This isn’t surprising to me!

Lord, have mercy on Pope Francis.

Thanks for posting

May he rest in peace!

Praying for peace!

LAHORE, Pakistan — Church leaders and others in Pakistan lauded the producers and cast of a TV drama for risking their lives to broadcast an unprecedented, national media portrayal of the violent injustice resulting from blasphemy laws.

In the final episode of Hum TV’s drama series, “Tan Man Neel o Neel [loosely translated as “Body and Soul Badly Bruised”], a professional dance team is performing at a wedding when an unexpected video on a large screen shows one of them, Sonu (played by Shuja Asad) dancing at a venerable Sikh mansion. Soon a Muslim, Kami (played by Muhammad Usman Javed), who sneaked the video in, rises up and falsely accuses Sonu of dancing in a mosque in the video.

A flashback shows Kami — who has designs on Sonu’s dance partner and love interest, the lovely Raabi (played by Sehar Khan) — plotting the premeditated attack with his cohorts. Asked how they could assert that the Sikh house is a “holy site,” Kami tells them, “By the time they figure out if it’s a religious location, the mob will have done their work.”

Continued below.

Just days after taking his oath of office on a Hindu religious book, FBI Director Kash Patel was sworn in Monday as the acting head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

According to a source familiar with the matter cited by The Associated Press, the ceremony took place at ATF headquarters. It remains unclear whether President Donald Trump intends to nominate Patel for the permanent ATF director position, or what the administration’s longer-term plans are for the agency, the AP reported.

Patel, 44, is the first Hindu- and Indian-American to lead two of the nation’s high-profile agencies within the U.S. Department of Justice. He was sworn in Friday as head of the FBI in a ceremony in which he chose to use the Bhagavad Gita, a Hindu sacred book, instead of the traditional Holy Bible.

Continued below.

Judge blocks immigration enforcement at some churches

Illegal immigration has plummeted following the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States, statistics show.

The number of encounters between border crossers and law enforcement officials during the last 11 days of January, which correlated with President Trump's first 11 days in office this year, dropped 85% compared to the last 11 days of January 2024, according to a statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Meanwhile, the number of "inadmissible aliens encountered by CBP's Office of Field Operations at ports of entry along the southwest border dropped 93% in the 11 days after Jan. 20 compared with the 11 days prior." Trump took office on Jan. 20.

Continued below.

High Fidelity said:

Many agree that many NATO countries haven't met their pledged commitments in spending, but that's a far cry from him throwing Ukraine under the bus and repeating Russian propaganda, refusing to acknowledge the clear aggressor in this war when asked etc.

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It appears your unaware of the history of conflict in Ukraine, a little refresher might help

Barrack Obama, Joe Biden, and their secretary of state Victoria Nuland & Ukraine Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt started the conflict in Ukraine, they planned the overthrow of its government in the Maidan Coup Feb 2014 and installed their puppet government, Obama and his Admin were the aggressors against Russia starting the conflict, and at the end of the 4:19 conversation below "Bidens Willing"!

Victoria Nuland, leaked phone call plans the Ukraine coup and its US replacement government! YouTube Call 4:19 Feb 4, 2014​

​

Radio Free Europe​

Brussels, Kyiv, Moscow React To Leaked Nuland Phone Call​

February 07, 2014

1Tonne said:

Agreed. Salvation is eternal. And those who put their faith in Him will be changed forever. They will have a heart that will choose to honour God by leaving their sin.

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Amen! Phl 2:13

That depends on your definition of gods.

Define God as the one and only being who created the heavens and earth. Then the two labels, El-Shadday and Yahweh, refer to the same God. Genesis 17:

1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless.

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the LORD
יְהוָ֜ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

am God
אֵ֣ל (’êl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 410: Strength -- as adjective, mighty, the Almighty

Almighty.
שַׁדַּ֔י (šad·day)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7706: The Almighty

Moses commanded the Israelites in Leviticus 19:

27 Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.

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For the Israelites, cutting hair on your head was okay. Even shaving their heads was okay. But they were not allowed to shave their mustache or beard except for cleansing lepers (Le 14:9).

Two chapters later, specifically to the priests, Leviticus 21:

5 Priests must not shave their heads or shave off the edges of their beards or cut their bodies.

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Priests were not allowed to shave their heads to be bald like the Egpytian priests or today's Buddhist Monks. Presumably, they were allowed to cut their hair when it got too long.

For the Nazirites, Numbers 6:

5 During the entire period of their Nazirite vow, no razor may be used on their head. They must be holy until the period of their dedication to the LORD is over; they must let their hair grow long.

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Like the priests, a Nazirite was not allowed to shave their heads. As an Israelite, he was not to cut his beard either.

Did the Nazarite wow prohibition on cutting one's hair refer only to hair on the scalp or also to facial hair?

