I didn't violate a law, just spoke arrogantly. My parents threatened to send me to a mental hospital for hospitalization. In this place, the mental hospital is like the second prison, which can hold prisoners without mental illness. Doing so is equivalent to killing me. So I swear to remain completely silent for a month (31 days) and even not say one word to them. I am furious, and if I were destroyed , I would also choose Samson Option.

I cannot maintain my love for evil. I need to destroy evil in myself and keep myself safe.

* Is the belief in ghosts a thing in Christianity?
* What is a ghost?
* How should ghosts be regarded?
* Any personal experiences?

Jesus tells gives a heuristic approach to the Sabbath saying "it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath". (Mt 12:12) This demands the question then "What is good?" At least in the explicit context doing good is pulling sheep out of pits, healing withered hands, levitical priestly duties on the Sabbath, and David and his men eating sacramental bread (which seems to be an outside sabbath example). These examples are all lawful and implicitly good despite going outside of the written law and may have physical value as well as spiritual. (so for example pulling sheep out of pits may have a deeper meaning than just physical sheep out of physical pits)

Out of curiosity I did a Google search of a list of good things and by no means am I suggesting they are influenced by biblical values but here are 10 I found on this website that happened to have a specific section labeled "For Neighbours" so I thought it was appropriate.

1. Introduce yourself, even if — especially if — you’ve lived near each other for a while but haven’t met.
2. Compliment a neighbor on a feature of their home.
3. Scrape the ice off a neighbor’s windshield after you’ve finished doing yours.
4. Mow their lawn, rake their leaves or sweep their sidewalk as a surprise.
5. Make a double batch of the cookies you’re baking and bring some next door.
6. Plan a neighborhood block party so everyone can get to know each other better.
7. Walk your neighbor’s dog when he has to stay late at the office.
8. Offer to babysit a neighbor’s child for free.
9. Build a “little free library” box in your yard. Put books in it for your neighbors to borrow, and invite them to donate their books.
10. Make dinner for a neighbor who has just had a baby or surgery.

Although these acts are void of biblical purpose as Christians we can do these acts motivated to show Christ to others and help to meet the needs of others so we are able to fill these acts with greater purpose outside of humanistic values alone.

Based on this list which can we agree are good? To start let's establish first if they are good on a day that is not the Sabbath before we establish if they are good on the Sabbath. When I read the list, they are all reconcilable with goodness given the right motivation. And if they can be called good, then they can be called lawful on the Sabbath. But if an item on this list cannot be performed on the Sabbath then the reverse is true too, that it cannot be called good on any other day.

Can these items be called good?

Hello all. I just need some help and prayer, but most of all ~ prayer.

So, I am a graduate student at the same university I had also attended in undergraduate school. (Just to note, I go to a Christian university. The professors are all Christian. And I am a 25 year old female.)

When I was 17, I became a Christian and ended up in a church with people who are all immigrants from the same Asian country (let's call this country Country A). I love this church. I have been here for 8 years and I love the people so much.

During undergrad, I had a professor who is Asian-American (Let's call him Dr.A). His parents immigrated from Country A. I loved being in his class because I had the opportunity to learn about the people I was serving in the church. Additionally, I love this Country A and its culture, and my dream is to one day work there and help its people. I learned a lot in this class, but then I moved on and did not talk to this professor much after this.

I then started graduate school. This professor was a major role in this graduate department, and I ended up taking all of his courses by the time I graduated (5 courses), because they were required by the degree. The professor and I got to know each other better. He is in his late 50s, and he has a wife and many kids. He and his wife served as missionaries for more than a decade helping people from Country A. His children attend the same high school as I and my siblings did ~ and also, my dad teaches at the same high school we all attended. Naturally, I end up seeing this professor a lot, even outside of school, because of our similar interests and also life situations. For me, I merely only want to learn from him. I have no interest in romantic situations or taking part in destroying a family that God has put together. I want nothing but the best for him and his wife and kids.

This goes on to say, I attend an immigrant church from Country A. I have been here many years and I love it. One day, my professor and his family show up at the church, and they begin to attend here. That's okay. They can attend anywhere they want.

His children began to attend the ministry I help lead, and though the situation was awkward, I was trying to be as kind as possible to his kids and show them love without making any preferences or favoritism. (My personality would prefer to naturally ignore his kids, but I tried to go against my natural instinct so that I could love everyone equally).

