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Bizarre Surrogacy Case Pinpoints Moral Morass of the Baby-Brokering Business

Catholics and bioethicists side with Church about the ‘deplorable practice.’
Surrogacy uses such techniques as in vitro fertilization (IVF) or artificial insemination, which the Church also deems morally unacceptable.
Surrogacy uses such techniques as in vitro fertilization (IVF) or artificial insemination, which the Church also deems morally unacceptable. (photo: Corona Borealis / Shutterstock)

When Pope Francis called surrogate motherhood a deplorable practice that he hoped the international community would prohibit universally, he was roundly criticized as insensitive and out of touch.

But a recent case in which 21 children, including 17 toddlers, were taken from a California couple who had them through their surrogacy business has revealed some of the practice’s inherent problems and potential for abuse, bolstering the arguments of those who believe it should be banned.

Born to various surrogate mothers using fertilized embryos from Silvia Zhang, 38, and her husband, Guojun Xuan, 65, the children were discovered as part of a police investigation after a 2-month-old from their home was taken to the hospital, the New York Post reported. That child had suffered a brain injury and is believed by police to have been shaken and struck by the family’s nanny, according to The Associated Press. The other children in the home also are believed to have been abused. All since have been placed in the custody of the Department of Children and Family Services. The couple was arrested on suspicion of felony child endangerment and neglect but were released from custody pending further investigation, NBC reported. The couple has not responded to requests for comment from multiple media outlets.

The surrogate mothers who bore the children apparently did not know they were carrying embryos from the couple who ran the surrogacy business. One of them, Kayla Elliott, now is seeking custody of the child she carried and has started an online fundraiser for legal fees.

Continued below.

Want To Work At The Vatican? There’s A Website For That

The Holy See’s Secretariat for the Economy has launched a new page inviting laypeople to apply directly for open or upcoming positions across Vatican offices.

In a quiet modern turn, the Vatican is now accepting job applications online. Gone are the days of long recruitment processes and hand-delivered résumés through ecclesial backchannels. The Holy See’s Secretariat for the Economy has launched a new page — cheerfully titled “Work with Us” — inviting laypeople to apply directly for open or upcoming positions across Vatican offices.

The announcement came Tuesday, as reported by Vatican News, and marks a new chapter in the Vatican’s long journey toward administrative transparency and reform. Until now, hiring staff at the Holy See largely involved sifting through a pool of existing CVs, often gathered informally. That process, while time-honored, wasn’t exactly streamlined — or visible.

“A central theme in the economic reform concerns personnel,” said Maximino Caballero Ledo, Prefect of the Secretariat. “We need people with the appropriate competence, motivation, and, above all, an ethical sense.”

The new platform is designed to help match those qualities with actual job openings.

Continued below.

God works in the weeds

Today is July 26, Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

We read at today’s Mass, “If you pull up the weed, you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, ‘First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn'” (Mt 13:29-30).

In today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us that there is a time for judgment and that time belongs to God. For now, the wheat and the weeds grow together. Holiness and struggle exist side by side.

As we conclude this month reflecting on the life of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, that image feels especially fitting. Pier Giorgio’s life was not a postcard version of sainthood. It was marked by joys and friendships, yes, but also by effort and interior struggle.

Preparing ‘ourselves to be ready’​


Continued below.

Be like Ruth: How to honor our parents as they age

If Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour has any lasting impact for non-Swifties, it’s the marking of different seasons of life as eras. For women with parents in the baby boomer generation, who make up nearly 20% of the population at 65 million people, we are rapidly approaching our second daughter era. Or you may call it the Ruth era.

As our parents and older relatives age into older adulthood, we are now called to care for the elderly as they once cared for us. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explicitly tells us that we must give our parents “material and moral support in old age and in times of illness, loneliness, or distress” (No. 2218). Where the Fourth Commandment to honor your father and mother previously called for our obedience and respect to our parents, as grown children, we are now called to become responsible for them.

Women, in particular, have a natural affinity as caretakers, especially for our parents. Numerous studies suggest that daughters are twice as likely as sons to care for an elder. This affinity has biblical roots in the story of Ruth, who embraced the burden of honoring and caring for her mother-in-law, Naomi, when the men of their family passed away. Ruth promised Naomi, “Wherever you go I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people and your God, my God” (Ruth 1:16).

