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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.

CNN Dem Panelist Shocks Jennings with Major Admission on Lawfare Against Trump

Well let's be honest. I don't htink the "left" have normalized it.

Once we get our guy in and HE (or she) starts doing that stuff....THEN the left have also normalized it.

At this point, I'd only say the right has normalized it.
I gotta unfortunately disagree. He’s the president of the United States and has been reelected well after learning everything we know about his character. This is sadly normal now and I don’t see us coming back from this style of politics anytime soon. Too many people support his style and not nearly enough care to counter it within his party or from the outside.
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The 2025 Government Shutdown Thread

Trump healthcare plan just dropped.

View attachment 372905

Everyone knows individuals can negotiate the best healthcare prices possible!

NOW WITH MOAR ALL CAPS. I WASN'T KIDDING GUYS!

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It sounds like if we push him a little more, he'll destroy the insurance industry, so that could be a step in the right direction if we can replace it with a single government solution.
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CNN Dem Panelist Shocks Jennings with Major Admission on Lawfare Against Trump

He himself may be harmless (I would disagree) but what he reveals about our politics is very concerning. Even after he leaves office, someone has to take up the mantle of the MAGA movement and they would likely take a much more measured approach than Trump has so far. That’s what worries me along with the fact we’ve now totally normalized Trump’s bad behavior in office.
Well let's be honest. I don't htink the "left" have normalized it.

Once we get our guy in and HE (or she) starts doing that stuff....THEN the left have also normalized it.

At this point, I'd only say the right has normalized it.
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Can not being in the correct denomination cause someone to not be saved?

There is a clear corporate element to salvation, not simply a personal one. We are joined to the body of Christ, not as individuals but as members.
Verse?
Just my 2 cents, but we need not identify a denomination as "the" denomination to recognize that there is no salvation outside of the church. We just need to be clear about what we are unified about, such as the statement of faith for CF which nicely unites a broad spectrum of believers under one heading.
Brother I am going to disagree. Nowhere n scripture does it teach that there is no salvation outside of the church. There is no verse in scripture that teaches that. In fact salvation is only attained by faith in Christ.

“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.””
‭‭Acts‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

Secondly, the CF statement of faith was initially designed to identify who could post where, not really to identify who was a Christian or not. A few years ago there used to be a lot more forums and many were for non conforming churches like the JWs, Mormons, Christadelphians, etc. Those that did not agree with the Nicene creed could only post in the non conforming church rooms. These days it merely used to determines who can post in Christian rooms vs non Christians rooms. I know this because I was part of the advisory team that developed CF statement of faith.
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The rise of menace as a mainstream political tool

JD Vance Will Serve 2 Years in Prison for Threatening JD Vance.

A man who shares the same initials as JD Vance was sentenced to two years in federal prison after making threats against the vice president, as well as President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Donald Trump Jr.

A Monday, Nov. 17 statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Michigan confirmed that James Donald Vance Jr. had been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney in Kalamazoo, Mich
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Anti-Muslim Bigotry Directed at Mamdani

And you wonder because Syria is PRETTY much like America?
Middle Eastern Christians have no strategic value ( in fallen worldly terms) in the grim “realpolitik”.


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Fear, pain and hunger: The dire impact of shutting down USAID in Africa, leaving a vacuum for China and Russia

Musk Said No One Has Died Since Aid Was Cut. That Isn’t True.

You never forget the sight of children starving to death, so I wish White House officials could have been with me on this trip to South Sudan, where 70 percent of nutrition assistance has come from the United States.

Many of the refugees from Sudan are raped along the way by soldiers or bandits, and upon arrival in South Sudan they used to receive free medical care from a nonprofit supported by the United States. Their sexually transmitted infections were treated, and they were protected from H.I.V.

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Gallup: Drop in U.S. Religiosity Among Largest in World

.... uh .... in what way specifically am I to take the blame for the religious decline in the U.S.?
Not you, particularly. Not even the Christian nationalists--they're just reacting to it, but that they are reacting to it by fighting a culture war rather than a religious war might be a clue as to what people are walking away from.
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MARK OF THE BEAST - REVELATION 13-14; 17; 18

To John’s audience​

John says he is writing to the 7 churches in Asia Minor - to show them what will "SOON take place". Futurists often say “God’s time is not our time” or something like that - so let’s check some other indications.

