The NYT is too cheap to pay 7 dollars a month to get visibility for their product, every story, every day. That’s bargain basement prices for advertising.
Not real bright.
NY Times is being incredible hypocritical here, as they are super aggressive about forcing everyone to pay *their* subscription
So the criminals run wild, and you can’t defend yourself.
Stay out of this Dem run crap hole.
Alvin Bragg justice: “A Manhattan parking garage attendant who was shot twice while confronting an alleged thief — then wrestled the gun away and opened fire on the suspect — has been charged with attempted murder…” https://t.co/f89pEZnxvJ
The proposal would also ask the Sheriff to cite & release anyone with a bail of $50,000 or lower, which could include possession of child porn, domestic violence, illegally carrying a firearm, and violent offenses like residential burglary, robbery, and assault with a firearm. pic.twitter.com/SbxBcPGmN0
NEW: The L.A. County Police Chiefs Association is criticizing the proposal, saying it will further erode public safety, there was no consultation, and telling the Board they find the timing of the proposal suspicious as it is taking place during two major law enforcement events. pic.twitter.com/vA4EQVI871
Performative Pharisees like Marco Rubio and Tim Scott will have their little cupcake prayer breakfasts and quote scripture while funding the persecution of Christians in Ukraine. I feel bad that so many of you fall for anyone holding a Bible.https://t.co/9OiQLkOw5X
This is what Zelenskyy is doing to Priests in the Ukraine… but so many of you have your head so far up the propaganda’s backside you’re wearing Blue and Yellow like good little sheep 24/7… pic.twitter.com/SrpDElWIVg
Yesterday while Politicians, Celebrities & Corporations celebrated and pushed Trans Day of Visibility and while trans activists stormed state capitals demanding trans rights, 9 year old Evelyn Dieckhaus was laid to rest. 💔
The number of liberals vehemently condemning this interview they have not seen — based on their view that journalists should ignore everyone who isn't a Democrat or at least a good Trump-hating Republican like Mitt Romney or Liz Cheney — reveals so much about their mindset: https://t.co/rXu8H7AwNx
This clip inadvertently illustrates a vital point. As long as a politician in either party stays within what Obama called "the 40-yard lines," the establishment is happy.
It's only political figures – on the right or left — who refuse to be so confined who are hated and feared: https://t.co/gSMHVjlhKK
Here's the GOP Chair of the House Intelligence Committee, @RepMikeTurner, slamming Trump and anyone else who would criticize Biden's war policy in Ukraine. "Everyone should just continue the path we’re on," he demanded.https://t.co/qzhOW2qJaf
The always-smart @FistedFoucault today calls the article "not just the best piece of 2023 thus far, but also the most important one." Yes.
There's no way to understand what is happening, or how information and propaganda are being manipulated, without understanding this story. pic.twitter.com/bvotWNBsdy
That the internet could be first weaponized for US foreign policy, then against the US population, began with Obama. But Russiagate and the shock of the 2016 election was the accelerant: elites concluded Americans can't be trusted to use the internet without information control. pic.twitter.com/uD9wcSQGJs
After 2016, elites reacted in horror to Trump's election by uniting behind the Dem Party. The US Security State took the lead in fortifying their leading tactic: weaponizing the internet as their key tool to propagandize and silence dissent. Please read:https://t.co/tdciZeQVgn
Of course they hide the truth. They can’t have this upsetting their narrative that the killer is the victim.
We should see the manifesto left by the Nashville murderer – and promptly – so we can understand what inspired and motivated this hideous massacre.
Typically such manifestos are not just available but are media instruments to identify causes. A FOIA-type action may be needed. pic.twitter.com/VJ7BWlbOcF
This has been obvious for quite some time. This is what schools are really teaching the kids.
New study supports social contagion theory for surge in teen girls identifying as transgender. And yet political class celebrates this dangerous"pandemic"!https://t.co/dKw7OxVxS5
“A new study examining the recent epidemic of teenagers and young adults identifying as transgender has been published and the findings strongly indicate that social contagion is a factor in this new phenomenon.
The study by Drs. Michael J. Bailey and Suzanna Diaz, published in the Archives of Sexual Behaviour, examined a survey of 1655 parent reports to further investigate the Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria (ROGD) hypothesis first put forward by Dr. Lisa Littman in 2018. Activists at the time accused Littman of transphobia and claimed her study was invalid, but evidence to support her hypothesis has only grown in the intervening years and this latest study indicates that, at least for some, ROGD is a disturbing reality.
