stevevw said:

I am talking more about the powers that govern and set the agenda and order for society based on their ideology. Progressive/Socialism as opposed to Conservative/Christian.

Despite the numbers it is the party which gets in that dictates the social order. T

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Political ideologies or parties don't set the "agenda for society" or "social order", no one really does. It evolves naturally. It is a free society (yours and mine.)

stevevw said:

he US is suppose to be a strong Christian nation. Yet they are coming out of a period that ushered in ant Christian social policies.

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The US is very much not supposed to be a "strong Christian nation". It isn't a Christian nation and never has been. The US is a secular nation and religion is not in charge of the government.

stevevw said:

So Christians cannot do anything of they are not supported by a government that is open to their beliefs.

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The US government doesn't regulate beliefs.

stevevw said:

Otherwise they like the pagan Romans will be subject to whatever ideology the holder of power determines.

I think primarily for all western nations we are seeing a divide and conflict between Left and Right. Conservatives and by extention Christians verses Progressives, liberals and socialists. A strange mix.

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How is that strange? Most countries have oscillated between "left and right" since those positions became coherent. Many countries do that without even being democratic.

stevevw said:

The divide will increase and it will be Christians and of course Jews as always who it will come down to as the enermy of the State power and the worldly ideology it will push.

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This has no resemblance to reality. It is (certain) Christians that aim and profess to use state power on their enemies (or at least all of us apostates, blaspheremers, non-believers, etc.).

Sometimes it seems like everyone is just trying to manipulate you or sell you something.

You wrote "murders", plural. There are no murders in the linked MSN article and you mention, with no reference by which to confirm its authenticity a case which you only imply resulted in the woman's death. So I'm left puzzled as to what you mean by "these" and quite unconvinced (since you have provided no evidence) that there is a trend.

As to why a defendant, or a defendant's lawyer would mention drinking, this can in some jurisdictions and for some crimes be considered a mitigating factor.

Typical things - turkey, stuffing, corn, mash potatoes, etc.

We have added fruit to the menu the last some years.


And the chocolate chip cookies were delicious! I didn't get a chance to eat the buckeyes because I was full by then.

Did everyone have a good holiday?

Mine was okay.

I got to go shopping this weekend. I needed it.

There's an account on Gab that I like to view. I wonder if he has other social media accounts? Because I'd like to ditch Gab all together. Since the owner stopped allowing people to use VPNs on his site back in April (but Pro Membership people can use VPNs), the place has taken a major nose dive. I don't even enjoy looking at groups and accounts that I did enjoy at one point!

Perpetual Student said:

Did you have a certain family in mind?

View attachment 373815

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My daughter is related to that family.

The Nigerian government is scrambling to respond following a wave of abductions and attacks, including one in which more than 300 schoolchildren were seized. This, along with the announcement that a priest who was kidnapped along with his wife was confirmed dead, has led President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a national emergency.

In a statement issued this week, Tinubu ordered the recruitment of 20,000 new police officers, in addition to the 30,000 previously approved, and called for their rapid deployment to areas plagued by armed violence, the U.K.-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide reported.

He also approved the recruitment of forest guards under the Department of State Services and said state-run security outfits would receive federal support.

The president instructed police personnel to be withdrawn from VIP duties and reassigned to operational roles. He also called for a ban on open cattle grazing and said herders must surrender illegal arms.

Places of worship were urged to seek security protection, and state governments were advised against placing boarding schools in remote, unsecured areas.

Continued below.

Anyone who thinks it was easy to recognise Jesus' innocence and put trust in Him from that position, should read up on the details of the process of crucifixion.

stevevw said:

I think it depends what the issue is. I assume you are talking about social and ethical issues mostly. Though just about everything can have a social and moral component.

I think the first thing is to recognise the overall culture in which this is happening. It is a different world to the one 50 or 75 years ago. Overall we are a postmodern society. That means the fundemental belief is all things are relative or at least there is an increased inclination to question everything. Oppose stuff for the sake of doing so because its what we do.