They should OBEY (1:3) his letter for the time is NEAR. Imagine you received a prophecy that said something like…
“The Martian Reds will attack the Zorn in the south of Mars in the year 4000!”
Now OBEY this message!
How? It’s incomprehensible - and you would be dead a few millennia before it happens!
OK - still not convinced?

Finally - in 1:9 John says he is their PARTNER in THE TRIBULATION. Not “a” tribulation - but THE tribulation.
The Romans have put him in exile. He already shares in their sufferings. It’s not just soon - it’s already happening! And he is advising them from his own tribulation situation. But when futurists come and pretend they have evidence that it’s all about us, now, today (because that’s just so tempting - so much more exciting isn’t it!?) - what’s the side effect?

They turn the Apostle John into someone impossibly heartless and patronising.
He is in effect saying to the Christians he’s ministering to, "You think you've got it bad! Wait till you see what happens in 2000 years!!!"

Summary: Soon, OBEY for the time is NEAR, and he SHARES in THE tribulation.

John’s book is a sermon on suffering remind them of the foundational gospel events and promises in Apocalyptic Symbolism - which is like the comic book of the bible.
Hi eclipsenow,

John`s audience is all those who read, hear and keep the words of this prophecy. (Rev. 1: 3)

`soon, speedily, take place. Fine. That is what we see. The Lord reveals Himself to John and the rest follows on. However, are you trying to tell me that everything in Revelation has happened?


Rev. 1: 9 `I John, both your brother and companion in tribulation.....` (NKJ) I don`t see any `the.`

The book is about JESUS as is ALL of God`s word. To make it about US is to diminish the great work and person of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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B flat B♭

I really don't understand flight paths & have no idea about them, whether it be on a globe or on a F/E.
But I'm willing to learn.
They fly the shortest route in order to minimise costs and maximise profits. All the long haul passenger jets have roughly the same cruising speed, so the flight times line up with the distances, ie. a flight that is 50% longer distance will take 50% longer time. The long haul passenger jet also have about the same maximum range.
For all the above reasons, the direct flights between Sydney and Santiago are impossible on the flat earth model. They couldn't possibly exist. The distance is too great for the range of the aircraft, the fact that the longer distance takes less time than the flight from Sydney to L.A., all prove the flat earth to be false.
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TRUMP "MISSED THE DEADLINE" TO CALL OFF TX GERRYMANDERING; CALIFORNIA WILL NOW DRAW NEW, MORE “BEAUTIFUL MAPS”

‘Utterly foolish’: Redistricting roadblocks leave Republicans wary of White House push

“The whole thing is just utterly foolish,” said Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.), who is pushing a bill to end mid-cycle redistricting after his seat was redrawn to favor Democrats. “Frankly, the [House] speaker needed to show more leadership from the beginning on this.”

[Glad to see Kiley's listening to the voters of our great state. Not exactly what we said, but it's a move in the right direction.]
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“I was never in favor of doing all this redistricting stuff anyway,” said Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.). “Should not have opened that box.”

California-based Republican strategist Rob Stutzman predicted the effort will end as “a possible debacle” if the Texas ruling holds.

“This will have been a ready, shoot, aim exercise by Trump,” he said.

Kiley said Republicans’ assumption they could end the redistricting battle with an advantage was a miscalculation.

“It was very clear that it was going to have this domino effect, and that's exactly what we're seeing,” he said.
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Carcinophobia (Fear of Cancer)

Hello all,

Can I ask that you please direct me to some scripture or lead me in prayer re: a debilitating fear I have had my whole life - carcinophobia.

It is a distracting phobia that robs me of my joy in life and distracts me from Christ due to anxiety, worry, fear, rumination etc.

Thank you all for your help, as always, God bless.
Been a while since I posted here praise God. The song playing.. Rescue Story (Zach Williams). Some of us here can truly relate :) eleos1954 praise GOD posted some wonderful scriptures. What we need to remember is God said it and if God said it "He will do it". Yeah no matter how we feel what we see we walk by faith. You are a new creation old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. We put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. That is how you are.

In those moments I praise Him thank Him for that peace which passes all understanding...I have the joy of the lord and laugh.. the enemy can only lie... So like the song out of my hands into yours.. we cast all every one of our cares for He cares for us. No matter how I feel or what I see.. I stand on His word... resist the enemy he has to flee. Joy does come in the morn
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Why do people hate ICE...

