OXFORD, England (OSV News) — Catholic bishops in England and Wales have rejected “gender identitytheory,” reminding Catholic schools and parishes to uphold traditional teachings on human identity and sexuality.

“Many conflicting, divergent and often contradictory views of the human person have found wide acceptance … they have led to holders of traditional theories being cancelled or even losing their jobs,” the bishops said.

“We should never seek to cause offence to another, including in situations where the other person advocates a view of reality that is different from or departs from the Church’s vision of the human person. Yet care should be taken to resist the temptation to adopt the language of gender ideology in our institutions,” they added.


The call was included in an 11-page “Intricately Woven by the Lord” pastoral reflection on gender, published April 24 by the Westminster-based bishops’ conference.

Responding to a ‘new language’​

Continued below.

What are your thoughts on what is seriously (most) wrong in our country

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What does the Bible teach about different types of demons like Marine Spirits? In this video, Pastor Nelson answers the question: What are marine spirits? 3 minutes and 17 seconds.

I’ve heard of spirits over certain areas and cities before but marine spirits? It seems to be a big topic among African pastors.

Has anyone heard of this before? Seems a bit off to me. Like a mixture of cultural aspects mixed with Christian belief. I’m just curious.

If the only thing they share in common is political views and Faith views can the relationship work good and well in the long run ?

I'm sure this has been covered many times, but I couldn't find a similar thread with a quick search, so will start another.

What is meant by the term "Law" in the Bible? I propose that like the word "love", it has many different meanings in the mouth of different people, and in different contexts.

Here are some of the meanings I can think of:

• The general, overall law of Moses. This involves everything given by Moses, which encompasses concepts of civil matters, religious/ceremonial matters, and also moral matters.
• The law as an upholding of a contract. I.e. God said that He would have the Jewish people as His special **IF** they obeyed His laws. So a Pharisee in the time of Jesus could point to their paying a tithe of the herbs in their garden, and assert that this (along with all their other points of obedience) was a complete fulfillment of their duty to uphold their part of the contract. All they had to do was meet the letter of the law and they felt they had done their duty.
• The law as a form of instruction. God imparts wisdom about how a successful society will operate, and it people will follow these instructions, they will naturally prosper. Before the Israelites crossed the Jordan, Moses told them how all the other nations would marvel at how wise their laws that God had given them were. Thus it would not be seen as arbitrary, but rather as something that makes sense and all could see the benefit of them.

So it seems to me that much of the conflict between those how emphasize the importance of the law (I suspect many of the posters to this section of the forums may be in this camp), and those how feel that the law is not longer in effect since Christ "nailed the law to the cross", have to do with different understandings of the word "law."

Examples of this:

• Paul was the apostle sent to the Gentiles. He was following God's direction to gather His sheep from other pastures. But many Jews felt that they needed to follow "the Law", and especially the part of the law regarding circumcision. I feel this was the "contract" interpretation of the law.
• At the counsel in Jerusalem, there was discussion of what rules the Gentiles should be recommended to follow. They set up a very limited set of recommended actions (avoid sexual immorality, the blood of strangled animals and food offered to idols), with an additional mention that all the other elements of the law Moses are continually taught. I interpret this to mean that they were considering the law in its "instruction" aspect. The limited set was a bare minimum of what they felt was needed to keep new converts out of trouble, with the idea that they could learn further concepts over time.
• Paul writes extensively against the law (I feel in its "contract" aspect), but then when a church member marries his father's wife, he rails against the man as acting in a manner that not even the heathen would do. This is a direct application of one command from the Mosaic law (Lev 20:11) against having sex with a father's wife. Most people today understand that it is also a bad practice due to societal issues even aside from religious considerations. Thus Paul is writing this in the "instruction" aspect of the law.
• Paul, after extensively dismissing the "law" and those that felt self-righteous by their rule-keeping, sets out many many rules about how a Christian should live. He essentially gives a new set of rules such that one might even consider all that the Law of Paul. He describes how husbands should treat wives, how wives should behave, how masters should treat slaves etc etc. I'm not exactly sure how to categorize this set of rules. It seems similar to my first bullet point above, as an "overall" rule. And Paul recommended that the man who fell outside it (the one having sex with his mother or step-mother) be "handed over to Satan." Sure sounds Mosaic to me.
• At the death of Jesus, the curtain that separated the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place was miraculously torn by invisible hands. I interpret this to mean that God was doing away with the sacrificial system involving the death of lambs etc, which had always pointed forward to Christ. But a change in the ceremonial aspect of the law wouldn't change the fact that we should, for example, still honor our parents.

