I think so, Romans 1:

26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;

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That's lesbianism, a woman having sexual acts with another woman. Meyer explained:

How very prevalent among the Gentiles was the so-called Lesbian vice, λεσβιάζειν (Lucian, D.Mer. 5. 2), women with women abusing their sex, see Salmasius, foen. Trapez. p. 143 f., 152 f.

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Paul continued:

27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

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Paul described both male and female same-sex sexual activity as going against the natural order established by God.

TIL that there was a provision in the Trump Tax Cut plan that changed the way companies had to deduct salaries of software developers (which are treated as an R&D expense). Instead of giving companies the option of deducting it upfront or amortizing it over 5 years, it just required them to amortize over 5 years. When the provision kicked in in 2022, any dev whose salary had been deducted up front got quite a bit more expensive.

This provision was added to the bill to keep it “revenue neutral” so it could pass via budget reconciliation and only kicked in after 5 years, because…. reasons?

Admittingly, I need to shore up. Depending on your particular view, what does one see in the political landscape in response to the country’s (my view) now critical stage? The House of Representatives could use quite a bit more unity (those GOP resignations by design?). As for the Senate,

• Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy
• Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran
• Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski
• Utah Sen. Mitt Romney
• Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul
• Maine Sen. Susan Collins
• Indiana Sen. Todd Young

One thing I’ve noticed Rand Paul?, but this stage has amassed new trenches everywhere. Although apparent as ever, does not appear to be of any concern whatsoever to these, , right to the bitter end, including GOP leader McConnel. It’s all so very swamp-like or engulfed in a political inferno, whichever form of tyranny you prefer. I prefer the old standard of insanity of corruption.

It has been proposed that the Nicene Creed be added to the Baptist Faith and Message.
Do you have an opinion either way?

As a former Independent Baptist (I grew up there) turned Southern Baptist (30+ years before becoming Orthodox), Just curious.

[Quoting the article, sic]
Andrew Brown, Stephen Lorance, Steve McKinion and Malcolm Yarnell broke the news on X (formerly Twitter) May 29 with a teaser and a link to their proposed amendment to the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message.

Quite simply, they propose adding the full text of the Nicene Creed as Article XIX to the 2000 statement of faith.

In case you are not familiar with the Nicene Creed, it reads as follows:

We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, being of one substance with the Father. By him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he descended from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again, in accordance with the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again, in glory, to judge the living and the dead, and his Kingdom shall have no end.... (continues)

Donald Trump on Thursday brought up the idea of imposing an “all tariff policy” that would ultimately enable the U.S. to get rid of the income tax, sources in a private meeting with the Republican presidential candidate told CNBC

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High heels are bad for your feet and your back.

High heels are bad for every bone in your body.

Because they cause you to walk incorrectly.

Hey something amazing just happened! I was at Christ Community Church this morning and I went up for prayer after the meeting for my illness (schizophrenia). I got ministered to very powerfully, I was sick as a dog, profoundly ill, I probably belonged in the mental hospital but didn't have to go thus far. I am now better socially, I am experiencing pleasure in daily life for the first time in my life, and I am more functional all the way around! I got down on my KNEES and thanked God for what He did for me! I now understand God better, previously I saw God as being very mean, I did not realize it but it was my illness! I also got healed of emotional trauma, I had alot of emotional trauma as a child and God showed me I had something wrong with my brain that stopped me from letting it out, I had no choice but to stuff-it. God told me that this was why I had schizophrenia, I had repressed emotions and that triggered my illness.

I ran across this interesting survey tonight as it was linked from a website which I often read for news and opinions. Do the survey results match up with anyone from Generation Z that y'all know?
What are y'alls thoughts concerning the different results of this survey?

Feast of the Dedication and the Festival of Lights... why did John focus on the "dedication" aspect and Yeshua focus on the "light" aspect?

Multiple members of Congress, including members of Wisconsin’s own delegation, debunked Sherman’s false claim. According to several congressmen present, Trump’s use of the term “horrible” was specifically tied to these systemic problems, not the city or its residents.

I'm glad to see swift action. All Americans can help stop the media hoaxes from spreading so fast.

When it comes to doctrines, I prefer to adhere to Scripture's wording. The terms "mortal sin" and "venial sin" are not in the Bible. I would not bother using these terms in the formal doctrinal sense. When others use them in an argument, I would not give them much weight.

We are nominating a book to study from chapter to chapter in a new discipleship class in my local church. We can choose any book. Which one would be ideal to pick to focus on discipleship or perhaps covering a range of topics on discipleship?

Bonus question - what is discipleship? Which book is best to learn this from in new testament?

A January 6 Rioter Is Leading an Armed National Militia From Prison​

Years after being accused of swinging a baseball bat at police officers during the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, Edward “Jake” Lang is now using encrypted messaging channels to create a nationwide network of armed militias in all 50 states.

Though he has been in prison for over 1,200 days, Lang is working with a network of election deniers and conspiracists to promote the North American Patriot and Liberty Militia, or Napalm for short. The group officially launched last week with 50 state-specific militia groups on Telegram.

