Activist is also an associate minister of UCC-affiliated Church of the Open Arms, has Universal Life Church minister credentials

The executive director of a Black Lives Matter chapter in Oklahoma has been charged with wire fraud and money laundering involving millions of dollars in donor funds. Federal prosecutors say she used the money for personal travel, shopping and real estate.

Tashella Sheri Amore Dickerson, 52, faces 20 counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering for allegedly diverting more than $3.15 million in charitable donations from accounts linked to Black Lives Matter Oklahoma City, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma.

The indictment alleges that from June 2020 to at least October 2025, she transferred bail refund checks into personal bank accounts and used the money for expenses unrelated to the group’s stated mission.

Dickerson began leading BLM OKC in 2016.

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stevevw said:

I did lol.

There is very little work done of these examples. There was one test on a small sample taken from a site called Tetecacca from the glazed surface. They showed traces of Silicon, Aluminum and Magnesium which is not natural to the stones. It was like a thin glaze over the stone. This is common all the the sites around Peru. Another unusualy feature is that these stones are very magnetic.

The info on the Snake impression starts at around the 7.20 minutes mark if you don't want to watch the short video. It also covers other stones that have been vitified.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u7x6xrGO8I

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Looking at only the first few minutes of the video I found it was are riddled with errors.

(1) The rock is made from Andesite which has a MOH hardness 5.5 - 6.5 not 7.0 as reported in the video.
(2) Andesite is an igneous rock, to refer to it as a geopolymer is nonsensical.
(3) Andesite is composed of Plagioclase feldspar, Pyroxene, Hornblende, Biotite, Magnetite, Apatite, Ilmenite, Zircon, Quartz and Olivine.

According to the screenshot in the video the SEM and EDS (Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy) spectrum has an 'excessively high level' of iron (Fe).


There is nothing out of the ordinary for the Fe content, of the mineral composition mentioned, the Fe bearing minerals are Pyroxene, Hornblende, Biotite, Magnetite, and Ilmenite.

(4) There is nothing out of the ordinary for Andesite having magnetic properties either given Magnetite is one of the minerals found in Andesite.
(5) The presence of guano which is bat and bird droppings is clearly an external contamination and not a component of the 'geopolymer'.

Whereas the sample from the monument is contaminated by guano, the reference guano EDS spectrum is also clearly contaminated by the presence of silicon (Si) in the form of dust particles.
In the forensic investigation of engine wear of pistons, rings and cylinder walls due to lubrication problems, a main culprit is the external contamination of engine oils from Si in the environment and is found by EDS.

These basic errors where enough to convince me viewing the entire video would have been a waste of time.

The human spirit can have a sensation of warmth (E), frequency, and vibration (c2). Unknown, unseen, not measured in pounds or kilograms... But is somehow very pleasantly there..
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Hans Blaster said:

Rudolph also killed people, the "islamists" didn't in that period.

I'm not surprised that you didn't get my point. These lists are dumb. That was my point. The whole thread is about bigotry.

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Lists themselves aren't dumb -- if the right metrics are being measured.


If we were having a "dangers of drug use, and public implications" conversation.

A list that aggregates all "illegal drugs" together and treats every negative outcome the same (regardless of severity), then only does simplistic math would be dumb.

A list that separated each individual drug and and the outcomes (and weighed by outcome severity) could be meaningful.

It's a sad day when a religious leader is not allowed to cull the flock. Culling the flock keeps it healthy by removing the undesirable parts.

New Republican health plan suggestion: Drink bleach!

Senator Endorses Discredited Doctor’s Book on a Chemical He Claims Treats Everything From Autism to Cancer​

Wisconsin's Ron Johnson has a history of spreading vaccine misinformation. Now he's giving credence to assertions about the therapeutic powers of chlorine dioxide, a disinfectant and deodorizer. “It is all lunacy," one expert said.​

He’s promoted disproven treatments for COVID-19 and claimed, without evidence, that athletes are “dropping dead on the field” after getting the COVID-19 vaccination. Now the Wisconsin politician is endorsing a book by a discredited doctor promoting an unproven and dangerous treatment for autism and a host of ailments: chlorine dioxide, a chemical used for disinfecting and bleaching.

