The right thing to do.

Not long ago in a forum thread that does not need to be remembered or read again, i mentioned it will be interesting to watch the left and right ends of the political horseshoe come together to solve the falling birth rate problem.

I think china is going to lead the way using a variety of methods



the banning of online porn, sexting, and any other number of things like, remote control of other people's uh.. "toys"

is not to increase "moral standards"
but rather to encourage people to meet up in real life and you know.. do it in real life.

The redaction efforts of the Trump Administration met their match today as the top level security protocols in place were circumvented by changing the colour of the background of the Trumpstien files by so called leet hackers and Word 365 savants cut and paste action to reveal the redacted information.


I grabbed some of them in a whim but I dunno if I can drop the PDF here; mods?

Here is Galates 6, 14 :

14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

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My aim in this thread is to appreciate the range of the crucifying Paul speaks of :

"unto" is translated in french Gospel by : "pour", and with the Linguee traductor, by : "à", 2 french confusing prepositions.

Indeed,
"pour" may express, according to my understanding :
(1) the world is crucified "to Paul's concerns", and Paul "to the world's concerns"
(2) the world is crucified "for Paul's sake", respectively : Paul's crucified "for the world's own intesrests"

while, still according to my understanding,
"à" might mean :
(3) The world "looks barren" to Paul (it's useless), and vice versa.

i fail to find a (4), but may be the whole thing is related to the notions of greediness, vs detachment
Please, do you have ideas on the subject ?

The notice states that Army dining halls will no longer give blind applicants the same priority after the Trump administration determined doing so “adversely affects the interests of the United States.”

The Education Department oversees what’s known as the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Facility Program, which was created during the Great Depression to help integrate blind workers into the U.S. workforce due to discrimination.

“The Army reports significant price and efficiency issues due to the requirement, impacting military readiness and imposing undue burdens on the Army,” Biedermann said.

The notice states that the Department of the Army currently has at least 23 dining facility contracts that were awarded through the program. There are more than 1,000 licensed blind vendors across the country, many of them helping provide concessions on military bases.

“The mentality of these people is if we have a disability and we have a job, we’re taking it away from an able-bodied person,” they said.

What are they complaining about? Now they can just sit on their blind butts and collect disability.

I have asked advice about this particular family member before. (You can look at the thread here: https://www.christianforums.com/threads/bible-recommendations-for-a-family-member.8336222/ )

I'm concerned about him. He's in his 20s, he has made very bad financial decisions, he is controlled by his girlfriend, and he has a baby. I was hoping I could talk to him about Jesus. I don't know what to say or how to get the conversation going.

I have concerns about him giving up on life and committing suicide.

Which is confusion (stupidity) and evilness. And evil can be done knowingly or unknowingly. When you're confused, it's acceptable because they didn't know any better. Doing it with full understanding is another matter. I tend to stay away from both cases since I do not know which is ignorant or which is knowledgeable. I assume evil is evil, and leave it at that. But, some people just don't know any better. And to protect myself from being like them, I stay away. I don't try to change them, nor teach them, I just pretend they aren't there. From a logical standpoint, you counter evil by doing the opposite (good), and not by turning a blind eye. I believe the real risk is that, observing evil for far too long, you end up copying its traits. One would never do it by himself, but if that's all he sees, at some point corruption starts.

I observe a lot of things. Things I do not like, things that the break the writings of the bible, things that are unworthy of faith. And no one does anything about it. Neither from the outside or inside. Change comes from inside, and people do not change. Observing all this evil, at some point, one can confuse good for evil, and evil for good. You can turn away a genuine person because of confusion. But the inverse is also true: you can help an evil person. That's the thing about falling: you don't know you've fallen until a certain threshold is reached. And even when that threshold is reached, when you have nothing to compare it to, it's even more perilous.