You are right, these verses address believers rather than governments. If a Christian claims that Jesus' commandments apply to followers, but then supports a government that contradicts his teachings, their commitment to Jesus' teachings is questionable.
If you support a givernement that does not outlaw homosexuality then that contradicts scriptural teachings. And your commitment to scripture is questionable. See how that works? If you support a governement that allows no fault divorce then your commitment to scriptural teachings is questionable.

I'm glad you recognize Christ's teaching is for his followers and not a governmental mandate. That being said I believe we can do both. We can treat illegals humanely and still deport them as fast as possible. There certainly have been questions regarding the conditions the illegals have been held in. Although I have yet to actually see these conditions. The illegals have been arrested, so as long as their detention status is no different than the typical inmate of a prison, then I don't have any issues with it.

Give them food, water and medical care as needed and put em in an 8x10 cell until they are deported. Even Jesus didn't tell believers to release all the prisoners.
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Hell doesn't exist and there is no eternal suffering, instead bad peolle just cease to exist

Your denomination, obviously teaches "legalism", that simply means that you guys believe that you will be saved by keeping the law/commandments. But God has never ever said that anyone will be saved by keeping the law or commandments.
The only reason God gave the commandments was to show mankind how evil we are.

You know, I know and God knows that it's impossible for any man to keep any commandment. You won't find a single verse to support this idea that we can keep the law or commandments.
I try not to sin, but IO have sinned every single day of my life and I know that I will continue to sin every single day for the rest of my life. But I thank God that the Lord Jesus paid for every one of my past sins, and every one of my present sins and every one of my future sins.

If I could keep the law and commandments, then Christ died suffered and for nothing. None of the verses you referred to above say that a mans salvation depends on his ability to keep the commandments, so I don't know why you keep trying to make them say what they are not saying.

No man has ever been able to keep any commandment. God gave His people the commandments so they can see that they are totally depraved.
God knows full well that it's impossible for any man to keep any of His commandments. By giving the commandments, God has the legal and moral right to punish all those who break any one of them (that's all of us).

Nobody can claim thewy sinned in ignorance, even those who were born n isolated parts of the world and never heard of the commandments, are still guilty because God wrote His law on their hearts, so they are without excuse.

What this cold harsh reality boils down to, is that there's nothing good in me and you. We were born dead in our sin, we inherited our sin nature from Adam. As such, we all naturally love sin and hate God. And we are born into slavery to Satan, because He has the legal right to enslave us,, since Adam rejected God and served Satan instead.

God doesn't save someone, by helping them to change from being carnal (wicked) to spiritual (good). No God must first kill the person (metaphorically) kill their old nature and give them the gift of His Holy Spirit (born again), where the old things have passed away and all things become new.

This new man, doesn't attain "sinless perfection" in this life. That happens in the life to come, when we are transformed into the image of His Son, in a twinkling of an eye. We receive our glorified, immortal bodies and we inherit all the treasures of the universe.

None of this is achieved by a sinner, who is dead in his sin, making a choice to obey the God he hates. Salvation is of the Lord, He is the Autor and finisher of our faith. Yes we do good, works because the Holy Spirit is working to transform us in this life, so if we obey any commandment or do any good works, it's because He is leading us and helping us o obey and do good works.

It's all about Him, our old nature demands praise and self promotion, it cries out to have it's lust satisfied, so it's a constant in struggle against our old nature, just as Paul described this battle by saying that he doesn't do the good that he would do, but he does the evil that he doesn't want to do.
I responded to your false statement “God is hate” with a definition that God is love and He tells us that is also His commandment to us. I made no claim that any of us can actually keep the commandments or achieve any kind of “sinless perfection”.

Now you go off into to some accusations of “works based salvation” of which I said no such thing. I was concentrating on the fact that God is NOT “hate.”

Your presumption that I was speaking about “works based salvation” is incorrect and an ignorant accusation. I understand the context of where the commandments & works apply to living by faith ( Romans 1:17, Romans 13:1-14, Colossians 1:1-29 especially verses 10 through 24) that these are of the liberty in which Jesus Christ frees us from the yoke of bondage ( Galatians 5:1-26. We are saved by grace to walk in faith for good works ( Ephesians 2:8-10).