The book is “The War on Chlorine Dioxide: The Medicine that Could End Medicine”by Dr. Pierre Kory, a critical care specialist who practiced in Wisconsin hospitals before losing his medical certification for statements advocating using an antiparasite medication to treat COVID-19. The action, he’s said, makes him unemployable, even though he still has a license.

Kory’s book, set to be released to the public in January, argues that word of chlorine dioxide’s effectiveness has been suppressed by government and medical forces that need people to remain perpetually ill to generate large profits.

Johnson confirmed to ProPublica in an email that he authorized the statement on the cover. “After reading the entire book, yes I provided and approved that blurb,” he said.

iluvatar5150 said:

The coordination with Posobiec is far more troublesome than the reading list.

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This is amusing, though. Who does he think he is, Donald Trump?

essentialsaltes said:

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration diverted more than $35 million in taxpayer funds — an amount far greater than previously known — as part of a brazen agenda last year to defeat two ballot amendments he staunchly opposed, a Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times investigation has found. Much of the state money was intended to assist needy Floridians, including children. Instead, it paid for political consultants, lawyers and thousands of advertisements that helped DeSantis and his supporters win at the ballot box.

The findings shed new light on the DeSantis administration’s marshaling of state resources to finance his fight against political causes supported by a majority of Florida voters. Amendment 3 would have legalized recreational marijuana. Amendment 4 would have overturned the six-week abortion ban pushed by DeSantis. Both fell just short of the 60% needed to pass. The most visible cog in his campaign — the use of the state’s Hope Florida charity — is the subject of a grand jury investigation. In that case, nearly $10 million from a Medicaid settlement was steered to a political committee controlled by the governor’s chief of staff.

The diversion of state money came at a time when the term-limited governor’s deep pool of donors had begun to dry up after a failed presidential campaign. Without the cash needed to wage the all-out blitz to defeat the amendments, he turned to taxpayer money to air what he called “public service announcements” to educate Floridians.

See also:

What is Hope Florida? Why Casey DeSantis-connected charity is reportedly under investigation​

The battle over Hope Florida, a project spearheaded by Florida first lady Casey DeSantis, kicked into a new gear with news that a criminal investigation may have been opened into a $10 million "donation" from a Medicaid settlement that was then sent to a political committee to fight a constitutional amendment that her husband, Gov. Ron DeSantis, didn't like.

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Corruption at the highest state level.

zippy2006 said:

This is a good challenge.

The problem with the way that recent papacies have wielded these very subtle theological-moral doctrines is that they tend to simply pretend as if the legal sphere does not exist (cf. Where the Church’s Immigration Rhetoric Fails - First Things).

Hence the Catechism and the Compendium are much more careful than Dilexi te (and beginning with Francis, papal documents have become increasingly rhetorical and propagandistic). For example:




The footnote 371 refers to Rerum Novarum #11, which says nothing about "common and promiscuous dominion" (it turns out that the translations and references are often inconsistent in these documents, including DT).



More succinctly, Catholic doctrine involves a complex balance of opposed and paradoxical principles and values. The Francis papacy had a tendency to highlight one side of the paradox, pretend that the other doesn't exist, and mislead quite grievously. I haven't read this document, so I have no reason to believe that Leo is following in Francis' footsteps, but attempts to highlight the universal destination of goods without mentioning the complex and paradoxical context in which it resides do not do justice to Catholic doctrine. Historically, the universal destination of goods is treated as a kind of exception which applies in cases of extreme poverty. Most people nowadays want it to mean much more. Beyond that, the universal destination of goods is a specifically theological doctrine, absent from natural reason in its stronger forms.