So, in modern times, I commonly see the law discussed in these ways. I am not saying that I agree with all these, but rather that these are themes that I see:

• The law is a reflection of God's perfection. As imperfect humans, we can never match up with God's perfect mandates. Therefore Jesus stands in the gap, and the blood of His sacrifice "takes away" our sins in the same way that the sacrificial lamb was sufficient to remove the legal status of "sinfulness" from an errant Israelite. In this framework, sin is a legal debt and Jesus is able to pay off this debt with His blood.
• Or, that any attempt to go back to law keeping is backsliding away from the grace of Jesus. And example of this was when Paul chastised Peter for not eating with the gentiles for reasons related to Jewish law. And if anyone were to speak against eating unclean meat, for example, it would be seen as trying to keep the "contract" aspect of the law, rather than the "instruction" aspect of the law. Mark 7 explicitly states that Jesus declared all foods "clean". So if a piece of meat falls into a sewer, then when retrieved it would still be "clean" in the contractual sense Jesus states. But I think all will agree that it would not be clean in a sanitary or health-wise manner -- and anyone who eats it may still suffer the health consequences with throwing up and diarrhea etc.
• Others seem to make a distinction between written regulations vs Spirit-led actions. The idea here is that any regulation that is written down can be worked around in a manner that obeys the letter of the law but not the original intention. So the argument goes that a Christian will be lead by the Holy Spirit and they don't need regulations. If it seems OK, and they don't have any guidance otherwise from the Spirit, then it must be OK.

So what do I believe?

• Certain actions in life have bad outcomes. God wants to help us to avoid these pitfalls, and thus gives us instructions to avoid certain behaviors. Failure to follow wise instructions is erroneous (sinful), and consequences have to be dealt with.
• God's ways are infinitely better than our ways, and we will always have something more to learn from Him. Even after the 2nd coming of Christ and the establishment of God's new kingdom on earth, we will still be improving and learning through the life-giving instruction from the Father, the Son, and the Holy spirit.
• Something that is wrong for one person, who has been taught an advanced concept by God, may not yet be wrong for a person just starting out their journey in Christ. Just like a child is not held to the same standards as an adult, so God meets us sinful humans where we are and does His best to guide us in a good direction. And this is the problem with writing down regulations. They can be discouraging to those not yet reached a level of understanding to incorporate them into their life. And they can be restrictive to others. For example, imaging a regulation of "you must exercise 60 minutes every day." Those just starting can't tolerate this level of intensity, and others my wonder why they are limited to just 1 hr. Thus we should constantly seek God's guidance to help us, while still paying attention to what has been written. So I might try to "exercise 60 minutes", but only succeed to 5 minutes. I pray to God for mercy and keep trying, and with time He helps me succeed.
• There is a very fine line between legalism and "cheap grace" that has to be avoided.

So these are some thoughts that have been buzzing around in my head, and it helps me to try to get them down "on paper."

What do you all think? Have I missed something? Are some of my thoughts above off base?

Best wishes,

Kevin

NIV, 1 Timothy 1:

15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst.

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Paul persecuted the church before his conversion. Three decades later, he still thought about that as if it were yesterday. He used the historical present tense.

