RDKirk said:

But, you know, that's never been the general circumstance in the US.

Parents in the US, in general, have never been able to help their children or provide a "positive and productive environment" for learning. That's a fairy tale, gaslighting that the education industry has spun for decades...it's never been the general case in the US. Parents have been poor, parents have had to work, parents have always been strung out in the US. The best they did was to send their children to school and insist that their kids do what their teachers told them.

It is true that since about the 80s there has been a disconnect between parents and the education system. For sure, to "insist that their kids do what their teachers told them" has been a ball that parents have dropped.

As a black man who made the transition in the 60s from segregated Southern schools with deeply caring black faculties to integrated schools with sometimes uncaring (sometimes malicious) white faculties, I can see that as a factor. But the phenomenon wasn't happening only as a result of integration. Something larger was happening across the board so that today there is very little trust between parents and teachers regardless of race.

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My memory as I was growing up in the sixties and seventies is one we’re my parents and the parents of my friends were quite involved in our educations but I grew up middle class so not indicative of how it was for the poor. As a parent I spent time with my kids helping them with their homework and reading to them every night. This in turn showed my kids the importance to be part of their kids education and they are involved just as we were. Consequently I started reading at around 4 years old, my kids started reading at about the same age, and so have my grandchildren.

My neighbor, whom I’ve known for about 20 years, taught 6th grade math in public school for 30 years. His school was in a mixed income area ranging from poor to high middle class. His major complain was that those of lower income would not prioritize their children’s education and complain the loudest that the teachers were not doing their jobs. Also their behavior would be much worse because of the lack of attention. It’s sad really.

These are just my observations and are in no way representative. I did find an interesting reading how children’s reading literacy has changed in the last 50 years and there has been advances but no where near enough. In my opinion, if the schools would spend time educating the parents on the importance of being part of their children’s education the outcomes might be better.

RDKirk said:

No, we don't always know what what is contrary to the laws of the United States, and certainly not the Constitution.

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Ignorance of the law is not an excuse in our courts. I agree that it is different with the Constitution and said that.

RDKirk said:

That's why these situations end up in court. And especially when they go to the Supreme Court.

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Most cases that end up in court are people that knowingly broke a the law. SCOTUS is a bit different. A lot of that is people testing the Constitutionality of laws.

RDKirk said:

The president and his lawyers make their own decision of what is legal and Constitutional (or how to make it sound so in the necessary legalese) and give orders to the military. The Constitution gives the president that power, contradictable only by the Courts.

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Sadly, Congress has given the President more authority than the Constitution gave him. The Constitution gives the President more authority in "emergencies" and Trump is testing just how far SCOTUS will let him go.

Sadly, we are having many career officers deciding to retire instead of obeying, what they believe, are illegal orders.

RDKirk said:

If Congress has passed explicit legislation on military matters, the Supreme Court will rule whether the president has stayed within the boundaries of an explicit law, but the Supreme Court largely stays out disputes with the Executive Branch on the basic Constitutionality of military actions. Not just with Trump...the Supreme Court has always been skittish about making rulings on the Constitutionality of Executive Branch military actions. They've even said as much in the past, essentially: "That area is not in our wheelhouse."

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Agreed

RDKirk said:

The White House has construed a legal justification for those attacks.

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Yes, but there are no laws which allow the killing of individuals without trying to ascertain intentions.

Even in wartime Iraq, troops tried to stop speeding vehicles, that could be suicide bombers, because they may be civilians. These speed boats, may or may not be drug runners, but blowing them up without attempting to stop them by other, is illegal. If not, please give me a law which allows it.

After WWII, war crime trials executed guards and soldiers which were following orders.

RDKirk said:

Congress, as a body, has not objected to Trump's justifications.

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Sadly.

RDKirk said:

Nothing in our laws prohibits it, given the presidential justifications. As I just said, Congress has not objected and the Supreme Court will either back away from a decision (which they normally do) or agree with Trump's lawyers.

That's how we invaded Panama.

