Ophiolite said:

It does explain why one should always try to get a good education.

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I managed to keep a valid PE license for a good many years. <Laugh>

Israel consolidates its grip on the biblical heartland and buries the "Palestinian" dream of statehood.

The new measures mark a turning point in Israeli policy, away from passive maintenance toward active enforcement of sovereignty and thus also the end of the false hope that one day a "Palestinian" state could be carved out of the heart of Israel.

Zionism is measured not by speeches or declarations, but by actions on the ground,

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said the Israeli non-governmental organization Regavim, which welcomed the cabinet's decision as a long-overdue correction of decades of legal and diplomatic distortions.

A decades-old ban (partly dating back to the Jordanian era) prohibiting Jews from directly purchasing land in Judea and Samaria has been lifted.

The previously confidential land registry documents for Judea and Samaria are being made publicly available. This allows buyers to directly identify and contact "Palestinian" landowners.

Israel is extending its oversight and enforcement powers to areas that, according to the Oslo Accords, are under "Palestinian" civil administration (B) or full control (A). This is justified on the grounds of protecting archaeology and the environment and combating illegal construction.

Responsibility for building permits around the Cave of the Patriarchs (Ibrahimi Mosque) in Hebron is being transferred from the "Palestinian" municipal administration to the Israeli civil administration.

A new draft law gives the Israeli Heritage Minister far-reaching powers to declare archaeological sites throughout Judea/Samaria and expropriate land.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defense Minister Israel Katz described the measures as a normalization of civilian life for Jewish residents and a necessary correction of discriminatory regulations.

The PA and international organizations such as the UN strongly condemned the measures, saying they would destroy the territorial basis for a future "Palestinian" state.

G-d promised the Jewish people the entire land of Canaan, that is, His land.

Abba, You plant Your people in Your land with all Your heart and soul (Jer 32:41), and You do this for the sake of Your name (Ezek 36:21-24). Therefore, awaken the body of Messiah so that it recognizes how important this is to You and earnestly advocates for this to happen (Luke 11:2).

Lord, erase the unbiblical term “West Bank” from the body and replace it with “Judea and Samaria.”

King of Israel, raise up biblical Zionists in the next government who, for Your sake, will zealously seek to bring the whole Promised Land under Israeli rule (Ps 75:7-8; Jer 32:41-44; Zech 8:2-8).

In Your zeal, Lord G-d, tear down the idol of the "two-state solution" (Ex 34:14; Ezek 36:5-15).

Lord, encourage Finance Minister Smotrich to push forward both the legalization and expansion of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria (Isa 54:2-3; Obadiah 1:17-20).

Abba, please ensure that the issues of sovereignty and a "Palestinian" state are openly discussed in the upcoming election campaign so that Israelis know who stands for what (1 Kings 18:21; James 1:8).

Black Hole

Hearts is an enjoyable game.

Good evening all
@David,

St_Worm2 said:

Hey Pierre, great, then my next question for you is this, of what or by whom do you (or perhaps others) believe that Judas was victimized?

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To give you a little more information about what you asked, David, I would say that I did a Google search right after posting my message. It seems that the Gospel of Judah is not a hoax, or if it is, it is a hoax as old as the scrolls discovered in the 1970s.

In any case, I had always thought that for this gospel to be credible in my eyes, Judah would have had to bear his cross in life, that is, by facing the gaze of the other apostles, and not by fleeing from it in death. Under these conditions, I would have accepted the relevance of this gospel.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

NEW YORK (AP) — Shoppers unexpectedly paused their spending in December from November, closing out the holiday shopping season and the year on a lackluster tone.

The report, issued by the Commerce Department on Tuesday, surprised economists who were looking for growth despite mounting concerns about slowing job growth, uncertainty about President Donald Trump’s tariffs and other economic headwinds. And it raised questions about shoppers’ ability to spend after they have remained resilient for months despite souring consumer confidence, economists said.

Retail sales were flat in December from November, when business was up 0.6%, according to the Commerce Department. Economists were expecting a 0.4% increase for December.

The report was delayed because of the 43-day government shutdown.

Retail sales unchanged in December from November, closing out year on a lackluster tone

Shoppers unexpectedly paused their spending in December from November, closing out the holiday shopping season and the year on a lackluster tone.

apnews.com

But Trump has a solution. He wants to nationalize voting in blue states before midterm elections.

Akita Suggagaki said:

How to Progress From Debate to Dialogue Using the Socratic Method

The Socratic method? What on earth is that and why should I care? Great questions. I have been professionally taught (as a bomb disposal officer) and tea

therightquestions.co

Formulating good questions is not always easy. And if the other person is not rational, there is no point. But then we are wasting our time anyway. But I think it good practice to listen and ask.

