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Gallup: Drop in U.S. Religiosity Among Largest in World

I thought that the point of Christian Nationalism was that the laws of the country should be based on their version of a Christian divine command ethic that they impose on themselves.
Not quite, it's more nationalist than Christian. Christianity just functions as an identity marker for common heritage rather than as a theological position, though it is loosely rooted in dominionist theology but that rooting is very loose. The approach is more utilitarian about the Bible in that the religious elements are employed in service of the state interests.
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Imitatio Christi - is the following Biblical?

Co-Sufferers (Imitatio Christi): Christians are called to participate in the suffering of Christ. Personal suffering is utilized as a means of purification (removing self-will and sin) and spiritual growth. By uniting one's own pain to the Passion, it ceases to be meaningless and becomes a source of grace for oneself and others.

Is this a Biblical understanding?
We understand that Christ suffered and died for our sins - the scourging, being nailed to the Cross, having His body pierced for our transgressions brought intense physical pain. I take none of that away, nor do I diminish its magnitude.

Other than that instance -

Was Jesus ever sick or in pain?

Isa 53: A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely He has borne our ]griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.​
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Prayer requests post here!

Things are getting worse here. The government is moving to join the EU and comply with all anti-Russian positions. Montenegro has been part of Serbia for nearly all of its existence, and as such was always historically to Russia like we are to Canada. Demanding visas for Russians is where things are going now. My wife’s mom is going to become persona non grata, and since the bulk of the kids we teach are Russians whose families fled Russia, all of us are caught up in “Where will we go?” “What can we do?” That makes my fairly solid job quite wobbly. Everyone is very afraid. Plus, our car is effectively a hostage here because of sanctions. Getting it out of the country is problematic. We are afraid. Faith < a grain of mustard seed. I’m always fighting depression. On the plus side, we have a roof over our head, and food on the table for now. The car still works.

My son in Germany has been diagnosed and has to take pills now; we are afraid he may not be able to finish his degree.
While we have (barely) enough money to scrape by here in Montenegro for now, I have almost no more online income, and have no idea how I’m going to help my kids in Germany.
Hoping God will show us a way.
Prayers appreciated.
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"Don't Give up the Ship"

Fox’s Trey Gowdy Defends Trump for Suggesting Democrats Who Made Video Should Be Executed: ‘I’m Sure He Meant After a Trial’

“I’m sure he meant after a trial by your peers, a jury trial by your peers, and after you have been found guilty,” Gowdy said. “I mean, it was a stupid video. Look, you can’t get put to death for making a stupid video, or I’d be dead."
He's about one step behind. The idea of this coming to trial is just about as insane as the outcome.
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Cursed is the heart of this people

I am wondering if the culture is what is causing peoples heart to grow corrupt on the inside while trying to present a polished and virtious image on the outside.

I think the current culture is ideal for promoting external images and narratives about morals and how woke one is. Celebs virtue signalling and people on social media shaming those who may have said the wrong thing. Bringing condemnation and severe judgements and no forgiveness.

The media age is primed for creating pharisees of all persuasions lol.
There are people who, instead of getting an honest job and provide something of value, seek employment in government offices or the like where they get leverage over the common man, who has to follow the common law, while they themselves are protected by their peers. So they will use every tool of lies and slander to get their way, or if you offend them in the least, and there is no one that holds them accountable because they keep each others backs. But it feels good knowing they will get their due. I used to think God was kind of harsh in creating a hell, but not in this case.
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B flat B♭

-
Look a globe earth is used in a satanic coexist sticker, wonder why, deception?

C – Crescent moon that represents Islam
O – Peace symbol or pagan/Wiccan pentacle.
E – Male/female symbol or a scientific equation.
X – Star of David that represents Judaism.
I – Pagan/Wiccan symbol (i.e. pentagram for the dot of the “i”)
S – Chinese yin-yang symbol (Taoism)
T – The cross used to represent Christianity.

Nonsense
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We Made The New York Times


Good article, despite a negative focus on "masculinity" and a couple other things.

