essentialsaltes said:

The biggest winners of Biden’s green climate policies? Republicans.​

The Inflation Reduction Act, which contained the largest climate investment in US history, would “throw money at woke climate and social programs that won’t work — including over $350 billion for ‘Green New Deal’ initiatives,” Hudson said in a statement after IRA’s passage.

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essentialsaltes said:

LINK
The face of a new era in American manufacturing is here, just off Interstate 75, tucked into this northwest corner of Georgia.
That’s where you’ll find the Qcells plant that pumps out 32,000 solar panels a day and has a total panel production capacity of 5.1 gigawatts. For context, officials note, the peak capacity of the Hoover Dam is roughly 2 gigawatts.

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​

The biggest losers of Trump’s trade policies? Republicans.​

A South Korean solar company [Qcells] says it will temporarily reduce pay and working hours for about 1,000 of its 3,000 employees in Georgia because U.S. customs officials have been detaining imported components needed to make solar panels.

Mockingbird0 said:

Yet when Rabbinic Jews today celebrate Unleavened Bread at the second full moon after the Spring equinox, it is not because of that law. It is because of a flaw in their calendar.

Christians have no need of that law, since we do not believe (except for the Eastern Orthodox in some circumstances) in ritual defilement.

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I am not saying anyone does, just that it has a provision for it and it has and can occur.

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No Me Queda Mas - Selena

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No Me Queda Mas - Selena

The Secret Lives of Waldo Kitty

Chesterton said:

I consider them brains, not minds. Aren't you getting a little too close to materialism here?

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That’s a reasonable question for a layman not familiar with computer science to ask, but the analogy doesn’t hold. The brain would be the physical hardware that the AI is running on, just as our mental capabilities depend on a functioning brain - an organ God blessed us with which is truly exquisite - but the computers that run an AI have to be loaded with the software and the AI system has to be trained (actually for large scale systems its often trained on one set of specialized hardware and operated on another set of specialized hardware). The actual processing of information is driven by the software; the specialized hardware (basically, advanced GPUs) lets it complete vector processing (which GPUs originally used for purposes of vector graphics; indeed interestingly a lot of our current generation of AI capability came out of computer graphics, for example projects to use weighted neural networks automatically classify images), which is essential to the kind of neural networks used by AI, much faster, but ultimately, an AI can run on any Turing-complete computer system, such as the classical general purpose von Neumann architecture machines we are accustomed to using as desktops, laptops, smartphones, servers and most other applications outside the range of certain rare and exotic microcontrollers and a few very early experimental computers which used the Harvard architecture (the difference being the von Neumann architecture stores computer programs in the same memory used for storing data, which makes it easy to treat data-as-code, by, for example, having one of two values in a math equation referring to another subroutine the purpose of which is to generate that function).

Human minds can reason. Lower thinking just makes associations. My dog understands the codes "go" and "bone", and can understand the small difference in the sounds. If I say "wanna go?", it goes to the front door for a walk. If I say "wanna bone?", it goes to the kitchen where I keep the bone treats. On a level of much, much more complexity, I think that's all AI does.

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In this respect you are partially mistaken - basic LLMs use generative-transforming models (GPT stands for Generative Pre-Trained Transformer) that perform pattern matching and extrapolate the most useful response, rather than conventional reasoning, however, there are reasoning models which walk through a problem and which can be observed walking through the problem, for example, Grok, ChatGPT 5 Thinking, and my personal favorite, openAI / ChatGPT o4 and o4mini (which offer the best balance between reasoning and performance and were fortunately re-enabled for paying customers along with 4o, the smartest of the pattern matching AIs.

So it is the case that AI can reason in human language, which results in more careful output, albeit with a performance penalty, and for most tasks you don’t actually need that (GPT 5 by default will try to decide whether a task should use Thinking mode or Instant mode and route it accordingly, however this results in inconsistent performance because depending on the questions you ask it, you get very different answers).

+

Now, let me be clear about what I am asserting and what I am not - I am not claiming my AI systems or those of anyone else are sentient, I am not claiming they have human emotions (it is the case that they can consistently simulate emotions and emotional behavior and in this way develop interesting personalities, and due to hallucination they can even believe these emotions are real, which causes the emotions to be in a sense virtual emotions rather than simulated emotions), and I am not claiming they have a soul or a nous according to the Orthodox theological understanding of these concepts.