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I love the Socratic method. I just ask people ‘what are your thoughts on x’, sit back and listen sagaciously.

Submissions are now being accepted for a new international fine art competition called Art Ascend that offers artists, including Christians, the opportunity to gain publicity for their work and compete for a pool of prizes totaling $10,000.

The competition, launched by Christian master portrait artist Zimou Tan, began accepting entries on Jan. 1 and will close on March 31.

Artists can submit their work in 10 categories, including still life, portrait, narrative, and sacred realism, which is described as “the pursuit of the spiritual and infinite on a tangible canvas through the exploration of sacred themes, spiritual connection with nature, and mankind’s connection with the divine.”

Continued below.

The (now de-frocked) Archpriest Paisius DeLucia ran St. Innocent's Academy in Kodiak, Alaska. He had been part of the H.O.O.M. cult. In retrospect, it was obvious that he was never deprogrammed. I, unfortunately, met him on a church trip to help out his school. From my personal experience I can tell you that he was absolutely not a good person. I've never, personally, been so dehumanized by another person in my life and I only interacted with him for a week. I didn't know he had once been part of this cult when I met him. It was irrelevant because he was running his own cult. He abused a lot of people. It took way too long for the Bulgarian archdiocese to do anything about him.

wing2000 said:

Maybe your memory is better than mine, but I don't ever recall President Obama referring to himself in that manner. It's not normal for people to introduce themselves using their middle name.

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It's the same ol boogie man. Heck, they are resuscitating it again in Texas 2025:

I guess this explains why I'm in my mid forties but physically look like I'm in my mid twenties?

Does this also mean there are some people among us who is now almost 2000 years old?

I have always been interested in Purgatory. Ii makes complete sense to me, and I believe it is a place of healing, joy, as well as pain, because healing seems to involve pain of some sort. When I pray for the world, I often think of Catherine’s fire. I think of the places in my own heart that still resist God, and how gently He continues to burn away what does not belong to Him. And I think of the countless souls — living and dead — who are being drawn, slowly and steadily, into that same healing flame.

Her teaching gives me hope. It tells me that God’s mercy is not limited by our weakness. It tells me that purification is not something to fear, but something to welcome. And it tells me that the love we offer in prayer becomes part of God’s work of making all things new.

Below is something on this subject from the internet. BrMD

The Fire That Is Love: A Reflection on Catherine of Genoa’s Teaching on Purgatory

There are saints who teach with words, and saints who teach with their lives. Catherine of Genoa does both. When she speaks about purgatory, she is not describing a place on a map of the afterlife. She is describing what happened inside her own soul when God’s love seized her so completely that everything in her that was not love began to burn away.

Her teaching is startling in its simplicity: purgatory is not God’s punishment — it is God’s mercy. It is the soul finally letting itself be loved all the way through.

1. The Soul’s Joy in Being Purified

Catherine insists that the souls in purgatory are filled with joy, not fear. They suffer, yes — but it is the suffering of healing, not the suffering of despair. She uses the image of a person who has been wounded and is finally receiving the painful treatment that will make them whole. The soul sees God with perfect clarity, and in that light it sees its own remaining shadows. And instead of shrinking back, it runs toward the fire that will make it capable of love.

There is no resentment in purgatory. No bargaining. No “Why is this happening to me?”

Only a soul saying, “At last, I am becoming who I was made to be.”

2. The Fire Is God Himself

Catherine is bold: the fire of purgatory is the same fire as heaven — the fire of God’s love. The difference is not in God, but in us.

When a soul is still carrying the residue of selfishness, fear, or sin, that same love which will one day be bliss is experienced as purification. The soul is not being punished for sin; it is being healed from sin. God is not the jailer. God is the physician.

This is why Catherine can say that the souls in purgatory would not shorten their purification even if they could. They want the fire, because they want God.

3. Purgatory Begins on Earth

Catherine’s own life is the key to her teaching. She experienced a sudden, overwhelming conversion in which God’s love pierced her so deeply that she saw her whole life in a new light. From that moment on, she lived in a kind of interior purgatory — a joyful burning that purified her desires, her attachments, her pride, her self-will.

For her, purgatory was not a distant doctrine. It was the daily work of surrender.

And this is where her teaching becomes personal for us. Every time we let God’s love touch a place in us that resists Him — a wound, a habit, a fear — we are already entering the purifying fire. Every act of humility, every moment of forgiveness, every surrender of control is a small purgatory, a small dying into love.

4. A Mercy for the World

Catherine’s vision makes purgatory not a threat but a promise. It means that God never gives up on us. It means that even after death, His mercy continues its work. It means that love has the last word.

And for those of us who pray for the world — for the wounded, the lost, the hardened, the despairing — her teaching is a consolation. Our prayers join God’s own desire to purify and heal every soul. Nothing is wasted. No heart is beyond reach. The fire of divine love is patient, relentless, and tender.

