The Wastelands by Stephen King

Dan1988 said:

Thank you for expressing your private opinion of all the above

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De nada. amigo. We've all noted your interesting opinions as well. Dang, even Islam is closer to Christianity than the claptrap you're peddling.

I have to admit, I think you have to be taking the Mickey here. Atheists. and particularly "Satanists" like to come into groups like this to "stir the pot" as it were by posting inflammatory flapdoodle like yours just to see how big an uproar they can create. While I'm sure there are some sects like the one you claim to represent out there, i don't think you're in one of them. You're just larping. That's fine. I don't think anyone here is gonna take your rantings very seriously. You set out to wind us up, and you did for a bit, but I think you've gotten about as much mileage out of it as you're going to.

Dan1988 said:

, but may I remind you that "opinions are like noses". Everybody has their own

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And some have ones that they play at having just to see how people react. <Laugh>

Dan1988 said:

, so your private opinion is absolutely worthless to me

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Egad sir, you've cut me to the quick! (And few things hurt more than a cut quick.) 8)

Dan1988 said:

I just follow the Lord.

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This is we're supposed to react with shock/horror/outrage/ anger/indignation/ superannuation (no, I already have that)/whatever, right? OK, I'm oficially expressing all of the above.

Friendly hint, though. Don't play this game with the Muslims. Those geezers will actually come after you. Just sayin'

I liked A Separate Peace. I enjoy the prestigious-school-with-intense-friendships-and-rivalries "genre," so I'm gonna read another book in the same vein, Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld. (Though, judging by the review on the cover, this one might feature more identity politics than what I prefer.)



Synopsis from Amazon:

"Lee Fiora is an intelligent, observant fourteen-year-old when her father drops her off in front of her dorm at the prestigious Ault School in Massachusetts. She leaves her animated, affectionate family in South Bend, Indiana, at least in part because of the boarding school’s glossy brochure, in which boys in sweaters chat in front of old brick buildings, girls in kilts hold lacrosse sticks on pristinely mown athletic fields, and everyone sings hymns in chapel.

As Lee soon learns, Ault is a cloistered world of jaded, attractive teenagers who spend summers on Nantucket and speak in their own clever shorthand. Both intimidated and fascinated by her classmates, Lee becomes a shrewd observer of—and, ultimately, a participant in—their rituals and mores. As a scholarship student, she constantly feels like an outsider and is both drawn to and repelled by other loners. By the time she’s a senior, Lee has created a hard-won place for herself at Ault. But when her behavior takes a self-destructive and highly public turn, her carefully crafted identity within the community is shattered.

Ultimately, Lee’s experiences–complicated relationships with teachers; intense friendships with other girls; an all-consuming preoccupation with a classmate who is less than a boyfriend and more than a crush; conflicts with her parents, from whom Lee feels increasingly distant, coalesce into a singular portrait of the painful and thrilling adolescence universal to us all."

SabbathBlessings said:

He didn't become Lord of the Sabbath i.e. the creation, He is the Lord of the Sabbath Creator of it starting back from the beginning.

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Now you are adding words to scripture. The sabbath is not “the” creation but what happened at the end of creation. No one before Moses kept the sabbath because there was no commandment for it yet. And when the law was given to Moses it was for the Jews not for the gentiles.

DaisyDay said:

And:

The average SAT score is down 24 points since then; the average ACT score of 25 is the highest at New College since 2020. The state study also found New College has the lowest percentage of job placement among those with bachelor’s degrees and the lowest starting salary for graduates.​

​

Berkeley is looking good.....

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Belk said:

Huh. Who could of guessed putting anti-intellectual ideologists in charge of a system of education would lead to a poor outcome?

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Is there a control group to compare it to?



ACT scores are down across the board since the HS graduates of 2020-2022 had their learning disrupted due to the pandemic.


Also, it doesn't sound like comparing this place (which has a grand total of about 700 students from what I'm reading) to Berkeley is a apples to apples comparison.


That'd be kind of like saying "See this is why the thing I said about tech degrees being worthless is accurate, look at this results comparison between this normal college and ITT Tech"

The fact that someone can find a terrible school in Florida doesn't validate or invalidate the criticisms about Berkeley.

