This is disgusting.

..• Saint Susanna Parish in Massachusetts is displaying a Nativity scene with
an empty manger and a sign that reads,
"ICE was here," along with contact
info for a group that monitors local immigration enforcement.

Stop using our religion for your activism.


Continued below.

ChubbyCherub said:

Um, I wouldn't like to think of myself as unlovable!! Wow!

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Judging from your posts, I don't think you are!

There's only one atom.

His name is Jimbo.

First of all, I think that any church that has the apostolic succession, as the laying of hands is the method by which one is ordained within the Church, is more true than the ones that don’t have it. And I think it’s pretty audacious, for any Christian, to separate himself from the Church that Christ founded with his own hands.

That being said, we’re left with three denominations within the Apostolic Church. Which one is the true one?

While no individual or congregation is perfect, I would say that fulfilling the words of Christ to give to Caesar that which is Caesar’s goes a long way. This also fulfills Romans 13.

And by Caesar I mean the actual hiers of Rome, not the usurpers.

So in that case you have to do the math, and some reading. Maybe follow the latest research at MSU, I dunno. You do you.

An obvious Sabbath reference, I was reminded of this as I, yet again, got the feeling that I can now die in peace, having experienced what I had to experience, and learned what I came here to learn, and what follows hereafter is just a bonus.

You ever get this feeling?

stevevw said:

Stop trying to put things in my head lol. I never said any of this and your are creating strawmen. Its not an either/or answer. We are trying to work it all out.

All we can do is gather data to get a better understanding. I am not saying the marks are from melting stone or any particular method. Only that the studies done show it was not from small dolerite pounders. Along with the analysis of the patterns in the mark showing a different and more uniform method.

As though the granite was scooped or dug out with a uniform method that was similar to the shape of the scoops. Along with other evidence showing the impracticality of using pounders in tight situations where its impossible.

Like I said this is not a one size fits all kind of determination. There may be a number of methods employed over 1,000s of years. Knowledge comes and goes and changes.

It may be that the scoops in stone come from a different method to thermal treatment. Look at the scoops in stone throughout the world. There are many that show no vitrification. Yet they show softened or weakened stone.

It may some way the structure of the granite was weakened and it was not melted but rather then material was changed at the molecular level. Such as with sonic cutting which weakens the crystals within the stone.

But the point is I am only guessing at the method. All we can do is look at the data which definitely shows the marks of a different method to dolerite pounders and nore like the stone has been scooped out as though the stone was compromised in some way.

If its basic highschool stuff then the ancient Egyptians knew about this. We should expect that many of their works will contain softened or melted limestone. Making it easier to work with. Including the building works containing limestone.

But then we also have examples of basalt and granite melted. What do you say about these.

No this is the point. Knowledge can come and go. The important thing is they were still living within the same immersion of direct conscious experiences of nature. Which enabled them to discover chemistry and physics. How nature worked and how it could change the physical world.

I want to know why you specifically choose this example and avoided the others. None of what you have said negates the facts and reality that we have examples of softened and melted stones around the world. Showing there was advanced knowledge in how to mess around with the material structures of rocks.

As usual you skip over the evidence and ignore most of it.

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I can excuse you for failing to understand none of your images are examples of stone softening or weakening which can be explained by other mechanisms such as erosion. Only laboratory testing can confirm any petrological changes to the crystal structure the details of which went way over your head.

What is inexcusable however are your attempts to BS about dolerite pounders not being contemporary with or not used in making the unfinished obelisks.
Not only have the pounders been relatively dated to the unfinished obelisk but have been found in very excavation trench of the obelisk.
There is absolutely no doubt the pounders were used on the unfinished obelisk as there is absolutely no evidence of stone softening or weakening.

Here are reliable, peer-reviewed or academically published references where Egyptian granite, limestone, and tool-marked surfaces were scientifically tested for thermal alteration, chemical weakening, or softening.
All show no evidence of melting, vitrification, or artificial weakening.


I’ve grouped them by granite, limestone, and tool‐marks / quarrying evidence.

