HARK! said:

Yes behold. Right out of the gate, the disinformation from your uncited source

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Uncited?

The citation is right at the bottom of the image!

HARK! said:

View attachment 374337

One year after the gold confiscation in 1933, the value of gold was set at $35 per ounce following the Gold Reserve Act of 1934. This was an increase from the previous value of $20.67 per ounce at the time of the confiscation.

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As you can see, the chart is by decade.

HARK! said:

Ooops! The price is still climbing; and the demand is higher than what is being mined. Aside from it being categorized as a strategic metal, what is being used to create the growing solar panel market is unrecoverable.

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Not sure how this is relevant, or that it refutes the chart.

Luke 1:15 Even from his birth, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.

If someone can be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth then surely a child can be saved

LizaMarie said:

The Hepatitis B vaccines for newborns was never mandated, only recommended. That means parents could refuse it before, so I don't understand why this new recommendation.

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And now that the vaccine is not "recommended" for low-risk newborns, you can still request it. Not much has changed in practice. All that's changed is that they're no longer "recommending" the vaccine indiscriminately at birth, as there is no evidence of benefit, and there never was. But a change in recommendation does not mean a change in availability.

stevevw said:

I think the body of Christ reigns today even more than ever because theres too many wolves. Now more than ever is the world open to turning a truth into a lie and a lie into the truth. The postmodern age where words, narratives and feelings make relaity and there is no way to tell the truth.

So we need a clear and truthful example in among all that white noise of Enlightened relativism that will be different and stand out as worthy and without fault. One that is above reproach.

As Christians we know this is Christ. But we have often failed to differentiate ourselves from the culture wars and the church has become just another identity among many even divided among itself. In a never ending war of words and alternative truth claims.

So that means the only way to stand out from all this is to actually be like Christ. To become part of the body of Christ. Which means actually living like Christ and not just speaking the words. This means actually doing what the bible says. Not half doing it but doing it all the way. Just as they did in the early church.

That means being willing to lay down your life literally. Put God above world desires and wants. Not having those material goods and doinging everything as Gods will and not our own.

When we see how even churches don't live to much different to the world then its no wonder people hate the church and God. Most people today do not do what they say. They are good at pointing out the wrongs of others or how people should live. But don't actually live that way themselves.

People are more respected when they live what they preach or teach. In fact for the early church and for Christ they were fairly silent when it came to their own opinion and getting into culture wars. They lived the gospel and example and the few words they did say were well respected. Because people seen that they lived what they preached and it was the truth.

This is all about embodying the gospel and Christ. This example speaks volumes and is power. People cannot argue against it because you are what you say.

But the important thing is that no human idea could ever be good enough that it would make a person untouchable and above reproach. Because we are weak.

So when people embody and like as Christ and actually putting others above themselves, loving their enermies and dying for them. Thet see God without one word being spoken. This is the power of Christs example. People do not even have to say where the truth and power of this testimony comes from. They immediate see it is from God as Christ is God and we are reflecting that to others.

I think the body of Christ is rising again because the world strayed so far away from God. When this happens God reminds people and Christs light shines in the darkness so that people can know Him when the chaos and darkness becomes too great in the world. Bold and pure Christians will restore Gods truth in among all the lies and wolves and Pharisees who are hypocrites.

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And most here will never believe that the LAW has been set aside AS is written. in. ACTS 28:25-28 and in. ISA 6:1-13

and 2 Tim 2:15 will not believe >

and HEB 9:18. is the MOST POWERFUL verse that says why the LAW HAD TO BE SET ASIDE !!

dan p

What does one expect to happen when cocktail of antivaxxers and conspiracy theorists are in control?

bbbbbbb said:

Then who can be saved?

o

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Those who abide in Him and He in them. John15:4-10 1 John2:3-6

Sadly many people believe the devil has more power to keep us in sin than Jesus does to save us from our sins Mat1:21, I happen to believe we can overcome through our love of Jesus John14:15-18 Rev14:12 , the book of Revelations repeats this over and over again before His revelation, He has a people who overcomes. I think the bigger issue, is most people like their sins more than their love for Jesus to seek His help in forsaking their sins. Mat 4:17 John3:19-21 Pro28:13 1 John5:14

essentialsaltes said:

Can Tish cheer yet?