As far as changes, our priest has done a good job, IMO. A few months ago, he reminded the catechumens that wearing shorts, ragged jeans and t-shirts won't preclude anyone from worship, because we're not legalistic, but c'mon, we represent the cherubim, we should do a little better. :)

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Chicago kicks off the Christmas season with 7 teenagers shot, cops injured, one man dead

'Tis the season....

After the city's annual lighting of the tree ceremony in Millennium Park in the Loop, 300 juveniles apparently went on a rampage, resulting in numerous gunshot wounds, and injured police officers. A nearby shooting resulted in one fatality.

So how's that stringent gun control policy workin' out for ya, Chicago? Crime stats down? No? Maybe you need more gun control. ^_^

Trump's Warrior Board

Trump administration to prioritize ‘patriotic Americans’ for federal jobs

Under the plan, all federal job vacancy announcements starting at the GS-5 pay grade or above will require short essay responses to questions about ... how they plan to advance Trump’s executive orders and policy priorities
Government employees asked a federal judge Wednesday to block the Trump administration from encouraging job applicants to demonstrate their loyalty to the president’s agenda.
In a lawsuit filed earlier this month, a group of federal labor unions argues that the White House’s “merit hiring plan” violates applicants’ First Amendment rights. The plan, put forth by the Office of Personnel Management, includes the following short essay question:
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DOGE NEWS

Inside the DOGE Succession Drama Elon Musk Left Behind

For months, the young engineers who had descended on the capital to shrink the federal bureaucracy had lived with the ever-present threat of backlash — public scrutiny, upset Cabinet officials, even the prospect that someone might assert criminal charges against them. But on the morning of June 5 something changed: Their figurehead, Elon Musk, had a falling-out with his patron, Donald Trump, that played out very publicly across the two men’s social media platforms.

As the sun fell on downtown Washington, the displaced dozen joined up with fellow DOGE staffers atop the nine-story GSA building, armed with beer, pretzels and La Croix, and prepared for something akin to a wake. Word spread in group chats on Signal, and by 9 p.m. the rooftop area was full of dozens of staffers, some of whom had already left DOGE.

Amid the group photos and toasts, a senior DOGE figure named Donald Park tried to reassure his colleagues that they were still “brothers in arms” and that Musk would continue to protect them, according to three people who attended the gathering. Other DOGE leaders were less sanguine. “Guys, seriously,” one warned, “get your own lawyer if you need it. Elon’s great, but you need to watch your own back.”

“The height of our power was the five-bullets email,” said a DOGE official, calling it a “mistake” that pitted DOGE against departments and agencies who were increasingly frustrated by Musk’s lack of communication and heavyhandedness. “Then it turned into fear and revulsion and hatred.”
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Why do people hate ICE...

So you are going to dismiss what I'm telling you about my own community? Democrats don't have to tell Black people anything. We have eyes and ears.

He isn't even aware of how presumptuous it is to claim that you don't know what's best for yourself.
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Exclusive: The White House is looking to replace Pete Hegseth as defense secretary

A Vance ally rises at the Pentagon — with Trump's blessing

Dan Driscoll’s visit to Ukraine this week underscored his new prominence in the administration.

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll’s high-stakes visit to Ukraine this week to deliver the Trump’s administration’s latest peace plan has placed the service leader into the role of major international negotiator — a sharp contrast from his boss, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who spent the time in Washington sitting through White House meetings and firing angry missives at Democrats on social media.


There have also been some rumors that the 1 year mark will usher in some Cabinet changes.
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Federal judges block Texas from using its new US House map in the 2026 midterms

I am glad that, in an era where Texas and other states are trying to wipe all evidence of slavery off the map, racism is being called out,

Immigrant hatred fanned the flames of racism in the 2024 campaign--and it worked.
As the son of a legal immigrant - I hope you realize how repulsive and completely ignorant these type of statements can be. The incessant waving of the race card - calling illegal aliens immigrants is a slap in the face to legal immigrants who went through the proper process of legally entering the US. Like my mother and father who spent 7 months in an internment camp waiting for their turn to enter.

Are you an immigrant? If not - you have no footing to make any type of comments on how we feel or what we experience.
I would ask you to please stop insulting us.