The study is much larger than any attempt that has been made to study this cohort to date, and consists of parent reports from an online survey on the website Parents of ROGD Kids. The authors acknowledge the possible bias of their sample, but state that research on “children’s development in many domains has long depended on parent reports.”
Notable findings in line with past studies show that adolescent-onset gender dysphoria disproportionately affects females, with the sample showing 75 percent females versus 25 percent males.
These young people had high rates of coexisting mental health issues, with 42 percent having a formal mental health diagnosis. The parents reported that, on average, the child’s mental health issues had started nearly 4 years before the onset of gender dysphoria. The most common issues were depression, anxiety, self harm, and “difficulty socializing with peers.”
Youth with mental health issues were observed to be far more likely to have socially or medically transitioned, which Bailey and Diaz state “is concerning because youth with mental health issues may be especially likely to lack judgment necessary to make these important, and in the case of medical transition permanent, decisions.”
55.4 percent of the parents responded “yes” when asked if their child had friends who “came out as transgender around the same time,” and that response was significantly higher for natal females (60.9 percent) than natal males (38.7 percent).”
I’ve had this happen. They always cuck out. “Well… I didn’t vote for THAT!” Just a total unwillingness to accept responsibility for not voting for Trump.
Then I remind them that I had to hear it from them every day when Trump tweeted something naughty. https://t.co/kbshIbBBJg
The woke crowd has effectively silenced you. They’ve made war against JK Rowling and showed you what they would do if you didn’t gleefully fall in line.
You’re being made into second class citizens. For my daughter and all little girls… https://t.co/wlDPtsfw8z
A camp in California is offering a free “kids drag workshop” for kids as young as 8. But we’re not allowed to call them groomers. pic.twitter.com/PJp5WSN1hp
This was obvious by the route the balloon took, but the media lied at the time to cover for Biden yet again.
Biden admin allowed China's spy balloon to fly across the U.S. but reportedly failed to prevent it from collecting sensitive military data.https://t.co/nVV6c0YGtN
On my way to Les Schwab I was listening to the Michael Brown radio talk show. He was livid that Bragg of NY was going to prosecute this garage attendant. I believe Bragg to be corrupt as well but I decided to research. Here is what I found. Michael Brown needs to get his facts in order before going on the air. He will have no leg upon which to stand and will be in the same boat as the leftist MSM spewing misinformation deliberately.
New York City parking garage attendant and a burglary suspect were both arrested on attempted murder charges after a shootout in midtown.
The shooting occurred early Saturday morning at a garage along West 31st Street just outside the Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station, police said.
Investigators said the burglary suspect, Charles Rhodie, was looking into parked cars when the parking attendant, Moussa Diarra, confronted him around 5:30 a.m. That’s when police said Rhodie pulled out a gun and shot the attendant, who reportedly suffered a graze wound to the head.
Diarra then grabbed that same gun and returned fire, according to police. The suspect suffered a gunshot wound to his torso. Both men were taken to a nearby hospital where they were expected to survive.
Police officials said each man is facing charges of attempted murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon. Rhodie faces an additional charge of burglary.
The district attorney’s office, meanwhile, has decided not to pursue criminal charges. After looking into the case Sunday, a spokesperson said prosecutors would not move forward with any case against Diarra.
Because it’s Monday and we are in such difficult times with an anxious political week ahead, I found this a very good read (more fully posted on the daily thread):
~ Our Shepherd is sovereign, and our Sovereign is a shepherd. He’s raising and removing leaders, and He’s lifting and leading lambs. Behold your God and experience new comfort and courage for whatever is ahead. ~
Our lens must be Scripture from which all else is viewed and understood, not politics and then fitting Scripture to line up with our political or partisan views.
____________________
~ … Whether we like the candidate that gets elected to office or not, God is sovereign. Just as a win for our preferred candidate does not give God any more glory, neither does a win for the other candidate diminish it. We may not always know the reason why God allows some elections to go one way or the other, but we can always be confident in his goodness, love, and power. Elections do not change those things most important to a Christian: our eternal security, identity, and hope in Christ and his kingdom.