2nd grand jury refuses to indict New York AG Letitia James: Sources​

For a second time in recent days, a federal grand jury in Virginia has refused to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James for alleged mortgage fraud, sources said.

The grand jury rejected the Department of Justice's attempt to refile the case after a federal judge dismissed an earlier case based on the unlawful appointment of the U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia.

The charges were presented to a grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia's Alexandria branch after a grand jury in Norfolk, Virginia, last week rejected the charges.

"This unprecedented rejection makes even clearer that this case should never have seen the light of day," James' attorney, Abbe Lowell, said in a statement. "Career prosecutors who knew better refused to bring it, and now two different grand juries in two different cities have refused to allow these baseless charges to be brought. Any further attempt to revive these discredited charges would be a mockery of our system of justice."

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As New York Judge Sol Wachtler said in 1985, “If a district attorney wanted, a grand jury would indict a ham sandwich.”

That is how incompetent the Trump DOJ is.
In fact in one case, the ham sandwich won.

Brightfame52 said:

This sounds like salvation by works and forsakes Salvation by Grace. It elevates man and dishonors God.

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It’s starts off with repentance, that’s one of the first thing Jesus says when he got started in his ministry, Jesus says in Luke 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Stop sinning is the first forms of repentance, that's a lot work on it's on. Learning how to get self out the way. Now, Grace is nothing more than a free gift. And that free gift is our access back to the tree of life (Jesus) which Adam caused us to lose by disobeying God. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5: 12) But to maintain your grace you must keep the law. (1John 3:4) Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. Now we have just read the biblical definition of sin, the transgression (breaking) of the law (commandments.) It doesn’t matter what you or I think sin is, it’s what God says sin is that counts.

JulieB67 said:

Again, unquenchable by human standards. But God's eternal fire did not last forever in the OT. They are set as our example. Jesus used Gehenna as example because that's where stuff was thrown into. It continually burned and that's what will happen with the LOF but it doesn't mean that things will not be destroyed. Christ states fear the one that can destroy (first meaning -fully) both body and soul in hell.

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If the wicked are burned to nothing, then the language of ongoing torment makes no sense. Scripture repeatedly emphasizes conscious, eternal punishment:
* Mark 9:48, “where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.”
Here, the “worm” is the person themselves, reduced to utter shame and contempt. This parallels Psalm 22:6, where the psalmist says, “I am a worm and not a man,” meaning he is utterly scorned. The text shows that the person exists in a state of ongoing ruin, they are the worm.
* Revelation 14:11 — “the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest day or night.”
* Revelation 20:10 — “they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

The Lake of Fire is called the second death, but Scripture consistently shows that death is conscious ruin and separation from God (Eph 2:1; 1 Tim 5:6), not extinction. If people simply ceased to exist, Christ’s warnings about weeping, gnashing of teeth, and fear of the One who can destroy both body and soul would be meaningless.

In short, the Bible presents the Lake of Fire as a place of ongoing, conscious punishment, with the wicked themselves enduring it, they are the worm, the object of God’s righteous judgment, not extinguished into nothing.

JulieB67 said:

Malachi 4:1 "For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave then neither root nor branch."

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Malachi 4:1 is describing temporal, symbolic judgment, not the eternal Lake of Fire. The imagery of stubble being burned up emphasizes complete ruin and loss, not annihilation. God often uses vivid pictures in the prophets to show the utter defeat and destruction of the wicked’s power, influence, and earthly life.