If you aren't a virgin or a widow/widower you should not get married.

Apple Sky said:

She

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The geocentric model was debunked a long time ago.

Dreyma said:

Uggghll, I'm irritated. So, I quickly pop into the school to grab some books I need for lesson planning. On my way out, I close my classroom door. It automatically locks. The moment I hear the lock click, I remember that my classroom and car keys are still sitting on my desk!

On Monday morning, I can ask a janitor to let me in—but until then, I can't re-enter my classroom or use my car. Now I can't go to church tomorrow I would walk, but the temperatures are below freezing and we've gotten a few inches of snow this weekend. I also considered asking for a ride, but I don't have a phone number for anyone who attends my church. I don't have any friends or family in town to give me a lift either. Isolation makes things so difficult...

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My church was cancelled today due to the weather, so don't feel guilty about missing church, it was possibly cancelled anyway

Servus said:

I thought the book was pretty boring.

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I have read some boring books. I try to take my time and really engage.

Dan Perez said:

And need you if you can explain ACTS 15:1 ??

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As a help to one's memory, and to make sure we are on the same page, I shall include the verse as a quote.

Dan Perez said:

And certain ones having come down. from Judea were teaching the brethren , that you would be CIRCUMCISED after the

THE CUSTOM OF MOSES , you are NOT //. OV. IS A DISJUNCATIVE PARTICLE NEGATIVE and means you cannot EVER

BE SAVED ??

What say you. ??

dan p

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I say that the "certain individuals" were wrong.

I just came across this person, and although our philosophies differ in their details they're definitely kindred in their spirit. Now if we could just get the rest of the world to agree then Christianity may at last have found its purpose.

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None of my posts are me telling you what you need to believe. They are me giving you my perspective and the 'why' of that said perspective. This post will be different. This post is me still working out what it is I believe about Hell and the why of it. All based within the context of 'my' understanding of the Gospel. This is something I'm sure will continue to develop over time as I continue to discover more of God.

- I see in scripture two ages. The present age, and the age yet to come. The present age is understood as being only a temporary age. This is made evident by the fact that there is yet a second age to come.

- In this present, but temporary age, life is temporary. If life is temporary, then logically, death must also be temporary. Maybe this is why death is often referred to as sleep?

- The age to come is understood to be everlasting. If this age is everlasting then so must life be also. And if life is everlasting then, likewise, death must also be everlasting.

- At the end of the first age we will all be resurrected, believers and unbelievers alike. Now because I understand being created in the image of God to mean that we have three defining parts; body, soul, and spirit, I believe all three are essential for life. We cannot exist without all three. (With regards to spiritual death, I believe that our spirit has gone into a dormant state. It is not actually deceased) For this reason I am leaning towards the idea that both believers and unbelievers will receive new bodies at the time we are resurrected. And that these new bodies will be free of a sinful nature. Why?

- We will all stand before the full presence of God. Any corruption within us would likely be obliterated in the full presence of God. Just an assumption on my part. And this is only going to compound the coming judgment for an unbeliever.

- A new sinless body will most likely mean a clear understanding of one's purpose within creation. And it is for this very reason why I am coming to this particular conclusion of Hell, and what that may actually look like. (Again, this is still something I'm working out)

- Unbelievers will suddenly have full awareness of their purpose while at the same time recognizing where their rejection has led them. All the while standing in the full presence of God, the very purpose for their existence. At that moment nothing else will matter to them. All they will want and desire is standing right before them. But... with the knowledge they will never have it due to their former rejection.

- You will now have an unbeliever who's only desire is to worship and to be in the presence of God, but unable to carry it out. (there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth).

- I believe, that in the very beginning, man was created with physical death being a natural part of his existence. Hence the tree of life. As small a possibility as this may have been, a third option was always available: man could have not sinned, but also could have not eaten from the tree of life. Inevitably resulting in everlasting death. Extreme, I know, but hear me out.

- In the age to come, man again has access to the tree of life. So logically, death must still be possible, and dare I say, an option. However, highly unlikely a choice anyone would make after experiencing the full presence of God. Still, the option being there would align with God's character just as it would have in the beginning. And it's the reality of the possibility of death that now applies to unbelievers in this new age.