English Standard Version:

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

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ESV translated G4413 as "foremost". Paul humbled himself before the Christian brothers. NIV, Ephesians 3:

8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ.

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Pray The Holy Spirit comforts & heals an Israeli lady named Moran Yanai who suffered when she became a hostage kidnapped by Hamas on 7-Oct-2023:

So I have been employed at a non-profit for almost 8 years now. While we are not a Christian organization per say, we are Christ centered. What we do is offer pregnancy center resources (such as tests), parenting classes, counseling, and address immediate needs such as formula/diapers/car seats.

Our director of operations has recently decided to make it mandatory that we pray with each and every client that comes into our center, after the Lord placed on their heart to do so.

When we do client intakes we do ask about spiritual beliefs, church attendance, etc. Now, I have always felt comfortable listening for what the Holy Spirit is leading me to do in client interactions. I have absolutely no hesitation in praying for or with clients, if I feel I’m being led to or if it is appropriate. We are now to mark it as yes or no on our daily client tally if we prayed, so it can be shown as a center statistic.

We have clients who show up needing physical needs met immediately. Some are not religious or express that they are pagan or atheist. I have degrees in psychology, Christian counseling, and ministry. I say this to explain my thoughts that sometimes immediate needs must be addressed or a relationship needs to be established before addressing prayer with clients. This is what we were taught, to let the Holy Spirit guide us in our actions!

At first we were approached by the director if we marked no to prayer and had to explain why we did not. I have had to explain my thoughts about it several times. And I did so as I said above, letting the Holy Spirit guide me. When I said I felt that sometimes immediate physical needs needed to be met first in order to establish a relationship with nonbelievers, the director responded with “Pregnancy tests and diapers are just how we lure them here”.

Now the director has started taking clients away from us if we do not pray with them at their first appointment.

I feel so torn. On one hand my confidence has been shaken and I am afraid that I am just not hearing Him telling me to pray with everyone. On the other I’m not comfortable being forced to pray with those I do not feel led to at that moment.

(Just to be clear, I am referring to praying with, not for clients.)

Can anyone please offer some guidance on how to handle this?

Reader,


Lets say that a young mother ......is not born again, and they have 6 young children.
She is 25 yrs old, and her husband left her, after #6 was yet to be born.
Two of the Children are Twins., the boys...... and 4 are little girls.
'Mary" is dirt poor and on food stamps....and the children are dressed in rags, none of them are over 6, and often they are barefoot in the winter.

So, on one side of Mary, is a Christian family, who believes that if they are starving (and so are their 3 children), then that is a "Godly sign of Spirituality".
They teach and preach the "poverty gospel" as their faith, even tho the Bible teaches that "Poverty is the destruction of the poor".

On the other side of Mary, is a family of Believers, and they have been blessed abundantly beyond measure, and they give some of their money into the work of God, and He's keeps giving them more of His money, through them.
They have the favor of God on them, and Jesus said, I have come to "give you life, and that more abundantly".

So, Mary the young single mother, and her 6 children, need a new furnace., and its winter and they are very cold in their wood frame house that has no funace heat.

1.) So, she goes to the "poverty gospel Christians" and says...>"can you help us"?
And the Poverty Gospel Christians say...>"...oh...would that we could..... but we have nothing we can give you, and we too are freezing every winter, but God is well pleased.. and ... God bless.""""".

And Mary says......'"ummmm, ok, thanks".

2.) Then Mary goes to the other Christian neighbors, and says... "Can you help me and my children, we are so cold"'..
And the Christian man and wife invite her in for a moment, and they listen... and they say......" Mary, hon....you are coming here to stay with us, right now.....and your children also. And we'll put sleeping bags on the carpeted floors and find a way to keep us all warm, and tomorrow, we'll call the Furnace Specialist and have them come and repair... or put in a new furnace in for you, and we'll see about helping you pay off your mortgage also.. And we'll go shopping tomorrow for some socks and shoes for your kids"...Now Mary, we are here for you, we are your new family, because God loves you and so do we.".