Then the Spring semester began, and my professor asked me to help him with a huge project regarding Country A. He was going to help make a conference at our university and bring in some big-wigs from this country so that people could hear from them. I accepted, because I was interested in this topic. He has a student who was his assistant (let's call her Sarah), and she was an undergrad. She did research and administrative work for him, and I was just working with her to help get the project done. There was a 3rd girl who came to work with us, and she was an undergrad student from Country A. Dr.A would call us his "Charley's Angels".

Anyways, we all worked together and the conference came. The big-wigs came from country A, and the conference was a HUGE success. We ended up spending lots of time with the people from the country, and on the last day, they asked Sarah to come to their country to work with their organization. But, in front of everyone, they rejected me. Even in front of my professor. I am okay with being rejected, but what happened after that made me feel a bit weird. The professor's wife came to me and said something like, "it is okay! I believe you can be a wife and also have a job! I have a job too!" And my professor was just sitting in the background, smirking. As if my pain and situation was funny. (It hurt to be rejected, as normal, but I didn't like people bringing attention to my situation).

Anyway, I went on the rest of the day.

I was sitting in another professor's class, (let's call him Dr.F), and we ended up talking about life. I told him my life story, and he made some comments about my life. And then I went on my day.

Anyway, towards the end of the semester, I went to talk to Dr.A at the end of class, and nobody else was in the room. While I was trying to find something on my phone to show him, when I looked up, he was staring straight at my boobs. (I always wear a shirt to my collarbone, and loose-fitting pants or a long skirt. Nothing is inappropriate or revealing). I felt so awkward, but I just left shortly after that, hoping it was a 1 time thing.

A few weeks later, my boyfriend who is in the military, visited. I see him only once a year usually (we've been dating 8 years), and he is also from Country A, but recently became a citizen of my country. When he visited, I was trying to be kind and introduce him to the people I knew, so I did my rounds to introduce him to my professors. We eventually made it to Dr.A's office, and he had us come in for a chat. We just talked a bit about life, and then Dr.A asked if he could visit my house and meet my parents. This was odd, but I agreed. Then, another student came in to meet Dr.A, and so my boyfriend and I got up to leave. As we were leaving, I noticed my professor staring at my butt. And I looked quickly at my boyfriend to see if he noticed (he didn't). We then left (but I think the other student may have noticed).

After the week was over, my boyfriend flew back to where he lived.

At church, I saw my professor again. He asked me if I could bring his son to an American church, maybe sk he could make friends. I said sure, so I brought his son to an American college church event (I also attend this college ministry to make American friends). But, he never came with me again...

Towards the end of the summer, I was sitting at church with the professor's son, and we were talking. His son had a hard time making friends, so I kind of took him under my wing and tried to help him a bit. After church, the entire church goes to eat together in our fellowship hall. And I was eating at a table with our ministry and Dr.A's son. At this time, I was taking online classes. I was super stressed and I began to daydream about my week's schedule, and as I was daydreaming, I noticed that I was staring at someone accidentally, and I woke up from my daydream, and I was staring right at someone's crotch....I looked up to see who it was and if they noticed....and it was my professor....and He DID notice, and his face got extremely red.

I never mentioned this event to my professor, but after this, my professor's children never sat with me or talked to me again. They avoided me. And so did my professor.

When the fall school started, my university job ended, and I began an internship at my church. Around October, our church had a special picnic worship service. At the end of the sermon, before we all had food together, my professor's wife waited for me. Everyone else walked by to the pic ic area, but she stayed by me. And she began to talk with me. As she talked, I could feel that she had a reason to come to me...she never just came to me without a reason. She would never talk to me to know me, but to get some information from me. After some light talking, she asked me, "did you leave your job on good terms or bad terms?"...which is something that people from Country A say, but for her, it felt like there was a deeper meaning. I kind of got a little hurt, then Dr.A told his wife to turn around and follow him. They left me...and I was eating alone, practically.

I then tried to send my professor some emails to ask for help with some things, but he never answered any of them (and on purpose, I think).

All in this summer, Sarah (from the conference) was doing some major work with the organization in Country A. And I learned that they asked her to work on the board of the organization. This is something I always wanted to do. It hurt a little. But I want to be happy for her as well. Dr.A then asked her to make a special club on campus regarding making awareness for Country A. And she and him worked closely together regarding this.