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Yes, Catholic doctrine involves a complex balance of opposed and paradoxical principles and values. But people today, including leaders at high levels, don't seem to have the inclination, patience or even desire to get into the complex weeds where doctrine, principles and values seem to conflict in our day to day social realities. Even more now than ever we like the concise tweets that confirm our biases.

But you identify my biggest gripe. Let us sed both sides of any issue fairly and as objectively as possible. But how de we do that? There does not seem to be a forum for such a hopeful debate. Instead we are forced to listen to each side, who do not talk to each other, and try to discern what is more valuable.

When I was a young monk in my twenties, Br. Ken’s parents would visit our monastery once a year. I still remember the first time I met his mother in our family's guest house. She was sitting in a rocking chair, gently holding a Rosary. We spoke for about thirty minutes, and I found her to be a lovely, gracious woman. At one point, I asked about her Rosary. She told me that as she grew older, prayer became more important to her, and the Rosary was her constant companion. Most days, she would sit quietly in her living room, slowly reciting its prayers.

Over the years, I’ve noticed this pattern in many older people—men and women alike—who made prayer a priority when they were younger. I once knew a Jewish woman who spent her days repeating the Psalms. Now that I am older, I understand what they were experiencing.

As my energy for engaging with the “outer” world diminishes, my desire to pray and open my heart to God continues to grow. Like Br. Ken’s mother, I find myself craving prayer. The soul breathes when it prays, and as I age, this need to embrace God’s love deepens. My connections with others have also become richer. Years ago, I made Br. Ken’s mother a Rosary with large wooden beads strung on Paracord. She loved it, prayed with it daily, and was buried with it when she passed away.

My recent heart procedure was difficult, yet it brought profound changes and unexpected inner healing. I’m not sure I would want to go through it again, but I know the experience was worth it. It taught me endurance, vulnerability, and the hard truth of mortality. No book could have prepared me for that journey.

Through it all, prayer sustained me. I’ve learned that what feels like God’s absence often hides a deeper experience of His presence. Prayer is not always easy, but the Rosary gives me a starting point—a rhythm and beauty that carries me forward. I pray slowly, because if I rush, the words become mechanical and lose meaning. Others prefer a faster pace, and that works for them. For me, slowness opens the heart.

Prayer also connects me to the world—to every man, woman, and child. It roots me in the present moment, keeping my mind from drifting to the past or future. When I am truly present, even fatigue feels lighter. In the end, prayer helps us adapt to the changes of aging and reminds us how precious each day is. We only have now. Staying rooted in that truth is both a gift and a challenge—and without God’s grace, it reveals our inner poverty.—Br. MD

There are seasons in our walk with God when freedom doesn’t come all at once but unfolds step by step. Sometimes there are several seasons we go through in our lives that are very difficult… one after the other, after the other, where it seems like it will never end. Yet when we look back, we realize He was working in places we didn’t even recognize at the time. This testimony is part of that journey - the story of how the Lord broke my chains and taught me how to live as someone truly free.

Psalm 34:19 (NKJV) “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV) “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.”

For many years it felt like one bondage after the other would bombard my life. I would just be set free from one, and another would come, and another after that. I got to the point in life that I wondered what would come next, and if I would ever be fully set free of the bondage in my life.

Psalm 18:6 (NKJV) “In my distress I called upon the Lord… and my cry came before Him, even to His ears.”

Isaiah 43:2 (NKJV) “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you…”

Sometimes that freedom comes suddenly, like a prison door swinging open. Other times it arrives quietly, like dawn slowly pushing back the night. However it comes, the Lord leads us forward teaching us that freedom is not only a moment, but a lifelong walk with Him.

2 Corinthians 3:17 (NKJV) “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

Psalm 30:5 (NKJV) “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”

During the years of bondage I was going through in my life, I felt like I was trapped in a cage. The bars on the cage were likened to prison bars. It felt like there was no way out of the bondage I was in. As I moved on in my walk with God, in my heart I saw the “prison walls” fall down from all four corners of my life. God had set me free from every bondage I was ever in.

