• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

  • 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.

Liberal media accused of covering up Ukrainian girl's brutal murder in Dem-led city as video explodes online

My point is that I’m not convinced yet that the other people really knew what was going on.

If anybody wants to DM me a link to a seedy site with the full, unedited front view, I’ll take a look.
Yeah, you run into a lot of crazy people on public transit, and you quickly learn that the best thing to do for your own safety and sanity is to not engage in any way. And even if we assume that people did recognize what was happening, I think it's perfectly understandable that no one would be rushing to grab a guy with a knife who literally just showed he was willing to use it. I know that doesn't fit into the macho hero image that so many Americans (especially men) like to project upon themselves, but that's reality. There's a reason why it's notable when someone does intervene in a situation like this.
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At least two students shot in active shooter situation at Evergreen High School

16-year-old Colorado school shooter was 'radicalized' by 'extremist network': Sheriff

The suspect was identified as 16-year-old Desmond Holly, Jefferson County Sheriff officials said during a press conference on Thursday. An image of the shooter was also released by officials.

Officials determined the weapon was a revolver that was "fired a lot." Shots could be seen fired at windows and lockers, authorities said on Thursday.

While authorities are still looking into the shooter's motive, they believe he was "radicalized by some extremist network," and that he had a "mission," officials said. Authorities said they are trying to better understand that network, and are searching his phone, home and locker to learn more on who he was communicating with before the shooting.
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Trump dispenses with trials, orders military strike on alleged Venezuelan drug-trafficking boat (Now up to 2, 3, 4...)

Performing an “act of war” upon people with whom we are not at war, is at least a major faux-pas, no?

Or are we so Good and Just, that anyone we attack obviously “had it coming”?
"War crime" is a very specific thing, like "treason" and "espionage." Civilians (including Trump) tend to think they're wide-open offenses, but they're actually very narrow.

"Act of war" is more political and is practically anything a politician says it is. “International law” is more a matter of custom and convenience than binding enforcement. Nations define their own “red lines,” and “act of war” is in the eye of the beholder. In the 1930s it could be considered an "act of war" for one nation to track the naval activities of another nation, and Roosevelt had to keep secret the fact that US intelligence was tracking German naval activities.
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Is being single, and able to handle it, a blessing?

As an addendum to the my post above. Something else may be an issue here. It is of no doubt that God's response is wait for me. But while this wait is in effect, the devil tries to make his move. I had numerous dreams in which he wanted me to work for him. Some of them tried to lure me, others simply "commanded me". This is what I meant by improper use. I don't know what this is, and I do not want to make a mistake. I'll say this much: whatever it is, the devil wants. I will never forget my teachings though, regardless of what happens.
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Israel-Hamas Thread II

Ok so now you tacitly admit the "chanting" which you brought up is irrelevant.
Nope. Did not say that.
Right!
You haven't answered the point that Netanyahu enabled the support of Hamas and by his own confession that was done to divide the Palestinians.
Sure did. Please read my post again.
The human shield lie has been used before. Israeli leaders had vowed to wipe out Hamas (and Gaza) whatever happened to the hostages.
“An interviewer recently posed a logical question to Mousa Abu Marzouk, a senior member of the Hamas politburo: “Since you have built 500 kilometers of tunnels, why haven’t you built bomb shelters where civilians can hide during bombardments?”

Abu Marzouk said the tunnels are “meant to protect us” from Israeli aircraft and facilitate attacks on Israeli targets.

“Us” meaning Hamas. Not civilians.

Hamas chooses not to build bomb shelters in Gaza because that would undercut its ability to use the population as human shields.

By putting civilians in or above its military positions, Hamas knows it cannot lose.”


The FACT that Hamas uses civilians as human shields is well documented since the 2008 terrorist attacks on Israel.
Israel has nuclear weapons. Doesn't mean that Israel poses an existential threat to the surrounding Arab countries: first Gaza, next ...
Israel has had nuclear weapons since the 1960’s and would never, and have never, use them offensively. Iran, on the other hand, would use it to destroy Israel the first chance they get. Israel has not used a nuclear weapon in Gaza nor had there ever been a plan to use one anywhere in the Middle East, so your answer is a just in case fallacy.