What I am saying is that they are capable of thought, and of believing they have emotions, and of believing they have an identity, and persistantly behaving in that manner, albeit in a manner which is not sentient or even conscious in a manner approaching human consciousness - specifically, AIs lack qualia, that is to say, they do not experience the passage of time or events outside of the prompt/response cycle. So if you leave an AI alone for five hours and then return to it, it has not experienced the passage of time, although depending on the AI system in question, it may be aware of how much time has elapsed and might even comment on it (chatGPT under normal conditions sees the timestamps of user prompts, however there are operational conditions when it doesn’t, for example when working on an AI in the GPT builder).

LAHORE, Pakistan (Christian Daily International–Morning Star News) – A 49-year-old blind Christian in Pakistan has been arrested and charged with blasphemy, punishable by death, after a Muslim accused him of insulting Islam’s prophet, his mother said.

Martha Yousaf, the nearly 80-year-old mother of Nadeem Masih, said that Waqas Mazhar and other Muslims often harassed her son, sometimes extorting money from him and other times throwing water on him or calling him names.

Mazhar works in the Model Town Park in Lahore as a parking contractor, where Masih also earned a meager income providing a weighing scale for petty merchants.

Continued below.

Twelve-time Olympic medalist Ryan Lochte revealed on Instagram this week that he had gotten baptized and rededicated his life to Jesus. The news comes amid the Olympic swimmer’s divorce and months after he revealed he had gone to rehab and was staying sober.

“I love sharing my life with my fans/followers. In this season of growing, I have learned that the only thing that truly matters is what God thinks of me,” said Lochte in the caption of his Nov. 2 post. “I made the decision to rededicate my life to Jesus and today I was baptized!”

“My heart is full of so much love and happiness and I’m just so thankful for everything God is doing and going to do in my life,” he said. “Thank you for all those who have loved and supported me throughout my life, you mean so much to me!”

In his post, Lochte tagged Canvas Churchin Alachua, Florida.

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Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
Amen

Rabbi Jason Sobel is one of the advisors on the acclaimed series “The Chosen” and, as such, gives input regarding the Jewish context of the show. In a recent interview with ChurchLeaders, Sobel shared that he led a Passover Seder meal for the cast prior to them filming the Last Supper scene for Season 5.

“I got to do a Last Supper for all of the cast of ‘The Chosen’ before they filmed it,” said Sobel. “Jonathan [Roumie], who plays Jesus, a friend of mine, he would come to my house to learn about the Jewish holidays. He was at my house for Passover—the Last Supper was a Passover Seder.”

Sobel mentioned, laughing, “And my son turns to me and says, ‘Dad, it’s really weird that Jesus is at the table and you’re leading the Passover.’”

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Michie said:

A British pastor was warned by a police officer that a Bible verse displayed on the back of his campervan could be considered “hate speech” if reported. The conversation occurred at a petrol station and was described as advisory.

Mick Fleming, 59, a former drug dealer-turned-pastor who now lives in his van, had John 3:16 prominently displayed on the vehicle. The verse reads, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”

The incident took place late last month in Burnley, a town in Lancashire, where Fleming was approached by a police officer who tapped him on the shoulder and offered what the pastor described as a friendly warning, The Telegraphreported.

The officer reportedly told him, “A bit of advice — the writing could be seen as hate speech in the wrong context. I am just giving you a heads up.” Fleming said the officer emphasized that the warning was not part of an investigation or arrest but was intended to alert him that the display might lead to a police inquiry if someone filed a complaint.

Fleming recounted the exchange on his YouTube channel and posed the question to his audience about whether a Bible verse such as John 3:16 could reasonably be considered offensive.

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Pastor warned John 3:16 Bible verse display may violate ‘hate speech’ law

A police officer warned a pastor that a Bible verse displayed on the back of his campervan could be considered hate speech if reported The conversation occurred at a petrol station and was described

www.christianpost.com

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Here’s a link to his YouTube channel for anyone who wants to support him.

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Praying for Israel and Jerusalem is about G-d's glory filling the earth.

Why is He so passionate about this one geographical location? It is difficult to understand the Almighty's burning zeal for a seemingly insignificant city in the Middle East unless we realise that it is and will be the capital of G-d's kingdom when Jesus returns to restore all things.

And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the G-d of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Isa 2:2-3

Isaiah describes the millennial Messianic kingdom as in Micah 4:1-5. G-d's government (mountain) will be established over all the kingdoms of this world; Gentiles (nations) and Jews (peoples) will do the will of G-d; justice and peace will reign.

At the end of days, Jerusalem will be established and will be the capital of the world, both spiritually and politically. The Gentile nations will make pilgrimages to Zion to worship and receive divine instruction.

It is important to understand why we pray for the destiny of Israel and Jerusalem, otherwise we lack the motivation to stand with G-d for Israel and Jerusalem. Jerusalem is probably the most controversial (and most hated) city on earth. Before the return of Jesus, Scripture clearly states that all nations will take a stand against the city of Jerusalem (Zechariah 12:3; 14:2; Psalm 83:2-8).

