Guys, what would be a reasonable speed for traveling between star systems?

For myself, I think a speed around Makarov 5 would be the bare minimum for nearby systems (under 20 light-years from Xanadu), or Makarov 7 for farther systems (under 500 light-years). So, if it takes the Xa'na race hundreds of years for tech to increase for ships to travel at Makarov 7 in the 25th and 26th centuries, then the civilization would be stuck with routine travel between closer star systems instead of farther away star systems.

One would have to say, that waiting three centuries to only go up by two increments on a faster-than-light (FTL) scale is a form of technological stagnation. For instance, if a certain component of the graviton displacement drive technology is banned such as the Muon Decay Catalyzer, then the Xa'na would have to improvise and come up with a graviton displacement drive that emits less muons from the get-go.

In the Star Trek universe, once the Federation had higher warp speed capabilities, the Federation expanded. So, one could assume for my sci-fi plot, once the Xa'na have higher Makarov speed capabilities, more opportunities open up for alliances between different species.

Akita Suggagaki said:

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE The findings from this prospective cohort study demonstrated consistent but small inverse associations between a higher intake of plant fat, particularly fat from grains and vegetable oils, and a lower risk for both overall and CVD mortality. A diet with a high intake of animal-based fat, including fat from dairy foods and eggs, was also shown to be associated with an elevated risk for both overall and CVD mortality.

Sorry. I will try to find a better link.

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It's funny that I have both in my diet. Plant fat and fat from dairy and fish. I don't eat eggs though and I exercise a lot and everyday.

Mr Atlas said:

Hello everyone. I am Mr. Atlas. I am a Christian but I have been away from the church and the bible for most of my life. Since my preteen years. So more than 20 years.

Recently I had been feeling out of sorts. Not acting as my self, sudden bouts anger and depression. Nothing felt right. Upon waking about a week ago something felt different.

Before getting very far into my morning routine It just washed across me. The world around me suddenly felt wicked and I instantly had the need to find a bible to read and begin praying. I feel an overwhelming desire to seek salvation.

As I said it's been over 20 years since I've thought about church or God or anything of the sort so all of this took me completely off guard. Im not sure what caused this instantaneous change but I don't believe that I should ignore it.

Sorry this is so long. I wanted to share my exact reason for seeking out a forum/community to participate in.

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Hi and welcome

That's the house I want to live in location, location, location (the three most important words in real estate)

Fox News agreed Tuesday to pay Dominion Voting Systems nearly $800 million to avert a trial in the voting machine company’s lawsuit that would have exposed how the network promoted lies about the 2020 presidential election.

And still the preferred news source for the Right.

someone let me know if the link works?

SDA church is officially pro-Choice. This was done by the administration, without the consent of the SDA people. Most SDA's did not become aware of the Pro-Choice stance until the mid to late 2000's

Don’t let your emotions ruin your devotions.
Don’t let your thinking be a cause for sinking.
Don’t let the chatter cause your faith to shatter.
Don’t turn the tables and put your trust in fables.

Time now is fleeting. Who are you believing?
Truth is what matters. Listen not what flatters.
Listen to The Bible – is that what you’re reading?
Listen to The Gospel – on that are you feeding?

Liars are deceiving. Is that what you’re receiving?
Wolves are in sheep’s clothing. Is that what you’re loathing?
Masqueraders plenty. Their teaching is so empty.
Needing much discernment. We listen not to Serpent.

Coming now to Jesus, our faith in Him now heals us.
We die with Him to our sins. Life in Him now begins.
We walk now in obedience. Face now lit with radiance.
We love our Lord and Master. With Him live ever after.

An Original Work / March 4, 2023

totallylovedbygod said:

THE LETTER G

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Gail Riplinger points out that G is the seventh letter of the alphabet; and seven is the number of perfection.

She points out that most G-words are good.

Examples: God, god, goodness, gentleness, gifts, gallant, godhead, Holy Ghost, godly, godliness, give, glad, gleanings, glorify .... and so on and so forth.

The Good Shepherd

Jesus Christ is not only the only begotten Son of God, but he is God, the second person of our triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Over 2000 years ago he left his throne in heaven, humbled himself, came to earth, and was born as a baby to a human mother, but conceived of the Holy Spirit and not of man, so he was not born into sin like the rest of us. Thus, when he lived on this earth for some 33 years before his death on that cross, he was fully God and fully human (God incarnate).

When Jesus lived on the earth, during his years of ministry prior to his death, he healed the sick and afflicted, raised the dead back to life, delivered people from demons, fed the hungry miraculously, and did all sorts of other miracles. He also preached true repentance (death to sin) and obedience to his commands as required of him for genuine salvation (deliverance) from our slavery to sin and for eternal life with him. He confronted the hypocrites with their hypocrisies and warned them of divine judgment, too.