Strictly speaking, the Nazarite prohibition was cutting hair on his head. However, as an Israelite male, he was not allowed to shave his face either.

Stephen3141 said:

Disease outbreaks and starvation deaths will increase as a result of USAID cuts, officials say

The “ripple effects” of President Donald Trump’s bid to shutter the agency are already being felt around the world, current and former USAID workers told NBC News.

www.nbcnews.com

So far, the firings and spending freezes by DOGE, have resulted in LITTLE
reduction of U.S. spending.

What they have done, along with the radical isolationist rhetoric from the White House,
is alienate allies, empower the enemies of the U.S., and undercut previous efforts to
win the favor of developping countries.

Although the slash-and-burn approach to reducing spending is eye candy, as many
analysts have noted, the amount of reduction in national spending that the politicians
promised, would have to delete almost ALL of the federal government functions.

Apparently, American votrs are dumb enough to be taken in by massively
inflationary rhetoric, while they are NOT willing to embrace HUGE life style
changes, in a move toward very frugal living styles.

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As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.

H.L Mencken

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NIV, Romans 12:

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

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Berean Literal Bible:

Therefore I exhort you, brothers, through the compassions of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy to God, well-pleasing, which is your reasonable service.

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English Standard Version:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

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Strong's Greek: 3050. λογικός (logikos) — 2 Occurrences

BDAG:

being carefully thought through, thoughtful λογικὴ λατρεία a thoughtful service (in a dedicated spiritual sense) Ro 12:1

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In the OT, Israelites took living animals, killed them, and offered them as sacrifices to God. In contrast, Paul urged believers to offer their bodies as a living sacrifice, which was a true, proper, logical, and spiritual way to worship God. We are set apart to live holy lives, pleasing to God.

Peter echoed this in 1P 2:

5 You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

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Strong's Greek: 4152. πνευματικός (pneumatikos) — 26 Occurrences

BDAG:
① pert. to spirit as inner life of a human being, spiritual ② having to do with the (divine) spirit

We are living stones set apart to live holy lives to build up the body of Christ. We are the living stones; we are the sacrifices. This is our logical/spiritual service.

Pr 14:

30 A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.

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Ja 3:

16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

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Envy is a sin. Recognize it as such.

1Th 5:

18 Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

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Give thanks for what you have. Don't envy other people's possessions.

Ps 37:

4 Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

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Put your hope on being happy in the Lord. He will give you the rest.

Ro 12:

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

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Instead of envying others, rejoice with them. Cultivate a heart of generosity and joy for others. Their blessings do not diminish your own. It is not a zero-sum game. Empathize with them.

1P 4:

10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.

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How to overcome envy?

Envy is a harmful sin. Focus on the positives: practice gratitude, rejoice with everyone, and serve others with what God has given you to fulfill your purpose.

Is serving others a good, or bad thing?
Serving others is one of the greatest gifts given to man from God.

Most people think of a servant negatively... as something to look down upon, or frown at.
However, this is because of how the world has evolved, and how its thinking has been shaped.

The meaning of servant is simply, one that serves others.
From the very beginning, it was a privilege to be a servant, since it involves showing gratitude - an outward expression of thankfulness.

Is this good, or bad?
Note what the facts show.
Giving thanks can make you happier

There is a connection between showing gratitude, and well being, and therefore, showing gratitude - serving others, is positive - it is a good thing.
Consider the first person to show gratitude in this way...
The first servant. Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 61:1; Matthew 12:18; Zechariah 3:8; Acts 3:13, 26; Acts 4:27-30

Jesus, certainly had reasons for showing gratitude to the Most High. John 1:3, 4; Colossians 1:15-17
This is one reason he was so happy to serve. Matthew 20:28; Matthew 23:11
Jesus was a servant, foremost to God, then to others.



Serving others truly brings the greatest joy!
Acts 20:35 ...remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, who said, "it is a greater happiness to give than to receive."
We have so much to be thankful for. So showing gratitude to God, for all that he has done... all that he has given us, and all that God is doing, and will do... giving and will give, helps us be happy servants of the living God... and in turn we serve others joyfully.

What a wonderful spiritual gift this is.

Does God feel proud of us?

On the positive side, Genesis 5:

24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.

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Job 1:

8 And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”

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The Father was proud of his Son in Matthew 3:

17 Behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

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Jesus was impressed by a centurion's faith in Luke 7:

9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”

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Jesus spoke to a Canaanite woman in Matt 15:

28 Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

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Jesus stood up when they were about to stone Steven in Acts 7:

54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

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1 Timothy 1:

11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

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God entrusted Paul with the gospel message.

12 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful,

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God considered Paul a faithful servant.

appointing me to his service, 13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

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There were some cases in the Bible where God seemed to be proud of people because of his mercy but the term "proud" was not used.