**Originally published on Advocates for Truth as “Elections and God’s Sovereignty.“ … ~
_______________
NYT made a business decision not to use Twitter. Musk’s whining probably confirms their decision. He’s upset they won’t pay $7 but also says they and other publications should tweet less … thereby saving him money. For corporations to post on Twitter, there is a certain amount of risk especially for media companies – you give the core of the story/opinion away for free, you don’t control the comments that following and your post easily becomes public use through screen shots etc. Not to mention Twitter just through selection, amplification and alogorithm often misleading and an echo chamber.
Trump is up in polls – good news for Democrats, current polling shows Biden will win by roughly the same margin as 2020 if Trump is the opponent. DeSantis as a candidate turns it into a toss up.
One shoot out does not make a city a crap hole. On a per capita basis, NYC is quite safe. There are small towns in the Old South with a higher per capita crime rate. In general, per capita crime rates don’t differ much according to administration nor size of the city but rather by geography. Generally higher in the rust belt and Old South.
If people are upset about a vaccine in their meat, they should check what is already in the meat. In all likelihood, most American cattle, chickens, pigs, etc have been fed antibiotics, vaccines, and have been grown in an area with soil, water, and/or air pollutants. People ask me if I worry about the covid vaccine – I can’t see it doing any more damage than the food I eat and the air I breathe. Those who worry about the vaccine should move to northwest Iowa and buy organic meat and eggs from my brother – he does charge alot though.
AJ – In response to your last comment to me from last night, first off let me say that I did, in fact, vote, just not for Trump, but neither for Biden. But if I had chosen not to vote at all due to a matter of conscience (as some Christians practice), that would be between God and me. And from a scriptural (vs. political) viewpoint, it would be better for me to follow my conscience than to not do so. (Remember the verse that says that what is not from faith is sin.)
Civic responsibilities come in various forms, many of which – including voting – are not commanded in scripture. We cannot bind the consciences of fellow believers because of something that is important to us. As for me, I have never put down anyone who did vote for Trump, nor questioned their motives. I may not have agreed with their choice, but I knew that they had their reasons, and that is their right, which I respect.
(This is the first of three comments I have right now.)
Peter (the apostle, not our Peter here on the blog 🙂 ) was mentioned in the sermon yesterday, where he cut off the guy’s ear when they came to arrest Jesus. It reminded me of the discussion that has been going on about the supposed importance of voting for Trump.
“Obviously” it would not be good for Jesus to be arrested and die, right? And others thought that if they could make Him king, He would overthrow those awful (and highly immoral) Roman rulers. That would be great, wouldn’t it? Exactly what the Jewish people needed!
But no, not really. God definitely had other plans, and those plans would not have made the Jewish “patriots” happy at all.
And it is highly probable that God has other plans for our beloved country as well. He is in charge, however we may vote – or not vote.
Okay, the third thing. Aren’t you one of those who believes that Trump actually got more votes than Biden, that the election was stolen? If so, why blame DJ and me? We didn’t steal it. 🙂
Yep. God is sovereign and is raising up and removing leaders. The real question is are we working with him or against him. We are doing one or the other. That’s why these things are important and there are no easy answers.
Not voting, by conviction, for someone, is an action as well, it’s not holding up our hands in disinterest or thinking, oh well, we aren’t really called to respond to and in the world around us.
We can’t know God’s ultimate will in what comes to pass, but we can — and should — make these weighty decisions based on what we know from Scripture about wise leadership.
We will come down differently in these choices, but we need to allow each other the right to do that with the mindset that we are all doing the spiritual work to discern what we believe is right in the given circumstances.
And how it turns out? It is His will for whatever reason. We can’t really know the ultimate end of that either.
America has a serious problem with imprisonment. Depending on who you count the number of prisoners is 500 to 700 per 100 000 persons. This is far higher than any other developed western country. The count differs if you include pre-trial, juveniles, and territories. The lowest number 505 per 100 000 is based on incarcerated adults in the US proper. The rate goes up if you include juveniles – the US imprisons far more juveniles than most countries.
