committed mass suicide, but this is ok?

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Agreed. It’s sad, really.

BPPLEE said:

in my own experience it was a problem. They just went to another agency

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I LOVE unions.

But dang if they do far too much to protect bad eggs.

(I don't see it as much as a teacher but when I was working as a counsellor at a govt. facility for youth, there were people being protected and coddled. I did not like that).

Clare73 said:

That is the logical consequence of the sovereigny of God (Ro 9:19-24).

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Ok so God created them in a fallen state knowing that they are incapable of meeting His expectations unless He was to intervene and enable them, then punishes them for failing to meet the expectations that He already knew that they were incapable of meeting when He created them?

AV1611VET said:

Christ died on the cross for him, didn't He?

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I think that's a moderatorable offence to comment either way.

So, final FINAL words: Matthew 7:20. Anyone with eyes and the internet knows Hovind's fruits and we know them well.

Rep. Bryan Morse, a 31-year-old Republican, was taken into custody Thursday. He was released on $200 cash bail, and is scheduled for arraignment on Dec. 18 in a Nashua courtroom.

According to Nashua police, an investigation into Morse began in May when the victim, who has not been identified, told authorities that he had posted explicit images of her on social media platforms without her consent.

In a statement, Morse denied the allegations and said he intended to fight the charges. “I am pleading not guilty and will be fighting vigorously to clear my name,” he said.

During his first year in office, Morse has spoken repeatedly about what’s described as the dangers of pornography in schools, including claiming in social media posts that New Hampshire public schools are providing students access to books with graphic content.

On his public Facebook page, Morse has said allowing trans people to use the bathroom of their choice is a threat to women’s privacy.

JohnB445 said:

I am learning more about the Bible.

What happens in the future? Where there be an eternity of people being on Earth then dying later to be judged or will there come a point where there is no longer a need to judge and either people are in heaven or hell. And there are no more people left for God to judge?

If that is the case, what happens next? Is it possible for another rebellion to occur and people get kicked out of heaven? Remember the angels rebelled from the very beginning.

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Peter taught that when Jesus comes again unexpectedly as a thief in the night, the heavens and the earth as we know it will be burned up and there will then be "new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells".

2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Jesus also talked about that event when "heaven and earth will pass away" unexpectedly at His second coming.

Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. 36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

RDKirk said:

Romans 7:7–11 is the classic passage where Paul identifies the dynamic that the giving of a law creates an occasion for sinful desire. To put it another way, the command itself provokes the impulse to violate it.
Sin as a reality precedes knowledge. Wrong actions are objectively wrong, even if the person does not yet know.
Moral responsibility begins with knowledge. Once awareness arrives, the person is accountable for the wrongdoing. This principle appears dozens of times in Scripture.
Legal guilt is tied to command + knowledge. The command creates the standard. Knowledge triggers accountability. Before knowledge, there is sin but not accountability.

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Before existence of command, there is no sin of which to be guilty. There was no command between Adam and Moses.

'Where there is no law, there is no transgression." (Ro 4:15)