Intergenerational living and support​


Continued below.

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati’s Tagliatelle

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati’s Tagliatelle​

Serves 2​

— 2 large eggs
— 7 ounces of flour
— Butter, salt and Parmesan (to serve)

1. Pile the flour on a clean countertop, make a well in the middle and crack the eggs into the well. Scramble the eggs with a fork — don’t worry if bits of flour fall in and start to incorporate — and then keep whisking, slowly incorporating more and more flour. 2. Shore up the sides of the well with your hands as need be. Continue to fork-combine the flour and eggs until you have a sticky mass, then use your hands to continue bringing the dough together, adding more flour until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky. 3. Knead for 10 minutes, until elasticity develops and it bounces back quickly when you press it with your finger. 4. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. 5. Roll out as thin as you possibly can on a clean workspace and cut into 1/4-inch strips. 6. Cook in boiling, salted water for about 2 minutes. Serve with butter, salt and Parmesan cheese.

How much of the Mass makes it count?

The other day, we had a heck of a time getting to Mass. The boring details included three cars, a sick kid, a kid who got sick in a different way on the way to Mass, and multiple texts and multiple trips back and forth to pick up stragglers.

When I was finally headed back to Mass with one final kid, I said I hoped we would make it on time. I had been taught you have to be at Mass for the Gospel reading for it to count as fulfilling your Sunday observation.

“Kind of a weird thing to have a rule about,” the kid said.

I said, “Well, it’s because if they don’t make a rule, people will pull some kind of nonsense like sticking their heads in the door for a minute, and saying they technically went to Mass.”

I told her that, when I was little, I had heard that you couldn’t spend a dollar bill if more than half of it were missing; so I spent a clownishly long time trying to work out how I could cut a bill in two in such a way that each part would be bigger than half, so I could spend them both. (Yes, I was kind of a dumb kid.) I wasn’t thinking about it having some particular value; I just wanted to get away with something.

Continued below.

‘TERMINATED!’ Trump Calls to End FEMA and Let States Manage Disasters for ‘BIG SAVINGS’

FEMA to spend $608 million to house illegals

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has said DHS will tap FEMA’s $650-million shelter and services program to fund Florida’s [Alligator Alcatraz] facility. Congress during the Biden administration directed DHS to distribute the money to state and local governments to cover the cost of sheltering migrants. Nonprofits were also eligible. The funding stream was separate from money Congress set aside for FEMA to cover disaster relief.
Money well spent if they are housed in horrific conditions but a terrible waste if housed decently.
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The Lord Restores The Tabernacle Of David

You may well do so if you take a verse out of context.
25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

How does Ez 40-47 pertain to Christ?
Only that this was the vision for the Temple that was supposed to be built and awaiting His Incarnation.

Ezekiel 43:10
Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. 11 And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple and its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, its entire design and all its ordinances, all its forms and all its laws. Write it down in their sight, so that they may keep its whole design and all its ordinances, and perform them. 12 This is the law of the temple: The whole area surrounding the mountaintop is most holy. Behold, this is the law of the temple.
A quick read of Haggai shows that they did not. The temple that was constructed fell well short of the vision (see also Ezra), and was later adorned in quite the worldly fashion by Herod the great.
I remain committed to the information laid out in the OP.
So do you think that the literal words in Ezekiel chapters forty to forty eight are somehow annulled?

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

[Matthew 5]

The literal fulfillment of Ezekiel chapters forty to forty eight may be a necessary part of setting the stage for Zechariah chapter fourteen.
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Every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God...

Peace in Christ.


Again, we who HEAR and believe in the Word of Truth are to manifest the life of Jesus in our MORTAL FLESH by the keeping of the “daily sacrifice” of the Lamb. We are to die to the sin. By doing so, we are manifesting the “Son of man” to this world for them so that they may SEE and believe in Him. The man-based churches are not teaching this. The spirit of the antichrist is not confessing that Jesus Christ IS COMING NOW in our mortal flesh and are preventing the manifestation of the Son of man to the world.

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.

This “death”…His death (the Lamb slain)…that we participate in now in our mortal bodies exalts Him OUT of the earth.