Far too many minor crimes or social offences result in imprisonment. Drug possession is an easy one to cite, legalize, decriminalize or simple fine the offender. Just recently, I watched Boebert drone on about public urination as a criminal offense in DC; why? Why not simply ticket the offender the same way as a speeding ticket. My daughter is living in Berlin; shoplifting is a fine – you’re given a ticket and the fine comes in the mail. Why clog up the courts.
Some US states and cities are starting to realize the folly of locking up citizens for simple offenses, not to mention the expense. Its about time.
Quick comparison – Eastern European countries are about 190 per 100 000 , Australia/NZ about 160, the UK at 135…. Most of western Europe and Canada are below 100 with the Nordic countries at the lowest. Interestingly their prisons are luxury hotels in comparison to the US. You’d think people would be breaking down the door to get in.
Now one could argue America has more crime and therefore has more prisoners – but that’s a whole different story. Most crime esp violent crime is committed by men in their 20s. Keep them out of prison and focus on the future.
Our conscience is a very important human mechanism. Without it, we really can’t discern God’s voice or his will—even when it’s spelled out in black and white. We see this playing out all across the nation in the daily news. Everyone has a conscience, but some have been seared profoundly.
That’s why it’s important to inform the conscience with scripture, and exercise it with practical discernment in daily affairs. And that’s why it’s important not to violate it, even while realizing it may not always be right. I may act in accord with my conscience but still be entirely wrong . It happens. Then more information and scripture and practical discernment is in order.
HRW, I have thought about the problem of incarceration. Maybe community service, fines, or caning are possible options. Can’t say I’m excited about caning or stocks, but I think I would choose either one over prison if given the choice. Just sayin’….. ;–)
But all kidding aside, I don’t know why we are such a violent people.
Often people view events in foreign countries through the lens of their own society. The prosecution of the Orthodox Church is an example. From a North American perspective, we would condemn it. However, orthodox churches align themselves with their national governments. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is tied to the Russian Orthodox Church while Ukraine has set up a separate Orthodox Church of Ukraine with the approval of the head of all orthodox churches. In addition in Ukraine there are Uniate Catholics, Greek Catholics, and Greek Orthodox — all supportive of Ukrainian independence. Given the support the Russian Orthodox Church has given Putin, its logical that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church would also be suspected.
HRW, just curious, what do they do in Germany if the shoplifter either doesn’t pay the fine or completely ignores it ? Here, people who walk into a store and brazenly walk out with hundreds of dollars worth of stuff might just laugh at a ticket.
Obama by way of Greenwald is correct – mainstream parties are “40 yard lines”. I’m way on the left side of the field. From my perspective, the American field of play is more accurately 45 to 35 in favor of the right. But Greenwald is wrong in Ukraine – its not Biden’s war; its Putin’s war. The Europeans understand this far better its a war between authoritarians and liberal democracies (ie the Washington Consensus, Rhine Model, and Nordic Model)
The attempt to introduce more currencies in the global marketplace goes far further than Biden. The US dollar was established as the currency of exchange after WW2 since it was the most dominant economy by far. The Soviets responded by trying to create a ruble zone but it lacked credibility. After the Euro was established, some countries wanted to use it instead of the US dollar, the most obvious example is Chavez’s attempt to have OPEC price oil in Euros not dollars. The attempted coups and US propaganda against him were not accidents.
Some academics argue that the US dollar dominance is the only thing keeping the US as the dominant power. I disagree but Russia, China, Iran and now India are all attempting to break the dollar monopoly for a reason, but this is nothing new.
And @2:29 — another reminder of how government and civic/civil entanglements and influences can sometimes blur the clear vision of the church.
We’ve been immensely blessed in this nation, by God’s grace and will. We’re far from perfect, we’ve made some big mistakes to acknowledge, repent for and try to correct; but we have also offered a beacon of hope and freedom for many.
And I agree with something else Kizzie said earlier, about how each others’ votes, including abstentions from conscience, have been repeatedly attacked here (not by you, Debra).
I’ve never criticized folks who voted for Trump. It’s their vote and it’s their conscience and I respect that, I don’t second-guess it thinking they’re deadbeats just willfully or stupidly selling out the country.
These are not easy times, for any of us.
Let’s at least respect each others’ (often hard) decisions, whether we think they’re wise or not.
It’s not a gotcha question. I’ve been thinking about it and wondering.