So already its a mindfield of decades of post Enlightened rationalisations and people are very good at posing alternatives and articulating arguements. Rightly so as within some contextes they are sound and rational and needed.

Taking this into consideration the first thing to note is that playing the same game by the same rules is not going to work. You more or less become another voice in a pot of voices all proclaiming a subjective truth. So you have to know when its a subjective matter or a factual matter or a bit of both and when to adapt or cease to engage.

I think apologetics is important. But basically I think its a spiritual battle. Most will not even believe such a thing so you cannot get into a rational debate. But we can say that what is being objected to or claimed within the social and moral or political realm is subjective. It is a belief no different to religious belief.

I mean for Christians there are certain core truths and we should be united in mind and spirit. So no need to arguements or decending into politics. Otherwise its not good fruit. Some arguements on the bible are not worth it if they cause division. Just leave it that people believe different and let God show the way.

But in the end all you can do is profess your belief, give testimony of the gospel and leave it at that. People underestimate testimony and we don't have to apologise for it. We use testimonial experience all the time and people believe people.

In saying that I think its by living the gospel or the teachings that will show others that this is not just about words or rationalisations. But a experiential belief that becomes reality. It has a real effect and presense in the world. Thats the evidence and its tangible in that sense. No one can argue about someone who is living the words without fault.

Often it is not what someone said but how they said it or what they actually did that later won the person over. We know that despite all the apologetics that it may be something completely unrelated that caused a person to hear Gods voice.

You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink. But you can show them the life giving water and leave it up to God.

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It is indeed a different world compared to 50-75 years ago, at least socially and culturewise.

Gone are the days when the run of things (Sweden) where pretty simple compared to today.

Plenty of work, work Mon-Fri, wages in cash on Friday, sitting around the kitchen table with a bottle of vodka,

and solving all the problems of the world. That done, you were good to go for another week.

That what has not changed is talk of religion and politics in work places and even socially are a no-no.

Today however, the scene has changed, forums and different means of, sometimes letting off steam.

Of course this just a general look in the rearview mirror,

Yes "7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." Luke 15:6-8 NIV

CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN said:

If Trump pardons Juan Orlando Hernandez. That means, that he doesn't care about drug smuggling. Tha means Trump isn't killing the people on those boats over drugs. So Trump is just murdering those people on the boats.

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Well, he's not just murdering them. He's also trying to provoke Venezuela into giving him a casus belli.

Danthemailman said:

Zohran Mamdani Dragged on Twitter/X for Passive Statement About Murder of National Guard Member Sarah Beckstrom | The Gateway Pundit | by Mike LaChance Zohran Mamdani Dragged on Twitter/X for Passive Statement About Murder of National Guard Member Sarah Beckstrom | The Gateway Pundit | by Mike LaChance

Many noticed that the X comment from Zohran Mamdani, the mayor-elect of New York City, in response to the news of Beckstrom’s death, was seriously lacking in some fundamental things.

I’m devastated to learn of the passing of Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, a member of the West Virginia National Guard. She was only twenty years old. As families across the nation come together today to celebrate Thanksgiving, let us take a moment to think of those in West Virginia who have been plunged into unimaginable grief.

He didn’t mention anything about Beckstrom being killed or murdered. He didn’t mention it was allegedly by an Afghan national who yelled, “Allahu Akbar.” He didn’t mention that the police are alleging it was an ambush and are investigating it as possible terrorism. He didn’t mention Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe.

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Indeed. He didn't mention these. He just expressed his sadness for the loss of a fellow human being and expressed his sympathy for the mourning family.
Somehow this his wrong these days.

A diorama of Bethlehem or Jerusalem or some mish-mash of the two. I had to set my mug of gluhwein down to snap the picture.

Trying to keep in the vein of the OP's request of guitarists that are not often known but would be considered by us to be very good, here is Waddy Watchel's work on Cheech and Chong's first album. He was mostly a great session player, but here is a time when he really shined on an instrumental,....