Compare that to Jesus’ teaching about the Lake of Fire:
-Mark 9:48 — “where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.” The worm is the person themselves, echoing Psalm 22:6 — they exist in a state of utter shame and contempt, not destroyed into nothing.
-Revelation 14:11 — “the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest day or night.”
-Revelation 20:10 — “they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

Malachi speaks of temporal judgment on nations or people, often fulfilled in historical events, where stubble is consumed as a metaphor of destruction. Jesus and John describe eternal judgment, conscious and ongoing. The prophetic imagery of being “burned up” does not contradict the clear, literal teaching of the New Testament about eternal conscious punishment.

In short: Malachi illustrates ruin; Revelation and Christ reveal eternal conscious judgment. One is temporal imagery, the other is literal and final.

JulieB67 said:

There's a reason that Christ calls it the "second" death. You are confusing earthly death with the second death which is to destroy both body and soul.

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Actually, it’s you who seems to be confusing the two. A person is a soul with a shell, which is the body.
When our physical body dies, it is not the end of the person. The soul sleeps in the ground and so is still alive. Earthly death is not a finality which is how you view it. Viewing it as such is a misunderstanding.
The Bible repeatedly shows that when people die, they go into the grave in an unconscious state:
-Ecclesiastes 9:5 — “For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing…”
-Psalm 146:4 — “…in that very day his thoughts perish.”

The dead are asleep in the grave, knowing nothing, until the resurrection on the last day (John 5:28–29; Daniel 12:2). At that time, God raises all people, believers and unbelievers, for judgment. Just as the first death does not annihilate the person, the second death does not annihilate them either. Viewing death purely as the physical end of the shell of the person leads to misunderstanding.

In short, earthly death is only the end of the shell, the physical body, not the person. The soul continues asleep until the resurrection. The second death is eternal, conscious, and the final state of judgment. Confusing the two obscures the true nature of God’s justice and the eternal consequences of rejecting Him.

JulieB67 said:

Context matters. We should always take the first meaning unless the verse indicates otherwise. All of the verses that contrast life verses death should give us the meaning that only one gets life in that equation.

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The context of John 3:16 is spiritual life versus spiritual ruin, not physical existence. Scripture repeatedly uses “death” or “perish” to mean separation from God, loss, or ruin (Eccl 9:5; Ps 146:4; Eph 2:1). So “perish” here does not imply ceasing to exist, but failing to receive eternal life.

Bradskii said:

We'll all be free to do that in context when the topic is the UK.

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US history is not the topic either

Servus said:

No party has been as wackadoodles over a president as the democrats have been against Trump.

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No President has been so wackadoodles as Trump. That was the consensus of all the living Presidents and VPs.

Even first term Trump thinks 2nd term Trump is wackadoodles. Lol

Factotum said:

Which one would you consider to be the nba's G.O.A.T. player?
OR, maybe you believe its someone else ...who?

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I'd pick Jordan over Lebron. Lebron's stats might be better due to his longetivity, but he was more of a team leader and less of a drama queen.

Championship Summary

6 years.

Several. Then again, I live in the most conservative diocese in the nation. That's when I attend my parish. A vast majority do NOT.

At the tradional Latin Mass, almost all females (including infant girls and little girls) wear the veil. I've only seen maybe 1-2 at the TLM that don't.

Bible distribution continues in Pakistan despite devestating floods.

While flooded rivers and fields have made travel difficult in Pakistan, some Christian teams continue to carry on the important work of distributing Bibles there. Devastating floods have led to the deaths of more than 800 people and forced over 1 million Pakistanis to evacuate their homes and villages. “Please pray for them,” said a front-line worker. “It is very difficult, and they need to know where they can go because of the many flooded areas and also because of ongoing security threats.” Around 2% of Pakistan’s population, roughly about 4 million people, are believed to be Christians. Even during dry seasons, Christians must use care in distributing Bibles, knowing the opposition they could face at the hands of fanatical Muslims.

Click here to find out about Christian persecution in Pakistan and learn how to pray.

Commitment to prayer counters fear.

