‘Hannah’s Children’ offers a glimpse into countercultural women having five babies — or more.

Populations are collapsing globally. The total fertility rate (TFR) during a woman’s childbearing years has declined by more than 50% over the past 70 years, from around five children for each female in 1950 to 2.2 children in 2021, with more than half of all countries and territories (110 of 204) below 2.1 births.

According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, in the U.S., since 2007, the total fertility rate has declined from 2.12, which is just above the replacement level set by demographic tradition at 2.10 births per woman, to 1.67 in 2022, leading many to speculate that our country has entered a sustained period of what is considered below-replacement fertility.

This situation captured the attention of Catherine Pakaluk, Ph.D., director of social research and associate professor at The Catholic University of America.

“Growing up, I heard people complaining that the world would be overpopulated, but in the last 25 years, it has become clear that we don’t have enough children,” she told the Register. “When a country is shrinking, economic output shrinks along with family sizes. Most sociologists and economists around the world are studying the reasons why people won’t or can’t have children. I thought that I could add to the conversation by talking to those who are having children.”

Continued below.

Robocalls were focused on ‘xenophobic’ statements in communities dealing with tragedies

A federal court in Montana last week imposed a nearly $10 million penalty against a Libby man who sent thousands of harassing and malicious spoofed robocalls that targeted people and communities in several states specifically following tragedies that included people’s murders.

“In placing thousands of harassing and malicious spoofing calls to consumers across the country, Rhodes showed a blatant disregard to caller ID and telephone consumer protection laws designed to prevent this sort of conduct,” District of Montana U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said in a statement.

According to the FCC and U.S. Department of Justice, Rhodes would spoof local numbers and use recorded messages to target specific communities in Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa and Virginia in 2018 with nearly 5,000 robocalls made with false caller identification information.

When self-avowed neo-Nazi James Fields Jr., was arrested for running over and killing Heather Heyer with a vehicle during a protest against the Unite the Right white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., Rhodes sent robocalls to the area making racist statements about the city’s mayor and police chief and denigrating statements about Heyer.

Rhodes ... also spoofed robocalls attacking gubernatorial candidates in Florida and Georgia.

See also:

Racist robocall targets Andrew Gillum in Florida governor's race​

The sheepfold is a gathering of the sheep (followers of Jesus Christ), i.e. a gathering of the church, the body of Christ. The way in which we enter into this gathering of sheep, so that we are one of the sheep, is via genuine God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ whereby we are crucified with Christ in death to sin and 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 not to let sin be in control in our lives anymore.

But there are those who are not Jesus’ true sheep who disguise themselves as though they are his sheep in order to deceive the people of God. And these are called “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” And in this passage of Scripture they are referred to as thieves and robbers and strangers and as hired hands who care nothing for the sheep (vv. 1-13). For these are false shepherds of the sheep who today are leading many people to a false half-truth gospel which alters the character of God, his church, and the gospel message.

Jesus Christ is both the one who enters by the door, who is the true shepherd of the sheep, and he is that door. And God the Father is the gatekeeper who opens that door. For the door is the way into heaven with God, into salvation from sin, and into eternal life with God. And Jesus is the one who made the way for us to enter into fellowship with God/Jesus Christ, which is the way of the cross. And the way of the cross is death to sin and following our Lord in walks of obedience to him (Romans 6:1-23).

And if we are the Lord’s true sheep, by God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ, who have died with him to sin and who are living to his righteousness in obedience to his commands (New Covenant), then we should be those who are listening to the Lord, and who are walking in his ways in holy living, and who are discerning the lies of these false shepherds of the people who are deceiving the masses into believing that they can “believe” in Jesus and be on their way to heaven, but regardless of how they live.

And we should, thus, not be people who are following after these “wolves in sheep’s clothing” who are leading the people to believe that a mere profession of faith in Jesus Christ, or just “praying the prayer,” will be enough to secure them salvation from all sin and eternal life with God in heaven. But we should be students of the Scriptures who study them in their full context, and who understand that true faith in Christ is to result in us dying to sin daily and us walking in obedience to our Lord in holy living.

For it is true that these thieves and liars and manipulators of truth, who are out to deceive the masses, are out to steal, kill, and destroy. For they are of Satan, and they are leading the masses to believe in a false gospel message which, if they follow it, will land them in hell, and not in heaven. For if sin is what we practice, and not righteousness, and not obedience to our Lord, we will die in our sins. We will not inherit eternal life with God, regardless of what we have professed with our lips. So please know and believe the truth.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; 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; Heb 12:1-2; 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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Christians date with the intentions of marriage so with that being said should a Christian person date a person they are not sexually attracted to even when they are celibate until marriage. Considering the person has good Godly qualities and they connect

NASA Veteran’s Propellantless Propulsion Drive - That Physics Says Shouldn’t Work - Just Produced Enough Thrust to Overcome Earth’s Gravity - The Debrief

If this turns out to be true, then it would be revolutionary. It uses electric fields based on electrostatics. Once a drive is charged up then the force remains.