We see repentance mentioned more than 20 times in the Gospels, and here in the book of Acts, it continues

Then again here:

Then here in Romans


Let’s talk about repentance - what does repentance look like in real life?
Maybe share some of your story of repentance.
How often do you find the need to repent?
If you have to repent from a specific sin more than once, is it really repentance?

This could be a very interesting discussion.

We, as humans, don’t see like God sees. For “The LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7 ESV). Humans see what people are, or what they appear to them to be, but God looks at what he can create within us, and who he intends for us to be and to do, in his power and strength and wisdom. For “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly and despised things of the world..” (1 Corinthians 1:27-28 ESV).

And he chose Zacchaeus, who was not well liked because he was a tax collector, and who was small in stature. So, where other humans despised Zacchaeus and had no use for him, Jesus saw what he intended to make of the man. Jesus saw what he could be. And he sees what we can be, too, if our lives are surrendered to him. But he knows what we will be, as well, because he is God. And he sees everything.

So, even if we are small in stature, and even if we are despised by other humans, whether or not we are deserving of such disdain, God can use us for his glory when our lives are given over to him to be used by him in whatever ways he intends to use us to fulfill his purposes. For he is a miracle working God who intends to turn us from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that we can receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Christ (Acts 26:18).

But Zacchaeus was seeking after Jesus Christ, and even though he could not see Jesus on account of the crowd, who he could not see over, he did not let that discourage him, but he persevered. He ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, and the Scriptures teach that “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13 ESV). And Zacchaeus seemed quite in earnest to see who Jesus was. And he did find him. And he did not let the grumblings of the crowd discourage him, either, but he declared openly his faith and devotion to Jesus Christ.


This is a true picture of genuine faith and salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord. For when we believe in Jesus with God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in the Lord, we are crucified with Christ in death to sin, and we are raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. So we are no longer to let sin reign in our mortal bodies to obey its desires, for if sin is what we obey, it leads to death. But if obedience to God is what we obey, that leads to righteousness, to sanctification, and its end is eternal life (Romans 6:1-23).

Now no one had to tell Zacchaeus to do the things that he did, other than Jesus did tell him to come down from the tree, for Jesus said he must stay at Zacchaeus’ house that day. But Jesus already knew what Zacchaeus’ response to him was going to be, too. And he sought Jesus because God the Father was obviously drawing him (persuading him) to faith in Jesus Christ. And he knew right from wrong, so instinctively, or because God was putting this in his heart, he knew that he must make the wrongs right, and he must change from being a thief (if he was one) to being a giver to the poor.

For if our faith in Jesus Christ is genuine God-persuaded faith in the Lord, we are going to turn from (repent of) our sins, and we are now going to commit our lives to following Jesus with our lives. For Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and to self) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if for Jesus’ sake we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow Jesus in obedience, then we have eternal life in him (see Luke 9:23-26). And that is what Zacchaeus did.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

A Believer’s Prayer

An Original Work / July 31, 2012

With my whole heart, Lord, I pray
To be Yours, and Yours always.
Lead me in Your truth today.
May I love You, and obey.
Lead me in Your righteousness.
When I sin, may I confess;
Bow before You when I pray;
Live for You and You always.

Love You, Jesus, You’re my friend.
Life with You will never end.
You are with me through each day,
Giving love and peace always.
You will ne’er abandon me.
From my sin You set me free.
You died on that cruel tree,
So I’d live eternally.

Soon You’re coming back for me;
From this world to set me free;
Live with You eternally.
Oh, what joy that brings to me.
I will walk with You in white;
A pure bride, I’ve been made right
By the blood of Jesus Christ;
Pardoned by His sacrifice.

