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  • CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.

Study explores ‘Jesus without Church’ paradox

It's not a matter of teaching. Receiving the Eucharist at mass is following the instructions of Jesus to "do this." The Church, through the power granted by Jesus as per the Bible, makes minimal requirements of the faithful to attend mass, knowing how important it is.
But talk of “requirements” and “instructions” tends to legalize an intimate encounter, a personal yet also communal sacred rite. Isn’t it counterproductive to require someone to celebrate. And yet encouraging someone to come can open a new life and hope for them.
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Date of authorship of Revelation

Yes History of Joseph, and Gospel of Nic are inspired scripture written when they said they were. They are only for the wise same with 1Enoch, and others. God never intended them to be in the main canon otherwise swine might stumble across them accidentally. The main canon is for everyone unworthy (swine) or worthy where as some extra books which are inspired are hidden (apocrypha) from swine, and revealed to the humble. God thought there was too much valuable information in them to have them public, and people would mock it so he hid them ie excluded them from the main canon.
I don't think the inspired scriptures were suppressed or hidden.
That is interesting breath of his mouth could be the Roman armies, I never thought of that. otherwise Jesus must of killed that zealot around 70 AD when he came back. Rev 1-12 happened 70 ad rev 13-22 is future.


Anti Christ in John was 70 AD too it says it was the final hour (of the temple still standing, and the Mosaic covenant). There had been anti christs when that was written pre 70 AD there was going to be some major one at that time, and there will be more in the future.
I have posts on the 2 canons, rev 1-12, and judes quotation of enoch about 70 ad/second coming.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. :)
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MS-13 Gang Member Kilmar Abrego Garcia to be Deported to African Country of Eswatini

Okay. You are right. It is obvious that Trump is a pedophile and secretly loves pedophiles and will circumvent the rule of law to defend pedophiles and rapists. He isn't deporting them, he is giving them refuge and asylum to specifically to deny justice for the victims. There is no other way to explain it. Are you happy now?
He may not be himself a pedophile, but he does stand up for them and rapists.

It appears that the apple has not fallen far from the tree.

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Trump Pardons, Releases Alleged Pedo w Open Warrant

Because it's missing the additional context that he was prisoner-swapped with Americans being wrongfully detained in China.

Darn it! Foiled again by simply reading the article.
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James Comey case: Ex-special counsel John Durham undercut case against James Comey in interview with prosecutors: Sources

Instead of what you say here, I think it's best if I go with the opinions of those scholars and experts over at the Hoover Institute.
I'll go with the judge and jury, thank you very much.
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Ultra-processed foods fueling chronic diseases, mental illnesses globally: study

It was a joke, those two are very ultra processed. I should've said Cheese Whiz, that would've been funnier. The simple rule is eat single ingredient foods. The ingredients of an apple are an apple for example. Along with if God didn't make it, don't eat it.
Cheeze Whiz on Pop Tarts?
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Supreme Court confronts gun rights pileup


An unusually large pileup of Second Amendment challenges has landed at the Supreme Court, which will consider taking up the cases behind closed doors Friday.

It would add to what is already a major term for gun rights. The justices previously agreed to hear two cases early next year that involve whether unlawful drug users can carry firearms and Hawaii’s gun permitting regime.





I have mixed feeling about these. I'll explain why.

Preface: Scotus can only evaluate what's presented to them and elevated to their court, not perfect world scenarios to make new legal stipulations.

Hawaii and similar states having a "may issue" permitting system.

The two sides of that coin, a person pays the application fees, spends money to dot all of the I's and cross all the T's, and then an issuing agency says "Nah, sorry, we're not going to give you a carry permit".

The flip side, an issuing agency has guys like this show up:
View attachment 374401View attachment 374402

"Hi, I passed the background check did the paperwork, the gremlins who live in my closet said I should carry a gun, rabbit skins feel nice don't they...anyway...can I have my permit please?"

...perhaps some discretion is a good thing in some instances.


On the "felon" stuff...I've long maintained that people with non-violent felonies (like cooking the books) are less of a public threat than a person with violent misdemeanors on their record, and shouldn't be denied the right of self defense. The problem is, SCOTUS has a narrow scope to work with to establish precedent and isn't involving that sort of nuance to make the distinction between violent and non-violent felonies, and I certainly don't want former armed robbers being legally licensed to carry.

As far as the drug users thing, that's also too broad. Despite marijuana being closer to alcohol on the "risk spectrum", its lumped in with PCP and heroin (federally), so SCOTUS striking down laws on behalf of some casual pot users could have the negative effect of allowing some hardcore drug users to get their hands on guns.
I think anyone with a Class D felony should get a automatic 5 year loss of gun rights ... if no other offenses during that time their gun rights restored.