In November, one of my white friends who used to come to our church, returned to the church. I was excited for him and went to talk with him. As we were leaving together, we walked by Dr.A's wife, and she beckoned us to come sith with her. We did. I felt like she had a reason, however. We began to talk, and she did her small-talk, as usual. But then, she began to ask, "oh! Do you want to go to Country A? You do? You should ask Sarah! Ask Sarah! Sarah works for ____ organization! She works there! Ask Sarah!" And repeatedly saying Sarah's name over and over. It seemed as if she was rubbing it in my face that I didn't get to work there, and trying to establish Sarah's status. It hurt even more. I just wanted to forget the entire thing. I noticed a trend, however, of Dr A using people to get what he wanted from them, and then treating them like trash when he was done using them. So, I got upset at her and asked her to leave us alone. But she didn't. And I think other people from the church noticed. We left.

In the Spring semester, Sarah went to do some work in the Middle East, and since she needed to be gone, she left me in charge of the club she and Dr. A created. At church, Dr.A told me to come to his office. I did. He said that he "was going to sponsor another club, so he couldn't sponsor our club". (Every club needs a sponsor to continue). But...He asked me if I could introduce him to some Country A college students that I knew. I said sure.

I introduced him to some, and then he said we should all come to his office. We went to his office, and he told us that he was planning another conference with big-wigs from Country A. And he kept making statements like, "we Asians need to stick together" and subconsciously (or consciously) excluding me from the group. And then, he let it slip "when Sarah comes back (from the Middle East), we will do so many things"...I heard that. I looked at him. His face became beet red. I think he realized what he said. We left.

After we left, Df.A had more meetings with the college students from Country A, bit I was excluded from any meetings and planning. Then...the week before the conference came.

I was at church, and I usually help out with the youth, but this one day my Amwrican friend wanted to visit our church, so I was sitting with him jn the main service. Out of nowhere, the pastor announces that the conference will be held at our university and gives us the exact specific dates and times (everything my professor didn't tell me). After that, my professor leaves the church, and doesn't stay for the sermon.

I end up going to the conference anyway....it hurt to know I was excluded, but I wanted to learn about Country A. At the end of the main discussion, I went to meet the guests from Country A (all the audience was allowed to meet them). And my professor was standing with students who are my friends. They ask him if they are his students, and he introduces them all except for me. I left with my friends...

As I left, I actually saw my professor, yet I tried to avoid him....and when my friends said hi, he avoided us.

After a while, I decided to just talk to him and his wife. I sent his wife a message, asking if I could meet her...and she said yes, and organized a time. Miraculously, Dr.A answered all my emails he had never answered...all the way back from the previous September....it was now March.

I get to their home, and they made food that I could not eat (they knew that I had a food allergy), and when I tried to discuss this things that hurt me that they were doing to me (and mind you, no other person from Country A treated me the way they did), they would not treat my comments as serious. They would just seem to find it funny. I just wanted to talk to see if there as anything that I did to hurt them, and fix it. We were sitting at the table, and then they asked me to come sit on the couch with them and continue talking. I did. Them, his wife fell asleep on the couch, and I felt so awkward...but Dr.A said it was fine and we could continue talking. Then, all of a sudden, Dr A was staring at me, and his face got extremely flushed/red. And he looked at me very inappropriately. It was very weird. But then, I said it was late, and I had to go. And his wife woke up and they both went to the door....then he asked me if it was okay if he could close the door, and I just left.

After all this...I was extremely hurt. My efforts for everything seemed useless.

Anyway, I thought that since I was no longer in any of his classes, everything would subside. But now, I find myself having weird situations with others at church....and I am wondering if he is gossiping about me at church and affecting my abilities to form good relationships here. I am hurt so badly....I love my church and church people....but I think he may be slandering me to others to maybe cover up some things he has done. I think it may also be to the point where some people think I have some mental issue or deep trauma. This is not the case. But I feel so alienated and rejected all because of this situation. I was only trying to do a project with my professor....and because I believe in respecting people, I was trying to respect him as much as possible. But I feel so hurt. So badly. I don't even know what to do.

Maybe there is not much to say, but could you pray for me and this situation? Second, is there aby advice you have at all that could help me? Thank you ♡

Just asking.
Why I am asking this question, I will tell later.
Now: Just asking.

My mother will be receiving surgery soon. Please pray.

Ok - I am kidding and I do like Ron DeSantis I wish him all the best. But the guy looks so much like John Ritter used to look. I am reminded of it each time I see his pic.

I think DeSantis has done very well in Florida and I hope he continues to be successful.