The thing that comes to the top of my list so far is pride and rebellion. I know every nation has their own vulnerabilities and imperfections. And I’ve wondered if our inception as a nation left us particularly vulnerable because of those imperfections .
We never accepted the rule of a monarch the way so many nations have in their histories —like Canada and many others. I know Cyrus was born and raised in a very active king (shah) in a place where the fear of God was visibly demonstrable. People didn’t do certain kinds of things not because the Shah might disagree or a mullah might disapprove, but because they thought God sees them and the consequences would be real. It tempered the behavior considerably.
And having dethroned God from our public life, we have no other ruler but ourselves .
Are you trying to convince me, or yourselves, that what you do is enough because God is in control?
Seems a bit of both to me.
Sure God is in control, but that doesn’t mean we get to just be spectators and do nothing. If that were true, this current evil admin and their party will never lose power, so why bother voting anymore or in a meaningful way, right?
God expects us to do our civic duties, pay taxes, vote, stuff like that. He also expects us to stand up against evil, and call it what it is, not shirk away and hide and hope He fixes it for us. He expects us to do our part too.
AJ – Neither DJ nor I have ever said or thought, “we get to just be spectators and do nothing.” We have denied that accusation and explained our view a few times, but you keep coming back to that. Are you purposely misreading our words or do you really just not allow for any other views but your own?
As I said somewhere above, I voted. But mostly, I pray for our people, which has more power than my vote one way or the other.
Where in the Bible does it say anything about our duties as citizens, other than paying taxes? (I’m not saying there may not be other verses, but I would be curious to be reminded of them if there are.)
Romans 13:1 says (emphasis mine, of course), “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.”
That was written at a time when the Roman Caesar was Nero.
And where did we ever say we “get to be spectators”?
Yes, He calls us to act and follow our consciences — informed by Scripture, by the way — and I don’t have to worry that God will “fit it.”
Don’t worry, God’s got this, he always has. He’s not wringing his hands over how we are or are not going to vote. Voting is important, but my trust does not lie in the electoral college or in me or my neighbor determining the outcome of history.
Now I have cancer as you know. God can heal me, if it’s his will. But He most likely won’t do so miraculously, but rather thru good doctors and medicine, which He also provides and allows knowledge of for our benefit. God expects me to use the tools He has given us for our benefit. That’s not relying on man, but the tools and men He has given for my and others benefit.
When I hear people talk like you 2 do I often think of David. He was a horribly flawed man, yet God used him for Israel’s benefit despite his failings. Yet to hear you 2 I’m convinced if we lived then you would say you couldn’t vote for David as king because he was unfaithful and did some really bad stuff. He was God’s ordained king, yet he wouldn’t meet your standards. Who do you think is wrong in this scenario, you, or God?
Social contagions are a problem – I remember the repressed memories and multiple personalities contagion of the 80s. Social contagions can also be irrational fears – witch trials. Trans has the quality of social contagion and the medical establishment should be more careful (but then again it wasn’t with multiple personalities either) . However, the resulting fear of drag shows and grooming is also a social contagion. Drag has been around for as long as recorded history. During the Shakespeare era only men could act thus they had to play female roles. Someone just recently dug out an old photo of Ronald Reagan in drag. Tootsie was a comedy about a man dressed as a woman in order to act in a soap opera and it was rated PG. Families have been attending Pride events for decades but suddenly now its grooming. When the usual suspects of the right or left side of the internet hammer home the same themes, its time to be suspicious. The drag show “threat” is manufactured.
The closest verse I can think of that could imply doing our civic duty would be the one about loving our neighbors. But even there, God would call different people to different ways of doing that.
Some He calls into politics – local, state, or national. Others are running food banks or homeless shelters or volunteering in other ways. Some may feel the need to vote in a certain way, and others may not. But it’s all in God’s hands as we each do what He calls us each to do in our own personal lives. I don’t want to let my right hand know what the left is doing (or is it the other way around), so I will just say that I have my own ways of contributing to my community.
Yes, we are given the means, from voting to medical care, by which to act. We need to make use of all of those, but if convicted by a conscience informed by scripture — that one cannot with a clear mind or spirit “choose” either option — that also is our call. And we should follow that when it convicts us.
But the outcome? It is still in God’s hands, NOT ours. I’m sorry, but this is a basic teaching and I’m not sure how you’re not seeing it in this case.