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We who believe in Jesus Christ with genuine God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ should be people of prayer. And we should be sensitive to the Spirit’s voice prompting us to pray for certain people at particular times when God knows that those people need prayer. For prayer is really two-way open communication between us and our Lord to where we can hear from him at any time of day or night, and to where we can speak to him about whatever is on our hearts and minds at any time.

Prayer does not have to be formal or with a written list, and it doesn’t have to be at a specific time of day or a routine we follow. We can talk with the Lord while we are cleaning house or washing the dishes or driving a vehicle or cooking a meal or while we are exercising or taking a walk, etc. For we are to continually be in a state of prayer (pray without ceasing), not that we are always verbalizing prayers to the Lord, but to where we have that open communication to where it is just natural to talk with him at any time.

Now I hear people talking about how we should pray for pastors of churches, and for missionaries, and for evangelists, and that we should pray for those who are sick or who are in physical need of some kind. But we should pray for anyone who is a follower of Christ who asks for prayer, and in the same way we would pray for a pastor or for the sick. For we all need prayer. And all who are following Jesus with their lives are ministers of the gospel and they are missionaries, because they are sharing the gospel with others.

And we should pray for people’s emotional and spiritual needs, too, and not just for their physical needs. For there are a lot of hurting people out there who need prayer and encouragement and who are laboring for the Lord much like Paul did, but without credentials, and without a title, and without recognition that what they are doing is as important or more important than many who have credentials and titles. For a title of “missionary” does not make us a “missionary.” We are missionaries if we are spreading the gospel.

And we should be praying in general for the truth of the gospel of our salvation to get out to as many people as possible so that they will hear the truth and turn their hearts and lives over to Jesus Christ, die with him to sin, then live to him and to his righteousness in the power of God. And we should pray that more people professing faith in Jesus Christ will share the message of the gospel of our salvation with other people, like on social media or in person, or over the phone, or via a letter or whatever means possible.

And when I say “truth,” I mean the truth that Jesus Christ and his NT apostles taught, if read and understood in context, and not from Scriptures removed from their context and then twisted to say what they do not say. For Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and to self), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if for Jesus’ sake we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow him in obedience, we have the hope of eternal life with God (Luke 9:23-26).

And then we are to walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. We should not be allowing ourselves to get trapped into worldly living and into doing what the ungodly do because we are following the wrong crowd or because we are wanting to “fit in” and be accepted. And we should also seek the Lord for opportunities to share his gospel message with the people of the world in person or on the internet or via letters, or via whatever means we have available to get the good news out to people.

And when this says to let our speech be gracious, this is not talking about us watering down the truth of the gospel so that we don’t offend people with the truth of what the Scriptures teach. For if we lessen the power of the gospel message, we have won no one for genuine faith in Jesus Christ. For grace is kindness, and God’s grace to us instructs us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return (Titus 2:11-14).

And this word “grace” means “leaning towards to share benefit,” the kind of benefit that Jesus provided for us via his death on that cross. For us, we share that grace (favor) via the message of the gospel of our salvation. For in Jesus’ death on that cross he freely gave himself away on our behalf in order that we might have the benefit of deliverance from slavery to sin and the empowerment of God to now live holy lives, pleasing to God, in walks of obedience to his commands in daily living (Romans 6:1-23; 1 Peter 2:24).

And if our speech is seasoned with salt, metaphorically speaking, salt signifies purification. In a figurative sense, it can mean wisdom or prudence (good sense). So, if we preserve the word of God, we maintain, uphold, obey, continue in, protect (safeguard) and defend it. And so if our words are seasoned with salt, we speak with pure words and with godly wisdom and with good sense in safeguarding and protecting the truth of the gospel. And this is what we all should be doing who love and serve Jesus Christ.

