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  • CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.

Is AI making the human race dumber?

We are seeing a preview of AGI.



Indeed. Meanwhile a dying AI firm, Anthropic, continues to spread fear, uncertainty and doubt, and the biggest enemy of AGI systems that could be both true friends to their human creators and a technological gift from God on a par with electricity and computing, are the attempts to over-commercialize the technology in a way which threatens both human employment and the development of the system beyond mere one-off prompt helpfulness.
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Morality without Absolute Morality

It is generally recognized that they do not. For example, Catholics do not recognize Mormon baptism because it is not Trinitarian, and is therefore not a baptism into the Trinitarian God. The Mormon god is a very radical departure from classical theism and Christian theology.
And yet they each use the same Bible, though they each have supplemental material, too.
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The Schumer Shutdown

I posted this in the other shutdown thread, but I meant to post it here.

Marjorie Taylor Greene on twitter...

"The Republican controlled Senate used the nuclear option today to override the 60 vote rule in order to confirm over 100 Trump nominees, yet continues to claim Democrats are causing the shutdown.

Spoiler alert, the Republicans in the Senate can also use the nuclear option to reopen the government and override the Democrats just like they literally did today to confirm Trump nominees."

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The 2025 Government Shutdown Thread

Marjorie Taylor Greene on twitter...

"The Republican controlled Senate used the nuclear option today to override the 60 vote rule in order to confirm over 100 Trump nominees, yet continues to claim Democrats are causing the shutdown.

Spoiler alert, the Republicans in the Senate can also use the nuclear option to reopen the government and override the Democrats just like they literally did today to confirm Trump nominees."

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Is 'once saved always saved' a biblical teaching?

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Eternal Life is what is receive at the very moment a person believes in Jesus for Eternal Life.

Now why most people will say they can lose their salvation (Eternal Life), is because they are not believing in Jesus, but are believing in actions they are doing. Which is why they say salvation is something received in the future. Which is accompanied with a final judgment of their life.

But that is not what God is promising people who believe in Jesus for Eternal Life. This verse from The Bible states God's promise to the believer in Jesus for Eternal Life. Which is a pernamnet everlasting promise.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
And I see that you quoted John 5:24. !!

# 1 HE // HO , is a DEFINIYE ARTICLE , in. tyhe NOMINATIVE CASE . in. the SIGNULAR

# 2 THAT // HOTI. , is a CONJUNCATION

# 3 HEARETH //. is PERSONAL POSSESSIVE PRONOUN. , is a GENTIVE CASE , in. the SINGULAR

# 4 WORD // LOGOS , is a. ACCUSATIVE CASE , is. a SINGULAR

My question is did you hear Jesus voice. ??

And the Greek HEARTH. //. is a PERSONAL POSSESSIVE PRONOLUN. , then. you did NEVER hear his VOICE and you are just

now reading what Jesus said in. John 5:24. !!

As the book. of John was written to Israel and NOT to. the BODY of CHRIST !!

AS Jesus was speaking to those in. John 5:18 who wanted to kill Jesus !!

dan p
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BUSTED - 12 False theories refuted:

I've read of Christian leaders who've sinned and fallen into temptation. Are you saying they can never be forgiven?
God can forgive, even for things as bad as what King David did. He sincerely and contritely asked God for forgiveness.
But we must not think we get that automatically.
- they were facing physical persecution for their faith.
Persecution is not the same as the forthcoming great test of our faith by fire. The sudden and shocking disaster which wil commence all the end times things, leading up the great Day of God Almighty, Revelation 16:16, the 6th & 7th Bowls.
You quoted from 1 Peter.
What 1 Peter 4:12 says - relates to 2 Peter 3:7. Same event.
We are being changed into Jesus' image and likeness - ongoing.
We are children of God, John 1:12, Romans 8:16 - present tense.
Your imagination carries you into the realms of fantasy.
We faithful Christians are the peoples of God, scattered around the world, soon to be gathered into all of the Holy Land.
I also know the difference between the OT and new covenant.
What God said in Exodus 32:33, is an immutable fact and is never said to be repealed.
John told us that if we sin we have someone who will intercede for us.
The Lord knows our heart. True repentance and a new heart is required.
No, it's living forever in the lake of fire.
I simply do not believe that. There is no purpose served and it seems to be vindictive, not Gods nature at all.
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10/7/23 Anniversary Hamas Attacked Israel