For Christians in Buddhist-dominated Bhutan, fear of the government and the reaction of neighbors to Christian witness runs deep. Anti-conversion laws can bring punishments up to life imprisonment for carrying out the activities of the Christian faith. However, many faithful brothers and sisters in Christ remain committed to him despite the risk. A front-line worker shared the example of one Christian woman dedicated to praying continuously. Seven days each week, she comes to the church to pray, returning home only to sleep. “Her trust and passion for the Lord was humbling,” the worker said. Pray for Bhutanese Christians to have strength and courage to persevere in the face of fears and pressure. Pray also for protection and encouragement for those who are facing opposition, imprisonment or family rejection.

Click here to find out about Christian persecution in Bhutan and learn how to pray.

Sentenced for practicing their faith.

Eleven Christians in Libya have been sentenced to 3 to 15 years in prison for practicing their faith. The 11 were arrested in March 2023 and sentenced in April 2025. Members of the group, which includes 9 Libyan men, one woman and one Pakistani national, were sentenced on several charges including “insulting Islam” and “calling for the establishment of a banned group,” according to various reports. They also faced charges of apostasy for converting from Islam and could have been sentenced to death, but the court did not pursue that penalty. Pray that our imprisoned brothers and sister will stand firm in their faith amid the challenges of prison; that they will have opportunities to share the gospel with their fellow inmates; and that they will be released. Pray also for their families to experience God’s comfort and provision.

Click here to find out about Christian persecution in Libya and learn how to pray.

Off topic, I was able to livestream an entire episode of Better call Saul in the time it took to load this page. I suppose I should be watching Narcos.

I don't have a problem with taking an unregistered ship in international water. Let the owners/insurers sue in international court the legality of the ship and cargo. I I am not sure if rank and file crew members would know about the fake registration. Some are assigned from agencies, that recruit from owners/operators. I am glad that the U.S. military handled this without any loss of life on either side, that Trump got a warrant and given the value of the cargo, I think that the legalities can be worked out later.

From google ai:
Who can justify the taking of a ship that is flying under a false flag? Anyone?




"Yes, a warship or authorized government vessel from any state can legally stop, board, and potentially seize a ship on the high seas that is flying a false flag.

Under international maritime law, specifically Article 92 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), a ship must sail under the flag of only one State. If a ship sails under two or more flags according to convenience, or under a false flag (without the authorization of that country), it may be treated as a stateless vessel.

Stateless vessels are not entitled to the protection or the exclusive jurisdiction of any flag state. This means that the principle of freedom of navigation, which generally prevents interference by other nations on the high seas, does not apply.

Article 110 of UNCLOS explicitly grants any warship the right to board a merchant ship on the high seas if there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that:

• The ship is engaged in piracy or the slave trade.
• The ship is involved in unauthorized broadcasting.
• The ship is, in reality, of the same nationality as the warship, despite flying a foreign flag.
• The ship is without nationality (stateless).

The recent seizure of the oil tanker Skipper by the U.S. demonstrates this principle. The U.S. government justified the seizure by pointing out that the vessel was falsely flying the flag of Guyana, a fact confirmed by the Guyanese Maritime Administration. Additionally, the U.S. had a federal judicial warrant to seize the vessel due to its alleged involvement in an illicit "dark fleet" oil trafficking network that violated sanctions against Venezuela and Iran, which further solidifies the legal basis for the action.

In summary, any state with the capability and reasonable grounds for suspicion can act against a ship using a false flag, as it is considered a matter of enforcing public order and security on the high seas."

Interestingly, neither the USA or Venezuela are signatories of this nearly universal law. Google ai still justifies it by "customary law."