Although he had a huge following for a while because of all the miracles that he performed, there were few who truly followed him with genuine faith in him and in the works that he performed. For the words that he spoke mainly were too hard for most people to accept. For he spoke of his requirement of his followers that they die with him to sin and that they walk in obedience to his commands in order to have life in him. And the religious rulers in the temple did not like him, were threatened by him, and wanted him dead.

So, they plotted his death, and had it carried out. But God had a purpose for Jesus’ death on that cross, and that was to bring many to genuine salvation from sin and to eternal life with God via genuine God-persuaded faith in the Lord which dies with him to sin, and is raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, now as slaves to God who live in obedience to his commands. So, we must no longer be those who obey sin, in practice, for if we do, it will lead to death. Obeying obedience to God, though, leads to eternal life.

The Hired Hands

Who are these “hired hands”? They are false shepherds of the people, many of whom are getting paid to be pastors and teachers of the word of God. They are those whose lives are not committed to Jesus Christ, to walking in his ways and in his truth and righteousness. So they are not committed to serving the sheep with their lives, either. They are just getting paid to do a job, and so they do the job they are getting paid to do. But if their own lives are threatened, they will desert the sheep to save themselves.

Some of them are entrepreneurs and businessmen who have chosen church planting, church growth, and/or evangelism as their business of choice, but who are following after the ways of humankind and of marketing schemes and tricks and gimmicks rather than following the leading of Christ and of his Holy Spirit. So many of them, thus, have altered the character of God/Christ, of his church (the body of Christ), and of his gospel message, in order to cater to and to draw in large crowds from the world into their gatherings.

They are those who profess faith in Jesus Christ and who disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, but who are not serving the Lord but the flesh and the world. So they are those who desert and who abandon the sheep while pretending to care for them. For they do and say what will make them popular and what will “draw in large crowds of people from the world into their gatherings,” even if it means compromising the truth of the gospel and not leading the sheep to genuine walks of obedience to God.

So, this is why the Scriptures warn us against false shepherds and teachers and prophets, and why we are instructed in the Scriptures to test what we are hearing or reading or seeing against the Scriptures, taught in context, to make certain that what we are being taught is truth and not the lies of the enemy. No matter what titles or credentials people have, and no matter whose son or daughter they might be, or how popular they might be, we still need to test what they are teaching to make certain it is truth, and not lies.

Other Sheep


Although I was primarily applying the previous words to our lives today, because they do apply to us today, Jesus was speaking then to the Jews. So, when he spoke of “other sheep,” he was speaking of the Gentiles who would now be included in Israel by faith in Jesus Christ.

Now Jesus spoke these words when he was still on this earth, prior to him being crucified on that cross, prior to his death and resurrection, and prior to his ascension back to heaven and him sending his Holy Spirit to indwell his followers. So the “other sheep” he was referring to were the Gentiles who would now be included in Israel by genuine faith in Jesus Christ, while all Jews who rejected Jesus Christ were cut out of Israel.

Thus, “all Israel” is now all who have, by faith in Christ, died with him to sin and are now (or were then) living to him and to his righteousness, by God’s grace, and in his power. In his death and resurrection he made us one people by faith in him.

[Genesis 17:7-9; Genesis 18:19; Romans 2:28-29; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 9:4-8,25-28; Romans 11:1-36; Galatians 3:16,26-29; Galatians 4:22-31; Ephesians 2:11-22; Ephesians 3:6; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:22; John 8:18-19,38-47; Jude 1:5; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-16; Hebrews 8:6-13; Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9]

My Sheep

An Original Work / June 24, 2012
Based off John 10:1-30 NIV

My sheep hear me. They know me.
They listen to my voice and obey.
I call them and lead them.
They know my voice, so they follow me.
They will never follow strangers.
They will run away from them.
The voice of a stranger they know not;
They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that
I am the gate, so you enter in.
Whoever does enter
Will find forgiveness and will be saved.
Nonetheless whoever enters
Not by the gate; other way,
He is the thief and a robber.
Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,
Who laid his own life down for the sheep.
I know them. They know me.
They will live with me eternally.
The thief only comes to steal and
Kill and to destroy the church.
I have come to give you life that
You may have it to the full…

They know my voice, so they follow me.

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Trick or treat? What’s in store?
Do you love? Or, folks abhor?
Is your kindness all for you?
Do you lie, or walk in truth?

What’s your motive all about?
Are you honest, without doubt?
Do you mask hidden intent?
And, your motives you invent?

Trusted friend – does that role fit?
Loving husband? – that’s your bit?
Faithful leader, you’re about?
Kindly man, without a doubt?