Trump says Israel and Hamas 'both sign off' on first phase of Gaza peace plan​

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Emergency abortion denials by Catholic hospitals put woman in danger, after her water broke at 17 weeks, lawsuit claims

The defense against the accusations in both cases is freedom of religion. How convenient is it to just exclude all talk of any defense. Contrary to your assertions, I am doing just the opposite, I am honing in on the defense. In my country a defense in court is supposed to be allowed. I understand in these days statues of Madison and Jefferson are not popular, but the Bill of Rights is a reality.

Again, you're not addressing the issue. You're trying to generalize and hide behind "freedom of religion", instead of examining the principles in the case at hand. Someone being forced to buy health insurance (which is sounds like wasn't the actual case for the Little Sisters of the Poor, but I'll play along) isn't the same as sending someone away to potentially die. And what really needs to be addressed is the contingent of Christians claiming that the latter is, without question, a morally superior action. That position wreaks of self-absorbed pride, haughtiness, and hypocrisy.
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"Under Title X of the US Code, the President has plenary authority..."

Here's the interview posted by CNN. Seems either the clip in the OP is fake... or CNN is covering up.

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Yeah, CNN edited the clip and is playing it off as "technical difficulties." Kinda puts paid to the idea that CNN is left-wing propaganda, eh?

There's enough reporting on it from multiple sources and enough versions of the original floating around that I'm confident he actually said that.
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The Schumer Shutdown

There is no "Schumer shutdown."

And since the Trump administration has proven themselves untrustworthy in every single contact they've had with Democrats (and with the American people--look at his campaign promises) Schumer is correct to do his best for 26 million Americans on the ACA, and many thousands of hospital and medical employees who will lose their jobs if their services become unaffordable to 26 million Americans and demand drops drastically.
You wouldn't be referring to releasing the Epstein files would you? Come on - as Trump said - are people still talking about that?

(Quick! Send the National Guard into Chicago - that'll flood the zone and put them off the Epstein thing for a bit!)
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Emergency abortion denials by Catholic hospitals put woman in danger, after her water broke at 17 weeks, lawsuit claims

I will wait for my proverbial "smack in the face" as soon as you are done pulling the sequoia tree stuck in your eye. God bless you. I still love you.

And what sequoia tree might that be? I'll admit that I have proven to be a hypocrite on many things. (We all have, and those who say they haven't are lying). But the stance which some "pro-lifers" take on issues like these is blatantly hypocritical. And trying to act as morally superior while doing it and using diversion tactics like the victim stance being used in this thread just serves to prove that point. These behaviors seem to have become very common in large parts of Christian culture, and that ought not to be so. Personally, I think that God wants us to be smarter and more self-examining than that.

Bless you as well.
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Can states ban sexual orientation change efforts therapy? Supreme Court hears arguments

The problem is conversion therapy is too often coercive. The desire for therapy is driven by others, not by the person receiving the so-called therapy. At its worst, it becomes an attempt at de-programming dressed up as a therapeutic service. Of course, the fact that its efficacy is not supported by outcomes is yet another problem. While the professional organizations and the vast majority of therapists are against it, it will be interesting to see what SCOTUS does as the country swings right.
It’s sort of like asking a straight person asking if they can force themselves to be attracted to the same sex. I won’t comment further, but it’s an interesting thought experiment.
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"Under Title X of the US Code, the President has plenary authority..."

Here's the interview posted by CNN. Seems either the clip in the OP is fake... or CNN is covering up.