Immigrant hatred IMHO is only in the hearts and minds of people who do not stand for righteousness and truth. It is one of the reasons why so many LEGAL immigrants supported President Trump and still do today. We want what's right.

From the link:

The ruling is a blow to Trump’s rush to create a more favorable political landscape for Republicans in next year’s midterms, at least for now. Texas filed an appeal Tuesday evening with the U.S. Supreme Court after Gov. Greg Abbott and other Republicans publicly defended the map, which was engineered to give Republicans five additional House seats.
How about if we wait until we do any ghigh fiving or backslapping
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Trump dispenses with trials, orders military strike on alleged Venezuelan drug-trafficking boat (Now up to 2, 3, 4...)



USAF B-52 Bombers, Navy Fighters Fly Near Venezuela

Multiple B-52H Stratofortress bombers flew off the northern coast of South America Nov. 20, U.S. officials told Air & Space Forces Magazine, the latest show of force by U.S. bombers in the region as the Trump administration builds up its military power in the Caribbean.

The B-52s took off from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., on the lengthy, nearly daylong flight, which a U.S. official said was a “presence patrol.”

At the same time that the B-52s were operating in the region, the U.S. also dispatched Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets embarked on the USS Gerard [sic] R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, and a U.S. Air Force RC-135 Rivet Joint signals intelligence aircraft.

--

FAA warns all pilots of risks of flying over Venezuela over ‘worsening security situation’

The message said the unspecified threats “could pose a potential risk to aircraft at all altitudes” as well planes taking off and landing in the country and even aircraft on the ground.

Aircraft on the ground? What's gonna happen? Something gonna fall out of the sky on top of them or something?
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the myth of flat earth debunked again

The Biblical Case for a Flat and Motionless Earth: A Detailed Study
Don't care. Reality is not determined by the ancient writing of ignorant people.
The Bible, God’s inspired and infallible Word, offers a profound perspective on the creation and nature of the Earth. For those who believe in the absolute truth of Scripture, the descriptions of the Earth found throughout the Bible provide a compelling case for considering the Earth as a flat, motionless plane. In my mind, there is no doubt. What say you? In this study, we will explore numerous verses that support this view, examining the Earth’s foundation, its relationship with the heavens, the nature of the sun, moon, and stars, and the consistent portrayal of the Earth as unmoving.

1. The Foundations and Immovability of the Earth

The Bible begins its description of creation with the Earth, painting a picture of a stable, immovable foundation. This concept is essential to the biblical view of the Earth. In Genesis 1:1–2, the creation of the Earth is mentioned before the creation of the heavens:

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”
Genesis 1:1–2, NKJV

The Earth is described here as having a surface, a “face” upon which waters and darkness existed. The following verses begin to structure the Earth, culminating in the establishment of its firm foundations.
In Psalm 104:5, we find a more explicit reference to these foundations:

“You who laid the foundations of the earth, so that it should not be moved forever.”
Psalm 104:5, NKJV

The Earth’s foundations being firmly laid suggests stability and immovability, reinforcing the idea that the Earth does not move. This is supported by 1 Chronicles 16:30:
“Tremble before Him, all the earth. The world also is firmly established, it shall not be moved.”
1 Chronicles 16:30, NKJV

Here, the Bible clearly states that the Earth is “firmly established” and “shall not be moved,” suggesting that the Earth remains stationary. The theme of a fixed, immobile Earth is a common one throughout the Bible, and it provides a foundation for understanding the flat Earth model.

2. The Four Corners of the Earth: The Biblical Geography

In various places, Scripture refers to the “four corners” or “ends” of the Earth, a concept that fits within a flat Earth model. These descriptions convey the idea of a plane with boundaries or edges. Isaiah 11:12 is one such example:

“He will set up a banner for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.”
Isaiah 11:12, NKJV

The term “four corners” implies that the Earth has an extended surface with discernible ends or points, which aligns with a flat Earth view. Additionally, Revelation 7:1 repeats this idea:

“After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.” Revelation 7:1, NKJV

The angels standing at the four corners of the Earth support the idea of an extended, flat surface with defined edges. These references are difficult to reconcile with a spherical Earth but are consistent with a flat plane.