I think anyone should read Romans 16:17-19 to consider in your way of posting.
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Gallup: Drop in U.S. Religiosity Among Largest in World

As is expected, you're ignoring my flagging the principle of abrogation and citing a verse from the Medina period. Though this is not the thread for getting into the ins and outs of Islamic jurisprudence.
You said that Muslims would kill anyone who didn't convert. That was so wrong it needed correcting. It was so wrong that you should go back and correct it. And an 'oops, my bad' wouldn't go amiss.
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CNN Dem Panelist Shocks Jennings with Major Admission on Lawfare Against Trump

Trump is NOT dangerous.
He himself may be harmless (I would disagree) but what he reveals about our politics is very concerning. Even after he leaves office, someone has to take up the mantle of the MAGA movement and they would likely take a much more measured approach than Trump has so far. That’s what worries me along with the fact we’ve now totally normalized Trump’s bad behavior in office.
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Can Truth Be Known? How

I don't see a problem, unless you are stating it is a problem for you. Brother Fervent seems par for the course so far, I would agree with him generally speaking on this.
The scriptures - God's inspired word says... Proverbs 18:13 He who answers a matter before he hears it - this is folly and disgrace to him.
You are saying it's not a problem to reply to a matter before hearing the facts?
God's word disagrees... and anyone else who agrees with you.

It has been repeatedly observed that when people jump into a conversation midway, they miss the context, and communication becomes problematic.
Jumping into a conversation midway without knowing the full context can lead to misunderstandings because you lack the necessary information to grasp the overall purpose or meaning of the discussion. When you enter a conversation late, you may understand individual words or sentences but miss the broader point, which increases the risk of misinterpreting facts or placing them in the wrong context. This is especially problematic when the information differs from your own perspective, as it can trigger competitive listening, where you focus on how the speaker is presenting their ideas rather than truly understanding them.
AI-generated answer. Please verify critical facts.

Could you elaborate on where the problem is you are encountering?
I'm not encountering a problem.
I'm pointing out why jumping into a conversation midway, having not heard the facts, is a problem.
You just demonstrated here, why it's a problem, by your asking me a question based on your interpretation of what I said, which does not have anything to do with what you think.

Do you see how misunderstandings are created, when one does what Proverbs 18:13 rightly advises against.
The scripture are always correct, and the wisdom of Solomon, in the book of Proverbs are tried and tested. It's God's wisdom, which we do well to listen to.

I'm going to take the liberty of making a guess here and say it looks as though Fervent is using the word "it" to refer to "the truth."
It takes engaging with the truth to make a determination of the truth?
That's even more difficult for me to understand what is meant, because I don't understand what is meant by "engaging with the truth", and I can't see how any engagement with the truth is necessary to determine it, or how it's even possible to engage with something if one doesn't even know what it is, or how to identify it.
:confused:

Asking AI what does engaging with the truth mean?
Engaging with the truth means actively seeking and honestly confronting reality, not merely accepting beliefs based on emotion or personal preference. It involves a commitment to discerning what is accurate and factual, even when it is difficult or challenges one's own views, and requires a willingness to listen, question, and learn from others in good faith.
Source references 1 2 3

Is that what you meant?
That left me frowning, because having a commitment to discerning what is accurate and factual, even when it is difficult or challenges one's own views, is making an honest search for the truth.
So, how can someone who is searching for the truth, of which they do not know what it is, actually engage with the truth?
Perhaps you can explain that first.

If that is the case, it makes perfect sense. He is responding to your OP according to your inquiry.
Fervent said:
the thread had been ongoing for a while when I jumped in, so my response wasn't directly to the OP
Are you saying @Fervent is responding to the OP?

If I were to answer this question I would have replied exactly, and I do mean exactly verbatim with this statement or something very close. Maybe it wouldn't be as concise and precise, but meaning-wise, exactly that point.
Can you specify what statement you are referring to?
There are a lot of statements in the posts. I am lost as to which you are speaking of.

So this, essentially, is the short answer to your OP.
It takes engaging with it to make a determination is the short answer to the OP?
Then please respond to comment three in this post.

Correct me if I'm wrong Fervent

If it wasn't what Fervent meant, it is still what I would say. You have to engage with the truth to decide if it is the truth.
Okay. Thank you.
Please see my response in the third comment in this post.
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