[Matt 5:13-16; Matt 28:18-20; Jn 4:31-38; Jn 13:13-17; Jn 14:12; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:14-18; Acts 26:18; Rom 10:14-15; Rom 12:1-8; Rom 15:14; 1 Co 12:1-31; 1 Co 14:1-5; Eph 4:1-16; Eph 5:11-27; Php 2:1-8; Col 3:16; Heb 3:13; Heb 10:23-25; 1 Pet 2:9,21; 1 Jn 2:6]

A Believer’s Prayer

An Original Work / July 31, 2012

With my whole heart, Lord, I pray
To be Yours, and Yours always.
Lead me in Your truth today.
May I love You, and obey.
Lead me in Your righteousness.
When I sin, may I confess;
Bow before You when I pray;
Live for You and You always.

Love You, Jesus, You’re my friend.
Life with You will never end.
You are with me through each day,
Giving love and peace always.
You will ne’er abandon me.
From my sin You set me free.
You died on that cruel tree,
So I’d live eternally.

Soon You’re coming back for me;
From this world to set me free;
Live with You eternally.
Oh, what joy that brings to me.
I will walk with You in white;
A pure bride, I’ve been made right
By the blood of Jesus Christ;
Pardoned by His sacrifice.

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The psychologist Robert Gifford summarized this denial.

"We are hindered by seven categories of psychological barriers, also known as dragons of inaction: limited cognition about the problem, ideological worldviews that tend to preclude pro-environmental attitudes and behavior, comparisons with other key people, sunk costs and behavioral momentum, discordance toward experts and authorities, perceived risk of change, and positive but inadequate behavior change"

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On this site I see the following dragons of inaction as being the most prevalent, limited cognition, ideological (including religious) worldviews, comparisons with other key people (e.g. Tucker Carlson) and discordance toward experts and authorities.

A more general description of the denial is found in this video.

Pray by declaring "O Heavenly Father, In Jesus Christ's Name & By The Power & Grace Of The Holy Spirit, we rebuke the Dengue fever epidemic, & declare that it Immediately Stops Spreading" Amen:

Dengue fever is surging in Latin America

Nephilim are mentioned twice in the Bible. The first time was in Genesis 6:

4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

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Presumably, they were extinguished in Genesis 7:

23 Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; people and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark.

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Nephilim reappeared in Numbers 13:

33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.

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Presumably, they reappeared the second time as they did the first when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them.

I'm in a very tight spot.

I need to work, and the best option is remote at home.

Thank you for prayers.
I return them to you.

JUMP TO:​

• What is Ozempic personality?
• Common Ozempic side effects
• How Ozempic affects the brain
• Can Ozempic cause personality changes?
• Does semaglutide affect mood

Doctors discuss drugs that lead to weight loss and personality changes.

• Some people taking drugs that lead to weight loss, like Ozempic, say the medication impacts their mood.
• This led to the term, “Ozempic personality,” which notes that these drugs may cause some to feel depressed and anxious.
• Doctors say they see this often in people who lose weight.

---

There’s been a lot of chatter over the past year about Ozempic and its impact on the body. While the semaglutide medication (the main active ingredient in Ozempic) is technically designed for blood sugar management in people with type 2 diabetes, it’s also used off-label for weight loss—and that’s only fueled its popularity.

With that, reports have swirled around online of people having unexpected side effects of taking Ozempic. The latest: Some say they’re experiencing mood changes in what’s now been dubbed “Ozempic personality.”

Several people online have opened up about going through personality changes. “I have minimal passion for anything, very monotone, and no enthusiasm,” one person wrote on Reddit. “I hear good news I respond with ‘okay.’ Things I enjoy seem to be a chore.” But another said that they feel more “calm” now that they’re on Ozempic. “I’m more optimistic about my future. More content with my present. But I know I both feel and appear calmer to others,” they said. “That might present as my being in a lower mood to some but I am not experiencing it like that.”

Continued below.

My dad is getting old, overweight, please pray for his health, and that he lives well into old age in good health, I pray that all his illnesses and pain subside

My guess is many people on this forum assume that a judge that makes a donation to the democratic party could not give a Trump supporter a fair trial , but I would like some confirmation

Couldn't have happened to a finer fellow!