Psalm 107:14 (NKJV) “He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and broke their chains in pieces.”

Isaiah 61:1 (NKJV) “…He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.”

After the Lord delivers us, He invites us to learn how to walk as free people.

Freedom is not a feeling - it is a fact established by Christ. But learning to live in that freedom takes trust. It takes daily surrender. It takes choosing to believe what God says about us, even when our emotions tell a different story.

Galatians 5:1 (NKJV) “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free…”

Romans 6:18 (NKJV) “And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”

For years, shame whispered that I was still the same person I used to be. Old habits tried to convince me that nothing had really changed. But the Holy Spirit kept reminding me of a simple truth:

“If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” - John 8:36 (NKJV)

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2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation…”

Romans 8:1 (NKJV) “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…”

Freedom became not just something I received - but something I practiced.

Every time an old pattern tried to rise up, the Holy Spirit whispered in my heart, “That’s not who you are anymore.” Every time shame tried to return, He reminded me, “You are forgiven, washed, and made new.” Every time fear tried to creep in, He said, “You are Mine.”

And slowly, the truth settled deep into my spirit: I am no longer defined by what once held me. I am defined by the One who set me free.

If you are walking out your own journey of freedom, take heart. You are not alone. The same God who broke your chains and broke down those “prison walls” will teach you how to walk without them.

One step at a time. One day at a time. One victory at a time.

You are free - and you are learning to live like it.

Philippians 1:6 (NKJV) “…He who has begun a good work in you will complete it…”

Psalm 37:23–24 (NKJV) “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord… Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.”

To the Holy Spirit: Thank You for guiding every word, guarding every step, and glorifying Jesus. All glory, honor, praise, and worship belong to God Almighty, who alone is worthy.

Scripture Acknowledgement: All Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version® (NKJV). Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Special thanks to Bible Gateway for providing accessible, searchable Scripture resources that support devotional writing and spiritual study.

May these words echo grace, healing, and truth wherever they are read.

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stevevw said:

Magadonian, thats a new one lol.

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Not really - it was coined by Mr. MAGA himself.

stevevw said:

This whole project 25 is just one of a number of false narratives that have been put out there. Also some of the ideas are quite commonsense. I don't know what all the conflation is about like its some sort of theocracy lol.

But the whole Project 25 has been busted as a myth and c onspiracy anyway.

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Lols, it really has not. Many of the people who wrote it were put in charge and have carried out the dismantling. Since you say you don't know what the conflation is about, you obviously haven't looked into it. See Russell Vought now Director of the Office of Management and (OMB), Brendan Carr now Federal Communications Commission (FCC), John Ratcliffe now Director of the CIA, Thomas Douglas Homan now Border Czar, Stephen Miller now both Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy AND US Homeland Security Advisor, Karoline Leavitt now Press Secretary AND Assistant to the President, and Peter Navarro now Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing AND Assistant to the President to name a few.

stevevw said:

There has been this false narrative about Trump for a decade now. He has never become the dictator the false narratives have claimed. Its all hyperbole and designed to create this us verse them politics. The big scarry monster who is going to take away our freedoms.

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What do you mean "our freedoms"? He is not gunning for Australians as they are among the "good ones". He sicced his agents on Americans, particularly Democratic Congressmembers, the press, blue states, naturalized citizens, etc. He has called for the end of birthright citizenship - he tried to do that by fiat, not legislation.

Us *versus* them is his political stock in trade - he is constantly labeling political foes as "the enemy from within" and "traitors".

stevevw said:

When in fact it was the otherway around from what they are finding with all the Lawfare, fraud and controlling of media and targeting conservatives and Christians. Gaslighting everyone over Biden and bypassing the democratic process in selection Harris ect. I mean they put forward Waltz which shows something was wrong with their selection or oversight.