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Sadly

Brother Del said:

I think it would be very helpful if we defined our terms before beginning these threads and entering into debate.
By Israel, is one speaking of the tiny nation in the middle east?
The blood descendants of Jacob?
The Israel of God?
By Jew, do we mean those who are from the tribe of Judah?
Those who practice the Jewish faith?
And which one, Talmudic, Orthodox?
Can someone be a Jew who is also an atheist, how so?
If someone is an ethnic Jew, are they Sephardic, Ethiopian, Khazharian?
Are Khazarians even ethnically Jews?

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Were the ten northern tribes Jewish? In what way.
Are they really lost?
Are all Israel Jews.

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The ten northern tribes were not lost in the exile, for they are found in the rest of the Bible:

1) prophecies relating to the return from exile:
Jer 3:18, 31:27, 31 (where "Israel" is the northern kingdom of the ten tribes)
Eze 37:15-22 (where Ephraim is the northern kingdom of ten tribes, Isa 7:17);

2) return from exile (Exra 6:17);

3) NT (Ac 2:5, 26:7, Jas 1:1).

Maria Billingsley said:

The question is ..... what would Jesus Christ of Nazareth do?

Here is helpful hint:

"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."

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Undoubtedly, Jesus would show compassion toward everyone. He would invite them by saying, "Come to me; I will give you eternal life." Likewise, Jesus would expect his followers to emulate this approach and extend compassion to others.

However, the question I will ask you; if someone from the LGBTQ community accepts the "living water" that Jesus offers through his mercy, will they return to their previous lifestyle? If so, can we truly say they are Christians or have received Jesus's mercy? As someone who is a sinner saved by grace, I wonder—if I revert to my old ways, am I genuinely a follower of Christ?

This question is often raised among Christians: "What would Jesus do?" The consensus is that Jesus would respond, "Come to me; I offer eternal life."

But you know what comes next ? Jesus would say “ Go and sin no more”.

2 of 3 men who disrupted Muslim prayer at USF identified, police file hate crime charges​

Police said they filed hate crime charges against Christopher Svochak, 40, of Waco, Texas, and Richard Penskoski, 49, of Canyon, Oklahoma. Both have known local addresses in the Tampa Bay area, but no affiliation with USF, according to officials.

Police filed charges against Svochak and Penskosk under Florida State Statute 871.071 for disturbing schools and religious assemblies — which will be upgraded to a felony hate crime. They also filed charges for disorderly conduct and disrupting a school or lawful assembly.

The two men, and the unidentified third suspect, are associated with “the official street preachers.” In a statement, they said they were exercising their constitutional right to preach and speak against Islam.

Cell phone video captured the moment the three men confronted the group of students. The Muslim Students Association at USF said the men shouted slurs at them, waved bacon, and mocked their sacred rituals.

In one clip, a man could be heard saying, “You guys don’t have any bombs on you do you.” Another clip showed one of the men saying, “Spit on Muhammed’s name, he is a scum bag, just like all you Muslim terrorist.” It all lasted about 13 minutes.

ChubbyCherub said:

Scary times

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Yes but one step closer to being reconciled to God. He will forever destroy sin/sinners and make everything back to His original plan.

Spiritual Jew said:

You are trying to say that works are necessary for salvation and that contradicts many scriptures.

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No, that is not what @Guojing was saying. He was saying that works "validate" the faith of a Christian's salvation in Christ. Salvation is by God's Love, Grace and Mercy, and not something we earn by our works.

It is by faith we are saved and not of works.

Ephesians2:
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

d taylor said:

-

​

Well if a person is going into this with the mindset of street preaching then they will encounter problems. Because who wants to be preached at!

But if a believer goes out into the world and asking people if they would like God's free gift of Eternal Life. They may find many open ears. So the key then is when an open ear is found, the person must correctly tell people how to receive God's free gift of Eternal Life. Which is only received by belief in Jesus for Eternal Life

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Yes this is true, its about something that rings true or sparks their interest. The early church called the Gentiles God fearers as they did not necessarily believe in God but were open and interested enough to see there was something different and attractive to this new gospel that was spreading.