- If you were to stand in the full presence of God and then suddenly be taken out of His presence, any amount of time, out of His presence, would feel like hell to you.

- In the first part of Genesis, man lived upward of a thousand years. If we carry that over into the new age, you now have unbelievers with new bodies capable of living that same amount of time. This would be worse than any hell anyone could ever imagine. To an unbeliever, any amount of time is going to feel like an eternity. (the word 'Eternity' is often used as hyperbole in scripture since only God is truly eternal)

- An unbeliever will eventually face everlasting death (the second death/lake of fire). But not until after what felt like an eternity of hell for them. In this scenario, not only is God's justice served (experiencing time outside the presence of God in a sinless state where all you want is to be in His presence), but also His love and grace (He does not leave them there for the rest of eternity). I do not find any mention in scripture of man being sent to hell to spend eternity with Lucifer.

As I said, this understanding is something I am currently working out. So I do not hold dogmatically to it. If you do not agree but feel it necessary that I know you don't agree, then do me the respect of explaining why you don't agree, as it may help me in my understanding.

In the end does it matter if I/we understand what exactly Hell is? Not at all. But, everyone is different and being able to answer an unbelievers concerns or questions more confidently may be the defining point of whether they choose to believe or not.

Dan Perez said:

# A And the apostle Paul is telling us that believers are CHOSEN // ELECTED , before Christ made the WORLD. and no their GOSPEL

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Hey Dan.

I believe the the one important thing that is often overlooked in Ephesians 1:4 and context is that we are chosen "in Him", and always "In Christ". --Vs. 10 is speaking of the Spirit baptism which began at Pentecost (1 Cor. 12:13). Vs. 11 is speaking of true OT believers already declared righteous by OT faith (Romans 8:29) who came to faith in Jesus.

It is Jesus who was elect from the foundations of the world. Anyone who is placed 'in Him', becomes elect with Him. Thus, "In Him" we receive all these things spoken about in Ephesians 1. This has been God's plan from the [foundations of the world], thus the 'Lamb slain from the foundations of the world' is speaking about an eternal decree, but it still had to actually happen before it applied.

We are all placed into Christ with the NT indwelling, called the placing into, or, baptism with the Holy Spirit, that was made available to everyone after Christ was lifted up. Today, when someone believes and trusts in Christ Jesus in faith, Jesus places the Holy Spirit in us, making us one with Him (the baptism into the Body, into Christ), as a result, being born again and justified. This is all initiated by faith.

For your convenience, I quoted it.

1-14 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined (Romans 8:29) according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Dave

Vambram said:

He did no such thing.

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You could have answered me with one word. Denial.

But that's ok. I accurately translated your answer.

Hello there! Welcome, greetings from Scotland

I finished reading A Separate Peace today. While reading it, I learned about something called a "Section Eight discharge." Here's what the character in the book says about it:

A Section Eight discharge is for the nuts in the service, the psychos, the Funny Farm candidates. Now do you know what I'm talking about? They give you a Section Eight discharge, like a dishonorable discharge only worse. You can't get a job after that. Everybody wants to see your discharge, and when they see a Section Eight they look at you kind of funny—the kind of expression you've got on your face, like you were looking at someone with their nose blown off but don't want them to know you're disgusted—they look at you that way and then they say, 'Well, there doesn't seem to be an opening here at present.' You're screwed for life, that's what a Section Eight discharge means.

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Sounds awful. Thankfully, it's no longer used. Here's some information from Wikipedia:

Section 8 was a category of military discharge employed by the United States Armed Forces which was used for service members judged mentally unfit for service. The term "Section 8" eventually came to mean any service member given such a discharge, or behaving as if deserving such a discharge, as in the expression, "he's a Section 8".

This type of discharge could be granted for a wide variety of perceived problems, including low intelligence, incompatibility with core military expectations or responsibilities, alcoholism or other chronic addictions, pathological lying, psychopathy, personality disorders, enuresis (then believed to be a mental disorder), psychosis, or antisocial behavior. A variety of sexual conduct could result in a Section 8 discharge, including cross-dressing, homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality and transgenderism; along with necrophilia, bestiality and pederasty.