It is also interesting that "Overall "Dark Fleet" Percentage: The "dark" or "shadow" fleet (vessels with obscured ownership and operations, often using deceptive practices like false flags) now accounts for an estimated 10% to 17% of all global seaborne oil transportation."
There should be more done about false flag ships. I hope they do not get their oil or their ship back unless they have a good legal reason. In those ships that cut the underwater cables, some officers are charged with crimes. Typically the ships were returned though.

samaus123456789 said:

Jesus actually quoted 1 Enoch to the Sadducees, and told them they were ignorant of the scriptures (1 Enoch). Also the ystuff up a story in Tobit so Jesus was saying they were ignorant of that too.
Mark 7 explains what one of the traditions of the elders was- saying they devote their money to God therefore can't help their parents with it. Jesus said based on the law of Moses you should be KILLED for this. Traditions of the elders was not referring to 1 enoch or Jubilees or test of the 12 or any other inspired non pseudepigraphal books. There is no such thing as biblical pseudepigrapha as far as I know. There is no evidence of any anyway. The pharisees focused on the letter of the law and neglected the spirit of the law the 2 great commandments and mercy justice compassian. tithing spices was not in the written torah but Jesus had no problem with it as long as they followed the spirit of the law as stated.

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Scholars generally disagree that Jesus directly quoted 1Enoch. While His statement about the resurrected being "like angels in heaven" (Matthew 22:30) is conceptually similar to passages in First Enoch (1 Enoch 15:6-7), it is not an exact quotation. Jesus referred to the canonical Old Testament as "the Scriptures" when correcting the Sadducees, not First Enoch, which was not part of the Jewish canon.

Dave... said:

Hi Arbitor

All the gifts are from the Spirit. Local, corporate? I'm not sure what you mean that. The Body of Christ, yes. Alistair Begg said it best. "Anything good that comes from us for the Church is an undeserved gift from God".

Dave

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Well you seem also to be saying that people are using the Spiritual gifts incorrectly. What do you mean by that? Exactly how?

camille70 said:

Who are the vouchers payable to?

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I assume it goes toward insurance premiums. Which, in a sense, is practically what is happening now. The only difference, as far as I can tell, is that people are no longer limited to selecting only what is available on the Obamacare marketplace. However, I can see a floodgate of fraud with pop-up fake insurance companies begging for your voucher money. I am afraid that the only solution is stop all subsidizing, and premiums will drop like a rock. When insurance companies realize that Uncle Sam is no longer giving everyone $2,000 per month to cover premiums, premiums will almost instantly drop by $2,000 within weeks, and their profits will crumble.

Since you like AI, I asked Gemini to Analyze your AI post by what you stated.

1. Analysis of Framework 1: Conventional Historical Method​

The first section (Steps 1-6, Checklists) presents a standard, widely accepted methodology used in critical historical and biblical scholarship. The premise of this section is strong and internally consistent.

Strengths and No Major Historical Problems:​

• Step 1 (Genre): Crucial for proper interpretation (e.g., apocalyptic texts vs. history).
• Step 2 (Dating): Acknowledging ranges (terminus a quo, terminus ad quem) and lack of precision is standard historical practice.
• Step 4 (Parallel Sources): Comparing texts (Josephus, DSS, archaeology) is the core of historical corroboration.
• Step 5 (Claims vs. Interpretation): Separating observation from speculation is essential to avoiding circular reasoning.
• Step 6 (Probability): Stressing confidence levels (High, Moderate, Low) over certainty is key to responsible historical judgment.
• Checklists (Bias, Complexity, Expert, Evidence): These are excellent critical thinking tools, promoting self-correction, acknowledging multi-causality, and valuing expert consensus.
• Rule 3 (No Autographs): Recognizing the textual transmission chain ("copy of a copy") and the resulting potential for errors/interpolations is fundamental to textual criticism.

The only minor issue is the presentation: The text claims "Historians and scholars do exactly this," which is mostly true, but the tone is overly prescriptive. Nonetheless, the method itself is sound.

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2. Analysis of the Transition and Primary Flaw​

The text takes a hard pivot with the phrase:

"Here is a full, rigorous analytical method that assumes: ⭐ Pseudepigrapha does not exist"

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This single transition sentence contains the central flaw and bias of the entire document. It sets up an argumentative structure where the conventional, evidence-based method (Framework 1) is immediately presented as the opposite of a "full, rigorous" method simply because Framework 1 allows for the category of pseudepigrapha (or fictional attribution) based on evidence.