Lang claims that the Telegram groups already have 20,000 members, including pastors, farmers, former military personnel, and currently serving sheriffs. However, multiple experts who reviewed the channels tell WIRED that figure was wildly overestimated, and that the real figure was closer to 2,500 members. But a group this size, they warn, is still large enough to cause a serious threat.

As the 2024 US election approaches, Lang says that Napalm will be focusing on potential “civil unrest” around the vote.

In addition to the election, Lang says that Napalm will respond to everything from natural disasters to Federal overreach, political protests, and potential Chinese invasions.

I feel safer already.

ETA:

Man charged in US Capitol attack announces run for Senate in Florida​

Jake Lang, charged with attacking police during riot and pardoned by Trump, seeks to fill seat Marco Rubio’s old seat

My heart with was filled with love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Out came sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers,
sisters, friends, and families whom I call The House of The Lord.

I adopted them all and found a lover from among them,
as a sign of my marriage to them all.

Let's dine Jesus together and find our inner man of Christ,
Build peoples for His Kingdom for they are His Risen Temples becoming.

Until He Be fruitful and multiplies and fills the earth and subdues it,
I shall be eating Jesus, only Jesus.

Mark Adams Prieto, 58, of Prescott, Ariz., was indicted on charges of firearms trafficking, transfer of a firearm for use in a hate crime, and possession of an unregistered firearm, the U.S. attorneys office in Arizona said in a release Tuesday.

Starting in January 2024, according to the U.S. attorneys office, Prieto began talking to two individuals he did not know worked for the FBI to “devise a plan to commit a mass shooting of African Americans and other minorities to incite a race war” ahead of the election.

The shooting was allegedly planned for an Atlanta concert May 14-15, according to the release. [Apparently Bad Bunny]

Prieto was stopped by law enforcement driving east from Arizona through New Mexico on May 14, and he was found to be in possession of seven firearms and was taken into federal custody

I'm single and would like to meet a wife. I am seeking to put the Kingdom First and seek His righteousness, concern myself with bible study, meditation prayer, looking for ways to serve while also perhaps evangelism to people, including woman, hoping I can already meet a Christian woman this way. I can perhaps use my search for a wife to evangelize, which is also what I know I should be doing. Perhaps my intention might be impure here, I should seek to evangelize without seeking anything. May the Lord find this atleast acceptable. Either way I should run into people. I don't know if I believe I should just do nothing at all day but pray for a wife and hope one falls from the sky without taking any action so I will seek the Kingdom first, in the process of such, hopefully meet someone and evangelize, hoping to meet someone.

That said. I can't help but look on a woman and see she is beautiful but then turn away lest I sin in my heart with lust. Is it possible for a man to look on a beautiful woman and not lust? Is noticing a woman is beautiful the same as lusting after here? Is sinning in the heart, being perhaps a spiritual sin, is that different that an "actual" sin the moment one would perhaps m-bate with lust in the heart or sexual immorality with sleeping with a woman. Is it only sin if I were to take action m-bate or sleep with?

Jesus specifically says in the KJV if a man were to look on a woman TO LUST on her, it's adultery in the heart (paraphrazed). Does this imply that if a man were to have no intention but to seek lust and actively look upon beautiful woman, not for seeking a wife, but just to lust, only then would it be sin? If I randomly came across a beautiful woman in the grocery store, is it okay to "check her out" without it becoming sinful? Otherwise, how can I look for a wife?

At the same time, I notice if I'm just randomly checking out woman, I get pulled into temptation. Perhaps I should instead, only act towards approaching woman from evangelism after immediately coming from prayer and being filled with the HS for protection. Thoughts, guidance?

Cheers

Hello everyone,
My name is Andrei. I am a soldier in the American army who is on deployment. I have dedicated my time to help people who need a listening ear and want someone who can share in their problems. I can pray for anyone who needs it and this also what I provided to my fellow soldiers at the base. Thanks for having me here.

Andrei.

Grassroots’ Campaign Pushing Abortion In Red State Actually Bankrolled By Soros, Dem Dark Money​

The organization behind a ballot initiative that could reverse Florida’s six-week abortion ban goes to lengths to promote its “grassroots” credentials, all while taking in millions from liberal dark money groups and other deep-pocketed sources, campaign finance records show.

Floridians Protecting Freedom (FPF), one of the main groups pushing for a 2024 ballot measure that would enshrine the right to an abortion in the state’s constitution, touts its “grassroots” campaign and fundraising in several press releases it has sent out in recent months. However, the group has taken in massive sums of cash from a sprawling liberal dark money network and organizations backed by wealthy liberal donors.

ESV, 1 John 5:

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

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John addressed the brothers in the church. He was going to contrast life and death to close this letter.

14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God:

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πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

This is the confidence we have toward God:

that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

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Ask and it will be given to you (Matt 7:7a).

16 If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death,

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The word "lead" was not in the Greek.

committing
ἁμαρτάνοντα (hamartanonta)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 264: Perhaps from a and the base of meros; properly, to miss the mark, i.e. to err, especially to sin.

a sin
ἁμαρτίαν (hamartian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 266: From hamartano; a sin.

leading to
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

If you see any brother or sister sinning a sin not πρὸς-toward death,

you should pray and God will give them life.