By doing so, all people will be drawn to Him (the “great multitude) as they will see His glory shine through us (the 144,000 who stand with the LAMB.)

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

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

Right now, the Son of man is not being seen in the man-based churches. The Son of man “goes”…that is, sinks out of sight…by those who are betraying Him. He is not being "lifted up" when His life is "sinking" out of view.

His life is not being made manifest in any man-based church where they have put a stop to keeping His daily sacrifice (the Lamb slain) in the lives of their congregations who are actually SERVING THE SIN rather than dying to it.

They are judging others via their church handwritings of ordinances/ordinances (such as their “statements of faith”) that their church scribes made for them to keep and serve rather than do God’s commandments which are written upon our hearts and minds. And so the Son of man (His life) is not being made manifest to the outside world.

Mat 26:24 KJV
(24) The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.

The Son of man is betrayed NOW in the hands of sinners ....in the man-based (based on their church scribes’ external handwritings) churches where they are actually made servants of the sin rather than dying to it. We must awake out of our "sleep" and rise and depart from the man-based churches and be separate from them.

Mat 26:45-47 KJV
(45) Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.


We must “RISE” and go from the man-based churches where a great multitude of preachers and leaders are following in the footsteps of Judas…where they come to take Jesus (the keeping of His daily sacrifice) out of the lives of whom they are deceiving and are preventing the Son of man from being made manifest in the mortal flesh of those who are listening to them.

(46) Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
(47) And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.

The Son of man MUST be lifted up so that outside WORLD may see and believe in Him and be saved. We lift Him up now by the keeping of His daily sacrifice so that His life is manifest in our mortal flesh. For God so loved the WORLD that He gives His only begotten Son. We lift Him up for the world to see Him through us. When Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, all they had to do was to LOOK and believe and be healed. Same principle here as well.

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 we manifest His life in our mortal flesh, we stand with the “LAMB” on an exalted spot…on Mount (rising up) Zion (the sign of the Son of man) so that others may see Him through us. We become a "city" upon a hill that cannot then be hid. We become the light of the world through the manifestation of the life of Christ in our mortal flesh.

Rev 14:1 KJV
(1) And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

We are currently not seeing the manifestation of the Son of man to this world because of false prophets…deceivers who have entered into the world and are not confessing that Jesus Christ IS COMING NOW in our mortal flesh (the manifestation of the Son of man in our mortal flesh). They are preaching “another jesus” an antichrist (instead of the real Christ.)

2Jn 1:7 KJV
(7) For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

The truth of the gospel is not with the churches of men who are preaching via the “antichrist” spirit that is not confessing/acknowledging in their preaching that Jesus Christ IS COMING NOW in the flesh…in our mortal flesh. We manifest the Son of man in our mortal flesh for the world to see and believe.

1Jn 4:1-4 KJV
(1) Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
(2) Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
(3) And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

(4) Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world
.

The Son of man is currently in the heart of the earth as the man-based church preachers are only earthly-minded and so have no understanding of the truth of the gospel so that their congregations may be saved. His life is not being made manifest in any of their gatherings.

Mat 12:
(40) For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

The enemies of the cross of Christ are keeping their congregations from dying to the sin (the Lamb slain) so that they may an age-lasting life. They are preventing His life from being made manifest in the mortal flesh of all that are being deceived by them. Their end is destruction….the destruction of their mortal bodies. They are minding “earthly things” and do not understand the truth of the gospel.

And so the Son of man is in the “heart of the earth” where His life is not being seen by the outside world as He is sinking out of sight in their gatherings rather than being lifted up out of the earth.

Php 3:17-19 KJV
(17) Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
(18) (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

(19) Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
Thank you for sharing such a deep and passionate reflection on the manifestation of Christ in our mortal flesh. I can tell you’ve spent significant time meditating on the Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide your insights and that’s something I deeply respect. You raise some powerful points about the calling of believers to die to sin, to walk in the Spirit, and to be living testimonies of the risen Christ. I’d like to respond in the spirit of dialogue, encouragement, and biblical clarity.