Is this Cold Fusion for rockets? Too good to be true because it isn't true? Too early to tell, but something to keep an eye on.

ChatGPT Summary of Key Points:

1. **Discovery of Propellantless Propulsion**: Dr. Charles Buhler, a NASA engineer and co-founder of Exodus Propulsion Technologies, has developed a propulsion drive that seemingly defies known physics laws, producing enough thrust to counteract Earth's gravity.

2. **Nature of the Discovery**: Buhler emphasizes that their discovery represents a fundamental breakthrough, utilizing electric fields to generate sustainable force without expelling mass.

3. **Background and Expertise**: Buhler's background in electrostatics and extensive experience with NASA's programs contributes to his understanding of this new force.

4. **Development Process**: Over two decades, Buhler's team explored various avenues before settling on electrostatics as the key. They meticulously conducted experiments, eliminating alternative explanations and obtaining a patent in 2020.

5. **Breakthrough Thrust Measurement**: Between 2022 and 2023, the propulsion drive exhibited significant thrust increases, eventually surpassing one full Earth gravity.

6. **Nature of the Force**: Buhler explains that asymmetry in electrostatic pressure or fields can generate force on an object, marking a departure from traditional propulsion methods.

7. **Comparison with Other Concepts**: While similar concepts exist, Buhler's team claims their work explains effects observed in other propulsion drives.

8. **Future Directions**: The team seeks funding for space tests to further understand the force and its implications, potentially addressing complex scientific questions.

9. **Implications for Science**: Buhler hopes their discovery will spur scientific inquiry into phenomena such as dark energy and space/time.

10. **Call for Collaboration**: Buhler invites companies interested in propellantless propulsion to explore licensing opportunities, emphasizing the need for expertise in electrostatics.

11. **Conclusion**: The discovery presents a significant opportunity for scientific exploration, with implications reaching beyond propulsion into fundamental physics questions.

We saw the attack by Iran on Israel...
'CNN — Almost all the ballistic missiles and drones Iran launched at Israel in an unprecedented attack late Saturday were intercepted and failed to meet their mark, according to Israeli and American officials, highlighting the formidable, and multi-layered missile defense deployed by the two allied partners.

Most of the more than 300 Iranian munitions, the majority of which are believed to have been launched from inside of Iran’s territory during a five-hour attack, were intercepted before they got to Israel, more than 1,100 miles (1,770 kilometers) from their launch points.'.... https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/14/midd...le-defense-iran-attack-intl-hnk-ml/index.html

Now Israel has responded and interestingly hit beside where a Nuclear facility is located as Iran is enriching uranium almost to the level needed for Nuclear Weapons........its getting to that..

'Israel carried out limited strikes in Iran early Friday in retaliation for Tehran firing a barrage of missiles and drones at Israel last Saturday.

Here are the key facts you need to know about the latest escalation of violence between the two countries.

Fox News confirmed there have been explosions in Iran's Isfahan province, which is where Natanz, one of Iran's nuclear facilities, is located.

A well-placed military source has told Fox News that the strike was "limited."

Israel strikes back at Iran: Five key questions

The students are demanding the university divest from Israel.
“We demand that Columbia sever academic ties with Israeli universities and we demand that Columbia stop censoring and intimidating students who are standing up and advocating for Palestinian liberation,” one student yelled through the gate to the crowd that had gathered on the other side outside of campus.

What you teach children does matter.

The first word of the Hebrew text of Genesis is “בראשית” (Bereshit). Traditionally vocalized, it means “In a beginning.” However, tradition gives it the meaning and translation “In the beginning.” The literal meaning is considered as contradicting reality.