The church was speaking about salvation, finding peace like no other, true life. A new Kingdom of peace. This is what got their attention. But it was also because they seen it actually happening among the Christian community. Helping the poor and widows when everyone else didn't.

For all those Christ died His death exclusively for them acquired:

Deliverance

from the hand of our enemies, Luke 1:71-74

71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,

This has to do with Spiritual enemies, what the carnal jews didn't understand. Jesus is a Horn of Salvation Vs 69

69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

By His Death He becomes the Captain of our Salvation ! This also fulfills the promise of Matt 1:21

21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. 9

ThatRobGuy said:

Here's my honest take...

The racists they're referring to were always part of the coalition. (even back in 2016)

They're just much more vocal and visible now.


The reason why this wasn't as visible from 2016-2023? Internet/Social Media censorship.

I tried making this argument back a few years ago... the argument of "sunlight is the best disinfectant". And that "you're actually helping Trump by hiding his most radical supporters from public view"


And that's really the ironic part, it was the "We need to ban any and all offensive speech and microaggressions" crowd (that hates Trump the most) that delayed people coming to realization, on the basis of "needing to protect peoples' feelings online"

I think we can mostly agree that the catalyst behind this "awakening" moment some in the conservative movement are having, is largely due to Nick Fuentes content not being censored anymore and a lot of people on the conservative half are learning about him (and his views) for for the first time.

Had some of the BlueSky-type crybabies not demanded content censorship on the major platforms back in 2016-2020, this "realization" that's leading to a "MAGA fracturing" could've happened 3-4 years ago when it actually mattered -- BEFORE he got elected again instead of afterwards.

People having that realization now changes nothing. With or without a "unified MAGA", Trump is your president until Jan. 2029.

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I disagree. Though content moderation could be heavy-handed in the 2010's, the Overton window has moved alot since the major social media platforms capitulated in favor of techno-libertarian feudalism.

Israeli settlers are filmed slashing the tires of vehicles and hurling stones through shop windows in the Christian Palestinian town of Taybeh in the central West Bank late Wednesday night.

Previous attacks on Taybeh have caught the attention of US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, himself an ordained pastor, who visited in July and called for those targeting the town to be prosecuted. No indictments were filed, as they rarely are against those taking part in the near-daily settler attacks in the West Bank.

The latest attack in Taybeh was caught on security camera, while a separate incident involving the theft of construction equipment in the nearby village of Turmus Ayya was reported by the Palestinian Authority’s official Wafa news site.

Continued below.

Reminds me of when I was 7 years old and got lost walking to school the first time it snowed.

SoCal residents receive anonymous threatening Christmas cards: ‘You are warned’​

Reed said he thought it might have been an isolated prank — his next-door neighbors didn’t receive any such messages — until his sister showed him a neighborhood Facebook page.

Reed, it turned out, was just one of what he said were about a dozen neighbors who received threatening Christmas cards and notes on their doorstep. The messages on the notes ranged from, “Merry Christmas and [expletive] you Nazi,” to the ominous message, “8:46 December 3, you are warned.”

One neighbor shared a video on the Yucaipa neighborhood Facebook page of footage from his Ring camera. In the clip, two masked men can be seen running onto his doorstep to place the note.

In the Facebook group, some residents alleged that the use of “Nazi” could have been associated with the area’s Republican reputation, though notes were left in front of houses without politically affiliated flags or signage, like Reed’s.

tampasteve said:

Done, you are now "das grosse schwein"

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Thank You for changing my name.

Of course we should consider a persons good deeds.

The problem with Trump is he also demonstrates an appalling lack of good character that cant be papered over.

History is full of examples of truly awful people who put on a nice side either for the sake of their public image, or to quiet their own conscience. Not saying Trump is exactly on that bottom tier. Just that a list of when a person was nice is insufficient for understanding their character.

ChubbyCherub said:

Thank you very much for your help!

I am new to church and not really acquainted with how to approach elders or seeking help, in general, but I will keep this in mind when I attend and maybe pray for the courage to seek help via the elders when God views this as the best approach.