All animals and humans are a bond to nature here on Earth to a certain degree, most love nature. I understand God is everywhere in nature, so he wouldn`t lack the prescence of nature. But what about people, wouldn`t they get sad over not being in nature?

A fifth suspect in a far-left terrorist group’s New Year’s Eve bombing plot, a former member of the U.S. Marines trained in combat who uses the aliases “Darkwitch She/Her" and "Kateri The Witch," was arrested on his way to New Orleans with guns, a gas canister and body armor in the car, according to court documents.

Continued below.

During the interview in front of 30,000 plus AmFest attendees, Kelly described how she was asked by Erika, Charlie’s widow, to moderate a face-to-face sit-down between Erika and Candace Owens in hopes of de-escalating tensions among Owens and TPUSA.

Continued below.

President Trump on Monday announced plans to build a new fleet of Navy battleships, anchoring what he called the Pentagon's "Golden Fleet."

The president said he approved plans to begin constructing "two brand-new, very large, largest we've ever built, battleships." He later said he expects to build a total of 10 ships in short order, and ultimately 20 to 25. He made the announcement flanked by renderings of ships that were referred to as "Trump class."

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A small Maine congregation is suing a regional body of The United Methodist Church, claiming that the mainline denomination is trying to take over its property.

Continued below.

A Texas judge who refused to marry same-sex couples because of her faith has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to overturn the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision that recognized same-sex marriage nationwide.

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Anime movie review from January of this year.

They have to leave by the end of the year. A family can make a lot of money.

Sometimes people can only pray 5-15 minutes in the morning or night.
And can't the rest of the day because they can't do it the 'correct way'.
Always pray, talk to God while in the kitchen, living room, bathroom, work, free time, watching TV, playing video games.
He listens always and the bible says to pray without ceasing, God knows you are going to be busy with other things, God doesn't say to do the impossible.

Rapper Nicki Minaj opened up about her recently reignited relationship with God and what inspired her to speak out for persecuted Christians, suggesting that her rise in the music industry made it more challenging to maintain the spirituality of her youth.


Continued below.

Does anyone have suggestions for Catholic 365 Day Devotionals?

A new song. For Hanukkah. Published on the 8th day, just in time.
Rife with theological connections to the stone of Jacob, the oil he used, the stone the builders rejected, the 1st Hanukkah, Miriam's visit by the Angel announcing she will be with child, Mashiach when he was here for the Hanukkah recorded in the gospels, and the future Hanukkah of the Messianic Age.
Scriptural references in Hebrew rhymed with the English points.
If you have questions about the theology, let me know.
Enjoy.

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I‘ve talked about some of the reasons I left the Lutheran LCMS church here and returned to the RCC. One was because they believe that the universe is approx. 6000 years old while the RCC allows us to decide that for ourselves. In other words, the Church doesn’t take a stance on scientific matters.
I was curious how many here are young earthers and how many are old earthers? I’m an old earther but am open to scientifically sound arguments for a young earth.

A Clear Biblical Study of Four Key Passages

From time to time I hear people talking about the question "When our loved ones pass on, do they watch over us from Heaven." People would like to think that those who pass on from this world can still look down from Heaven and watch us and see what we are doing. If this were true, and our loved ones were able to look down on us from Heaven, it is fair to assume that they might grieve for us if they see us going through pain and suffering and the trials in our lives. This would be a direct contradiction of God's word, hen he says in Heaven there will be no more grieving, no more pain and no more suffering. Our loved ones in Heaven would not be witnesses to such sorrows.

Revelation 21:4 (NKJV) “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Isaiah 65:17 (NKJV) “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.”

Many Christians sincerely believe their loved ones in heaven can see them, watch over them, or send signs of comfort. This belief is often rooted in grief, longing, and the desire to feel close to those who have passed on. But the question remains: What does the Bible actually say?

When we examine Scripture carefully - without adding sentiment, tradition, or assumptions - we discover something different from what many people have been taught. Below is a clear, study of four commonly‑quoted passages, followed by the conclusion that naturally arises from the text itself.