Gentle servant of the Lord?
Following Christ in one accord?
Walk by the Spirit? – Is this you?
Telling others the Word of Truth?

Viewing porn, behind closed doors?
While Word of God you ignore?
Following idols – worship them?
Claiming you live in freedom?

What is the truth about you?
Are you a trickster? Fakes the truth?
Or do you treat folks with true love,
Which truly comes from heaven above?

Are you a wolf and not a sheep?
The laws of God you do not keep?
Pretending kindness, but not true?
Is this a true picture of you?

An Original Work / January 16, 2020

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1 ESV (cf. Jude 1; 2 Peter 2)

Jesus Christ speaking:


In our world today we have many false shepherds of the people leading the sheep. We have many “wolves in sheep’s clothing” pretending to be sheep themselves, and to be shepherds of the sheep, called of God, but who are willfully (deliberately) lying to the sheep in order to lead them astray. They masquerade themselves as servants of righteousness, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves out to destroy our Lord’s true sheep and all those who profess to be Jesus’ sheep but who are not following him with their lives.

When we get down to verse 27, we will read that Jesus’ sheep listen to him, they know him, and they follow him. And listening is not just audibly hearing. We can audibly hear words with our ears and have them go in one ear and out the other, and not really take in what they are saying to us. So to listen has to do with hearing, but hearing with intent to obey the Lord. And to follow Jesus is to obey him, to do what he says to do, to go where he sends us, and to say all that he commands.

So, these false shepherds of the Lord’s sheep are those who have entered into relationship with Jesus Christ by a way other than through dying with Christ to sin, and being raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but as slaves to God and to his righteousness. So they are not in genuine relationship with Jesus Christ, even though they may profess with their lips to be so. They are false sheep and false shepherds who are out to destroy the sheep.

Now Jesus Christ is the true shepherd of his true sheep (followers). He not only is the door (the way, the truth, and the life) of the sheep, but he entered by the door, by way of the cross, by becoming sin for us on that cross so that in his death he put our sins to death with him so that, by genuine faith in him, which dies with him to sin, we might be delivered from our slavery to sin and now follow Jesus Christ in obedience to his commands. For this is what it means for us to be his true sheep who follow him.

We who are the Lord’s true sheep, his followers, are those who have died with him to sin and who are now following him in obedience to his commands, by his grace, and in his power, strength, and wisdom. This is not of our own doing. We can only come to faith in Jesus Christ when persuaded of God. And God persuades us as to his holiness and righteousness, and of our sinfulness, and of our need to die with him to sin and to now walk in obedience to his commands and no longer in habitual sin against God.

But we need to be on the lookout for these false shepherds of the people who are “thieves and robbers” who are out to destroy the sheep. They should be strangers to us who we will recognize as strangers, and so we will not follow them. For they are not teaching the whole counsel of God but a false (diluted, altered) gospel created by human flesh which makes no requirements for death to sin and for walks of obedience to our Lord and to his commands in order to have genuine salvation and eternal life with God.

They are those who are teaching the people that they can make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ or “pray the prayer to receive Christ into their hearts” and now all their sins are forgiven (past, present, and future) and heaven is guaranteed them when they die, regardless of how they live. They are those who deliberately teach the Scriptures out of context in order to twist them into saying what they do not say if taught in the appropriate context. For they are out to steal from us genuine salvation so we’ll die and go to hell.

But Jesus said that if anyone would come after him that he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to (save) our old lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if for Jesus’ sake we deny self (lose our lives), die daily to sin, and follow our Lord in obedience to his commands, then we have the hope of eternal life with God. For not everyone who professes Jesus as Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING the will of God.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]

A Believer’s Prayer

An Original Work / July 31, 2012

With my whole heart, Lord, I pray
To be Yours, and Yours always.
Lead me in Your truth today.
May I love You, and obey.
Lead me in Your righteousness.
When I sin, may I confess;
Bow before You when I pray;
Live for You and You always.

Love You, Jesus, You’re my friend.
Life with You will never end.
You are with me through each day,
Giving love and peace always.
You will ne’er abandon me.
From my sin You set me free.
You died on that cruel tree,
So I’d live eternally.

Soon You’re coming back for me;
From this world to set me free;
Live with You eternally.
Oh, what joy that brings to me.
I will walk with You in white;
A pure bride, I’ve been made right
By the blood of Jesus Christ;
Pardoned by His sacrifice.

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I tink you'll like this guy if you don't know him. Keith Greene.

durangodawood said:

Sure they are.

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So why is diversity bad for white men but not black women?

The Liturgist said:

Does it do that in the course of Holy Communion or the Divine Office?

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Presumably both. I know I have heard it read from as part of Sunday liturgy/Eucharist. Now that you ask, I'll be paying more attention for it.