I really don't know how to go about doing anything without seeking God first i.e. I have never asked humanity for assistance so it will be a leap for me to learn how to do so but I am willing if it is Gods will/instruction.

Thank you!

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The problem you may face here, is that of not being "a member", thus not being a sheep belonging to the flock.
Don't be discouraged by that. Anyone can become a sheep belonging to Jesus flock.

Jesus said, "I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd." John 10:16

Becoming a sheep in the flock under the shepherd Jesus Christ, begins with knowledge and understanding of what God requires, and listening to his voice by obeying. Jeremiah 7:21-28; Joshua 1:16-18

So, it would mean you need to do more than just "go to church".
You need to get to know the true knowledge, and then live by it. John 17:3; 1 Timothy 3:16

Some churched do not care about this. People just "go to church" and they aren't even known. So, nothing is known about their past or present, and so, they come and go, week after week, and that's it.
Some churches, mass baptize persons, and the same is true. The person isn't known, and neither does the person know what is even required to be a Christian. They just think they are.
That is the sad reality of Christianity of the world today.

The advice I would offer, if you really would like help... and it looks like you do... is

• Step 1. Talk with God
  Pray to God specifically for help to find his sheep, where you can get the needed help and support to grow spiritually. God's will provide that help, because it is his will for all. 1 Timothy 2:3, 4 Pray regularly about this. Acts 10:1-4
  
  
• Step 2. Incline your ear to listen to God
  Make a sincere effort to listen to God, who communicates to us through his word. Proverbs 28:9; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; John17:17; Hebrews 4:12
  
  Taking these steps will lead to God answering your prayer, and responding to your sincere plea for help, and he will send you the help you need. His help comes through his representatives on earth..
  Acts 10:4; Acts 8:26-40; Acts 16:9, 10; Daniel 9:20-23; 2 Corinthians 5:20
• Step 3. Act in harmony with your prayers
  When God sends you the help, respond to it by, listening to and receiving the message, and studying the Bible to be sure of the things you are hearing. Acts 17:11
  
  Keep examining the scriptures daily, with prayer, and meditation, and association.

Once you have found the people of God, and become part of the flock, you will be well taken care of spiritually. They will provide you with the help mentioned a James 5:13-16.
Even if you aren't yet a part of the flock, you will be known, and you will know others.
More importantly, you will know precisely all you need to know about sin, and being saved, and anything else you need to know.

If everything I said here seems a bit "overboard", just keep studying the scriptures, as you have been doing... and praying... and try to overcome drinking too much. Luke 21:34-36

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

Most of us grew up learning about the crucifixion of Jesus with artwork. All would depict the nails through Jesus’ hands and one nail through his feet. Paintings, sculptures, and movies would show one foot placed on top of the other, on top of a wooden wedge.

Does This Really Matter?​

These images of Jesus’ crucifixion became tradition. However, for those with faith, these traditions were not the important realizations about Jesus sacrificing his life. What mattered was for us to know that Jesus suffered for our sins so we may have eternal life. His sacrifice shows that God knows about our suffering here on earth. Yet there are some who blame God for our suffering, failing to recognize that we are given free will. We have the choice to heal or to make war and crucify the Son of God.

So certain details, such as where exactly the Romans placed the nails, really do not matter for our lives here on this earth. Nevertheless, skeptics try to use enigmas such as this to claim—for example—that the Shroud of Turinis fake while ignoring the complete picture. Therefore, let us review and evaluate to have a better understanding and a probable conclusion to these questions.

When Did the Nail Controversies Start?​

Continued below.

essentialsaltes said:

‘She’s Trying to Take Down Trump’: Laura Loomer Slams ‘Despicable Traitor’ MTG for Joining Epstein Files Push​

Far-right provocateur Laura Loomer is going scorched earth on Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), accusing the congresswoman of betraying Donald Trump by joining a bipartisan push to unseal the long-buried files of Jeffrey Epstein

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Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says she will resign from Congress in January​

"Standing up for American women who were raped at 14, trafficked and used by rich powerful men, should not result in me being called a traitor and threatened by the President of the United States, whom I fought for," she said.