On the negative side, Genesis 6:

6 And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.

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That's a general statement about how God felt about men.

Psalm 78:

40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the wasteland!

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John 2:

24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people.

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Romans 3:

10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

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Is God proud of humans?

No.

Is God proud of Christians?

No, not universally.

Does God trust some Christians?

Yes, because of his merciful and gracious enablement, even though we were previously sinners without Christ.

Is God proud of some faithful Christians?

It seemed so. However, "proud" was not used to describe these impressive individuals. I would rather stick to the wording of the Bible.

Bottom line, Luke 17:

9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

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Let God be proud of us if he wishes. For my part, I am just happy that I have done my duty.

See also

• Proud and prideful

To Confess Christ [G3670] homologeo

To speak the same words, to establish an agreement, to declare openly

When we speak for Christ, we speak as Christ, and others hear His Words,
by which we are justified.

Matthew 12:37 For by your words you will be justified,
and by your words you will be condemned.

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Our words as a witness testimony before God

1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I plead with you, brethren,
by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all
speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you,
but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

2 Corinthians 2:17 For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God;
but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

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Speaking As An Oracle Of God (1 Peter 4:11)

1 Peter 3:
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts:
and be ready always to give an answer to every man
that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you
with meekness and fear:
16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you,
as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse
your good conversation in Christ.
17 For it is better, if the will of God be so,
that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

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We must speak by way of experience only for our testimony to be valid

Romans 15:
8 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things
which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed,
to make the Gentiles obedient—
19 in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God,
so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum
I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

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Expression of faith found in the Law

Romans 12:8-10 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

To glorify the Son of man, Messiah learned and perfected the
obedience of the Righteous Seed unto justification of the Spirit.

Hebrews 5:
8 Though he were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered;
9 And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him...

Obedience To The Spirit Brings The New Birth
That Manifests the Love of the Father in Holiness

1 Peter 1:
2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;
15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.

True Confidence In The Word Is Derived From Obedience,
Not in Word, But in Deed

Philemon 1:
20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.
21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

The Obedience of Christ Must Captivate Our Thoughts

2 Corinthians 10:
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,
and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Obedience And Love Will Always Be Lacking In Those Who Have Not The Fear of God
2 Corinthians 7:
14 For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I am not ashamed.
But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting to Titus was found true.
15 And his affections are greater for you as he remembers the obedience of you all,
how with fear and trembling you received him.
16 Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything.

Slaves To Righteousness By Obedience in The Faith, Or Sin Unto Death
Romans
1:5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship
for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name.

6:16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey,
you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin unto death,
or of obedience unto righteousness?

16:19 For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. 20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Benediction of Romans
16:25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began
26 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith—
27 to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.

BPPLEE said:

That's great. So they just let child rapists go in MA. Good job by the MA SC

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First off, accused child rapist, still awaiting trial. Second, due process applies to all people, regardless of how heinous the crimes are.

BPPLEE said:

I don't understand people who think it's a good idea to release dangerous criminals into the public

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We can't lock up people for what they might do. In this particular case I agree he shouldn't have been released, but that's because he's quite clearly a flight risk. But simply holding somebody indefinitely because he might commit a crime is a clear violation of due process.

BPPLEE said:

Departments are worried about being sued by the criminals, their victims should sue

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I would love to see that. "Your Honor, I want to sue because they refused to violate the Constitution."

Valletta said:

Here's a Newsweek story from last October:

He was arraigned in Middlesex County Superior Court on charges of aggravated rape of a child by force and rape of a child by force on September 4.
According to Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston, officials at Middlesex County Superior Court "ignored ERO Boston's immigration detainer and released Hernandez-Rodas from custody on an unknown date."

Court released illegal immigrant accused of raping child

A 38-year-old Guatemalan national entered the U.S. illegally as a "gotaway" and was charged in June with aggravated forcible rape of a child in Massachusetts.

www.newsweek.com

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Also, not Boston. And yes, it was the Boston field office but that field office (which incidentally is itself not in Boston) has responsibility for the entirety of New England. As I said, it is against the law in MA to enforce immigration detainers, but that's a matter of due process and not sanctuary policies.

I would be interested in an analysis of whether or not the CURRENT
California housing codes, would solve this problem of closely spaced houses,
and gale force winds.

Who knows why people even get sick. It could be their environment or the poisonous food they sell us. It could be in the water. Paul told Timothy to take wine for his stomach and his often infirmities. No healing, just wine. People are like a disease as well. They infect you with their hate and cause mental illness.

Removing the Chairman is not illegal, nor is it unusual - considering the repeal of DEI it is also not surprising.

...a symbolic insult to the tens of thousands of Ukrainians who gave their lives to defend their land.