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John contrasted life and death.

Was John talking about physical or spiritual life and death?

John used the terms life and death ambiguously on purpose.

If you see a Christian sin and sin, πρὸς-approaching death, but he desires to repent, you should pray, and God will give him life to repent. He will not die in his sin.

I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death.

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This sin does not lead to spiritual death because he is repentant.

There is a sin that leads to death.

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However, there is a sin πρὸς death.

Was John talking about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, i.e., the sin of unbelief?

I don't think so. John was addressing believing brothers here.

What was this sin πρὸς death?

It was not any particular act of sin. It had to do with the brother's attitude toward this sin.

What was the nature of this sin πρὸς death?

A brother sinned this sin πρὸς death when he was unrepentant. Perhaps he did not consider it a sin. He would not listen to other brothers' advice about this sin. He would stubbornly hold on to this sin until the day he died.

I am not saying that you should pray about that.

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Don't bother praying for this brother. He will never change.

17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.

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All wrongdoing is sin, yet there is sin not πρὸς death.

18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin;

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We know that anyone born of God has the Paraclete dwelling in his spirit. He does not practice sinning stubbornly without being repentant about it.

but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

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The Paraclete dwelling in his spirit protects him, and the evil one does not touch his spirit.

There are Christians who sin, and sin, and sin the same sin unto death. They will die in this sin. Their spirit is weak and not growing in the Paraclete. They don't think they need to repent of this πρὸς-death sin. There is no point praying for them about this sin.

Are these Christians condemned to eternal death?

No, not necessarily. It is not the unforgivable sin. It is not the sin of (eternal) death. It is the sin πρὸς-toward death. The prognosis is not good. They are heading there. John's last sentence in this letter, he warned them:

21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

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God will decide who gets to heaven.

What is the sin unto death?

It is a sin that the Christian refuses to repent of in his lifetime. He will not repent even at his (physical) death. This sin will gravely endanger his receiving eternal life after the resurrection. He will likely experience the second death. Don't idolize your sin. It will lead you to spiritual death.

It's so easy to imagine, sadly. Picture the scene: polling day comes round. You feel disillusioned with the voting options put in front of you. Your eyes scan the different candidates; none of them stand out at you, whether for reasons of principle, or party allegiance, or even the character of the candidates on your ballot paper. You know that you ought to vote; you even want to vote, to exercise your democratic right. But the options are just so bad.

We do not expect to agree with everything that a party stands for; no candidate will exactly replicate the values which we hold. But sometimes the differences just feel insurmountable.

Maybe you're a traditional Conservative voter, but you are so frustrated with how they've performed while in office that you don't feel like can support them anymore, and you're worried about what a Labour government might do. Or maybe you're a Labour supporter when it comes to the economy and to inequality, but you're afraid that electing them will unleash a storm of liberalisation when it comes to some of the social issues that matter most to you.

Or maybe – and we saw this with some Labour supporters in the Rochdale by-election earlier in the year, which resulted in the victory of George Galloway – even if your party has a candidate, you do not feel like you can support them to be your representative, due to things they have said, or beliefs which they hold.

What ought we to do as Christians in such circumstances? Are there right and wrong courses of action?

Christians will take different views in response to these questions, but here are three possible routes we might take if we're struggling to work out who we might vote for.

1. Vote for the least bad option


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"The story was censored. Reporter Peter Schweizer spoke with Michael Shellenberger about the laptop, where he torched CBS News, adding that they could have easily verified it before the Trump interview:"
There needs to be a shake-up in the major media--integrity needs to be restored.

Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, departs a House Oversight Committee meeting at Capitol Hill on January 10, 2024, in Washington, D.C. The committee is meeting today as it considers citing him for Contempt of Congress. | Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

Tuesday's conviction of Hunter Biden is drawing mixed reactions from both sides of the aisle as politicians and pundits debate the substance of the charges against him and what it means for politics and the justice system in the United States.

A jury in Wilmington, Delaware, found Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, guilty of "making a false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm," "making a false statement with respect to information required to be kept in records" and possessing a firearm despite his status as "a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance."

Tuesday's guilty verdict comes less than five months before the 2024 presidential election, where Biden is seeking a second term.

Concerns about Hunter Biden's criminal activity date back to his father's days as a Democratic presidential candidate and nominee in the 2020 presidential election. While Hunter Biden pled guilty to charges of tax evasion and unlawful possession of a firearm, he still finds himself under the microscope for other potentially illegal activities and influence peddling.

Continued below.

At Mark 7:7, 8, we read, "in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men."

In your experience, do you find many who identify as Christian, making their own commands and invalidating the commands in God's word the Bible?
I have.

To give an example, the word of God says, at Matthew 28:19, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit".
Yet, I was told by someone who says they have holy spirit, that baptism is not necessary for salvation.

Have you heard this before, and what has your experience been. Do you find this kind of thing common - invalidating God's word, not baptism, or you don't experience it so much?