How about the three levels of the bible? A freemason at the pool told me about the bible being written in three levels. One tells a story of a garden with a serpent; this is for common folk. Second level tells a story of sex for adults; third story tells of a jealous, insecure GOD (i say this respectfully).

This is what this man has said. He is from Alabama and he served as a judge for many years.

Does anyone know about these levels?

Thanks.

The revelation of the Mystery.

An exposition of Eph. 1:3-14.


I. God’s secret concerning the allotted joint-heirship of the image: the creation, call, and mission of the corporate one New Man; having now been made known. The Apostle Paul’s Post Acts. 28:25-28 Ministry.

INTRODUCTION.

The Adamic vocation:

When we come to the first chapter of Ephesians the Apostle Paul quotes PS.8:6 in refence to the exceeding greatness of Gods’ power that works in us who believe according the mighty power, which He worked in Christ, having raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His right hand[1] (see all notes on post below), far above all the wicked celestial powers and “He has put all things beneath His feet[2]and has given Him as head over all things to the church which is His body the fullness of him that fills all in all” (Eph.1:19-23).

When we turn to Psalm 8:5-8; it links us to the creation account of Genesis 1-2; where God creates the[3] Adam as His Priest-King image, and places him in the Edenic sanctuary, giving him dominion over the works of His hands; God instructing the Adam to work and guard the garden as sacred space, and to expand the Edenic blessing out to the rest of the earth[4] and humanity;[5] were the entire earth was to be subdued[6]unto God.

Adam certainly needed the knowledge of God’s wise-order to perform this task, which knowledge he would gain from walking in fellowship with God in the garden[7].

We also have another link to the creation account of Genesis, in Eph.1:4 “before the disruption of the order”[8] (cosmos). When we do a word study of the Greek word used here for foundation (katabole); it has the meaning of breakdown, or overthrow. The use of this word, along with “cosmos” (translated world); meaning “the order”, brings us to when the devil[9] influenced Adams disobedience; thus, disrupting, or overthrowing the order of creation. Satan’s crafty deception[10]causing the Adam to disobey Gods voice, which resulted in the disinheriting of the image from his rightful position as heir over all the works of God’s hands; not fulfilling the vocation given to him; who’s failure, is the result of the present condition of creation, and humanity; this resulted in the present order, now being in a chaotic state; controlled under the dark foolishness of the wicked elohim, causing a disbalance (of disorder) in the equilibrium of the cosmos (Gen.3:1-6; 17-19; Rom.8:20-22; Ps.82.1,5).

Looking at other uses of “cosmos” in Ephesians 2:2; we see that the ones who rule the order (cosmos) of this present age, are the evil spirits in the heavenly realm (6:12); the heavenly realm is the sphere of our inheritance (1:4); which sphere is currently occupied by the enemy, and the forces of darkness. Just as in the Old Testament, when Israel had to trust in God to overcome their enemies, which occupied the land of their inheritance, in order to gain possession of it (Gen.1:28; cp.Num.32:22,29; Josh.18:1).

If Adam had fulfilled the commission given to him, he would of ascended the Edenic mountain of the Lord, where he would be crowned with glory and honor, having receive His first-born inheritance for his sacrificial service, God subduing all things under the headship of His lowly, trusting, faithful image (Phil.4:4-11). The Adam would of then be given the authority to destroy all the enemies of God, God’s glory would of then filled the entire creation (Gen.1:28; Eph.1:23; 4:10). These latter conclusions are drawn from the similarities of inference found in the Genesis account; in comparison with the work of Christ, and His mission, who the Adam is a figure of (Rom.5:14). This motif also runs throughout the O.T. regarding Israel’s relation to Gods purpose, in using them as a light to the rest of humanity, as a kingdom of royal priests, and the channel of blessing in His Kingdom to all creation.

Keeping all these things in mind, lets now read the text:

3 Praise be God (hallelujah[11]), and the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all the blessing in our spiritual union with Christ in the Heavenly realms[12],
4 in as, He has, decreed us in Him before the disruption of the order, that we should be holy and without blemish before Him in love; having determined us for entrance into the inheritance as His glorious ruling sons[13], through Jesus Christ,

God has blessed us in our union with Christ as joint heirs to the allotted promise of the preeminent first-born inheritance over the order of all creation in the heavenly realm (Eph.3:6; Ps.8:5-6); and by our spiritual co-enthronement with Christ, we are imparted through the spirit, with the authority of Christ’s exaltation; God having decreed in Himself, before the disruption of the ordering process; that we, the members of the church, which are the body of Christ, would be victorious over the forces of darkness (Eph.6:10-16). In order that He may righteously redeem us into His inheritance, as His first-born glorious image, far above all the rebellious heavenly spirits. Enthroning us as His ruling sons for our faithful sacrificial service, for fulfilling the stewardship that He gave to us (Eph.4:11-16).