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Accusation in a mirror. Everything they accused the opposition of doing, they do themselves in spades. He has his entire political life called for locking up his opponents - now he is attempting to do it without regards to actual law.

stevevw said:

Nah, I would say the same for anyone who uses such language. If you noticed I mentioned it was from the same school of thought as Critical Race theory and DEI. I know the language and its divisive and hateful. You may not recognise it.

But when people talk about white supremacy and bring up race in just about every answer. I know its identity politics. Pointing that out is not IP. Its highlighting it as obviously some don't see it as well until its identified.

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Most of politics is identity politics very much including MAGA politics ("They will not replace us").

stevevw said:

I have not issues with immigrants, we are all immigrants to some extent. I trace back to African American slaves. I guess thats why I have an interest in US politics. But its similar to my nation generally. We are only 250 years young lol. We have had waves of immigrants to make our nation. But we also know that some who come don't like our western nations way of life and bring their own problems.

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Sadly, there seems to be no perfect culture in part because one man's meat is another man's poison.

Cosmic Charlie said:

Hard disagree

ICE is separating children from their mothers on the thinnest of evidence and the flimsiest of reasons.

We, as Christians, are required to stand up and say something.

Recipts so I don't have to put up with people claiming I'm just some kind of lying lair:

https://thehill.com/opinion/immigration/5441487-ice-raids-trauma-children/

https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/23/politics/us-citizen-children-separated-parents-deported-ice-invs

ICE Sent 600 Immigrant Kids to Detention in Federal Shelters This Year. It’s a New Record.

Under a zero tolerance policy, the first Trump administration separated immigrant children from their families at the U.S.-Mexico border. New data suggests separations are happening all over the country, often after little more than a traffic stop.

www.propublica.org

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Disobedience by the pastor would be the reason for his removal.

The creche is no place for a modern-day political message, which divides rather than unites.

"For he was numbered w/ the transgressors"

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I have been listening to this a lot lately. You don't have to listen to all 2 hours if you don't want

.Mikha'el. said:

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We liked singing that in college. It's a very college-y song (popular at big state colleges)

BPPLEE said:

I heard he kicked a dog too

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'Good.'

FWIW

GOP lawmaker drops FBI whistleblower bombshell about J6 pipe bomb suspect​

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) claimed [an FBI 'whistleblower' asserted that] the FBI arrested the wrong person in the Jan. 6 pipe bomb case.

The 30-year-old Cole lives in a community where several employees of the FBI, Secret Service and police also reside, and the whistleblower said they must have seen him on one of his frequent walks around the area.

"He wanders around his neighborhood several times a day while walking a dog," Massie wrote. "Other than walking his dog, he doesn’t engage in any other activities outside his home. He does not interact with anyone. He doesn’t wave or acknowledge others or even say hello. He does not even look at other people when he walks by. He appears to live in his own world."

"His behavior is awkward," Massie wrote. "It’s obvious he has a mental disability, and likely lives in a permanently vulnerable, intellectual, and emotional state. It’s well known that individuals with mental conditions are susceptible to providing inaccurate and unwarranted 'confessions.'"

"Not only were neighbors not evacuated during the arrest and search of the alleged bomber’s home, they were required to remain in their homes," the congressman wrote. "If the suspect had in fact been engaged in making bombs and stockpiling bomb materials, the proper safety precautions were not taken."

--

The official word is that they have phone records and receipts, which would seem more conclusive, but given how trustworthy the Administration is, there could be some hilarious egg-on-face moments in the future, especially after some of them did a touchdown dance in the end zone and talked smack about how the 'Biden FBI' didn't crack the case. Now the lack of K$H gloating has another potential meaning: he doesn't believe it either, but was under pressure to produce a perp. Let's see how this develops.