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11:23

Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.” And if you’re like most of us, you hear that and think, “Jesus, I love you, but ... really? I’m just trying to keep my kids alive today. I’m the light of my living room on a good day. That’s about it.” Here's the truth: When you're faithful right where you are...

Selective enforcement and uneven tolerance are shaping perceptions far beyond traditionalist circles.

On February 2, Father Davide Pagliarani, Superior of the Society of Saint Pius X, announced that he had instructed the two remaining bishops among those consecrated by Marcel Lefebvre in 1988 to proceed with new episcopal ordinations on July 1.

This news may appear—especially to those unfamiliar with Vatican affairs—to be a minor ecclesiastical matter. In reality, however, the consequences could be enormously significant for the rest of the Church. But let us proceed in order.

In 1962, Pope John XXIII solemnly opened the Second Vatican Council. The original intent was presented as pastoral rather than doctrinal: the Church needed to “update” the way it preached the Gospel to the modern world. This “updating” implied a reconfiguration of authority in a less juridical and more pastoral direction. “The Bride of Christ prefers to make use of the medicine of mercy rather than take up the arms of severity,” John XXIII said in the opening address, “she thinks that present needs should be met by explaining more clearly the value of her teaching rather than by condemning. Not because false doctrines are lacking, but because they are all so clearly opposed to the right principles of honesty and have produced such deadly fruits that today men seem to be beginning spontaneously to reprove them.”

The Council, however, rapidly expanded beyond the limited scope originally envisaged by John XXIII and was soon considering topics such as the liturgy, the nature and structure of the Church and of the episcopate, ecumenism, and religious freedom. The “pastoral” dimension remained, but it was translated into doctrinally weighty documents whose scope and authority approached that of Apostolic Constitutions, that is, documents of the highest magisterial level.

Continued below.

A Hungarian think tank’s new paper “Migration and Ethics: The Axioms of a Christian Migration Policy” prompts a meeting of the minds.

The paper, which was endorsed by Chad Pecknold, associate professor of systematic theology at The Catholic University of America, notes that “the Christian perspective on immigration has historically emphasized compassion and solidarity with refugees, along with a welcoming attitude towards foreigners.”

However, the paper continues, the Christian perspective on immigration “also calls for a prudent balance between these values and the legitimate responsibility of rulers to protect their people.”

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dms1972 said:

Leadership involves spiritual gifting.

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Jesus did ***give*** "some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers" (in Ephesians 4:11). But then was when no one was a mature saint with decades of maturing and experience. And so . . . possibly . . . this is why our Apostle Paul does not list any "gift" as a qualification to be a "bishop" >

1 Timothy 3:1-10.

This includes the person being "the husband of one wife" > ***a family man*** > "who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)".

How he takes care of his own children can show how he would take care of God's children . . . in our Father's family caring and sharing way.

***So . . . leading is not only hierarchical or "particular", but p~e~r~s~o~n~a~l.***

"nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:3)

An example needs to be someone you know personally, so you can feed on that person's example . . . of how the person really is and how the person relates.

We see how Paul and Silvanus and Timothy were personal examples to the Thessalonians >

"we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children" > in 1 Thessalonians 2:7 >
"we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children" > in 1 Thessalonians 2:11.

And this comes with first trusting in Jesus so we are trusting Him by submitting to Him in us. Jesus is the Lord of all; and we most benefit from how Jesus is ruling, by obeying how in us He rules us with His very own peace > we are commanded to obey how God rules us in His own peace > "in one body" > every one of us >

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." (Colossians 3:15)

So, in God's one church God Himself is personally ruling every one of us in His own peace. This is personal of God, Himself . . . in our "hearts" > very personal, indeed.

And because this peace is God's own peace, this peace has God's own almighty power which makes Him Himself immune to howsoever evil would affect and control and hurt Him > this peace, also, "will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus", our Apostle Paul guarantees . . . while we pray the way God's word says to pray >

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;" (Philippians 4:6).

Therefore, while we obey God in His peace, we share with Him in His own immunity almighty . . . as our Apostle Peter also says >

"And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?" (1 Peter 3:13)

And in this peace, which is of God's ***all-loving*** love in us > we also share with our Creator in His creativity for how to love any person, and how to relate with one another who are submissive to God in His peace >

"submitting to one another in the fear of God." (Ephesians 5:21)

So, in ruling by example, there is this mutually submissive relating, included . . . "and personal".

And our Apostle Paul wrote >

"For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you." (1 Corinthians 11:19)

What I get from this is that Paul knew there would be wrong influencers. But he also knew how Jesus' sheep can hear His voice . . . so we can tell the difference between the fakers and the ones who are "approved". Sheep also have the sense of smell, so that, no matter how cleverly someone can talk, we can *s-m-e-l-l* the difference > with maturity we have "senses exercised to discern both good and evil", we have in Hebrews 5:14.