This can only be accomplished by our staying connected in dependence to our Head; for Knowledge, wisdom, and holiness; His love working through our faith, producing the fruit of righteousness, and a well pleasing walk before God in sacrificial service (Col.1:10-12; Eph.5:1-3).

We will be an offering to God, by our walk and love of service (Phil.1:29; Col.1:24; Rom.15:16); “He will be made manifest, and we with Him” as the body of His glory, at the right hand of God (this is not the hope of the rapture)[14]; we will have then received the reward of the inheritance (Col.3:24), the prize of the high calling, for our faithful sacrificial service, sharing in the exalted glory of Christ’s firstborn inheritance over all creation, as God’s glorious overcoming corporate image (Eph.2:15; 4:24; Col.1:15-18; 3:10).

according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He has highly favored us in the Beloved.
The good purpose of Gods will, is His partnership (with His lowly trusting imager) in establishing the order of His kingdom over the powers of chaos (the high rebellious spirits), He does this by the wisdom He gives to His imagers to perform this task; in righteous sacrificial service, for the restoration, love being the bond of perfection. He rewarding them with the inheritance of firstborn right, which grace and victory gives praise to His glory (Eph.1:12;14;18; 3:19-21).

The Greek word translated “highly favored” (G5487) is only used in one other place in the N.T. and is the same word used of Mary, she being lowly (Lk.1:28, 48), was the channel that God chose to bring in the appearing of Christ upon the earth, providing the lowly tent of His dwelling (Jn.1:14; Phil.2:7-8). Likewise, God has chosen to use us as the channel for the appearing of Christ in the heavenly realm, who is presently hid in the light of the glory of God (Col.3:3-4;1Tim.6:16), we, being the body of His flesh, are the glorious temple of the dwelling of God (Eph.2:22-23; 5:30). The temple garment of His priestly glory (Phil.3:22-23).

7 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace, Christ paid the price for our sin, freeing us from the realm of death; to now empower us to overcome the powers of darkness, that He may deliver us unto our inheritance on the day of redemption, as His purchased possession (Eph.1:13-14; 4:30).

8 with which He has been abundant toward us in all wisdom and understanding, (making us competent to perform the service of God’s stewardship)

having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure, which He has purposed in Himself,

for a dispensation[15]for a corporate task given to us (for the investiture of Christ’s heavenly kingship, i.e., to head up all things in Christ), for re-establishing the ordering process of the creation,

of the fullness of the appointed seasons from which God’s glory will then fill up the appointed seasons, to head up all things in Christ by subduing all things under the supremacy of Christs headship, filling all the cosmic geographical locations with all the glory of God’s presence, those both in Heaven and on Earth (i.e., God’s presence establishing order to all creation through His image). This is what God has decreed in the hidden counsel of His will; for the investiture of the corporate one new man, for Christ to be made manifest in the heavenly realm and we with him(at God's right hand); which is first necessary, for Him to then later appear to every eye, as He heads up all under His sovereignty during the appointed seasons, God’s glory filling the all creation as His holy temple, extending the Eden blessing.

11 in which also out from the heirship we have, out from the decree of His determination (from which we are to be holy and without blame before him in love, for entrance into the inheritance as His ruling sons, vv.4-5) according to the purpose[16] of Him who works all things according the counsel of His own will

By His power God works all out all the trails of this world, and the enemy to our perfection, empowering us by His love in the spirit through faith, to overcome the corruption, persecutions, and afflictions of the enemy, and evil order of this present age; that Christ be made manifest, and we with Him, in glory, as Gods conquering image, at His right hand (Col.3:1-4;Tit.2:11-14).

12 that we who first trusted in Christ, (before the fullness of the appointed seasons) should be to the praise of His glory, Our reward, and function as His image, to manifestation to all creation, all the power, grace, and kindness of God’s person.