A-C they permanently lose their gun rights.

Conceal carry should be allowed nation-wide.
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144k & Who They Are

Rev 7:
4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
(PARSING: 144k sealed from ALL the TRIBES of the Children of Jacob/ISRAEL.)

5 Of the tribe of Juda, Reuben & Gad .

6 Of the tribe of Aser, Nepthalim & Manassas

7 Of the tribe of Simeon, Levi & Issachar

8 Of the tribe of Zabulon, Joseph & Benjamin
(PARSING: Verses 5-8 confirm 12k ea x 12 tribes = 144,000)

Gen 32:28 God changed Jacob's name to Israel. The 12 tribes of Israel are Jacob's sons. Each son received a land portion (except Levi/Levites they become the priesthood) Joseph receives a double portion of land (Gen 48) And divides it between his 2 sons Ephraim & Manasseh.

Rev 14:
1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him a 144k, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
(PARSING: These 144k were redeemed from the earth)

4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
(PARSING: "Redeemed From Among Men" being the FIRSTFRUITS unto God & to the Lamb)

Parsing vs 4
(A) 144k ALL VIRGINS)
(B) These 144k were REDEEMED from AMONG MEN)
(C) Being FIRSTFRUITS onto God & to the Lamb.

1 Cor 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
(PARSING: Christ is 1st to rise/resurrected from the grave)

Matt 27:
50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
(PARSING: Jesus dies)

51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
(PARSING: Jesus rips the Temple veil in 1/2 on the way to paradise)

52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
(PARSING: Many saints are resurrected)

53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
(PARSING: After Jesus rises 1st, many saints rise, REREADING Rev 14:1-4, 144k > FIRSTFRUITS, "Redeemed From Among Men")
Hey BrotherJJ :wave:

I like how you have connected the firstfruits to those who rose to life with Jesus.

Have you considered the connection between Rev 6 and Rev 7

9When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” 11Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.

3Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” 4Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

(DAN is missing from the list) The tribe of Dan is known as the apostate tribe... I understand that the author (John) may be revealing what is hidden. Those who are sealed are those who persevere and continue in the faith even through trials and tribulations.

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”

From this, I understand the 144000 were those of Israel who did not reject the Messiah, the prophets, etc, who died for his name...

But Paul says something profound in Hebrews 11 (bearing in mind this chapter is all about tribulation)
39These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
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Consequences of firing government employees - USDA says it accidentally fired officials working on bird flu and is trying to rehire them

US veterans agency lost thousands of ‘core’ medical staff under Trump, records show

Departures are exacerbating existing shortages and creating ‘very unsafe’ conditions for patients, veterans and health workers say

U.S. Veterans Affairs agency plans as many as 35,000 health-care job cuts this month, Washington Post reports

The cuts come after the agency cut about 30,000 jobs in July [previous story, more or less]

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs plans to eliminate as many as 35,000 health-care positions this month, the Washington Post reported on Saturday, citing an internal memo, Veterans Affairs staffers and congressional aides.

Reuters could not immediately confirm the report.

“The health-care system is eliminating about 26,400 of its open jobs, which he described as ‘mostly COVID-era roles that are no longer necessary,’” the Washington Post quoted Veterans Affairs Department spokesperson Pete Kasperowicz as saying.
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BLM executive director of OKC chapter charged with fraud, money laundering involving millions in donor funds

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.

Continued below.

There’s a Giant Flaw in Human History

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.

View attachment 374416
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u7x6xrGO8I
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).

EDX.png

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'.

Mass_Spec.png

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.
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Senator Ron Johnson Endorses Discredited Doctor’s Book on a Chemical [Chlorine Dioxide] He Claims Treats Everything From Autism to Cancer

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 Medicineby 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.

The Universal Destination of Goods

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.
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.
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Prayer as I Age

Prayer as I Age

Moses urges us to pray with the same ardor of Jesus, to intercede for the world, and to remember that despite all its frailties,
it still belongs to God. Everyone belongs to God. The worst sinners, the most wicked people, the most corrupt leaders,
are children of God, and Jesus feels this and intercedes for everyone. And the world lives
and flourishes to the blessing of the righteous, to the prayer for mercy.



Community, Love Crucified.
Teaching Manual Love Crucified
2020 (p. 74). Kindle Edition.


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

Walking in the Freedom Christ Gives

Mica 7.8.jpg

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)

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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