---

1. Tests on Egyptian Granite​

1. Klemm, R. & Klemm, D.​

“Geological Survey of Ancient Egyptian Quarries.”
(Geological Society of America Special Paper 2008)

• Includes petrography, XRD, thin sections.
• Confirms Aswan granite is geologically intact with no thermal alteration.

2. Harrell, J.A.​

“Archaeological Geology of Ancient Egypt.” In Encyclopedia of Geology, 2nd Ed.

• Examines quarry samples with thin-section petrography.
• Finds no melting or artificial alteration in granite from Aswan, Giza, Saqqara.

3. Stocks, D.A.​

“Experiments in Egyptian Archaeology.” Routledge, 2003.

• SEM and thin-section analysis of granite surfaces.
• Shows percussion micro-fractures, no heat-softening.

4. Aston, B.G. et al.​

“Stone: Quarrying and Working of Stone in the Ancient Near East.”

• Includes mineralogical tests (petrography & chemistry) on Egyptian granites.
• Reports no vitrification or non-natural softening.

5. Nicholson, P.T. & Shaw, I. (eds.)​

“Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology.” Cambridge Univ. Press, 2000.

• Chapter on stone technology includes petrographic & SEM analysis.
• Confirms granite tool marks are mechanical, not thermal.

---

2. Tests on Egyptian Limestone​

6. Klemm, R. & Klemm, D.​

“Geology of the Pyramids.”

• Thin sections, SEM, and XRD of Tura limestone.
• Shows original calcite grains with zero thermal decomposition.

7. Harrell, J.A. & Storemyr, P.​

“Ancient Egyptian Quarries: An Illustrated Overview.” Geological Survey & University of Bergen (2009).

• Petrographic tests on limestone blocks.
• Confirms unaltered natural sedimentary microfabrics.

8. Bloxam, E.​

“The Organisation, Transportation and Logistics of Egyptian Quarrying.”

• XRD and SEM of quarry limestone.
• Reports no artificial weakening.

---

3. Tests on Tool-Marks, Saw Cuts, Pounding Cups, Drill Holes​

9. Stocks, D.A.​

“Stoneworking Technology in the Egyptian Old Kingdom.”
Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 1999.

• SEM examination of granite saw and drilling surfaces.
• Shows abrasive–mechanical wear, no melting.

10. Goyon, J.-C.​

“Le Tombeau d’Ouserkaf.” IFAO, Cairo.

• Petrography of tool-marked granite in Old Kingdom sites.
• No heat or chemical alteration.

11. Klemm & Klemm (multiple quarry reports)​

• SEM imaging of quarry faces at Aswan and Gebel Fatira.
• All surfaces show impact fractures, never thermal softening.

12. Harrell, J.A.​

“Ancient Egyptian Pavement Saw Marks: New SEM Results.”
Egyptian Archaeology (EA) Magazine.

• SEM analysis shows straight abrasive-striations, inconsistent with any softening hypothesis.

---

4. Materials Science / Mineralogical Papers​

13. El Aref, M. & Afify, R.R.​

“SEM and XRD Characterization of Egyptian Granitic Artefacts.”
Journal of African Earth Sciences (peer-reviewed).

• No amorphous phases, no melted quartz, no lattice damage.

14. Ali, M.M. et al.​

“Raman Spectroscopy of Ancient Egyptian Stone Artefacts.”
Vibrational Spectroscopy.

• All quartz and calcite signals consistent with unheated crystalline minerals.

15. El-Badry, O. et al.​

“Petrography and Geochemistry of Granite Monuments from Egypt.”
Journal of Archaeological Science.

• Microtextures and chemistry unchanged by any high-energy process.

---

✔️ Summary: What these references prove​

Across granite, limestone, statues, quarry marks, and obelisks:

• No vitrification
• No glassy phases
• No amorphous mineral content
• No collapsed lattice structures
• No thermal gradients
• No chemical residues
• Normal hardness values
• Natural fracture mechanics
• Intact mineralogy identical to raw quarry rock

All peer-reviewed geological evidence refutes the claim that ancient Egyptian stone was melted, softened, or weakened artificially.