And on another point, this one making use of the principles of logic.
If the election was “stolen” from Trump, how did my not voting specifically for Trump (or Biden) matter? It’s one or the other from the premise on which you’re arguing.
My neighbors were lifelong Democrats who switched parties to vote for Trump (both times). I would never ridicule or critique their choice in the ballot box. It’s what they felt clearly and they voted in accordance to that.
Trump lost. Period. He may win another time. I don’t know the outcome of any of this, but God does, he knows the beginning from the end, and I find that completely reassuring. I’m sorry you don’t have that comfort that Scripture gives.
AJ – There is a big difference between saying that our consciences would not let us vote for Trump and that we don’t think that God could use a man like Trump. Of course, He could.
God, indeed, uses people who are elected, some for good, some for judgement on a nation, some for any number of His reasons that we can’t know.
An action to abstain from supporting a candidate based on an understanding of Scripture and what makes for a wise leader is NOT inaction. It’s very much a purposeful action.
Can you or I misjudge our own voting preferences in a particular race? You bet. We need to always keep that humility.
But we act the best we know with the information given and in prayer.
Debra – some people joke about streaming punishments live – pay per view, the state makes money, people are entertained and they are warned. Not much different than public hangings. But that rarely worked in 18th century England and I doubt it would now.
In Germany, paperwork follows you. In my neighbourhood, people ignore fines. If you have a stake in the economy or society, you’ll pay fines or it will go on your property taxes, prevent drivers license renewal or garnished before a tax refund. Those with no stake, ignore fines. Give people a stake in society and they will take fines etc more seriously. Too many people with too little at stake is not a good thing.
Why is America violent? The real question is why are North and South America violent. Except for Canada, the rest of the Americas are far more violent than the rest of the world. Some point to the influence of slavery and racial hierarchies. Others to the more expolitative forms of capitalism practised in the Americas. South Africa has similar violent crime rates as the Americas which suggests a history of exploitation based on race is one cause. Within the US, the higher rate of violent crime in the south vs the north indicates the difference produced by a society run by “honour” as opposed to “common law”.
If Trump were elected, yes, God would then clearly be using him in that circumstance for something. But — It could be to a beneficial purpose for us as a nation or not.
We can’t know that.
We act in the way Scripture leads as we have the sight to see, realizing God may have something else in mind. And yes, realizing we may have made a wrong call, but it was made seeking and relying on guidance and that is the best we can do in those circumstances.
Do you have the humility to say that perhaps God might do something entirely unexpected under a leader who might surprise you? Someone you voted for or not? Good or bad? I hope I do. We all need that humility.
~ And having dethroned God from our public life, we have no other ruler but ourselves ~
Pretty much, I fear. 😦
And Kizzie @5:28 … I tend to agree that there’s no hard-and-fast command to “vote” in a national election. It certainly can be seen as a privilege God has granted us in this nation, but it’s not especially a hard and fast command that I can see.
Seeing it that way, again, seems to be looking through the lens of 2023 American politics (for interpretation) rather than through the lens of Scripture to interpret these issues we may face today.
BTW that Tablet article AJ linked to is really good. I haven’t finished all of it yet as I have a hard time reading ling pieces on my phone so I have to wait until I get back home tonight. But that’s a source that might be worth a better look.
HRW, Live-streaming, pay per view justice. Why didn’t I think of that. Maybe not a good idea .:–)
And I’m sorry if I came off intense and stressed or sharp — Kizzie and I have often explained our position and it simply feels like it’s not being heard at all, or respected for what it is, agree or not.
I understand the position of voting for Trump because one believes he lines up on the issues and those positions are better for the country.
I know Biden voters who believe the same.
I have a girlfriend (registered Republican, school teacher) who vacillated in 2020, she could not abide by Trump but told me she was taking the summer to fully research the issues and the candidates. She wound up going for Biden. I wasn’t surprised, but I also respected that, as I know she worked through the issues as she saw them. I couldn’t vote that way, but I respect that she decided it was the best choice for her to make.
That’s how it works.
I just believe we should allow each other the respect and space to come to those conclusions for themselves, especially in an age when things have gone so politically sideways.
We all have to make decisions we can live with (and yes, having “clean hands” and a clear conscience — whether voting one way or another … or regretfully concluding we will have to abstain this time … is important biblically).