Greene, who has served in the House since 2021, came under attack from Trump last week, when the president announced that he was removing his endorsement of Greene's reelection campaign after she broke party rank and signed onto a discharge petition forcing a vote to order the Department of Justice to release its full Epstein files -- another issue that Greene has come to champion from the campaign trail to Capitol Hill in recent years.

A Devil's Advocate said:

Why are we to focus our efforts, any at all really, on confronting our sinful passions?

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Because Christ our True God literally exerted us to do so.

Note I am not advocating for Pelagianism or sinless perfectionism.

Earlier this week, President Donald Trump signed into law the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to publicly release the so-called Epstein Files, a cache of documents related to late financier Jeffrey Epstein, who is believed to have run a child sex trafficking ring.

While Trump, who is named in some of the files, has referred to the scandalsurrounding the documents as a “Democrat hoax” and previously rejected the idea of releasing them, he has relented to political pressure, including some from members of his own political party.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a devout Southern Baptist, has expressed disappointment that the Senate did not amend the bill to include greater restrictions on what would be released to the public.

Continued below.

Christian hip-hop artist Derek Minor has weighed in on the concern that Christian artist Forrest Frank has about the top Christian album on iTunes being from an AI artist. Frank said it didn’t “sit right” with him and pointed out that AI does not have the Holy Spirit. In his response, Minor pushed back, noting that many Christian songs are written by non-believers or have contributors who are not Christians.

“Here’s the problem with that perspective,” said Minor, referring to Frank’s point that AI does not have the Holy Spirit. “There’s a lot of Christian songs that people love today that had people that weren’t Christians write the songs, that helped with the songs.”

Or it could have been that people who were not Christians “played guitar on the songs, or bass or drums.” Minor also brought up splice loops used in hip-hop. “What if an atheist made that splice loop that you took and put drums on and and, you know, made your Christian song to?” he asked.

Continued below.

First thing first. I considered ignoring the post, but as a young zygote I didn't want to come into this world with my honor impugned by a personal attack left undefended.

gzt said:

Well, it's very "Tristram Shandy" so far, so your consultants are at least cribbing from a tried-and-true model.

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In the spirit of Proverbs 25:21-22 and Romans 12:20, I will thank my friend gzt for the literature lesson, and not even mention what a cheap shot it was to accuse me while knowing that I might not ever be able to defend myself, or at least not for three months.

I'd heard the name Tristam Shandy earlier in life, but have never read it, and had no idea of its content. I briefly skimmed the first thirteen chapters and found no mention of the character speaking from the womb, although AI tells me that he briefly does somewhere.

So, I didn't crib from that book. But even if I had, even if I had...are you aware that the novel Fight Club has so many cribs in it that it could fill a maternity ward? Direct lifts of exact scenes from G. K. Chesterton's ManAlive! and Dostoevsky's The Idiot, from Sartre, and many others. Almost the entire book and film are a patchwork of other people's ideas.

Do you know that the famous music from the film Jaws was cribbed from Dvorak? Do you know that Apocalypse Now is Heart of Darkness? That West Side Story is Romeo and Juliet? That Simba in The Lion King is Hamlet? That the Broadway play Hamilton is cribbed from Hamilton? Do you know Mighty Joe Young's real name is King Kong? Do you know...anything?

To be continued...

The Diocese of Kontagora in Nigeria has described as “painful and disturbing” the Friday, Nov. 21, kidnapping of children and staff at St. Mary’s Catholic Nursery, Primary, and Secondary Schools.

In a statement shared with ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, the diocesan secretary of the Nigerian episcopal see appealed for intensified national action against insecurity.

Father Jatau Luka Joseph said armed attackers invaded St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Niger state, in the early hours of Nov. 21, abducting “some pupils, students, teachers, and a security personnel who was badly shot.”

“The incident occurred between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m., causing fear and distress within the school community,” he said.

“The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora strongly condemns the attack and expresses deep concern for the safety of the kidnapped children and their families,” Luka Joseph said.

Continued below.