Yep I was taught that as well.

wing2000 said:

In a Truth Social post late Thursday, Trump accused Canada of “wrongfully, illegally, and steadfastly” refusing to certify models of Gulfstream jets and “effectively prohibiting” the sale of the American-owned business jets in Canada.

“We are hereby decertifying their Bombardier Global Expresses, and all Aircraft made in Canada, until such time as Gulfstream, a Great American Company, is fully certified, as it should have been many years ago,” he said.

....oops

The Bombardier Global Express is a private jet made by the Quebec-based manufacturer, which has facilities across the U.S., Canada and Mexico and makes planes used commercially as well as by governments and militaries, including the U.S.

“Bombardier is an international company that employs more than 3,000 people in the U.S. across 9 major facilities, and creates thousands of U.S. jobs through 2,800 suppliers,” it said.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/01/30/us-trump-canada-aircraft-tariff/

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Oh lookie, a “regulation” that Trump favors.

Texas will immediately freeze new H-1B visa petitions across all state agencies and public institutions of higher education in response to reports of abuse in the federal program and to prioritize jobs for Texas workers.

The freeze, which applies to entities under gubernatorial appointees and public universities, will remain in effect through the end of the Texas Legislature’s 90th regular session on May 31, 2027, unless the Texas Workforce Commission grants written permission for exceptions.

In a Jan. 27 letter to agency heads, Gov. Greg Abbott stated: "The economy of Texas should work for the benefit of Texas workers and Texas employers. In light of recent reports of abuse in the federal H-1B visa program, and amid the federal government’s ongoing review of that program to ensure American jobs are going to American workers, I am directing all state agencies to immediately freeze new H-1B visa petitions as outlined in this letter.”

Continued below.

'Let go of me': Cuban man who died in ICE custody allegedly slammed by guards, witnesses say​

Several detainees at a Texas immigration detention facility claim in sworn court declarations that they heard a Cuban immigrant, whose death was later ruled a homicide, pleading for medication shortly before hearing what sounded like guards slamming him to the ground.

Attorneys for the Campos family filed an emergency petition last week to prevent alleged witnesses from being deported. The petition, which was granted by a federal judge, cites reports alleging that guards at the facility choked and asphyxiated Campos.

Richard T said:

Trade does generally expands growth. However, the USA has better productivity (output per worker). So if times were normal I would still say the USA grows faster. For the next couple of years it is anybody's guess. I would suggest a possible contraction worldwide is likely. Also trade with India is far different than trade with the USA. The EU ran surpluses with the USA, it currently runs trade deficits with India. I would expect more of the same with free trade.

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We have “industries” that make no actual “goods” except money; hedge funds are making billions but you can’t make a call without a phone.

ChubbyCherub said:

Scientists understand that theory isn't fact. The big bang theory is called 'theory' for a reason

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Yes that is why I wrote "The big bang theory is the best working model based on current understanding of the available information derived by modern scientific methods, according to the consensus of appropriately qualified people (scientists with credentials in the relevant feilds)."

Not one mention of "fact" there.

ChubbyCherub said:

It's interesting how lay persons just digest information and not really understand the context of the delivery.

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Do you have some grounds for thinking you are not a "lay person" yourself. Are you a scientist?

ChubbyCherub said:

I will share on the Christian only board but withdraw from this one.

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FYI, I will see you in there then.

iluvatar5150 said:

When have blue states been soft on the murderers of rich white people?

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The jury is still out on Luigi Mangioni. The death penalty is already off the table. What's next?

Pommer said:

The thread drift has been impressive.

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It makes me wonder what was removed. The non-removed material is pretty wild and off topic.

Laodicean60 said:

I noticed you left out leaders. You think those countries that are forking out a billion, can't subcontract work for the cheapest bidder?

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If they can pull the miracle of making a Dubail skyline in Gaza very sustainably affordable to the remaining Gazans who lost their livelihood, why not?

If 2026 already feels heavy, the reason may not be what you expect.

Now that we're a few weeks into the new year, we thought we could take stock of how galvanized we truly are for the year ahead. After all, there’s often a quiet pressure to reinvent yourself when we leave the last year behind: New habits, new goals, a cleaner slate. But what if the most powerful reset for 2026 isn’t about doing more — but about letting go?

A short message that’s been circulating on social media lately offers a surprisingly timeless insight: if you want to live fully in the present, there are four groups of people you may need to forgive. It’s not a new idea. In fact, it’s as old as the Gospel.
And it begins closer to home than we might like.

First: Your parents — whether they’re still living or not​

Continued below.

Peace in Christ.