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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

Benaiah468 said:

Jesus is identified with Israel and is the true and ultimate Israelite. However, this identification serves as the basis for the restoration of the nation of Israel, not for the assumption that Israel is insignificant in G-d's plan.

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Providing they reunite as the 12 and live under the will of God as originally intended, yes. But the whole point of Jesus is that because of Him, the Father no longer needs a chosen people/nation among all the nations controlled by the elohim (as was their original purpose and intention). All people, in all nations, are now free to join the Kingdom of God in the place He set aside for Himself, His holy ground. Ultimately it is His Will that will be done, not ours.

As you get older, you will appreciate it more. That what happened with me and the Catholic mass. It only took me, 63 years to enjoy, understand and appreciate it.

CoreyD said:

I'm not getting you.
Which prophecy does Matthew refer to, if not Hosea 11:1?

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It refers to Hosea 11:1, but Hosea 11:1 is not about Jesus, it's about the exodus of the Israelites.

CoreyD said:

Are you saying that God did not create the formless earth?
If yes, how did the formless earth come into existence? If no, I am not following your argument, since the formless earth would have been created, and if it was created, then completing it, by making hills, mountains, valleys, seas, trees, animals, and people, on it, is not creating the earth, as if it isn't already created.

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God did create the formless earth ex nihilo. But that's not what Genesis is about. Genesis is a different story. Genesis is the story in which God creates by doing things like separating waters, gathering waters, establishing roles and functions etc. Genesis is not about ex nihilo creation.

CoreyD said:

So, let me ask you a question. Well... a couple questions.

• If the earth did not have humans, is it a created earth?
• Take away the animals along with humans. Is it a created earth?
• Take every green thing off of it... that would be, every plant, along with the animals and humans. Is it a created earth?
• Drain the water off of it, and collapse every hill and mountain. Is it a created earth?

What exactly do you think the earth is?

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In Genesis, before the earth was filled with life, it was bohu, or empty. Before the waters were gathered to reveal the earth, it was tohu or formless and uncreated.

CoreyD said:

Isaiah 43:1, 7

1 But now, this is what the LORD says - He who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine!​

7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”​

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Isaiah 45:1, 15.
But now, this is what the Lord says—
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

in the ships in which they took pride.
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One,
Israel’s Creator, your King.”


God creates Jacob and Israel, yet neither were created ex nihilo, at least not in any material way. Jacob was born of his mother, he didnt appear out of thin air. So when God says that He created Jacob, it's not talking about matter appearing out of nothing. Jacob is already there.

CoreyD said:

God created a nation, out of individuals who make up that nation.
Did that nation exist prior to God forming it?
Of course not.

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Materially, it did. It is not as though God snapped his fingers and buildings appeared out of thin air. The matter was already there.

CoreyD said:

How about Malachi 2:10

Do we not all have one Father? Did not one God create us?​

Did we exist, before we came into this world? Of course we did not.

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Materially, we do. Your human body did not appear out of nothing. You were born from your mother, formed out of matter that already exists. When God created Adam, Adam didn't appear out of nothing; he was made from dust of the ground.

CoreyD said:

Isaiah 54:16

“I have created the blacksmith who fans the coals beneath the forge and makes the weapons of destruction. And I have created the armies that destroy.​

Did that blacksmith exist before? No.
What about the weapons he forged, and the destructive armies? No, they did not.

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Materially, he did; he did not appear out of thin air, nor did the weapons he forged. He made his tools using matter that already existed.

CoreyD said:

This mark is new. Something God told Ezekiel to make. It didn't exist before.

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Materially, the sign was already there. Ezekiel didn't make physical matter appear out of nothing. Ezekiel is not God, he cannot make matter appear out of nothing.

When God creates the earth, the material, just like in every other instance in which God creates in the Old Testament, is already there. There is no material matter appearing out of nothing.

Pulled from notes taken long ago - -

Often terms get used without full understanding of their meaning and use. The purpose is to explore what the term exegesis means.