To find a biblical answer to the question: “Can Our Loved Ones See Us From Heaven?”, we need to first examine the passages that are frequently misunderstood or taken out of context on this subject.

1. Hebrews 12:1-2: “A Great Cloud of Witnesses”

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 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.”

Many interpret “A Great Cloud of Witnesses” mentioned in these scriptures as meaning that our loved ones in Heaven are watching over us. To understand who the “cloud of witnesses” are and how they “surround” us, we need to look back to Chapter 11, where the writer mentions Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and many other Old Testament believers who lived their lives in faith, trusting God’s promise of a coming Messiah.

When the author of the Book of Hebrews refers to “a great cloud of witnesses,” he is referring to the men and women of faith in the Old Testament. This passage does not refer to loved ones being able to look down on us and watch over us from Heaven. Hebrews 12 begins with the word therefore, which tells us it is connected to what came before it, which is Hebrews 11. They never saw Jesus in their lifetime, but they believed in His promise, and that God would keep His word.

Chapter 11 ends by explaining that these faithful men and women lived by faith, even though they did not receive the full fulfillment of God’s plan. Then, as chapter 12 opens, the author is pointing back to these people as examples for us. They are the “cloud of witnesses” - not spectators watching us from Heaven, but people whose lives testify to the power of faith. What they looked forward to in hope, we now look back on with certainty, because we have seen the fulfillment of the prophecies in the coming of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 11:13 (NKJV) “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”

Hebrews 11:39–40 (NKJV) “And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.”

2. Revelation 6:9–10 - The Martyrs Under the Altar

9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

In this passage, John is shown a scene in Heaven where he sees believers who were killed for spreading the Word of God and stood steadfast and firm in their faith. Some misunderstand this passage and believe it means that the people who have passed on and are now in Heaven can see what is happening on earth.

When we put all these passages together and allow God’s Holy Spirit to interpret the Scriptures for us, the picture becomes clear. Studying these scriptures closely tells us that is not what the text is saying. The souls under the alter are the Martyrs who have already passed on from this world and are in Heaven with our Savior, Jesus Christ. They ask God the question: "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” There is no indication here that they are able to see their loved ones, nor are they describing anything happening on the earth. They did not say they were watching people. They simply know that God has not yet brought final judgment on this world and asked Him a question. They are simply speaking to God and asking Him when He will bring final justice. Their focus is on Him, not on earthly events.

Isaiah 26:14 (NKJV) “They are dead, they will not live; They are deceased, they will not rise. Therefore, You have punished and destroyed them,
And made all their memory to perish.

Colossians 3:2–3 (NKJV) “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

3. Matthew 17:1–3 - Moses and Elijah at the Transfiguration

Some people point to the Transfiguration and say, “See? Moses and Elijah appeared, so our loved ones must be watching us.” But when we look closely at what actually happens in this passage, we see something very different.

Matthew 17:2–3 (NKJV) “And He was transfigured before them… And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.”

Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus because God sent them. They were sent to speak with Jesus about His upcoming death and resurrection. They only talked to Jesus and not the disciples or anyone else. Moses and Elijah did not stay to observe anything that was happening on earth, nor did they interact with the living in any way. They had a very brief appearance which was completely directed by God in His purpose in which they fulfilled. Once done, they disappeared and only Jesus was left standing before the disciple. There is nothing in this passage suggesting that our loved ones are watching us from Heaven, or are watching earthly events, or coming and visiting us. God is reassuring us through this passage that the faithful who have already passed on to Heaven are alive and with God, fully conscious, and able to appear only when God sends them for His purposes.

Luke 9:30–31 (NKJV) “And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.”

Matthew 17:8 (NKJV) “When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.”

This scene reveals to us the glory of Jesus Christ, and how we need to focus on Jesus, and not focus on the people who have already passed on – giving all glory, honor, praise and worship to Him alone.