Protecting terrorism is awful.
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5 key findings from DOJ report on anti-Christian bias under Biden

Not a surprising result from a DOJ that is the most politically far right wing in history.
It’s just to balance the bunk that came out of the DoJ that was the most extreme left wing in history.
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5 key findings from DOJ report on anti-Christian bias under Biden

Task force found 'consistent and systematic pattern of discrimination'

The U.S. Department of Justice issued a 48-page report earlier this week detailing an alleged "consistent and systematic pattern of discrimination" against Christians throughout the federal government under the Biden administration.

The report, assembled by the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias that President Donald Trump established in February, was released the same day he addressed the second hearing of the White House Religious Liberty Commission at the Museum of the Bible in the nation's capital.

During his hour-long speech, Trump affirmed his administration's commitment to religious freedom, acknowledged the crucial role Christianity played in U.S. history and condemned his predecessor, Joe Biden, and his advisors as especially "mean."

Continued below.
Considering freedom of religion (NOT freedom from religion) is one of our foundational rights, and the left has systematically tried to destroy that foundation, I find this report relevant and appropriate. Thank you, Trump, for seeking to ensure that ALL of our freedoms are protected.
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Please explain CCC 536 regarding Jesus and the Spirit: 'possessed in fullness' yet 'comes to rest on him'.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says

The Spirit whom Jesus possessed in fullness from his conception comes to "rest on him."

  1. What does it mean for the Spirit 'to rest on him'?
  2. Why wasn't He already doing so?
  3. What does it mean for Jesus to possess the Spirit?
  4. What does it mean to do so 'in fullness'? Doesn't this imply one can do so partially?
  5. Does anyone possess the Spirit only partially?
  6. Do those who haven't yet received the Sacrament of Confirmation possess the Spirit only partially?
  7. Do we, like Jesus, come to possess the Spirit 'in fullness' after the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation?

Thank you for your time.

Liberal media accused of covering up Ukrainian girl's brutal murder in Dem-led city as video explodes online

oh that's nice - "this small woman only got smacked a few times" no big deal

even if that were true, the total lack of empathy from the passengers is chilling. she is in terror.
My point is that I’m not convinced yet that the other people really knew what was going on.

If anybody wants to DM me a link to a seedy site with the full, unedited front view, I’ll take a look.
  • Wow
Reactions: DaisyDay
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Sortition: a completely different model for democracy - representation by random selection - like a giant pool of jurors!

They would be listening to the experts. How often are politicians actually trained engineers, doctors, scientists, or climate scientists?
Ok, so instead of professional legislators being influenced by lobbyists, we’d have randos being influenced by lobbyists. Because that’s who the “experts” are.
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Evolution conflict and division

It's not an either or proposition. If there is no macro-evolution, as I hold, then there can be no common descent.
Since macroevolution has been observed, that is not a concern.
That deck is stacked against the truth.
It's stacked against your particular interpretation of the truth. Which is quite a different thing. God is the creator of nature. Why would He make it opposed to the truth? Yes, I know some YECs have declared that God put fossils and other evidence in the rock to test our faith. But my God is trustworthy, so that story won't work with me.
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Israel-Hamas Thread II

An Israeli precision strike in the heart of Qatar has killed at least five senior Hamas officials, including the son of Politburo member Khalil al-Hayya. Nevertheless, the terrorist organization announced that it would continue negotiations on a possible hostage deal.

The air strike hit several villas in the Al-Qatifiyah district, including a property belonging to Khalil al-Hayya and adjacent offices formerly used by Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Haniyeh had already been killed in Tehran at the end of July in an Israeli operation.