13 in Whom also, you, having heard the word, that of the truth, the Gospel of your salvation, and after having believed, you were marked with the Spirit of the holy promise,14 the earnest of the inheritance, for our redemption as Gods acquired possession, to the praise of His glory. The Spirit of God empowers us, by testifying with our spirit, that we are the children of God, assuring us, of God’s love for us, and the hope that lies before us (cp. Rom.8:15-18, 23-24). The Spirit of God is the seal of our inheritance as God’s paid possession; and is the power of God toward the perfecting of us, for the day of redemption (Eph.4:30).

The function of the image is to reflect the glory of God to all creation, which function is to summons the praises of creation to God, and this will be the function of the corporate New Man in the ages to come (Eph.2:7). In how God has not only favored us in allotting us such an inheritance, but also what He has chosen to accomplish through us now, for the ages, and we will forever be the emblem of the glory of His praise in what not only has done for us, but also what He has accomplished through us which will result in His glory filling the earth (Eph.3:9-11, 20-21)

---

Paypal.com is fining members thousands. I was a Paypal member for fifteen years. Like many corporations in these end times, they went woke. They have made statements warning members of posting anti-left-wing comments on the internet. When I confirmed this, I deleted my account with them. I will not rejoin their left-winged banking just to subscribe on here. I guess I need to tolerate the ridiculous pop-up on here since that is the only way to pay on here. Login to view embedded media

I'm not sure if this is the right area but need to vent. I did not grow up in a normal household . my mother would always bang pots and pans, my dad would always yell and scream. neither taught me anything. I grew up very reserved and shy, and am untrustful and shy to this day (speaking at all would result in me getting yelled at). But the point of this is that I don't lash out like my parents by yelling or banging pots and pans. I've trained my mind to have no reaction anything : a christmas present, or good news or bad news, my face is blank because I've had to conceal my thoughts as a defense mechanism

While Gospel focused, my impression is that Tim was always willing to explore different viewpoints and let his study take him to the conclusions he found.He lived his life trying to find true answers to questions. He knows all those answers now. Tim, enjoy worshiping in the presence of our Savior

Replica of Noah' Ark built.
I have read many designers state the Ark as described in Genesis could not float. I would like to see if this man can float this.

How about the three levels of the bible? A freemason at the pool told me about the bible being written in three levels. One tells a story of a garden with a serpent; this is for common folk. Second level tells a story of sex for adults; third story tells of a jealous, insecure GOD (i say this respectfully).

This is what this man has said. He is from Alabama and he served as a judge for many years.

Does anyone know about these levels?

Thanks.

And the value of human life continues to tumble. Your local nurse practitioner can perform it.
Over 10,000 in Canada in 2021.
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Hungry, Poor, and Disabled Canadians Now Seeking Assisted Suicide
One third of Canadians fine with prescribing assisted suicide for homelessness
'Disturbing': Experts troubled by Canada’s euthanasia laws
Homeless man seeks to end life through Canada's assisted suicide program

Jonathan Papanikolaou, a social studies teacher at Manatee Middle School ... created and showed the video to students during the morning announcements on April 12.

“Every year our state celebrates and memorializes that valiant, brave fight and the countless sacrifices by our men and women during that known as the Civil War, but may be more correctly titled the War To Prevent Southern Independence,” [he narrates]

“After careful consideration and evaluation of the facts and evidence, the decision has been made that there is no just cause for discipline,” said the district’s Employee Review Committee (ERC) in a decision delivered on April 27.

This is what we get now that wokeness has been defeated in Florida.

Oh, the teacher's suing that the school investigated him at all.

I have a question, specially for those who travel for lengths of time or live in another country. For me since covid, I have traveled quite often to Canada and once to Portugal and once to Greece. What I have noticed and again, it's only four countries I compare, that only in the US is pharmaceutical advertisement shown on television. What about other places? I know for a fact it's illegal in Canada. I didn't see any in Greece. In Portugal because I got covid and had to stay an extra week stuck in a hotel till negative, I didn't see any there as well. For those who don't live in the US, we are inundated with drug commercials both prescription as the "ask your doctor if ____ is right for you" commercials go; along with a heavy dose of non FDA regulated drugs in the Dietary Supplement category and claims to help you with everything under the sun. I love sports and watch them all the time, and it's bombarded with erectile dysfunction commercials. Not only that pharmaceutical companies, unless something changed that I missed, are free to work out monetary rewards with doctors to push their products. Why I ask is this. The US is a drug dependent nation, and I look at this whole system of where drugs are being pushed and how hard they are pushed, and think to myself, well of course we're drug dependent. It's not a causation claim, but it just makes me wonder.