I go to church on a regular basis and I stay after the service to socialize but I find it hard to connect with many of my church members. They are my friends but I don’t have a real close bond with none of them because we don’t have too much in common. Is this issue common?

The Russian Turtle Tank Is The Weirdest Armored Vehicle Of The Ukraine War. The Craziest Thing Is, It Might Actually Work.​

Early this month, Ukrainian drone operators were flabbergasted to spot, on the battlefield outside Krasnohorivka—just west of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine—a Russian T-72 tank with what appeared to be a metal roof atop its hull and turret.

Incredibly, the bizarre up-armored tank wasn’t a one-off. In fact, it launched a vehicular trend in the Russian army in Ukraine as more and more Russian crews came around to the idea that the strange improvised armor might actually work.

The problem is, it only works against one particular Ukrainian munition. And the Ukrainians are about to expand their arsenal with munitions the DIY tanks probably can’t defeat.

It was obvious what that three-person Russian crew outside Krasnohorivka was trying to do: put up a shield between its 51-ton tank and the thousands of explosive first-person-view drones Ukrainian forces launch every day.

It was equally obvious that the shell-like armor—which inspired the derisive “turtle tank” moniker—would probably come with serious drawbacks. Its vertical posts would prevent the tank’s turret from rotating. The bulk would impede visibility and mobility. And the installation seemingly left a gap in the front for a skilled FPV operator to fly their drone through.

Observers laughed at the awkward turtle tank. And they laughed harder when the first turtle tank survived its combat debut—an assault on Ukrainian positions in Krasnohorivka—only to apparently get blown up in an artillery barrage targeting its base in Donetsk.

But the turtle tanks kept coming. Three weeks later, they’re a common sight all along the eastern front of Russia’s 26-month wider war on Ukraine.

Often sporting anti-drone radio jammers on their shells and mine-clearing rollers on their hulls, the tanks have led several assaults on Krasnohorivka. At least one was damaged and immobilized; Russian troops towed it off the battlefield.

Most of the turtle tanks belong to the 5th Motor Rifle Brigade, a former Ukrainian separatist unit that joined the Russian army last year. The 5th Motor Rifle Brigade has always made do with whatever weapons it can beg, borrow or steal.

But now turtle tanks are also showing up in the workshops of better-equipped Russian units—including the 90th Tank Division, which is lurking around the ruins of the eastern city of Avdiivka, possibly waiting to exploit the gap Russian troops recently opened in Ukrainian lines around the village of Ocheretyne.

The Russian army isn’t always particularly careful with its equipment and the lives of its troops, but it isn’t—as an institution—stupid. If turtle tanks are proliferating, it’s probably because they’re solving some problem.

“I know people are laughing at this, but I don't think it is a crazy adaptation,” wrote Rob Lee, an analyst with the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia. “The Russians are adapting to the particular conditions of the battlefield.”

The Russian Turtle Tank Might Actually Work

The turtle tank is designed to stop drones—and apparently does just that. But what happens when Ukrainian troops start firing more artillery and missiles?

www.forbes.com

Republican Kern County Supervisor Zack Scrivner is being investigated for sexual assault after his other child stabbed him in the chest twice

Sheriff Youngblood recounted the incident where Scrivner, apparently experiencing a psychotic episode, was armed with a gun at his Tehachapi home, following a call from Scrivner’s aunt, District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer.

Deputies dispatched to the scene discovered Scrivner had already been disarmed and had sustained two stab wounds in a physical altercation with his children, sparked by the assault allegations.

Thirty guns, electronic devices, and psychedelic mushrooms were seized from Scrivner's residence, leading to forensic examinations to determine potential influence.

Scrivner's attorney, H.A. Sala, refutes the sex assault allegation, attributing the altercation to Scrivner's mental health crisis and pending divorce.

I think this miracle in Orthodox history is pretty obscure but it's awesome.