---

THE TERMINATION EVENT: Something big may be about to happen on the sun. "We call it the Termination Event," says Scott McIntosh, a solar physicist at the National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), "and it's very, very close to happening."

If you've never heard of the Termination Event, you're not alone. Many researchers have never heard of it either. It's a relatively new idea in solar physics promoted by McIntosh and colleague Bob Leamon of the University of Maryland - Baltimore County. According to the two scientists, vast bands of magnetism are drifting across the surface of the sun. When oppositely-charged bands collide at the equator, they annihilate (or "terminate"). There may be no explosion; this is magnetic discharge, but a huge hole in the suns surface makes it liable for a Coronal Nass Ejection.

"If this situation happens soon, as we expect, Solar Cycle 25 could have a magnitude that rivals any solar cycle since record-keeping began," says McIntosh. [Joel 2:2b] More information at; www.spaceweather.com

It will be a Coronal Mass Ejection, an earth directed explosion on the sun’s surface, that the Lord will send on His terrible and world changing Day of vengeance and wrath. Over 100 Bible prophesies describe the effects of this devastation and wide spread deaths.

It will be the Sixth Seal, Revelation 6:12-17, which will commence all the end time prophesied events, leading up to the glorious Return of Jesus as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, to reign on earth for the next thousand years.

Paidiske said:

Sigh. How is it the second Sunday of Advent already?

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It is one of those years. Some Advents are faster than others.

Isn't it hypocritical how people claim the State is neutral when it come s to religion and ideological beliefs. They arrest one person based on their belief while supporting another belief that this whole ideaology is good for children.

We are living in a time where the truth is turned into a lie and a lie into the truth. Where sin is celebrated. What usually happens when a world gets to that point.

Well for one God and Christians are mocked and persecuted. But God also does not allow for such evil to continue for too long when it gets to this point.

While some are persecuted others will rise up as bold Christians and they will be without fault that the world cannot deny the truth. God will also bring consequences for the evil being done to the innocents.

Remember Christs words that if anyone leads those children away who are for Him they may as well throw themselves in the ocean.

peaceful-forest said:

Would you be friends with a non-believer that has a lying problem?


I have a personal experience related to this that I think about on and off. On a different website, I wanted Christian friends; there were certain Christian individuals that I wanted to be friends with (that didn't happen). These certain people were friends with this one non-Christian person who clearly had a lying problem.

I didn't understand then and I still don't understand how these Christian individuals can be friends with this particular person. How do you trust the other person if they lie so much? How is friendship possible?

I would like to hear your thoughts, explanations, experiences, etc.

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The the person is truely lying to a point where it makes it hard to trust them. Then these other Christian friends will not be true friends in the sense that you may be thinking. As in a close relationship where you can depend on a friend and who may as a Christian even save you.

I think there are levels of friendship. I mean as a Christian I have relatives who are not Christian. But I still love them as famility in that sense. But I would not trust one in particular lol.

You can also have accquainences who are sort of like friends. Sometimes in that moment they are like good friends but you may not have an ongoing relation. You can sort of get to know people and determine if they are trustworthy. Though that can be assumed as well.

Sometimes I think being a friend when the other person cannot be a friend on that same level is being a friend. I mean you will know that you may not be getting the same back in return and there is a line that has to be drawn sometimes. But you can still sort of be a friend and not give fully of yourself at the same time.

In some ways its that destinction where your still offering to be a friend and be there if they really need help. Rather than allowing the person to get away with the lies that can make the difference. When the person really needs someone to talk to when ready they may see that you cared all along and were really showing love.

Benaiah468 said:

Ireland's new president, Catherine Cnnolly, has been considered one of the loudest voices against Israel for years. But with her entry into the country's highest office, this political line takes on a new quality and a new responsibility. Her stance towards the terrorist organisation Hamas, her rhetoric about Israel and her long-standing political alliances suggest that Europe is facing a serious shift in its Middle East policy. For Israel, this means that Dublin will become a political outpost for those circles that not only criticise the Jewish state, but also seek to delegitimise it.