3. The Firmament: A Dome Over the Earth

One of the most critical elements of the biblical description of the cosmos is the firmament, a solid structure created by God to separate the waters above from the waters below. In Genesis 1:6–8, we read:

“Then God said, ‘Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.’ Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven.”
Genesis 1:6–8, NKJV

The firmament, often translated as “expanse,” is described as a solid dome or vault, separating the waters above from the waters below. This idea is reinforced in Job 37:18, where the firmament is compared to a solid mirror:

“With Him, have you spread out the skies, strong as a cast metal mirror?”
Job 37:18, NKJV

The depiction of the skies as a “cast metal mirror” suggests that the firmament is solid, not a void as modern cosmology suggests. It forms a boundary over the Earth, supporting the flat Earth model. The firmament is not only a divider but also a protective dome over the Earth, a key concept in understanding the biblical cosmos.

The firmament, referred to as “raqia” (רָקִיעַ) in Hebrew, is a concept rooted in the Biblical creation narrative, particularly in Genesis. The term “raqia” is derived from the root word “raqa,” meaning to stretch, spread out, or expand, often used in the context of hammering out metal. In the ancient Hebrew worldview, the raqia was understood as an expanse or vault that separated the “waters above” from the “waters below,” as described in Genesis 1:6–8. This firmament, solid and vast, was envisioned as a dome or arch that held back the upper waters, creating a division between the earthly realm and the heavenly realms. It is described as being adorned with the sun, moon, and stars, which are set within it to govern day and night. The raqia’s significance is profound in that it represents both the boundary and the connection between the physical world and the heavens, demonstrating God’s sovereignty in establishing order in the cosmos. Its expansive, mysterious nature invites awe and reflection, as it serves as a visual metaphor for the majesty and intentionality of God’s creative power.

4. The Sun, Moon, and Stars: Lights Within the Firmament

The Bible provides a detailed description of the placement of the sun, moon, and stars within the firmament, close to the Earth. According to Genesis 1:14–19, these heavenly bodies were created to serve specific purposes for the Earth:

“Then God said, ‘Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth’; and it was so. Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth.”
Genesis 1:14–17, NKJV

Notice that the sun, moon, and stars are set within the firmament, not millions of miles away, as modern science claims. Their primary function is to give light to the Earth and mark time for signs, seasons, days, and years. This description fits the flat Earth model, where these celestial bodies move within the firmament above a flat, motionless Earth.

5. The Motion of the Sun: The Bible Speaks of the Sun Moving, Not the Earth

Several verses in the Bible describe the movement of the sun, but none describe the Earth as moving. The Earth is consistently portrayed as motionless, while the sun is described as moving across the sky. One of the clearest examples of this is found in Ecclesiastes 1:5:

“The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it arose.” Ecclesiastes 1:5, NKJV

This verse explicitly states that the sun moves, rising and setting each day. It does not mention any movement of the Earth, which aligns with the idea of a stationary Earth and a moving sun.

Another example comes from Joshua 10:12–13, where Joshua commands the sun to stand still:

“Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: ‘Sun, stand still over Gibeon; And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.’ So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the people had revenge upon their enemies… So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.”
Joshua 10:12–13, NKJV

Here, the sun and moon are described as halting their movement, implying that they move regularly. This event further supports the idea that it is the sun and moon that move, not the Earth.

6. The Earth as a Fixed, Immovable Plane

In addition to the references to the Earth’s foundation, the Bible repeatedly describes the Earth as immobile, a fixed plane established by God. Job 38:4–6 describes God laying the foundation of the Earth:

“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone?”
Job 38:4–6, NKJV

This passage emphasizes the Earth’s foundation as something solid, fixed, and measured. The Earth is not described as a sphere suspended in space but as a structure with foundations and a cornerstone. Psalm 93:1 echoes this sentiment:

“The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The Lord is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength. Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be moved.”
Psalm 93:1, NKJV

Again, the Earth is described as “established” and “cannot be moved,” underscoring its fixed and immovable nature. This portrayal is consistent throughout Scripture and aligns with the flat Earth model.