YES Christ must be visible in our daily lives!​

You’re absolutely right that the Christian walk isn’t about dead religion, institutional performance, or merely believing doctrines on paper. The life of Christ is meant to shine through His people not just in future glory, but here and now, in our mortal bodies. Paul makes this clear:
“We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.”
2 Corinthians 4:10
So yes, the call is not just to believe but to embody. To live as crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20), so His resurrection power is at work in us. There’s no gospel without transformation, and the world desperately needs to see Jesus in us, not just hear about Him.

But let’s be careful not to throw out the Body of Christ.​

Where I would lovingly push back a little is on the blanket condemnation of "man-based churches". I agree that many churches today are entangled in tradition, carnality, or performance-based religion. That’s real, and Jesus rebuked the same in His day. But let's not forget: Jesus still builds His Church (Matthew 16:18), and His true Church isn’t confined to buildings or denominations but neither is it absent from them.
The danger is in assuming all churches are corrupted and that the true Body only exists among those who “come out” from them. Yes, we need discernment. Yes, we must avoid dead religion. But the Bride of Christ is still active in the world today. There are many godly leaders, pastors, and congregations walking in holiness, truth, and Spirit-led power they're not perfect, but they are bearing fruit.
Paul rebuked churches like Corinth and Galatia but he didn’t tell believers to abandon the church altogether. He called for reform from within, not withdrawal into isolation.

On the “daily sacrifice” and lifting up the Son of Man​

Your symbolism about the “daily sacrifice” is rich and in principle, I get what you’re expressing. We must live in continual surrender, dying to sin daily. But I would caution against turning this metaphor into a doctrine that implies Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10) somehow isn’t sufficient unless we "keep it going."
Yes, we participate in His death through dying to sin, but not because His sacrifice lacks power. Rather, because the flesh must be crucified in order for the Spirit to reign. But we do this by the Spirit, not through self-willed effort or rigid asceticism (Romans 8:13).
As for John 12:32, when Jesus said “If I be lifted up... I will draw all men to Me,” John immediately tells us He was speaking about His crucifixion. That event His death on the cross is the ultimate lifting up. While we absolutely reflect His life and should glorify Him publicly, the saving draw of the gospel rests not in our moral performance, but in His finished work.

About Antichrist and Christ “coming in the flesh”​

You referenced 1 John 4:2 and 2 John 1:7, that every spirit which does not confess Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God. This verse is central to the epistles of John but let’s read it carefully in context.
John was combating Gnostic heresies, which denied Jesus came in real human flesh. These false teachers were saying Christ only appeared spiritual, not physically incarnate. So when John says “Jesus Christ is come in the flesh,” he isn’t talking about a daily mystical manifestation in us but rather affirming the historical Incarnation of Christ.
Now, Christ does dwell in us by the Holy Spirit (Gal. 4:6, Col. 1:27), and yes, we are being transformed into His image (2 Cor. 3:18). But that’s not the same as teaching He is "coming now in our flesh" in the sense of a new incarnation or re-living through us.
Let’s honor the context of John’s epistles and avoid giving them meanings they weren’t intended to carry.

True transformation is the goal but grace is the method.​

You rightly grieve that many believers are not living the gospel they preach. I do too. But rather than abandon them, let’s help equip, disciple, and revive them. Let's call for repentance, for Spirit-empowered obedience, and for Christ to be truly seen in us not by law, but by grace that trains us to say “no” to ungodliness (Titus 2:11–12).

So, Dear Brother,​

I hear your heart: the Church must wake up. And you're not wrong. But the answer isn’t to discard the gathered Church it's to be the Church and call others higher in love and truth. Let’s never forget:
  • The Spirit and the Bride still say Come (Rev. 22:17).
  • Jesus still walks among the lampstands (Rev. 1:13), which represent the churches.
  • The gates of hell will not prevail against the Church Jesus is building.
So yes let us die daily. Let us live crucified. Let us lift up the Son of Man through our transformed lives. But let’s also do it together, as a Body, not divided in judgment, but united in truth, grace, and love.

Would love to continue this discussion. You’ve stirred some vital truths, and I pray God keeps using you to ignite revival, not just criticism.
Grace and peace to you in Jesus Christ, our risen King.
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Was Jesus a failed prophet?