During her election campaign, Connolly publicly stated that Hamas was ‘part of the Palestinian people’ and ‘legitimately elected.’ She initially refused to clearly condemn the massacres of Oct 7 2023, a day on which hundreds of Israelis were murdered, tortured or kidnapped. Only after widespread criticism did she backtrack, later describing the act as ‘absolutely unacceptable.’ But her assessment remained contradictory. In the same breath, she called Israel a ‘terrorist state,’ thereby placing perpetrators and victims on the same level.

This choice of words is not just a political stance, but has real influence: as head of state, Connolly shapes the international perception of Ireland. Her statements are heard in a Europe that has seen a dramatic increase in anti-Semitic incidents since Oct 7 and where anti-Jewish narratives are increasingly fuelling violence.

For Israel, Connolly's election sends a warning signal: political voices that downplay Hamas or demonise Israel are gaining institutional weight. This also affects Jewish communities in Europe, which are coming under increasing pressure. The rhetoric of political leaders shapes social attitudes. When leaders adopt the narrative of the perpetrators, the threshold for aggression against the victims is lowered.

European history shows that enemy stereotypes rarely remain harmless. Over the centuries, Jews were expelled from dozens of countries: England, France, Spain, Portugal, Russia, the Arab world. Almost everywhere, political agitation was followed by social violence. Today, European Jews are once again witnessing demonstrations outside synagogues and hatred of Israel turning into open anti-Semitism.

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Dublin itself is now a hot bed of Islam and extremism. I was listening today an interview with a man from the area. The western side of Ireland has been nearly taken over by Islamists. Ireland is becoming unrecognizable in many places as the Irish culture is being supplanted. Its no wonder why someone like her was voted in.

don't call them churches, churches are supposed to be a blessing.

I wonder how all these stories of systemic corruption and fraud within these immigration or lack of immigration programs. It seems they are proving Trump right that there is widespread corruption within the whole immigration sector and over the past few years under the Dems they have ripped off the US for billions.

Not to mention that this type of corruption usually comes with all sorts of other crimes and compromises of the law. I think we will find this is very deep and wide and a blight on the whole ideology of the Dems immigration policies and philosophy.

Most Americans are waking up to their own leaders allowing such a situation where billions of their own tax payer money was being siphoned off to corrupt people who were allowed in and to stay despite all the red flags.

Surely now people will be beginning to understand the gravity of this and how there is a need to stop this corruption and completely restructure the system. Sort out the US and its own peoples welfare before trying to save the world and bring all their problems.

This is crazy and I reckon we will see more of this happening in all nations that opened their arms without vetting millions of people who we now know many have brought their problems into what use to be free and safe nations.

Now when the radicals want to attac k ICE agents who are getting these corrupt people who have no right to be here out. They will think twice that the person they are wanting to free has actually ripped their own children off. How can they know. This crazy idea of defying authority based on some misguided ideology is crazy.

In fact the radical ideology belongs in the same basket as the leaders who allowed this and the cause of this whole mess. They are just adding more fuel to the chaos.

Dave... said:

See if you can get a group to do it together. Maybe a church group. Sometimes public busses have a rack on the front to place a bike. Something to maybe look into.

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Nobody skates in our church. There are many cyclists but I'm not into cycling anymore. All they do is eat. That's one reason I prefer riding solo. It takes them the whole day to cover the same distance I'm doing because they make lots of stops to eat. Some members, instead of losing weight, they gain weight and I have to maintain a certain weight.

We have a skating group but I only meet them on sundays. Some of the members I know personally also meet on Friday and Saturday evenings but I don't go out at night.

Tuur said:

Consider the following:

Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is water.
Of that, approximately 2.5% is fresh.
Of fresh water, very little is carbonated to the point where it releases CO2 when shaken.

Therefore, in terms of carbonated water, the Earth is most definitely flat.

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Lake Baikal is flat & frozen flat many months of the years (80kmX600km)
If you sat on the edge of the lake with a 100km range powerful tripod telescope approx 1 meter above the ice, how far away on the flat ice would I have to be before you could no longer see me ?