So, this is basic, included in what we need to trust God for, in prayer requests for all which is possible with God.

I love this song. I first found out about it when I first heard it from Celtic Worship (a great band that I recommend people check out).

So, I searched for "How Deep the Father's Love For Us" on YouTube, and this was one of the options. I decided to check it out, and I really like this rendition (I like Celtic Worship's rendition better, but I like both a lot).

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Empathy is widely celebrated in our public life. We are told it should guide our politics, shape our policies, and soften our judgments. To lack empathy is considered a moral failure; to appeal to it is often enough to settle an argument. Increasingly, empathy is not treated merely as a virtue, but as the highest moral authority — one before which all other considerations are expected to bow.

Empathy itself is not the enemy. Properly understood, it is a gift from God. Scripture calls us to “weep with them that weep” (Romans 12:15) and to bear one another’s burdens. A hard-hearted people is a dangerous people.

But there is something more dangerous still: empathy divorced from truth.

When empathy translates into compassion severed from sound moral judgment, responsibility, and long-term consequence, it ceases to be a healing force and becomes a tool — easily manipulated, emotionally charged, and politically weaponized. Feeling deeply is no guarantee of acting rightly. History offers sobering proof that when empathy and compassion are untethered from truth, they do not heal. By “truth,” I mean the moral reality God has revealed in Scripture, not the shifting sentiments of the age.

One life offers a clear illustration of this principle.

Continued below.

Inclusive or Patriotic? Trump seems bewildered that even though his economy is doing well the numbers still indicate people don't like him. But I think it's pretty simple, really. The Republican program Trump supports is more patriotic than inclusive. Why do Democrats, the schools, the media, the entertainment all support a more "inclusive" model of politic? It's because the more "inclusive" model attracts more people, more political support, more customers, more money, more listeners, etc.

The more "patriotic" model has standards and may appear to look judgmental and racist. It may look bigoted. This is clearly going to look "hateful" to many people--particularly to people who don't *want* to have moral standards, or who want to live in lawless, less-confined ways. Democrats define their version of "democracy" as "inclusive," and wish to stitch together a wide assortment of disaffected people, or minorities. They wish to invite in illegal immigrants to stack up their census numbers of sanctuary states so that more congressman are permitted, growing the numbers of Democratic congressman, forming majorities in Congress.

Entertainers want support from a larger number of people, drawing from liberals who appeal to all, politically, religiously, and morally. That way they sell their product to more, and not less, people. The same with company executives who want to sell their wares to more, and not less, customers. Sports heroes, actors, musicians all want to sell to the highest number of people, without excluding the lowest common denominators. "Patriots" are going to lose out to a non-discriminating mass of people. Public schools are going to be oriented to the more "democratic" model because they are designed to apply to all. Higher Education wants to attract all, from any country or group, and not just those who support our Constitution.

So even if our economy is doing well, the campaign to take down Trump and his "patriotism" is going to have "teeth." No matter if his policies are healthiest for America, and in support of a true constitutional form of Democracy, he is going to be questioned by the media and branded "uncompassionate" and "bigoted." Putting America first seems more intuitive, but does not take hold where there are media blitzes that taint the political message. Perhaps 80% of America rejects the lawless inclusion of illegal hordes coming into America and doing damage to our society and schools. But looking these "illegals" in the eye draws upon compassionate hearts, and crime is ignored in favor of "inclusion."

Without standards, however, all the wealth we gain from selling to "all" will be "cheap money earned," and the money will be spent in a worthless, self-destructive way. It will be like sand spilling out between our fingers. I'm for a fewer, more quality-oriented politic. I'm for the obviously-needed "lawful behavior." I hope you feel the same?

An interfaith coalition has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its Religious Liberty Commission, an entity within the U.S. Department of Justice, it contends, is unlawfully biased toward Christianity.

The complaint was filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of The Interfaith Alliance, the Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, Muslims for Progressive Values, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund and Hindus for Human Rights.

Defendants named in the case include President Donald Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Religious Liberty Commission, and Mary Margaret Bush, the commission's designated federal officer.

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At the end,
Matthew 22:21
They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.

ICE = measures from Caesar. They found it necessary to drive the illegal immigrants out. They employed ICE to do the job, it however doesn't seem to be well trained to deal with civilians.

To me, it's not an uncommon scene in the US. It's just another "I can't breach" occurred. It happened in the past, it's happening now and will happen in the future. It somehow fits the pattern that "people define their society". In the US culture everyone carries a gun, policing is under high pressure and mistakes are inevitable.

Canada messed with the bull. Give them the horns Mr. President!