Matthew 17:5 (NKJV) “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”

4. Luke 16:19–31 - The Rich Man and Lazarus

Jesus describes in the parable a rich man who has died and is in torment. This rich man looks up and sees Abraham and Lazarus. This parable describes a chasm between the rich man and Abraham and Lazarus, preventing them from going to each other. Some see this passage as meaning that our loved ones can see us on Earth from Heaven, but if you study it carefully, you will see that the rich man does not see his family on earth, and the passages is not saying our loved ones do either. When the rich man is talking to Abraham, he is remembering he has five brothers who are still on earth and is concerned about their well being and Salvation. His concern for them comes from what he remembers, not from anything he is currently seeing.

Abraham’s response to him is very clear. He guides the rich man back to God’s word and says to him: “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.” In other words, the living must rely on God’s Word, and hear it from the living, not communicate back and forth with the people who have already passed on.

Luke 16:27–28 (NKJV) “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’”

Luke 16:29 (NKJV) “Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’”

This passage also shows the people who have passed on are conscious, aware, and able to remember their earthly lives. The rich man’s knowledge of his brothers comes from memory alone. Nothing in the text suggests that people in Heaven (or in Hades) can see what is happening on earth or speak to their loved ones.

Luke 16:23 (NKJV) “And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.”

Luke 16:27–28 (NKJV) “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’”

Many people will hold onto the idea that their loved ones who are in Heaven are watching over them because they miss them deeply and long for a sense of closeness – a sense of being with them. That longing is very understandable. When we listen to God’s word through the teachings of His Holy Spirit, and examine them very diligently and completely, we will see that His word will speak for itself. We begin to see and understand that God has not and will not ask our loved ones to carry the burden of watching over our lives on earth. Scripture never teaches that they observe us, communicate with us, or send us signs. Instead, it teaches that they are with Christ - alive, safe, joyful, at peace and completely free from the sorrows and the pain of the temporary world we live in.

Psalm 16:11 (NKJV) “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

The hope God gives us is not that our loved ones are watching over us, but that they are fully at peace in Heaven with Him. They are no longer touched by pain, grief, or worry. Their joy is complete, and their rest is secure. When it is our time to go home to Heaven, Jesus will come and take us there, and we will be reunited with our loved ones once again.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NKJV) "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord."

The comfort God’s word offers us is a solid promise that is rooted in God’s Word. Paul tells us to encourage one another with this truth, because it lifts our eyes from temporary loss to eternal reunion, and keeps us focused on Jesus and the things above. When we trust what God has revealed, we find a deeper peace than the idea of being watched over could ever give. We find the assurance that our loved ones are safe with Jesus, and that one day, we will be with them again forever. The comfort God gives us is not that our loved ones are watching us now, but that He is watching over us now and the promise we will see them again when we go home to be with our Father in Heaven.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 (NKJV) 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

That is the hope God’s word offers us, in Christ Jesus concerning us. That is the comfort Paul commands us to share – and that is the truth that stands firm when we let the Bible speak for itself and listen to the teachings of God’s Holy Spirit that lives within us.

John 16:12-15 (NKJV) 12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

I pray this truth brings peace into your heart and mind. Our loved ones are safe with Jesus, and one day we will see them again - and that reunion will be more beautiful than anything we can imagine in this life.

To the Holy Spirit: Thank You for guiding every word, guarding every step, and glorifying Jesus. All glory, honor, praise, and worship belong to God Almighty, who alone is worthy.

Scripture Acknowledgement: All Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version® (NKJV). Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Special thanks to Bible Gateway for providing accessible, searchable Scripture resources that support devotional writing and spiritual study.

May these words echo grace, healing, and truth wherever they are read.

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https://medium.com/@frommyhearttoyoursbygodsgrace/can-our-loved-ones-see-us-from-heaven-aeffec6f1cb5

Boasberg is wasting taxpayer money.