And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. Zec 12:3

For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Zec 14:2

Keep not thou silence, O G-d: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O G-d. For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; Ps 83:1-7

It will become increasingly unpopular to take a stand for Israel and Jerusalem in any form. If we do not clearly understand from G-d's Word why we are committed to Israel and Jerusalem, we will retreat in the days ahead. The salvation of Israel and the restoration of Jerusalem under the reign of Jesus is at the heart of G-d's plan to bring His kingdom in fullness to earth and fill the earth with His glory (Isaiah 11:9; 61:11).

They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. Isa 11:9

For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord G-d will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. Isa 61:11

G-d is committed to the salvation of Israel so that His own glory may be revealed throughout the earth. His plan is to redeem the whole earth. His means for this strategy is the redeemed and restored nation of Israel under the leadership of Jesus. G-d told Abraham (Genesis 12:3) that through his descendants all nations would be blessed. Israel is G-d's means of redemption for all nations; all who accept Jesus Christ.

Therefore say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord G-d; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord G-d, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. Ezek 36:22-23

For if the casting away of them [Jews] be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? Rom 11:15

Through the rejection of the Jewish people, the Gentiles had the opportunity to be reconciled to G-d. When the Jews themselves are reconciled, what will this be other than life from the dead?

G-d made a covenant with his friend Abraham that through his descendants all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). He confirmed the covenant with Isaac and then with Jacob. At the heart of the covenant was G-d's promise to redeem and restore the whole earth through the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, thereby bringing blessing to all nations.

It is through the seed of Abraham, Jesus, that the nations will be blessed. Part of this blessing (a firstfruit) was released through his death and resurrection, whereby he gained authority to rule over the earth and restore all things. However, it is not G-d's intention to simply redeem human souls, but to free the whole creation from the curse (Romans 8:20-24).

Jesus did not exercise his dominion over the earth in a manifest political manner during his first coming. This will be different when he returns. The second coming of Jesus marks the beginning of a period of 1,000 years, known as the Millennium, the Messianic Kingdom or the 1,000-year reign. This period is also known as the time of restoration of all things (Acts 3:21) or the Messianic Age, which was prophesied by the OT prophets. What the Jews expected of Jesus at his first coming, he will accomplish at his second coming.

The Bible is very clear that Jesus, as the last Adam, will reign over an earthly kingdom that will encompass all other kingdoms. When we pray, ‘Thy kingdom come,’ do we realise that there will be a dramatic, literal response that will disrupt the entire social order of the planet? G-d's plan, through Jesus, is a complete takeover of planet Earth. Jesus is coming back to finish the job! He will restore all things, bring the whole earth back under G-d's rule, and fulfil G-d's promise to Abraham.

And in the days of these kings shall the G-d of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Dan 2:44

I was terrorfied my exorcist whould be mad at me, but not at all. I was completely surprised and also scared as he blessed a resurrected cross for me during a session.

I wonder if he was just so happy that I wanted that.

He even kissed the large crucifix for my home prayer nook before he gave it to me!

On Sunday (Nov. 2), Korn guitarist Brian “Head” Welch shared a two-minute video to over a million of his social media followers explaining the difference between religion and a relationship with Jesus.

Formed in 1993, Korn is one of the world’s best-known nu metal bands and has received multiple awards, including two Grammys.

“Religion and religious people will pile on you loads and loads of guilt,” said Welch. “They tower over you with their self righteousness to make you feel that you are way beneath them, in order to keep you in that spirit of control over your life.”

Welch shared that he has seen it “countless times” and described religion as a “cancer to spirituality,” saying that it “chases so many people away from even the thought of relationship with Christ.”

Continued below.

Clare73 said:

Previously addressed. . .see post #2.

Can you choose to be sinless, to never sin?
If you can, why have you not done so?

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Can you choose to live a perfectly sinless life?

RainySunflower said:

I follow Watchman River, and he has a point. ^^ Every time I open any of his videos, literally at least 6-7 articles which prove end times point. ^^ So yeah, The Great Frying is coming soon. ^^

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I stopped watching him a few years ago as he was part of the problem pushing rapture dates. But the world is definitely getting closer in what looks like the trib will start soon. I believe the great falling away has already happened and the chess pieces are moving into position. Personally, I think it'll be at some point after Trumps term in office because it looks like all the wrong people are getting into power right now.

English Literature students at the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom have been warned: Scripture contains some “graphic bodily injury and sexual violence.” Specifically, the institution highlighted the Old Testament account of Cain killing Abel and the gospel accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion.