I had first heard of this on the TYT podcast a few days ago (I consume some media from both sides, so this was a progressive take on the situation)
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Not only did Prowda escort Feinstein around Capitol Hill last week, she was again at her side yesterday, helping aides surround the senator in a Capitol hallway as a reporter tried to speak to her. Multiple people familiar with the arrangement say it’s only the most visible part of a quiet but critical role the Pelosi family has played in helping to take care of the ailing senator, both in Washington and San Francisco.


By all accounts, the arrangement is rooted in a long and friendly relationship between Feinstein and the Pelosis — twin pillars of San Francisco politics. But among some of those who are aware, it has also raised uncomfortable questions about whether Nancy Pelosi’s political interests are in conflict with Feinstein’s personal interests.

The intrigue surrounds the future of Feinstein’s seat. Pelosi has endorsed Rep. Adam Schiff, her longtime protégé and former hand-picked House Intelligence Committee chair, to succeed Feinstein after her sixth and final term ends next year. Schiff (D-Calif.) is a household name in California and already has a $15 million campaign cash advantage over his nearest competitor.

But if Feinstein were to bow to pressure and retire early, Schiff’s advantage could disappear. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) has pledged to appoint a Black woman to serve out her term, and one of Schiff’s declared opponents, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), would fit the bill.

“If DiFi resigns right now, there is an enormous probability that Barbara Lee gets appointed — thus, it makes it harder for Schiff,” one Pelosi family confidant told Playbook, adding that the relationship between Pelosi, her daughter and the senator is “being kept under wraps and very, very closely held.”

Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) told CNN yesterday he’s “monitoring her medical condition almost on a daily basis” due to her pivotal vote on judicial confirmations. Added Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), “As a friend, you can see she’s hurting.”

I've been seeing a lot of people talking badly about Christianity...but why?

This week, a book publisher — the largest in the world — entered the fray. A lawyer for the publishing conglomerate Penguin Random House told The Times it was suing to stop “one of the most unsubtle attempts at viewpoint discrimination” ever seen.

“For many instances there’s not even the attempt at a pretext,” Dan Novack, Penguin Random House vice president and associate general counsel, told The Times. “These are being removed because there are depictions of [LGBTQ+] characters, there are depictions of racial identity, and that’s the reasons why they are being flagged by individuals for removal.

“And on top of that,” Novack continued, “when these titles do get flagged, what we’re seeing is that there is a committee that it’s supposed to go to that’s filled with actual members of the community, experts, etc., and they’re saying these are educationally appropriate. And then the school district is just overruling their own people. So it’s one of the most eye-popping fact patterns we’ve seen, and we think that when the court sees it, and certainly the public sees it, they’ll understand the strength of the case.”

According to the lawsuit, the majority of the book bans in the county, which encompasses Pensacola in the Florida panhandle, stem from a single Northview High School language arts teacher, Vicki Baggett, who embarked on an aggressive campaign to remove student access to 116 books, stating the books “should be evaluated based on explicit sexual content, graphic language, themes, vulgarity and political pushes.”

But apparently, the district is ignoring these evaluations and banning them anyway, at least with respect to one title detailed in the article. The story that community standards and local parents would determine suitability is just a sham in this county.

Ted Cruz says he’s opening an investigation into Bud Light

According to a letter Cruz and Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee sent to Brendan Whitworth, the Anheuser-Busch CEO and chairman of the Beer Institute, Bud Light might have violated existing guidelines that prevent beer companies from promoting their products to younger audiences.

“We would urge you, in your capacity at Anheuser-Busch, to avoid a lengthy investigation by the Beer Institute by instead having Anheuser-Busch publicly sever its relationship with Dylan Mulvaney, publicly apologize to the American people for marketing alcoholic beverages to minors, and direct Dylan Mulvaney to remove any Anheuser-Busch content from his social media platforms,” the far-right senators wrote.

At least he's on top of the important issues.

According to Wikipedia:

A canyon ... is a deep cleft between escarpments or cliffs resulting from weathering and the erosive activity of a river over geologic time scales.

SOURCE

If the Grand Canyon appeared in Peleg's lifetime, then I submit "Grand Canyon" is a misnomer.

Thoughts?

looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb 12:2

When I first came to Christ, oh what a fool I was. I was so excited thinking that I was now going to sit back and be made perfect while eating chips and salsa on the veranda in the cool of the evening. It turns out that God's grace is a mean dog. Once you allow it into your heart it goes after sin Fang and Claw. The only way to stop it is to reject Christ and I couldn't do that.