When Jesus spoke these words, his sheep (his followers) were primarily the Jews who had believed in him to be their Lord and Savior. So, the “other sheep” he was speaking of were the Gentiles who were soon to be included in the family of God, by faith in Jesus Christ, because of Jesus’ sacrifice on that cross for the sins of the world. And Jew and Gentile, by faith in Jesus Christ, were to become one people of God, no longer divided by Jew and Gentile, but now all one family, with Jesus Christ as their only shepherd.

For Jesus Christ made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall that stood between them, and he made the two (Jew and Gentile) into “one new man,” that he might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross. For through Christ we both (Jew and Gentile) have access in one Spirit to the Father so that non-Jews who believe in Jesus Christ are now fellow citizens with the Jewish saints of God who have trusted in Jesus Christ to be their Lord, both of whom are now of God’s household.

For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all who are physical descendants of Abraham are the children of Abraham. For it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but it is the children of the promise who are counted as offspring. So, if you belong to God, by biblical faith in Jesus Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise, because Jesus Christ is the seed of Abraham, and God’s promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed (Galatians 3:16).

So, there is no more division between Jew and Gentile. We are all one people, one holy nation, by genuine faith in Jesus Christ. And all who deny that Jesus is the Christ are not of God, but they are antichrist, denying both the Father and the Son (Jesus Christ). So physical Jerusalem is no longer God’s holy city because she is of Hagar, the slave woman, and not of Sarah, the free woman. But spiritual Jerusalem, which is not a physical place, is the family of God by faith in Jesus Christ. We are God’s holy city, his people.

[Genesis 17:7-9; Genesis 18:19; Matthew 5:13-16; John 8:18-19,38-47; Romans 2:28-29; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 9:4-8,25-28; Romans 11:1-36; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 3:16,26-29; Galatians 4:22-31; Ephesians 2:11-22; Ephesians 3:1-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-16; Hebrews 8:6-13; 1 Peter 2:9-10,24; 1 John 2:22; Jude 1:5; Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9]

But we are not included in God’s family merely by verbal professions of faith in Jesus Christ. So here is what it means to be of faith in Jesus Christ:

Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

For by God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ, which is not of our own doing, we are crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as slaves to righteousness in walks of obedience to God’s commands. We are no longer to permit sin to reign in our mortal bodies to make us obey its desires. For if sin is what we obey, it results in death. But if obedience to God is what we obey, it results in sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God (see Romans 6:1-23).

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

Seek the Lord

Based off Isaiah 55
An Original Work / July 20, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Musical Instrumentation by Mark Bradley

“Come to Me all you who thirst; come to waters.
Listen to Me, and eat what’s good today,
And your soul will delight in richest of fare.
Give ear to Me, and you will live.
I have made an eternal covenant with you.
Wash in the blood of the Lamb.”

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him.
Let the wicked forsake his way, in truth.
Let him turn to the Lord, and he will receive mercy.
Freely, God pardons him.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,”
declares the Lord, our God.

“My word that goes out of My mouth is truthful.
It will not return to Me unfulfilled.
My word will accomplish all that I desire,
And achieve the goal I intend.
You will go in joy and be led forth in peace.
The mountains will burst into song… before you,
And all of the trees clap their hands.”

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One Flock with One Shepherd
An Original Work / December 7, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Good! I hope they become more common! My parish and several parishes in my city and diocese have them!

Maybe not the day, but at least the year.

Tobacco and marijuana users have less parasites:

Jesus was not concerned about having the child know who He was, but that the child understand they could completely trust in the Father as we are to do.

I think it has to do with double standards, so that, if you judge in a certain way, you can expect to be judged accordingly.

I believe the command to care for the ‘poor and orphaned’ was given to the ordained powers. Sure, I can give my last cents to the poor, but I will still belong to the poor.

As for the non ordained powers, I don’t think the command applies to them. They are the wicked shepherd and are unable to be reasoned with.

Chocolate sprinkles