Wandering Views 
Subscriptions for we, but not for thee.
The NYT is too cheap to pay 7 dollars a month to get visibility for their product, every story, every day. That’s bargain basement prices for advertising.
Not real bright.
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Good job!
https://c4.legalinsurrection.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/YouGov-Trump-v-DeSantis-March-31-2023-700×528.webp
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The guy hasn’t worked a day as a Senator yet because he’s medically unfit, but the trash pandas at CBS are measuring for drapes in the White House.
Clowns…..
https://twitter.com/KevinTober94/status/1642526459016216577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1642526459016216577%7Ctwgr%5E54e97baff2cb5069d4e229aff32d1ecc6734b17e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fbonchie%2F2023%2F04%2F02%2Fslobbering-cbs-news-interview-with-john-fetterman-ends-with-a-head-scratching-suggestion-n725330
https://twitter.com/KevinTober94/status/1642547583238254594
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So the criminals run wild, and you can’t defend yourself.
Stay out of this Dem run crap hole.
Good, now resign in shame.
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Now they want to poison the food supply with their dangerous and useless vaccines.
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Biden’s America.
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Enjoy!
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The media built this.
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Support Ukraine!
Or maybe think for yourself.
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While Biden, Dems, and the left were praising the mentally ill degenerates, this happened.
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Pretty much….
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The Uni-Party is what’s wrong with our govt.
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Required reading….
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Of course they hide the truth. They can’t have this upsetting their narrative that the killer is the victim.
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This has been obvious for quite some time. This is what schools are really teaching the kids.
—–
https://thepostmillennial.com/new-study-supports-social-contagion-theory-for-surge-in-teen-girls-identifying-as-transgender
“A new study examining the recent epidemic of teenagers and young adults identifying as transgender has been published and the findings strongly indicate that social contagion is a factor in this new phenomenon.
The study by Drs. Michael J. Bailey and Suzanna Diaz, published in the Archives of Sexual Behaviour, examined a survey of 1655 parent reports to further investigate the Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria (ROGD) hypothesis first put forward by Dr. Lisa Littman in 2018. Activists at the time accused Littman of transphobia and claimed her study was invalid, but evidence to support her hypothesis has only grown in the intervening years and this latest study indicates that, at least for some, ROGD is a disturbing reality.
The study is much larger than any attempt that has been made to study this cohort to date, and consists of parent reports from an online survey on the website Parents of ROGD Kids. The authors acknowledge the possible bias of their sample, but state that research on “children’s development in many domains has long depended on parent reports.”
Notable findings in line with past studies show that adolescent-onset gender dysphoria disproportionately affects females, with the sample showing 75 percent females versus 25 percent males.
These young people had high rates of coexisting mental health issues, with 42 percent having a formal mental health diagnosis. The parents reported that, on average, the child’s mental health issues had started nearly 4 years before the onset of gender dysphoria. The most common issues were depression, anxiety, self harm, and “difficulty socializing with peers.”
Youth with mental health issues were observed to be far more likely to have socially or medically transitioned, which Bailey and Diaz state “is concerning because youth with mental health issues may be especially likely to lack judgment necessary to make these important, and in the case of medical transition permanent, decisions.”
55.4 percent of the parents responded “yes” when asked if their child had friends who “came out as transgender around the same time,” and that response was significantly higher for natal females (60.9 percent) than natal males (38.7 percent).”
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Joe built this.
Enjoy!
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Seems to be a lot of that going around….
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Are the ladies tired of this yet?
‘Cuz I don’t hear many speaking out against it.
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Say it with me now….
“We aren’t targeting the kids….”
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This was obvious by the route the balloon took, but the media lied at the time to cover for Biden yet again.
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You mean the media lied?
I’m shocked. 🙄
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On my way to Les Schwab I was listening to the Michael Brown radio talk show. He was livid that Bragg of NY was going to prosecute this garage attendant. I believe Bragg to be corrupt as well but I decided to research. Here is what I found. Michael Brown needs to get his facts in order before going on the air. He will have no leg upon which to stand and will be in the same boat as the leftist MSM spewing misinformation deliberately.
New York City parking garage attendant and a burglary suspect were both arrested on attempted murder charges after a shootout in midtown.
The shooting occurred early Saturday morning at a garage along West 31st Street just outside the Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station, police said.