Caritas Lithuania has launched a new support initiative for individuals struggling with pornography addiction, responding to what staff describe as a marked surge in people seeking help as explicit content becomes increasingly unavoidable online.

The program, offered in Lithuanian, English, and German — both in person and remotely — provides counseling not only for those battling compulsive sexual behaviors but also for spouses and family members affected by them.

Caritas workers report a noticeable rise in referrals, with many parish priests now directing individuals in their care to the program, touching upon the growing need for coordinated pastoral and professional support.

Growing demand for help​

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I hear about dreams a lot. It is a common theme with Christians and God speaks to us using dreams. I have my own at times also and only God can show what a dream means. Book of Daniel for reference. While there are details not in your post about the situation that are relevant, such as what you were praying about in specific terms of the kind of oppression, I do understand not wanting to reveal parts of one's personal life or conversations with God.

With all that out of the way, number one... you praying before is significant. Timing is everything and God has perfect timing. If God created everything, and He did, then nothing is a coincidence in the world because it is supernatural, not natural. Very often God does speak to people directly following a dream, and it is done so that one knows God is listening to their prayers and He is with them.

Secondly, the creature looking like a "familiar" person before incurring its punishment is a warning to you, that things (and people) are not always what they seem. The phrase "we find out who our friends are" came from people realizing that often those that seem friendly or like they have our best interest in mind, sometimes don't and are not really friends at all. It may very well be that God is telling you that you have connections, or relationships, that are oppressive even though they seem like "familiar" friends.

Lastly, God is telling you that He has you covered, and that your oppression has not went unnoticed. He sees you, hears your prayers, is with you, is answering your prayers, and there will be punishment for those who are oppressing you. When God gives us dreams He is saying, "I hear you, I love you, I see this, I will deal with it." Direct messages from God during a demonic war against God take special attention from Him to send to us. The enemy certainly doesn't like your dream, that is for sure. You can read in the book of Daniel where the angel Gabriel had to fight 21 days to get a message to Daniel (Daniel 10:13), and... also needed help in the fight. This means dreams are a big deal and God could possibly very well have angels fighting the enemy to send every one of them.

Sometimes people do have "random" dreams that don't carry significance or are not from God. Sometimes the enemy can cause dreams also, but these usually are tormenting, frightful, and don't have any clear message or comprehensible references to the person's situation or their prayers. I don't think your dream falls into this category. I think it was God and He is comforting you, reassuring you, and giving you a heads up of what is going on to help you.

Keep praying, since you know He listening.

A Republican U.S. representative is sponsoring a bill that would require fathers to cover half of pregnancy-related costs for mothers carrying their children.

Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, is sponsoring the Supporting Healthy Pregnancy Act, Fox News Digital reported.

The bill would require the father of a child to pay for at least half of out-of-pocket medical expenses involved with pregnancy and delivery. This would become a legal requirement only after the mother puts in a request.

Hinson said she is working to “expand access to maternal care” and to “ensure women have resources throughout pregnancy and beyond.”

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Secular dating shows like “The Bachelor,” “Farmer Wants a Wife,” and “Love Is Blind” are among a plethora of programs that aim to bring singles together. But what would it look like to add faith to matchmaking in a dating show? CatholicMatch, one of the first Catholic dating sites, seeks to do just that with the launch of “The Catholic Dating Show.”

Earlier this year, CatholicMatch released a new platform called “Relate.” This platform is meant to bring users together for weekly live, virtual events such as trivia nights, discussions with prominent Catholic speakers, and “The Catholic Dating Show.”

The show has quickly become a fan favorite, bringing in over 600 live viewers through the dating site and even more when it is uploaded to CatholicMatch’s YouTube channel the next day for nonmembers to watch.

Taking place two Saturdays a month, “The Catholic Dating Show” is an hourlong event that features one single woman and three single men. During the first half of the show, the woman asks her suitors questions to get to know them better. The three men also have their cameras off for this part so the woman cannot see them.

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why did Martin Luther removed them?