The problem with the overall premise is that it presents an unresolvable conflict between two methods, one of which is axiomatically (based on a non-negotiable premise) designed to reject the findings of the other.

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3. Analysis of Framework 2: The Axiomatic Method​

As detailed in the initial response, this framework is based on theological axioms (non-historical assumptions) that dictate the conclusion:

• Core Presupposition: Authorship claims are true, and prophecy is real.
• Flaw: This inverts the historical process. Instead of following the evidence (e.g., late language, historical anachronisms, dependence on later texts) to a conclusion (e.g., the text is later or pseudepigraphic), this method starts with the conclusion (the author is genuine) and forces the evidence to fit (e.g., by claiming late language is merely "scribal updating").
• Example (Isaiah): Assuming "Prophecy of Cyrus is allowed" means the text rejects the evidence-based analysis for multiple authors (Deutero- and Trito-Isaiah) which is supported by linguistic shift, theological focus, and historical context. This is the purpose of the framework: to eliminate historical-critical conclusions that conflict with traditional views.

The Problem with the "Final Reassurance"​

The final reassurance attempts to legitimize the second, axiomatic framework by referencing the humility of the first:

“You are simply honest — and honesty is the foundation of wisdom."

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This is a rhetorical maneuver. It takes the humility and caution preached in Framework 1 ("We don't know everything," "Expect your views to evolve") and selectively applies it to justify Framework 2's dogmatism ("Avoid all 'forgery' or 'fictional attribution' explanations").

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4. Analysis of the Mindset and Coexistence​

The final section on a responsible mindset contains several excellent points but ends with a problematic assertion:

✔ Differentiate faith from history Faith asks “What does this mean for me?” History asks “What does the evidence show?” Both can coexist as long as you don’t mix the tools.

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The Core Contradiction: Mixing Tools​

The text immediately contradicts this sound principle by presenting Framework 2.

• Framework 1 (History): Uses historical tools (linguistics, comparative sources) to analyze the evidence.
• Framework 2 (Theology/Faith): Uses faith axioms ("Prophecy is real," "Authorship claims are honest") but labels itself as a "full, rigorous analytical method" for history.

The very act of presenting Framework 2 as a valid historical alternative is the act of mixing the tools. It introduces a theological tool (the belief in literal, genuine attribution) into a supposed historical process, thereby invalidating its claim to be a purely historical analysis.

Summary of Problems with the Premise​

The problem is not with the individual steps of Framework 1 (which are sound) but with the overall premise of the entire document, which is a polemic disguised as a balanced analysis:

1. False Equivalence: It asserts that two methods—one based on evidence and one based on faith axioms—are equally "valid approaches historically."
2. Unfalsifiability: It shields the axiomatic method (Framework 2) from refutation by labeling all contradictory evidence (linguistic drift, anachronisms) as "scribal updating."
3. Contradiction: The text correctly advises separating faith and history but then presents a "historical" framework (Framework 2) that is fundamentally driven by a faith commitment (a refusal to accept the possibility of pseudepigrapha).

In conclusion, the document's premise is flawed because it attempts to validate a theologically driven method as an equally rigorous and historically sound alternative to the conventional, evidence-driven critical method.

Wow. Praise the Lord!

FAITH-IN-HIM said:

Based on my experience debating with people who are against immigration, there doesn’t seem to be a consistent reason for their opposition. At first, they object to undocumented immigrants and open borders but claim to support legal immigration. If you agree with them, they then specify what kind of legal immigration they endorse, typically favoring educated and skilled immigrants over those who are unskilled. When you accept that, they narrow it further by expressing a preference for skilled immigrants from certain regions, not others. If you agree again, they often bring up religious or ethnic preferences. In other words, they end up opposing all types of immigration.

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Sort of reminds me of this Family Guy clip. No worries everyone, there's no profanity nor anything like that in this clip.

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