IF we lift up the Son of man from out of the earth, He will draw all unto Him.

He will draw a “great multitude” of people towards Him ….through us who will lift Him up in this world.

Joh 12:32-33 KJV
(32) And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

We lift Him up by the keeping of His death in our mortal bodies….the keeping of His “daily” sacrifice. This is the “death” that we should die as we are to be faithful unto death…unto His death that we keep in our mortal bodies.

The 144,000 stand with the Lamb upon the mount (the looming up). They keep the daily sacrifice of the Lamb-slain are raised up in His glory.

(33) This he said, signifying what death he should die.

The “death” that we should die is to ALWAYS bear about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus so that His life might be made manifest/SHINE in our body…our MORTAL flesh.

We partake of His sufferings….and His exaltation...His glory. He is lifted up. If we suffer with Him (the cross), we shall also be lifted up with Him in glory (the “ascension”). We shall reign with Him in this earth.

This shining of His life in our mortal bodies will then attract a “cloud” of people of the outside world who are in deep spiritual darkness. They will see His glory light shine through us and come to it.

2Co 4:10-11 KJV
(10) Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
(11) For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

IF we suffer with Him (the Son of man on the cross is then lifted up), then we shall also be glorified together with Him (the exaltation …the “ascension” unto His glory). We shall then be raised up together with Him to His glory.

Rom 8:16-19 KJV
(16) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
(17) And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
(18) For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
(19) For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

If we are partakers of Christ’s sufferings (lifting Him up, the cross), then we shall share in His glory that shall be revealed…in the exaltation of His glory in this dark world.

1Pe 4:12-13 KJV
(12) Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
(13) But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
This lifting of the Son of man (by His people) brings salvation to the people of this dark world (the people of the wilderness).

If we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with Him.

2Ti 2:12 KJV
(12) If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

He shall RAISE US UP together....in His glory above the heavenlies. We shall reign with Him in this earth now in this mortal body in this current age we are living in.

Eph 2:5-6 KJV
(5) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)
(6) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

When Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, all that LOOKED upon the serpent were healed. This same principle applies today as they will then “see” Him through those who “lift Him up” so that His life is seen by them.

Whosoever (those people in the outside world…in the wilderness) shall believe into Him should not perish but have age-lasting life. They will SEE Him and believe when we raise up the Son of man so that the world might be saved through Him.

Joh 3:14-17 KJV
(14) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
(15) That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
(16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
(17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

When He is “taken up,” a cloud shall receive His FROM the “sight” of us. When we lift Him up, then the people of the outside world (those of “Galilee”…the circle of the nations around us) will then “see” Him by looking at us.

This is the “cloud” ...a “great multitude” of people of the nations around us (Galilee so-to-speak)... who will then “see” Him by looking at us. They….the believers who see and believe among them…will then receive Him. A “cloud” receives Him from the sight of us. The Son of man comes upon the “clouds”….the cloud of eyewitnesses of His elevated glory (the ascension) as we are raised up together by Him in Christ.

Act 1:9-11
(9) And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of (FROM) their sight.
(10) And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
(11) Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Abraham….father of a multitude….. “lifted up” his eyes and “looked” and saw (behold) a ram caught in a thicket by his horns. The ram is a type for Christ. He is caught or seized a “thicket.”

With Christ lifted up, we seize a dense, thicket of a multitude of people of the outside world. We seize them with the “horns”…that is RAYS OF LIGHT…His light that shall shoot forth from His manifest glory in us.

The Hebrew word for “horn” is "qeren" - From H7160; a horn (as projecting); by implication a flask, cornet; by resemblance an elephant’s tooth (that is, ivory), a corner (of the altar), a peak (of a mountain), a ray (of light); figuratively power: - X hill, horn.

Abraham took the ram and offered HIM UP for a “burnt offering” which is the word for ASCENT or “to go up”. "burnt offering" = ascent. We lift up the Son of man which is the "offering" we make. We keep His daily sacrifice...the dying of the Lord Jesus (the Son)..in our mortal bodies.

Gen 22:13-14
(13) And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

When we lift Him up…the “mount of the LORD,” then He shall be “seen” by the "thicket" of people who will then "see" His light rays (horns) shine to their seeing eyes. The “mount” = to loom up. “Jehovahjireh” = Jehovah shall be seen.

(14) And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it (HE) shall be seen.

Accomplished liturgical scholar dismantles guidance to the Sacred College by the prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship.​

ROME, 28 January 2026 — A skilled liturgical scholar has exposed serious flaws in Cardinal Arthur Roche’s recent briefing document to the College of Cardinals, offering a detailed critique ahead of their next meeting with Pope Leo XIV in late June.