Vambram said:

He agrees that once was once seen as abnormal and immoral has become politically and culturally acceptable in the USA. In my opinion, I truly doubt that Cooper would object to churches and pastors speaking out concerning this.

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We do need to point out what is wrong so we and our children know right from wrong. But, as I mean, we need to do this the right way so we are spiritually and emotionally sound and relating the way God's word says to share as His family and be all-loving toward any and all enemies.

And . . . as you maybe have already read that I have been offering > I see how there has been very wrong stuff going on and on in the United States for quite some time . . . not what we see now, but other stuff has been treated like it is even great stuff. That even got stopped, and now we see the stuff we see now.

Stop this, and will the evil stop???? There can be other inventions.

But I consider there could be more than this. All along, I think, there have been underlying sins which have been even accepted in America, and these have helped to keep people weak and foolish so now their children could become how we see now.

anger > James 1:19-20 < not really what Americans have been making a project of stopping

arguing and complaining > Philippians 2:13-16 < such anti-love stuff has ruined many people from knowing how to relate in love; and children of parents who do not know how to love can get into really crazy and desperate things in order to feel some sort of acceptance and affection and pleasure

beauty discrimination > God is no respecter of persons > 1 Peter 3:4 < but it seems it has been cultural for Americans on and on to favor more beautiful people, and this can keep us from being all-loving with Jesus, and in weak love not all-loving we can keep giving in to cruel and dominating emotions and drives for pleasure.

My concern is how it can seem to me that preachers are so busy with pointing at the gay stuff and political dishonesty and abortion and whatever else is popular now to point at and blame someone else. Meanwhile, the culturally accepted sins which I mention above have a way of continuing so they can keep people deeply weak and ruined from real loving. And then in their desperation we see the things younger *products* of these sins can invent.

Ones seem quite upset at the products of their sins which are not obviously being confronted.

Right now I am 3D printing a music box version of Jesus Loves Me, I can of course show most of the Christian MIDI that I happen to have in a YouTube video.

essentialsaltes said:

Foreign electoral interventions are attempts by governments, covertly or overtly, to influence elections in another country.

OP source: "The investigation by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III concluded that the Russian government interfered in the 2016 election “in sweeping and systematic fashion” with the goal of helping Trump and harming Clinton."

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Good summary of the situation described by the Mueller report, as summarized in the OP article.

Something nice to think about ...

Love365 said:

Is this forum becoming more active?

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I hope it does, cos Moderate politics is my favorite type of politics.

Is 11:

10 In that day the root of Jesse,

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This is Messianic.

who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious. 11 In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush,a from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea.

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Isaiah lived more than a century before the Babylonian Exile.

12 He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

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Here are a few interpretations:

1. Some believe it was historically fulfilled in the 6th century BCE when the Jews returned to Judah from exile.
2. Dispensationalists and some Evangelical groups believe that it was historically fulfilled when the state of modern Israel was established in 1948.
3. Jewish eschatology interprets this as the coming of the Messiah and the ingathering of Jewish exiles from around the world.
4. Some broaden this to point toward a future where peace and justice will reign universally for all nations.

Ecclesiastes 7 contrasted wisdom and folly:

1 A good name is better than precious ointment,
and the day of death than the day of birth.

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The Qoheleth set up a paradox to invite the readers to think more deeply about the meaning of life. Jesus used this literary technique with his Sermon on the Mount.

2 It is better to go to the house of mourning
than to go to the house of feasting,

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why?

for this is the end of all mankind,
and the living will lay it to heart.

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Again, he provoked the living readers to think about the end of life.

3 Sorrow is better than laughter,

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really?

for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.

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He repeatedly set up paradoxes with Hebrew parallelisms. Laughter is superficial and doesn't last, while sadness is a deeper emotion.

I speak from personal experience. Sadness often accompanies challenging experiences. As we navigate these challenges, we develop resilience, problem-solving skills, and emotional intelligence. Overcoming sadness can lead to a sense of accomplishment and personal strength, which, in the long run, can bring gladness to our hearts.

4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,

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We feel sad. We mourn. From these trails, we learn to become wise. On the other hand:

but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

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Fools do not learn.

8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning.

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The Teacher used these paradoxes to provoke the readers to contemplate deeply about the meaning of life. In the end, we have passed life's sad trials and testings and learned to be wise, and there is a glad eternal life awaiting us.

chevyontheriver said:

Old man Casey, spinning in his grave, would be voting for someone other than his son. Of course voting from the grave is a venerable practice in his son’s party, but only to ensure a Democratic Party victory. So the elder and moldering Casey’s vote might be applied against his wishes.

I am beginning to hate auto-correct.

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I sure hope his dad is praying for him before God's throne, IF he is already in heaven.

SMH

Do what makes you most comfortable.