I tried to tame it, leash it, send it to obedience school. But in the end it continues to drag me kicking and screaming toward holiness found only in Christ. The weird thing is that once I get to my next level of relationship with God I'm filled with indescribable Joy and throw my arms around that dog. It's not that God wants to crush us but he wants to crush sin in us and the more it is entwined within us the more painful it is to extract. We can get pretty squashed in the process but in the end it's all worth it and more.

I remember an old song My Father used to sing while strumming his guitar. It was called “Just a Closer walk with Thee” and one of the phrases went like this:
"Just a closer walk with Thee
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea
Daily walking close to Thee
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be"

God either sends or allows the whelming flood to Encompass us to drive us to him and burn away the earthiness in us--or perhaps I should say drown it--and I remember after one such an occasion I was singing this song to myself and it turned into a prayer and I said Lord please grant me just a closer walk with thee and the answer came as a thought to my mind almost immediately, “well then, son, then walk closer!”

He was walking close all the time it was me that was holding parts of myself back from him, afraid that he would change them in ways I didn't want. But when the overwhelming flood is threatening to drown you and all you can do is throw one long arm of love and one long arm of faith around his neck and hold on for dear life you are more than willing to let all that nonsense go and be purified by it.

Yes, God hurts the hell out of us and how beautiful that is. It is our stories and our witness that count and not our knowledge of theology. May God fully Express himself to all of those who love him more than their own lives and desire to be his servants. Humble yourself before the Lord and He will lift you up.

An excellent article, setting out some principles which all of us in ministry should bear in mind (not just for abuse of children, but more generally too).

In discussing some of the moral issues facing society such as gender, sex, race, Rights, identity politics ect relating to how we as a society should structure ourselves I have found that a polarisation is happening between two broad worldviews. On the one side the Left which I think is more likely to be athiest or more pluralistic about belief and on the other is the Right which are more conservative and traditional and more likely to be Christain. Though I think there is degrees of variance where some will also be open to opposing views to some degree.

But it seems things have become more polarised is recent times deue to society moving away from a Christain worldview to a secular one. In the past there was more middle ground and basically people I think were more traditional had belief and progressives were seen as out of step. I think today the Left has gained a lot of ground mainly due to a reaction to percieved past injustices by traditionalist or Christains and being more open to alternative ideas.

In the past Western societies were based on Christain values but in the last few decades God and Christainity has been rejected and in its place the State has become the arbitor of societal morals and infringed more on peoples private lives. Of course a lot has happened in that time with social media which I think has had a profound impact on thinking undermining truth and has given individuals and groups much power to push their views and influence governments and society.

But the result of all this is that there is a growing division between the Christian Worldview and the Secular Worldview to the point that they clash even violently like people want to destroy Christains aned opposing views and it seems the State is actively siding with the a secular position with the help of certain lobbyist. They have been actively dismantaling Christainity and taking God completely out of the picture in our institutions and public life generally, I should say its not always just Christains but also traditionalist and others who believe in the Truths that the West was built upon such as Enlightement and Democracy. Many on the Left also seem to support some sort of Marxism so this polarisation seems to be political and religious.

I guess our present situation is also the result of Postmodernism the idea of tearing down the old truths and archetypes of the West and society has become more individualistic and relative. Its a complex combination of factors but the thing that stands out for me is that there seems to be a showdown brewing between Christain and traditionalist and the Secularist and the Left and I think the Left is winning at the moment. I can see this continuing where Christainity is pushed to the fringes.

So we are at a point for the first time in a long time in our history where societies efforts to rid themselves of God and Christainity will see secularist and non believers outnumbering Christains and completely rejecting God from society.

But is this new World completely devoid of belief or is society replacing God and Christainity with some new religion, a secular religion which has been able to grow disguised as something else like some new utopia that promises to do away with injustice and inequality and bring people true happiness. I think so as it seems that peoples reaction to Christainity and God today isn't just about a new way but is tied to their identity and debates are often full of feelings even to the point of wanting to destroy others who disagree,

So I think this is a fight for Truth and there can only be one Truth. But today truth has lost all meaning and personal truth has become the only truth. But I think the Truth as in the one Truth we all know is real will shine through in the end, but its going to be a fight in the meantime where many false ideas will seem to win out and may fool many.