Interestingly, when we delve deeper into the Hebrew letters that compose this word, we discover profound insights:

1. Tav, Yud, Shin, Alef, Resh, Beit:
   • These are the Hebrew letters that form Bereshit (בראשית).
   • Let’s explore their meanings:
     • Beit (ב): The first letter represents a house in Hebrew. In the Torah, the enlarged first letter emphasizes that the foundation of the world is focused on God’s house.
     • Alef (א): The first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, representing Elohim (God). Elohim is the plural form of El and is the first name for God given in the Torah.
     • Shin (שׁ): It has various meanings, including “thorns” and “appointed.” Thorns symbolize the crown of thorns worn by Jesus, and “appointed” refers to the Son’s purpose.
     • Resh (ר): Represents the “head.” It signifies authority and leadership.
     • Beit (ב): Again, the letter for “house.”
   • Combining these meanings, we get:
     • “The Son of God, crowned with thorns upon His head, on a tree, a gift of the covenant.”
2. A Deeper Interpretation:
   • The literal translation of the first sentence in the Bible can be understood as:
     • “In the beginning, God created the Hebrew alphabet, and then He created the heavens and the earth.”

Climate campaigners have praised the Biden administration for parts of the Inflation Reduction Act and a recent pause on liquefied natural gas exports but blasted the president for skipping last year's United Nations summit, continuing fossil fuel lease sales, and enabling the Mountain Valley Pipeline, Willow oil project, and construction of the nation's largest offshore oil terminal.
Perhaps just after the election the administration will limit each individual to one airline flight per year with anything over having to meet administration criteria. They too could limit the miles for gasoline powered vehicles, and perhaps eliminate gas mowers and stoves/ovens.

The following video walks through the history of advancements in long guns, from the hand cannon to the AR-15.

It details the importance of not endangering the weakest of our people, by forcing them to defend their own lives with "old," "clunky," "difficult to use," "relics."

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I believe that all of the ancient churches (Catholic, Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and some others) accept and teach the real presence of the Lord, Jesus Christ, in holy communion.

Catholics believe and teach that the elements of bread & wine are changed during the Eucharistic Prayer. The change is called transubstantiation among Catholics.

John Paul II wrote an encyclical entitled "ECCLESIA DE EUCHARISTIA", available here Ecclesia de Eucharistia (17 April 2003) | John Paul II, in which is written:
This thread is intended for discussion about the real presence. If you or your denomination teach a metaphorical or symbolic presence then this thread is not for you.

“At a time when our soldiers are fighting terrorist monsters, the intention to issue sanctions against a unit in the IDF is the height of absurdity and a moral low,” he (Netanyahu) added, committing to fight the move.
Centrist war cabinet minister Benny Gantz joined the criticism, saying the infantry unit was “an integral part of the IDF” and was bound by military and international law. He added that Israel has “strong and independent” courts capable of dealing with alleged violations.
“We have great respect for our American friends, but imposing sanctions on the unit is a dangerous precedent and sends the wrong message to our shared enemies at a time of war,” Gantz said, while pledging to “take action so this decision does not pass.”

People need to be deeply concerned about foreign influences on our country. The Biden administration, in fact the Democratic Party, as well as our universities have been infiltrated by those pushing radical Islam and those pushing spinoffs of Marxism. Countries from Qatar to China have tried to undermine our government. The U.S. is in absolutely no position to dictate to any country's military, let alone a country that was attacked in such a savage manner. It seems like foreign interference is behind this ill-advised decision by the Biden administration.

No vague answers please, do you know what God exactly expects of Christians, and what he wants them to do?

Out at Medina Square with my friend doing some sign evangelism and this one lady got convicted by one of the signs and drove off. Then, 30 minutes later, she drives on by again, as we were about to pray for her, this time calling us losers giving us the big 'ole 'L' sign (Though, I didn't get the 'L' captured on camera). Some people are more vocal about their hate for Jesus than others...

By itself, is this a universally true conditional proposition?

No, experiences tell us no. Let's see the context, Mat 18:

15“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.

Click to expand...

That's Step #1.

If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

Click to expand...

Step #2:

16 But if he does not listen, take** one or two** others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

Click to expand...

Step #3:

17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Click to expand...

Jesus was talking about the importance of two or three witnesses. Similarly:

19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Click to expand...

Jesus applied the two-or-three-witnesses rule to praying. There is a second condition: "in my name". If the two or three of you agree and if they pray according to Jesus' name, i.e., according to Jesus, then it will be done for them by the Father.

See Whatever you ask IN MY NAME.

Bugs is mine, the original bugs.

Hi,

So we all sin, even though we are christians.
Just think of the sins you do and ask urself.
Why are we not really really disgusted by some of our sins ?
For men, most men enjoy watching p*rn, it is sin, we should be disgusted by it, but honestly we are not. Why is this ?
Can't God somehow zap our mind after prayer, so we are really really disgusted by it ? Like how most of us are disgusted by eating rotten meat ?
If u are really really disgusted by something u will easily not want to do it no more, not sin no more.

Br,

"Branded “Moscow Marjorie” by former Republican representative Ken Buck, who said she gets her talking points from the Kremlin, Taylor Greene went further by accusing Ukraine of waging “a war against Christianity”.