Discharge under Section 8 is no longer practiced, as medical discharges for psychological or psychiatric reasons are now covered by a number of regulations. In the Army, such discharges are handled under the provisions of AR 635–200, Active Duty Enlisted Administrative Separations. Chapter 5, paragraph 13 governs the separation of personnel medically diagnosed with a personality disorder.

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The Wikipedia page even mentions the character from A Separate Peace in its pop culture section:

In the 1959 war novel A Separate Peace, the character Elwin "Leper" Lepellier gets a Section 8 discharge from the ski troops because he was hallucinating due to sleep deprivation.

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Apple Sky said:

@David Lamb @Strong in Him @prodromos & to who ever it may concern.

It was really nice getting to know you guys, you are really all so great but I am really ill (+ no it's not dementia) so I've decided to quit this thread and the forum for a while.

I may be back if I get any better so bye for now

May God bless you all

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Rest, and get well. Don't waste time on foolish pursuits.

rjs330 said:

I most certainly am strict on male and female. There are only two sexes. No more, no less. A male cannot be a female and a female cannot be a male.

But within that dichotomy are almost infinite personalities. Almost infinite likes and dislikes, ways of dealing with emotions, work and leisure preferences, clothing preferences etc. etc. But you are still a man or still a woman within those things. There is no line a personality crosses that determines they are the opposite sex/gender.

There are male and female traits that are typically associated with each sex/gender But even those things are not owned by that sex/gender. Thats why one cannot actually be the opposite sex/gender.

A man cannot be a woman inside.

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Those statements seem contradictory, but OK. I guess I understand how you feel about pronouns. The thing is, I don't mind doing it if the person him/herself asks me to. I certainly would not do it if I was ordered to by a third party, especially by some prissy twit from HR--where most of this kind of thing comes from. Fortunately I don't have to, one of the benefits of working on the shop floor rather than in an office.

DamianWarS said:

ChatGPT usually agrees with me often praising my focus. AI is very agreeable and if you frame a question that presupposes an idea AI will happily be your echo chamber. It's there to trigger happy responses so you keep coming back.

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This is true - to get more objective results you have to specify you want objectivity and ask an objective question where the answer is not A vs B but rather a distribution of probabilities, such as A = 0.3, B = 0.7, and also explicitly exclude data you don’t want it to consider. The question posed by the OP might seem straightforward to a human but to an LLM it is spectacularly ambiguous.

People need to understand AIs are computers using very beautiful neural networks to perform generative predictive transformations based on training data in response to human language, not a magical fusion of the best of von Neumann-type Turing-complete computers with human-like cognition and creativity. We are not yet at the level of Mr. Data or even HAL-9000.

For example, at present, AIs don’t literally understand in the human sense of the word, because they lack qualia, although some models are capable of reasoning (most operate by simple pattern matching, because its faster).

Douggg said:

verse 9 - not appointed to wrath
verse 10 - avoidance of God' wrath poured out during the great tribulation by the resurrection/rapture event.

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The insertion of a 'resurrection/rapture event', is entirely an addition to scripture. Perhaps one interpretation, if only there was other scriptural support for it. But there isn't.
Matthew 28:19-20 is the definitive scriptural proof of how we must remain on earth until Jesus Returns.

Aryeh Jay said:

Pro "American life".

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Hey I’m also pro American life. It’s a great song!

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In a town in southernmost Sicily
Lived a family too proud to be poor
In the year that fever took father away
They hastened for American shores
Now a mother and her son are standing in line
It's a cold day on Ellis Isle
And they look to the Statue of Liberty (Liberty, Liberty)

For the boy we have american life

Ong is a Laotian refugee
He works in the audio trade
The smoke from the flux is filling his lungs
He's earning minimum wage
Spending spare time down on San Pablo Ave
Once a week gets a woman for the night
And he writes home tales of prosperity (prosperity, prosperity)

For the boy we have american life
For the boy we have american life

Bob is an unemployed veteran
Born and bred in the South Bronx
He's living off the streets down in east L.A
Residing in a cardboard box
Now he plays a little guitar and he has a small dog
Searching for aluminum cans
And he holds on tight to his dignity (dignity, dignity)