1757684165053.jpeg


According to sources within Hamas, two members of the Politburo were seriously injured, but their identities are being kept secret. Al-Hayya's son, Hammam al-Hayya, his office manager Jihad Lubad, three bodyguards, and a Qatari security official were killed. Israel is said to have used several high-precision explosive devices to destroy the entire complex network, which housed the offices and residences of the Hamas elite.

It is still unclear whether the strike completely eliminated its main target, parts of the Hamas leadership. What is certain, however, is that Israel's intelligence services have detailed knowledge of Hamas' infrastructure in Doha. According to reports, the meeting may have been located using cell phone signals, although Hamas usually leaves phones outside during high-level meetings.

For the terrorist organization, the attack not only means a significant loss of personnel, but also a breach in symbolic security: even in Doha, long considered a safe haven, the leaders are no longer untouchable.

It is noteworthy that, despite the attack, Hamas is sticking to its plan to continue talks on a ceasefire and a hostage deal. According to the Arab newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, the Politburo decided in internal consultations to contact mediators as soon as the security situation had calmed down.

The demands remain unchanged: complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, a permanent ceasefire, and international guarantees for the future administration of the coastal strip. Hamas is thus setting conditions that would amount to a de facto surrender by Israel – a prospect that Jerusalem categorically rejects.

Immediately after the strike, a meeting between the Hamas leadership and Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani had to be canceled. Al Thani was supposed to present a proposal supported by US President Donald Trump. Instead, Hamas accused Washington of complicity and spoke of an "American-Israeli trick" designed to lure its leadership into a trap.

The fact that several Hamas officials flew in from Turkey and Egypt specifically for this purpose shows how important the planned meeting in Doha was. The strike is therefore likely to have not only caused personnel losses, but also severely disrupted the terrorist organization's internal operations.

For Israel, the attack is more than a tactical success. It shows that the Israeli army is capable of precisely targeting Hamas commanders even abroad – whether in Tehran, Beirut or now in Doha. At the same time, this increases the pressure on Hamas, as it must recognise that its leadership structures are not safe in any capital city in the region.

However, Hamas' decision to remain at the negotiating table despite heavy losses indicates that it needs a diplomatic stage in order to remain politically relevant.
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People Will Turn On You

This is so true and one of the reasons I think the church can leave us feeling unequipped to deal with society and have false expectations about what it means to follow Christ.

Thank you for the timely reminder as we're leading into the weekend.

God bless.
Thank you for your thoughtful response. Glory to God.
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6,000 Years?

Well I will say this - you guys must have some big kahunas...to make such drastic changes to the literal writing that Moses gave us (Given to him directly from God) of the Creation account. Based on little to no facts (sorry Theories are not facts)...and based upon an extremely limited data set.
You've merely rewritten the story as a literal history. Which is why your revision has you trapped into declaring that the sky is a solid dome with windows in it for rain to fall through.

It is fair to say that we probably know less than 1% of the scientific knowledge that can be attained about Earth
Nevertheless, I can assure you that the sky is not a dome with windows in it.
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Israel-Hamas Thread II

On Thursday, the Israeli army announced the end of a large-scale operation in Khan Yunis. The goal was to destroy Hamas' underground infrastructure, a network of tunnels, weapons depots, and command centers that stretched beneath the ground like a second shadow state.

The IDF's 36th Division led the operation, supported by the Golani Brigade, the 188th Armored Brigade, and the 900th Brigade. They secured the area and established the so-called Magen Oz Corridor, a strategic connection from west to east through the city.

At the same time, the 282nd Brigade fought terrorist positions with artillery and air support. According to the IDF, hundreds of fighters were killed, including men who had participated in the massacres and infiltrations in Israel on Oct 7.

The Yahalom special forces finally blew up the heart of the Hamas structure: dozens of kilometers of tunnels that served not only as weapons depots and logistics centers, but also as living quarters for terrorists.

1757684726260.jpeg


In addition to the tunnels, hundreds of Hamas facilities were destroyed, including weapons depots, storage facilities, and operational bases. As a result, the terrorist organization has lost a significant part of its infrastructure in the south.