“The Ukrainian government is attacking Christians, the Ukrainian government is executing priests,” she said. “Russia is not doing that. They’re not attacking Christianity.” (In fact, according to figures from the Institute for Religious Freedom, a Ukrainian group, at least 630 religious sites had been damaged or looted in Russia’s invasion by December last year.)"

Republicans erupt into open warfare over Ukraine aid package vote​

As the speaker of the House finally allows a vote to go forward on aid, GOP infighting is tearing apart the party

Republican divisions over military support for Ukraine were long simmering. Now, before Saturday’s extraordinary vote in Congress on a foreign aid package, they have erupted into open warfare – a conflict that the vote itself is unlikely to contain.
Mike Johnson, the speaker of the House of Representatives, triggered an all-out split in his own party’s ranks last week by finally agreeing, after months of stalling, to a floor vote on the $95bn foreign aid programme. Passed by the Senate in February, it contained about $60bn for Ukraine, $14bn for Israel, and a smaller amount for Taiwan and other Pacific allies.

Johnson’s decision to finally bring the package to a vote made a highly symbolic break with the GOP’s far right, the people who engineered his elevation to the speaker’s chair last October after toppling his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy. These Republican rightwingers – reflecting the affinity of their political idol, the former president Donald Trump, for the Russian president, Vladimir Putin – have grown openly hostile to Ukraine’s cause.

Speaking from the Capitol on Thursday, Johnson made no apologies for antagonising them, telling C-SPAN that providing aid to Ukraine was “critically important” and “the right thing” despite the potential power of his opponents to bring him down in yet another internal party coup.


“I really believe the intel and the briefings that we’ve gotten,” Johnson said. “I believe that Xi and Vladimir Putin and Iran really are an axis of evil. I think they are in coordination on this. I think that Vladimir Putin would continue to march through Europe.

“I am going to allow an opportunity for every single member of the House to vote their conscience and their will,” he said, adding: “I’m willing to take a personal risk for that, because we have to do the right thing. And history will judge us.”

The backlash was fierce. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the outspoken Georgia representative, immediately filed a resolution demanding Johnson’s removal, called the bill a “sham”.

“I don’t care if the speaker’s office becomes a revolving door,” Taylor Greene told Steve Bannon, Trump’s former adviser, on his War Room channel. “The days are over of the old Republican party that wants to fund foreign wars and murder people in foreign lands while they stab the American people in their face and refuse to protect Americans and fix our problems.”

Branded “Moscow Marjorie” by former Republican representative Ken Buck, who said she gets her talking points from the Kremlin, Taylor Greene went further by accusing Ukraine of waging “a war against Christianity”.

“The Ukrainian government is attacking Christians, the Ukrainian government is executing priests,” she said. “Russia is not doing that. They’re not attacking Christianity.” (In fact, according to figures from the Institute for Religious Freedom, a Ukrainian group, at least 630 religious sites had been damaged or looted in Russia’s invasion by December last year.)

Taylor Greene’s move to oust Johnson was supported by the Kentucky representative Thomas Massie, who also backed an ultimately successful attempt to remove a previous Republican speaker, John Boehner, nearly a decade ago.

Other Republican rightwingers are unhappy, too, though they have so far stopped short of moving to topple the speaker. That might be because Trump, the party’s presumptive nominee for president who is currently on trial on fraud charges relating to paying hush money to keep American voters from learning about his alleged affair with an adult film star, has backed Johnson.

So have all four Republican chairs of the key House committees – foreign affairs, intelligence, armed services and appropriations - a position driven by the sheer urgency of Ukraine’s predicament.

Charles Lake, 90, was arrested on Thursday afternoon and charged with 300 counts of child [sexual imagery].

According to his arrest affidavit, deputies with the Polk County Sheriff's Office served a warrant at his Lake Alfred home at around 12:58 p.m. on Thursday where he admitted to possessing child [XXX] on his computer.

I was watching Walter Veith given his description of the end times when he showed a series of videos on what is being given and this came up...

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I was shocked as it was something that a Revelation Series would show or you would find on Amazing Facts or Amazing Discoveries. It seems they took it right out of our evangelistic series, or Adventist sermon of End Time Events, incredible.

Pray The Holy Spirit sends Christian Missionaries & Medical Missionaries to war-torn Sudan in order to spread Jesus Christ's Gospel of Peace & Protection:

Pray for me, that the Holy Spirit will help me to have a milder or even very cool temper. As it is not only unChrist like but as a diabetic extremely unhealthy.