Biblical exegesis (from the Greek ἐξήγησις, exēgēsis, meaning "leading out" or "explanation") is the critical interpretation and explanation of the text of the Bible using a systematic, disciplined methodology to determine the original intended meaning of the author as understood by the original audience.

• Text-centered: It starts with the biblical text itself (usually in its original languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) rather than imposing external ideas onto it.
• Historical-grammatical method: The most common approach seeks to understand:
  • What the human author intended to communicate
  • The historical, cultural, and literary context
  • The grammatical and syntactic structure of the original languages
  • The genre of the literature (narrative, poetry, prophecy, epistle, allegorical, etc.)
• Objective as possible: Aims to let the text speak for itself rather than reading assumptions or theological systems into it (contrast with eisegesis, which means "reading into" the text).

This is important because proper exegesis is centered and focused on the TEXT of the Scripture verses. Many times people get the two terms exegesis confused with eisegesis.

NOTE: The main reason why I do not use eisegesis is because it calls for "reading into", or reading in one own ideas or Religious agenda.

Proper exegesis includes:

• Textual criticism – Establish the most accurate original wording.
• Translation / linguistic analysis – Study the original languages (syntax, semantics, idioms).
• Literary context – Examine the passage in its immediate context and the broader book.
• Historical-cultural context – Research the time period, customs, geography, politics, etc.
• Genre analysis – Identify the literary form and its conventions.
• Theological analysis – Trace themes across Scripture (canonical context).
• Application – Only after determining original meaning do responsible interpreters move to contemporary significance.

For the first time in years, all perpetrators who murdered Israelis were arrested or eliminated. This is a turning point that shows how determined Israel is to crack down on terrorist structures in Judea and Samaria despite international criticism.

The final blow was dealt by the targeted operation against Sultan al-Ghani, the terrorist who killed security guard Gideon Perry in 2024. He hid in the Jenin area for over a year, changing safe houses and using the rugged terrain, local structures and proximity of armed groups to aid his escape. Then Israeli forces returned to the area and this time his escape came to an end. The man who destroyed a family was eliminated. His house near Kedumim had already been evacuated and demolished as part of measures against those who misuse their surroundings for terrorism.

Just one day earlier, Israeli forces had killed Ala Raouf Shetiyya, who was responsible for the murder of two soldiers from the Kfir Brigade, Eliya Hilel and Diego Shvisha Harsaj. He, too, had long evaded capture. The arrest and elimination operations of the past few months were complex, risky and characterised by precise coordination between the army, intelligence services and border police. But they followed a clear line: the perpetrators must no longer be allowed to find a safe haven.

At the same time, Israel carried out a broad campaign in Judea and Samaria against arms trafficking, terrorist cells and logistics chains. Within a few days, more than 60 wanted persons were arrested, including 18 operational members of Hamas. In villages, towns and rough terrain, the forces encountered explosive devices, weapons caches, means of communication and cash flows, a dense network that enables and finances terrorism. The operations aimed to curb these structures before they could produce new attacks.

While European governments morally pressure Israel, consider sanctions and bow to political campaigns, Israel works tirelessly to ensure the safety of its citizens. Every step, every night-time raid, every precision operation, every arrest, serves to protect the people of Jerusalem, Samaria, the Jordan Valley, Gush Etzion and all the places that have been targeted by "Palestinian" terrorist groups for years.

Anyone who sees Judea and Samaria merely as a map is misjudging the reality. The area is a network of civilian populations, strategic transit points, arms flows and ideological tensions. Terrorist groups use it as a breeding ground, Israel is trying to stabilise it.

Those who know the region know that the danger has not disappeared. New cells are forming, old networks are waiting for opportunities. But Israel's success in recent weeks demonstrates a principle that has proven itself time and again: terrorism is not defeated by incantations, but by determination. And for the first time in years, this determination has produced a result in Judea and Samaria that gives cause for hope, a rare moment that will remain.