Conclusion: A Biblical Case for a Flat, Motionless Earth

The Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, offers a consistent depiction of the Earth as a flat, motionless plane covered by a firmament. The firm foundations, the immovability of the Earth, the sun and moon’s movement within the firmament, and the description of the four corners of the Earth all point to a flat Earth model. Scripture never describes the Earth as a spinning globe but instead presents a picture of a stationary, flat surface with a firmament overhead.

I have tried writing this very simply to show you (especially all Pastors who still preach NASA lies instead of the Bible in your church) that the Bible describes from Genesis to Revelation God’s true cosmology and not the world’s description and understanding. I believe this to be a large part of Satan's great deception to throw off the church.

For those who believe in the complete truth and authority of the Bible, it is worth seriously considering the possibility that the Earth is not a globe hurtling through space but a flat, motionless plane just as God created it and describes it perfectly in His word.

If you believe the Bible is 100 percent truth, then you should faithfully consider the Earth as a flat, motionless plane created by God.

thanks and God bless!

Reprinted from the Medium account of Probably Jonathan
available @ Medium.com
and on the Medium app
available for android or iOS
tl;dr
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There’s a Giant Flaw in Human History

That is silly. We can know what we know. We can know different ways of knowing. Which tells us that even though we don't fully know we know that there are many ways of knowing yet discovered. Saying I don't know actually means being open to all ways of knowing.

Thats one form of knowledge. I gave you the example of 'Colorblind Mary'. She gained knowledge of reality without the shared scientfific knowledge. Because sharing that knowledge could not relay the knowledge of experiencing the color red. By experiencing this she gained new knowledge that sharing science could never give her.

So thats another realm of knowledge of reality that material sciences cannot give us. There may be others through direct experiences of nature and reality that science cannot share no matter what amount of shared knowledge.
Did I mention "material science?" Colorblind Mary acquired "the knowledge of experiencing the color red." by seeing red for herself.
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Do you keep the Sabbath? (poll)

I never said that all reference to Circumcision in the NT means "only" Jew and Gentile. But most certainly many times Paul used those words, it meant Jew or Gentile. This is simply undeniable Biblical Fact.



That is the point I am making.



11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

This would be the circumcision Moses spoke of, Duet. 10: 16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin "of your heart", and be no more stiffnecked.

So this is essential for Salvation. There is NO Salvation without this "circumcision". It is very important.

But in 1 Cor. 7 19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

This is not talking about "Circumcision of the heart" which is everything. Rather, Paul is speaking about Jews and Gentiles, which are nothing as there is no Jew or Gentile in Christ.

Gal. 3: 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye be Christ's, (Circumcised of the heart) then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

I understand how important it is for this world's religions to promote the end of God's Laws, they use circumcision as a tool for this purpose. But God didn't create this statute so that people would reject His judgments and commandments. It is my hope that you might consider these things.
I of course advocate the spiritual values but as for literal circumcision it's not a value I see promoted in the NT despite your defence for the matter. There is simply too much presented in the NT that would seem to be deemphasising the literal practice that it would become a point of being too irresponsible or cyptic for the apostles to not address this with greater clarity.

Circumcision points to Christ, without Christ the litteral it has no value as it's substance is only found through Christ. Even to the point that while not having the physical we can still partake of the spiritual. For example law doesn't extend this practice to females yet they are still co-participants of the spiritual despite the missing physical component. So clearly the spiritual may work without the physical even taking place.

But I will admit it is a more consistent position than others who would see law cut up to value it only in part over the whole thing. I see law as all pointing to Christ but the old covenant practice of law is inferior to Christ himself, ane he is always the better way. For example in Mat 12:12 Christ shows goodness itself superior to Sabbath law practice showing us there are more noble mechinisms of law that still keep law and do not break it despite their outward appearance. The question I ask with Mat 12:12 is if this goodness Christ speaks off is a mechanism of keeping law then why not just always do good then you will always keep law? Is this not consistent with the greatest commandments Christ speaks of and the NT authors teach? Christ is the goodness that we should be seeking and then mirroring in our day to day practice of faith guided by the Holy Spirit, in this space there is no room for unlawful practice.
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