In a systematic, point-by-point analysis, Dom Alcuin Reid, an Australian-born Benedictine monk, priest, and internationally recognized liturgical scholar, concludes that Roche’s briefing document “lacks intellectual honesty,” “displays a woeful ignorance of liturgical history,” and is “embarrassing in the extreme.”

Although the document was not discussed at the Jan. 7–8 consistory of cardinals due to time constraints, it drew widespread criticism after circulating in the media. The liturgy is expected to be addressed at the next consistory convened by the Pope on June 27–28.

Continued below.

Satan’s greatest deception is to convince the world that he does not exist. Unbelievers are given strong delusion because they love not the truth and are given a lie to believe.
Do not let their taunts trouble you. Satan’s kingdom is real, and it is the truly naive that say it does not exist.
Science is real and we do not disagree with any of the data that has been collected. We disagree with the narrative of that data. If one has a truly scientific mind, what we find is that what is put forth as fact is merely inference, aka the imaginations of men.
Let’s look at what is called science. They tell us that light was created first, and there was a big bang. Genesis tells us that water was created first. Any data? Yes there is water everywhere, on the moon, the surface of the sun, mars, moon of Jupiter. Why is there water? It is not a logical progression form a singularity and a nuclear explosion. Where did the water come from? Could it not be that it was there from the beginning?
When we think of science, we often think of outer space. Much of what we think we know about space is based on what we think the speed of light is. In reality we do not know the speed of light, we know the speed of reflection. No experiment shows the one way speed of light
My little girl brought home her third grade homework and she had to say true or false. The statement was Galileo proved the earth revolves around the sun. I told her it was false because Galileo observed that moons revolve around Jupiter and that Venus revolves around the Sun. He inferred that Earth revolves around the Sun, but that cannot be proven observationally. Most scientists believe it, but we can’t know it, therefore the statement is false.
I am not saying that I know the Earth does not move either. What I can say is that there is no observational data to say it does. Other than ridicule and peer pressure, is there a way to convince me that it does? Is it necessary for me to believe that it moves? My faith is in my Creator who loved me, gave Himself for me, died and rose from the dead. His word says in the Psalms that He has made the Earth which shall not be moved.
I don’t see modern science as credibly contradicting the word of God, but Satan likes to use ridicule, he loves to isolate us as sheep and laugh us to scorn. I am not saved by demonic or arrogant human laughter. I am saved by the grace of God

Firstlightdawn said:

So we choose if we want to be free or if we want to be a slave.

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Yes.

God does not force a person to do good, and he does not force a person to do evil.

A person's choices will determine whether he inherits eternal life or not.

John 3:36
He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him.

Colossians 3:4-6
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.

Ephesians 5:5-7
Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure man, or one who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is because of these things that the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not associate with them,

1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexual perverts, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-23
Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, 21 envy. drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law.

Did Judas think he was actually helping Jesus fulfill His mission by betraying Him? Was Judas pre-destined to become the traitor of the Lord? Fr. Mike Schmitz asks these bold questions and unpacks what Scripture says about the person of Judas Iscariot. By evaluating his motivations and his lack of cooperation with the grace given to him, Fr. Mike details what a tragedy it is that he never became St. Judas.

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Pray that whatever military confrontation that takes place between the US and Iran does Not become a disastrous out-of-control war

ChristServant said:

I enjoy chocolates, here are the last ones I bought below;
View attachment 287557
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The Green and Blacks are delicious!

Whats more it appears Pretti was part of this organised resistence against ICE and federal law. More will come out.

But this is more or less organised insurrection and bordering on a form of terrorism. If agitators like Pretti are going out and spitting on agents with hate and smashing their cars, willing to drive them down, and dox them so they are murdered. Carry loaded guns against federal agents.

Then that is a form of terror IMO and some leaders have encouraged this.

First off, what does it mean to be a “prisoner of the Lord”? Well, for Paul it meant two things, I believe. From what I understand, he was literally imprisoned at the time in which he wrote this, and he was imprisoned because of his service to the Lord Jesus and because he preached the gospel of Christ and of his salvation. Many of his writings, I believe, were during times when he was being held captive in some kind of imprisonment for the gospel of Christ. But somehow his letters were able to get to the people.

And some of you who are reading this may presently be being held in some kind of prison, or you may have friends and family members who are being held because of their declarations of faith in Jesus Christ and because they are sharing the truth of the gospel without shame or fear of reproach. Or you may be ostracized from people who now think of you as odd because you serve the Lord faithfully with your life, and so you may not have many friends, and so you feel isolated from people, which is kind of like prison.