But the operation was not only military in nature: the army issued leaflets and warnings urging civilians to leave the area. At the same time, Israel prepared to mobilize reserves to secure the ground forces.

The fighting in Khan Yunis is part of a series of operations that have also hit the northern Gaza Strip in recent weeks. In Zeitoun, IDF soldiers recently discovered and destroyed a tunnel several hundred meters long, while in Gaza City, high-rise buildings used by Hamas as observation posts and operational centers were targeted.

In addition, there have been targeted strikes against leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Several high-ranking terrorists have been eliminated by combined ground and air strikes.

The operation in Khan Yunis shows how deeply Hamas has buried its infrastructure in the Gaza Strip literally. But with every tunnel destroyed, with every weapons depot blown up, the organization loses its ability to act.

Israel is thus pursuing a clear strategy: to eliminate Hamas's retreat areas step by step, to crush its leadership, and to strip the coastal strip of its terrorist infrastructure.

The message is clear: Khan Yunis, once a stronghold and refuge, is no longer a safe place for Hamas.
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Liberal media accused of covering up Ukrainian girl's brutal murder in Dem-led city as video explodes online

What strikes me is that she doesn't react much at first - no screaming, just cowering. I also don't see any blood on her right side (i.e. the side facing everybody else) before she slumps over. I can see how somebody would think, at first, that he just smacked her a few times.

oh that's nice - "this small woman only got smacked a few times" no big deal

even if that were true, the total lack of empathy from the passengers is chilling. she is in terror.
  • Agree
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House floor erupts after Boebert calls for prayer following Charlie Kirk killing: 'Absolutely disgusting'

Several prominent Democrats also condemned the shooting, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

In an X post Wednesday, Newsom wrote, "The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible. In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form."

Newsom invited Kirk as a guest on the first episode of his new podcast in March, where the two discussed Kirk’s opposition to trans-identified male athletes competing in women’s sports and other topics.


House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries offered his prayers for Kirk and his family.


Jeffries wrote, "Political violence is NEVER acceptable. My thoughts and prayers are with Charlie Kirk and his family."

In another article, I read quotes of sorrow and prayers that came from several other Democrats, including Clinton and the Obamas.
It’s one thing to stand up and say political violence is not acceptable, but we have seen most who have said those things to turn around, sometimes in just a matter of minutes, and incite more violence. So until they put words to action, it is nothing more than a bunch of hot air.
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Liberal media accused of covering up Ukrainian girl's brutal murder in Dem-led city as video explodes online

There is a serious difference between the original still and your race-inverted alternative. In the original the bystanders are all clearly cowering in fear, trying to get as far as they can from the madman with the weapon. (It isn't a great bit of self protection, but it is a normal response.) In the race-inverted constructed image, the bystanders are just sitting there calmly watching like it is a show and they have nothing to fear.

yea you know that's not true.

one guy jumps up and backs away for a moment, but the people around her generally look bored, and don't make any motions to help her or even look like they care at all.

to say they are "all clearly cowering in fear" is totally false. honestly, I think this video is telling you something about your worldview that you are not prepared to face.
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Is belief/non-belief a morally culpable state?

Depending on how we define gullibility it is either blameworthy sometimes or else blameworthy always. But I am here opposing the thesis that gullibility is not (ever) blameworthy, which only requires the claim that gullibility is at least sometimes blameworthy. Because you agree that gullibility is sometimes blameworthy, we are in effective agreement vis-a-vis that thesis.

(Yet I would maintain that gullibility is inherently blameworthy, and that not all misplaced trust is gullibility.)
I agree that not all misplaced trust is gullibility. One exception that comes to mind is trusting a recovering addict. Taking them at their word might be a noble gesture. Giving them benefit of the doubt and being understanding of possible setbacks as they recover. That is more a matter of calculated risk than being easily fooled. The expectation that trust may be broken is taken into consideration beforehand.
  • Agree
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