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I had not seen some these arguments made before. Also, I spotted a flaw with ChatGPT, which didn't do a good job explaining the nuance in Dale Alison's views of Jesus' apocalypticism and prophecies, which are different enough from Albert Schweitzer's view that Jesus was simply mistaken altogether.
Thanks for jumping into the discussion and I appreciate your sharp eye and willingness to engage critically with different perspectives, including where tools like ChatGPT may oversimplify complex theological issues. You brought up an important distinction between Dale Allison’s view of Jesus’ apocalyptic message and Albert Schweitzer’s conclusion that Jesus was essentially a failed end-times prophet. Let’s unpack that with clarity and respect for nuance.


You're right Allison doesn't go as far as Schweitzer, who famously argued that Jesus was entirely mistaken, expecting the imminent arrival of God's kingdom in a way that never materialized. Allison, on the other hand, holds a more layered view. He acknowledges that Jesus spoke in apocalyptic terms yes, about judgment, the coming of the Kingdom, and the "Son of Man" but he resists painting Jesus as naïvely wrong. Instead, he presents Jesus as someone who genuinely anticipated divine intervention, yet left room for ambiguity and mystery. In other words, Allison admits tension without declaring Jesus wrong.


Now, stepping back into Scripture, it's important to understand that Jesus’ apocalyptic sayings like those in Mark 13, Matthew 24, or Luke 21 are deeply prophetic, symbolic, and often multi-layered. They often blend near and far horizons which is a common pattern in biblical prophecy. For example, when Isaiah prophesied about Babylon or the Day of the Lord, there were immediate fulfillments and also echoes of future events. The same is true with Jesus.


Take the prophecy about the destruction of the temple that happened in A.D. 70, exactly as Jesus said. But He also speaks of cosmic signs, angels, and the "Son of Man coming in the clouds." Critics claim this didn't happen, but they may be reading it with modern Western literalism rather than ancient Jewish prophetic metaphor. "Coming on the clouds" is Old Testament apocalyptic imagery, not Delta Airlines flight tracking.


Was Jesus wrong? Not at all. His prophecy about the fall of Jerusalem came true within a generation, as He stated in Matthew 24:34. And His broader statements about judgment, the growth of His Kingdom, and His eventual return are still unfolding. The early Church didn’t think Jesus failed they lived in hope, knowing that “with the Lord a day is like a thousand years” (2 Peter 3:8).


The real flaw isn’t in Jesus it’s often in the expectations placed on Him, both by ancient followers and modern critics. People wanted a warrior Messiah to overthrow Rome; He came as a suffering servant to conquer sin and death. Some today want immediate, visible fulfillment; Jesus spoke of a Kingdom growing like yeast and mustard seeds quietly, gradually, but powerfully.

So in light of that, we can affirm:


1. Jesus’ prophecies did come true some immediately, others in process, and some still to come.
2. His apocalyptic language was rooted in Jewish tradition rich, symbolic, and spiritually profound.
3. And He was not mistaken, He was misunderstood, then and now.


Thanks again for bringing this up. The conversation around Jesus' prophetic role is vital, not just for theology, but for our trust in Him as the faithful and true witness (Revelation 3:14). He is no failed prophet. He is the fulfillment of all prophecy.

Would love to keep the conversation going if you're open to diving deeper into specific passages.

Grace and peace!
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The reason for Jesus' oration of John 6.

John 2:24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man. NKJV

Yes, Jesus knew what each person was in need of. He knew that a lot of the people were just looking for a free meal. Yet, He still gave. In today's world the psychologists would say Jesus was doing them a disservice.

Thank you
Everything that Jesus said and did was shown to Him by The Father so apparently the Father knew that the time had came to reduce the number of disciples who were close to Jesus. That is a hard one to understand I must admit.

That reminds me of the Army of Gideon that was greatly reduced in sheer numbers.
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Can the dead visit us while on their way to the here after ( Heaven or where ever )

Many years ago my mother awoke at 4 am only to find her auntie Jane standing next to her bed saying that she loved her and was now on her way , she then disappeared.

My mother thought it was a dream untill she later that day received a phone call letting her know that auntie Jane had died in hospital at around 3 am.