But the second way in which he was a prisoner of the Lord was the same as we should be also, if truly Jesus Christ is Lord (Owner-master) of our lives. For we are no longer to claim ownership over our own lives, but we should now serve as servants of the Lord to do his bidding. Now he takes ownership of our lives, and we now live for him to follow him wherever he leads us. We no longer see ourselves as free to live however we want, for we were bought back for God (redeemed) by the blood of Christ, shed for our redemption.

Therefore, as those who now belong to God, in his service, no longer to live for the sinful pleasures of the flesh in deliberate and habitual disobedience to our Lord and to his commands, we are to walk (in conduct, in practice) in a manner worthy (suitable and fitting) of the calling with which we have been called. And that calling is the one Jesus gave to all who desired to follow him, that we must deny self, die to sin daily, in practice, by the Spirit, and walk in obedience to his commands, if we are to have eternal life with God.

And “with all humility” is lacking in pride and in self-importance. And “with gentleness” is with meekness, which is not weakness, but which is controlled and gentle strength, like Jesus modeled for us. And patience and tolerance are not to be accepting of sinful lifestyles in those who profess faith in Jesus Christ, for we are to exhort and encourage one another daily so that none of us is led astray by the deceitfulness of sin. And we are to speak the truth of the gospel to one another in love so that we all follow Jesus Christ in truth.

And being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace is not in encouraging one another to follow and to obey “wolves in sheep’s clothing” disguised as ministers of the gospel who are teaching lies to the people and who are trying to get the people to conform to the ways of human flesh rather than to conform to the ways of God and to the teachings of the Scriptures. Too many “pastors” are businessmen who are marketing “the church” to the world, so they are compromising the gospel message.

So, test the spirits to see which ones are of God, and test them against the Scriptures taught in their correct biblical context, and then obey God.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Acts 26:18]

Fit for Service

An Original Work / October 5, 2011
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Holy Spirit, come within us.
Cleanse our hearts,
and from sin free us.
Make us holy vessels fit
for service to the King.
Fill us with Your love and power.
Anoint us within this hour
To be living witnesses
For Jesus Christ, our King.
Our praise to Him bring.

Father God, our heart’s desire,
Come and speak to us in power.
Revive our hearts to obey You;
Live for You always.
May we love and serve You only,
Walking with You;
Not a phony.
May we always tell the truth,
And show integrity.
Your true servants be.

Jesus, Savior, sanctify us.
Purify our hearts within us;
Be transformed into Your likeness,
Holy unto You.
May we always listen to You
Speaking Your words
Now within us.
May we heed Your counsel to us;
Follow You today.
Do all that You say.

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Worthy of The Calling
An Original Work / January 30, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

I think it’s worth remembering that people’s relationship with God isn’t really tied to a celebrity’s platform- God's already at work in people’s lives in ways we can’t always see. Faith isn’t a personal brand to promote, but something deeper that exists independently of a personal platform. Being an actor isn’t always the ideal platform for what he seems to be trying to do. The nature of that work is about performance and visibility, which doesn’t always translate to meaningful influence or the kind of quiet, lasting impact many people need in their lives.

JSRG said:

I know this is meant as a joke, but the (failed) impeachment had already happened at the time he issued the pardon.

I think they should remove the pardon power (any pardons can be issued by the normal legislative process; congress passes a law in both houses and the President signs it), but I'm not sure if I necessarily disagree with Johnson's usage of it here. A massive pardon to everyone for treason was a way to just let the country move on from the Civil War. If that was the worst abuse of the pardon power, I'd have less of a problem with it. The bigger problem is that various pardons of the last few decades, which while obviously less sweeping, also have been less justifiable and more blatantly corrupt.

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I'd go with a pardon board of some sort. Not sure how to fill it. And prohibit "corrupt pardons" explicitly. Anything to be done would require a constitutional amendment, but I think there is a real possibility that a bipartisan amendment could be crafted with the potential to get 2/3 votes in Congress and 3/4 of the states.

BPPLEE said:

Murder is a black and white issue.
It's not our place to say that the man deserved it

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• Man’s justice says: murder is a crime, and the courts must act.
• God’s justice says: murder is sin, and only God can judge the soul of the murderer.

And this is why we never say “he deserved it.” The moment a human being claims the right to decide who deserves death, they step into a role that belongs only to God.

Michie said:

Continued below.

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click bait

I hope your explorations include actual visits to worship with the groups you are studying. It is enlightening to see and experience how others worship. Over one year, I once took one Sunday a month to worship with a different tradition. It was both an adventure and clarifying about what I wanted and didn't want for myself.