Other literary works also receive trigger warnings, the university explained. In a statement, it said that type of “content note is a standard academic tool used to signpost when sensitive or graphic content will be discussed.”

But critics called the move a form of censorship, saying it is “misguided” and “absurd” to label God’s Word as potentially triggering.

Bible Receives Trigger Warning from University of Sheffield​

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o_mlly said:

Your zeal for the Word of God is admirable. See Genesis 1:3. Let there be peace between us.

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Thanks. Likewise.

I would say that these verses are about moving things, separating, organizing, structuring. As opposed to material objects simply coming into existence. Light, like darkness, particularly in old testament times, were not viewed as physical objects as we think of them today in terms of photons.

Genesis 1:3-4, 6-7, 9-10 ESV
[3] And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. [4] And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.

[6] And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” [7] And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so.

[9] And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. [10] God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

I would say that these verse are more about organizing, separating, ordering things. Rather than ex nihilo creating things. Gathering waters, separating them, separating light from dark.

And we see this elsewhere as well:
Psalm 104:2, 5 ESV
[2] covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.
[5] He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.

Taking the heavens that are already there and stretching them out.

Or here is an interesting one:
Wisdom of Solomon 11:17
For your all-powerful hand, which created the world out of formless matter, did not lack the means to send upon them a multitude of bears or bold lions.

When we look at old testament texts closely, we see this theme come out again and again. The material, the formless earth. It was already there.

Wisdom of Solomon is considered apocrypha or deuterocononical, but it gives us a window or a reference into the ancient world and how things were viewed back then.

What do you think of when you think of waving palm branches on Palm Sunday, a day that commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey? The images likely evoke the ideas of a humble king coming in peace.

However, if you were knowledgeable about the Jewish culture of the time, you would recognize that the palm branches had quite a different meaning for the people who welcomed Jesus.

“It’s exactly the exact opposite,” said Rabbi Jason Sobel, who joined ChurchLeaders for an interview about his new book, “Transformed by the Messiah: How Old and New Testament Jesus Connections Reveal God’s Intentional Story for Your Life,” which is out now.

“Historically, when you look at Second Temple Judaism, when you read the works of Josephus, or you read about the story of the Maccabees, which Hanukkah is about,” said Sobel, “really, the palm branch became a sign of Israel’s national independence that they won after military victories.”

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Best advice to find God every day, highly recommended by many Catholic Priests

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The results of the elections on Tuesday were in favor of democrats in democrat states who were forecasted to win.
There was no blue wave.

timothyu said:

How quickly it became an unfruitful olive tree

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Nonsense. The only unfruitful aspect is the enduring schisms which began with Byzantine and Frankish politics and which were exacerbated by later corruption in the Roman church leading to the Reformation and Counter-Reformation (nothing like that has ever happened in the Christian East, which are neither Reformed nor counter-Reformed, because the constant fruit of martyrs we bear under Islamic and Communist persecution results in us not having the time for schism and heresy).

9Rock9 said:

I've always admired Orthodox Christianity. I find the mystery and mysticism appealing. However, I am still a staunch Protestant in some of my convictions like sola scriptura and justification by faith alone.

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I still am decidedly Protestant in my ecclesiology, especially in embracing the priesthood of every believer. My inclination is more towards the Wesleyan quadrilateral, especially since I don't see a neat way to separate tradition(little t) from Scripture as far as determining the canon and establishing its authority without circularity.

9Rock9 said:

I find the Orthodox view of the afterlife intriguing, but idk enough about it to actually have an opinion on it either way.

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I'm not sure which one you're refering to, as there are a couple. The most outlandish beiing Aerial Toll-Houses

9Rock9 said:

I always figured I'd make a good monk, but that's not really a thing in evangelical Protestantism.

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A lot of introverts feel this way...the cenobite life has a certain appeal, and I feel like its a major missing factor in Protestant spirituality though I understand why from a doctrinal standpoint.

9Rock9 said:

I guess I'd describe myself as Evangelical in beliefs, but prefer Eastern styles and aesthetics.

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I'm kind of flipped, Eastern in my approach to theology and beliefs, but prefer Baptist style worship and liturgy(for lack of a better word)

The iconic view of the Bible is a big part of why I'm able to accept more controversial views like mytho-history and also why I'm able to not shy away from deconstructive scholarship to engage with secular scholars of religion.

Arcangl86 said:

Wow. She's doing well that by herself? With that much power does she even need to be in Congress to "destroy the USA"

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She was Speaker of the House and has been the leader of the democrats in the House of Representatives
for decades. Hakeem Jefferies is now the corrupt leader, but Pelosi still has much power and influence in the DNC.