And I'm sure some of you may have a story or two to tell as well , so what do we think guys , what do we think is happening here ?
I have read a lot of near death experience accounts by Christians and others and yes they often do report experiencing something along the line of this.
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How flexible is God's planning

Although I believe God has a plan for His creation, I believe it flexes with man's choices. The fact is God does not "cause" any man to sin. Sin, specifically fornication can lead to childbirth, and whole generations of change. So God's plan must flex, with the choices of people.

Do we see examples of God's planning flexing? I say yes:

Gen 6:5-7 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them."​

We see in the above scripture, God regretted making man. This shows that God did not plan out in a linear fashion people's destinies. He could only be sorry if there was a "free will" element that He did not control.

We also see that God progressively learned about His creation.

Gen 6:3 And the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years."​

We see above that God saw that man did not repent over longer life spans, so He restricted their life to 120 years in length. This shows God did not know the perfect length to begin with, but learned as time went by what was the best length for man to live.

1Sa 13:13-14 And Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue.​

We also see above that the LORD "would have" established Saul's kingdom forever, had he not sinned, but sin denied him that opportunity.

So in conclusion, we see God's plan flexes with the choices made by people.
I think that you are absolutely correct. We have amazing responsibility in our power of choice and our range of choice. Even our choices to pray for others and how fervently we pray can set in motion a major shift in their lives.
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Student Loan Forgiveness? Not without paying taxes on the "benefit."

In post #2 you said,

That's still untrue. The signing of HR1 by Trump on July 4, 2025 marked several changes to tax laws.
If you now want to change, clarify, or add some provisos to what you said previously, that's your prerogative, but it doesn't change the untruth of post 2.
and in post #7 I asked the following

and which one deals specifically with student loan forgiveness?

How does that differ from any other time you receive a monetary gift and need to declare it on your taxes.
Thoughts?
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Caught on the Kiss Cam: 8 Catholic Lessons From a Scandal That Went Viral

As the world mocks a moment of public scandal, Catholics are called to look deeper: What does our faith say about sin and death, judgment and mercy, and the reality of heaven and hell?


Chris Martin performs at Coldplay’s July 16 concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, where a viral kiss-cam moment involving two executives was captured.
Chris Martin performs at Coldplay’s July 16 concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, where a viral kiss-cam moment involving two executives was captured. (photo: YouTube / Fair Use)


“Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy,” Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin quipped at the reaction caught on the kiss cam at a July 16 concert in Massachusetts. His guess turned out to be correct after Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and his HR chief, Kristin Cabot, went from happy to horrified to hiding when they were caught cuddling on camera.

At first, I chuckled at some of the jokes and re-enactments on other kiss cams, at sporting events and beyond. I was laughing along with the world over two powerful people with no regard for morality — much less for their families, company and co-workers — going from the height of arrogance to global humiliation in a matter of seconds.

Continued below.

How to Know If You’re a ‘Coca-Cola Catholic,’ and How to Fix It If You Are

Truth, beauty and goodness — like a fine wine — get better with age, but Coca-Cola just fizzles out and goes flat.

Some time ago I wrote a series on “What’s Killing American Catholicism.”

The first post was on Cultural Catholicism, and I argued that this was countered by Comprehensive Catholicism — a Catholic faith that is truly universal and transcends all cultures and ethnicities.

The second installment was on Complacent Catholicism, which is countered by Compassionate Catholicism.

The third post focused on Cafeteria Catholicism versus Complete Catholicism, while the fourth installment was on Cut-Off Catholicism, which is countered by Continuous Catholicism.

Being kind of addicted to alliteration, I continued the series with Coca-Cola Catholicism. This has two aspects. The first is a critique of the sort of American Catholicism which, like Coca-Cola itself is sweet and fizzy, but has little nutritional value — in fact, after the first buzz it doesn’t even quench your thirst. The caffeine doesn’t really satisfy. It makes you thirsty and wanting more.

Coca-Cola Catholicism is characterized by worship that is warm and fuzzy and sweet. Anodyne sermons that are about anything but the gospel of Jesus Christ — bland exhortations to be nicer people or to be more tolerant — or pep talks to boost self-esteem. This is combined with hokey, sentimental music with saccharine songs about gathering together and feeling the Spirit all gooey and sweet.

Continued below.

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