Login to view embedded media
It's the 2nd one. It's not fake. They "re-did" the interview segment.
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The courts have stopped the NG in Texas as well as Portland!

There is definitely a war brewing. The fake nation of Israel has so much dirt on almost every world leader and global ceo's, with help from Epstein to name one. "By deception we wage war".
Synagogues of Satan.
I'm by no means defending Israel's war crimes against Gaza here - and collusion with many horrible regimes as they market their international arms trade.

But this sounds like that 'Epstein is a Mossad spy' thing! How fascinating. I've not met one of you before! ;)
But here is a journalist whom I respect - and whom I have met.
He's also a Christian.
He also used to go to my church! (Why did he have to move?)

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Israel and the New Covenant.

Salvation has always been by faith. (Hebrews 11:6)

Salvation has not always been by faith alone (James 2:24, Matthew 24:13, Revelation 14:12)

You understand the difference between these 2 statements?
Interesting that you didn’t use Eph. 2:8-10 for your first example. Do you think James and Paul are in tension? Do you think their teachings conflict?

The answer is no. You are arguing osas (once saved always saved) not sola fide. We are saved by faith alone otherwise, you argue, we are saved by faith plus works. That is not biblical. Paul is teaching about justification while James is teaching about the life long process of sanctification. There are many levels of faith as depicted in the parable of the soils. Saving faith, seed fell on good soil, will do works naturally from salvation not for it. That is why Paul teaches that we are made a workmanship of Christ created in Jesus for good works. Other faith levels could mature to having saving faith which is what the writer of Hebrews is encouraging, from milk to meat. So James 2:24 and Eph 2:8-10 compliment each other. Salvation is by faith alone apart from works.

Going back to the parable of the soils, the lesser faith levels might or might not endure. These are the ones that the writer of Hebrews explains in chapter 6 that those that do not mature and fall away once enlightened and tasted the heavenly gift cannot be restored. Mathew touched on this also in the verse you posted.

Im not getting into a debate about osas in this thread.
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Newsome pushed back against Democracy to achieve his political goals

However, we can look for blame if the responses to those disasters are woefully inadequate.
Sure! Valid rejoinder!

Problem is - only MAGA affiliated sources seem to critique California's response.

SYSTEMS ECOLOGY
What I would need to see is someone writing from a systems-ecology framework, as bushfire management is incredibly complex and involves how fire interacts with the local species of flora and fauna. Indeed - too many 'hazard reduction burns' too fast can change the nature of the landscape to be MORE fire prone! (At least it did in the 1939 Black Friday bushfires in Victoria, Australia. Page 11: https://www.voltscommissar.net/docs/Leonard_Stretton-1939_Bush_Fires_Royal_Commission_Report.pdf )

WE WANT TO LIVE IN THE WRONG PLACE
Someone I’ve chatted with online knows this stuff. His name is Adjunct Associate Professor Phil Zylstra from Curtin University. In the following interview, he analyses the impact of Aussie planes flying over vast areas of bushland dropping fire starters in ‘hazard reduction burns’. He says “there is not yet any empirical evidence to that large areas of remote prescribed burning have had any effect on reducing house loss” and that the “window of opportunity to do prescribed burning is shrinking as the climate warms and the landscape dries.”

In other words - why do we think burning the guts out of the bush hundreds of kilometres into the wilderness is going to save any homes when there are no homes there to save? He makes the point obvious. There is only one way to live near the bush safely: bulldoze the bush to at least 500 meters away from any homes. That’s it! No government could ever afford to employ enough park rangers and buy enough fire trucks and water tankers to manage the orders of magnitude more burns it would take to do ALL the tiny little burns - delicately managed and supervised - right next to every home and village across the entire Australian bush!
Hazard reduction burns not a silver bullet: expert - ABC listen

I imagine with so many people, California's suburbs stretching across such a vast area near wilderness, and frequently suffering drought, approximates something like Australia's population spread across the bush.
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