Investigators said the burglary suspect, Charles Rhodie, was looking into parked cars when the parking attendant, Moussa Diarra, confronted him around 5:30 a.m. That’s when police said Rhodie pulled out a gun and shot the attendant, who reportedly suffered a graze wound to the head.
Diarra then grabbed that same gun and returned fire, according to police. The suspect suffered a gunshot wound to his torso. Both men were taken to a nearby hospital where they were expected to survive.
Police officials said each man is facing charges of attempted murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon. Rhodie faces an additional charge of burglary.
The district attorney’s office, meanwhile, has decided not to pursue criminal charges. After looking into the case Sunday, a spokesperson said prosecutors would not move forward with any case against Diarra.
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Because it’s Monday and we are in such difficult times with an anxious political week ahead, I found this a very good read (more fully posted on the daily thread):
~ Our Shepherd is sovereign, and our Sovereign is a shepherd. He’s raising and removing leaders, and He’s lifting and leading lambs. Behold your God and experience new comfort and courage for whatever is ahead. ~
https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/comfort-gods-sovereignty
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Our lens must be Scripture from which all else is viewed and understood, not politics and then fitting Scripture to line up with our political or partisan views.
____________________
~ … Whether we like the candidate that gets elected to office or not, God is sovereign. Just as a win for our preferred candidate does not give God any more glory, neither does a win for the other candidate diminish it. We may not always know the reason why God allows some elections to go one way or the other, but we can always be confident in his goodness, love, and power. Elections do not change those things most important to a Christian: our eternal security, identity, and hope in Christ and his kingdom.
**Originally published on Advocates for Truth as “Elections and God’s Sovereignty.“ … ~
_______________
https://nealhardin.com/is-god-sovereign-over-elections/
Is God in control?
Or are we, leaving Him to just wring his hands?
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NYT made a business decision not to use Twitter. Musk’s whining probably confirms their decision. He’s upset they won’t pay $7 but also says they and other publications should tweet less … thereby saving him money. For corporations to post on Twitter, there is a certain amount of risk especially for media companies – you give the core of the story/opinion away for free, you don’t control the comments that following and your post easily becomes public use through screen shots etc. Not to mention Twitter just through selection, amplification and alogorithm often misleading and an echo chamber.
Trump is up in polls – good news for Democrats, current polling shows Biden will win by roughly the same margin as 2020 if Trump is the opponent. DeSantis as a candidate turns it into a toss up.
One shoot out does not make a city a crap hole. On a per capita basis, NYC is quite safe. There are small towns in the Old South with a higher per capita crime rate. In general, per capita crime rates don’t differ much according to administration nor size of the city but rather by geography. Generally higher in the rust belt and Old South.
If people are upset about a vaccine in their meat, they should check what is already in the meat. In all likelihood, most American cattle, chickens, pigs, etc have been fed antibiotics, vaccines, and have been grown in an area with soil, water, and/or air pollutants. People ask me if I worry about the covid vaccine – I can’t see it doing any more damage than the food I eat and the air I breathe. Those who worry about the vaccine should move to northwest Iowa and buy organic meat and eggs from my brother – he does charge alot though.
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AJ – In response to your last comment to me from last night, first off let me say that I did, in fact, vote, just not for Trump, but neither for Biden. But if I had chosen not to vote at all due to a matter of conscience (as some Christians practice), that would be between God and me. And from a scriptural (vs. political) viewpoint, it would be better for me to follow my conscience than to not do so. (Remember the verse that says that what is not from faith is sin.)
Civic responsibilities come in various forms, many of which – including voting – are not commanded in scripture. We cannot bind the consciences of fellow believers because of something that is important to us. As for me, I have never put down anyone who did vote for Trump, nor questioned their motives. I may not have agreed with their choice, but I knew that they had their reasons, and that is their right, which I respect.
(This is the first of three comments I have right now.)
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Peter (the apostle, not our Peter here on the blog 🙂 ) was mentioned in the sermon yesterday, where he cut off the guy’s ear when they came to arrest Jesus. It reminded me of the discussion that has been going on about the supposed importance of voting for Trump.
“Obviously” it would not be good for Jesus to be arrested and die, right? And others thought that if they could make Him king, He would overthrow those awful (and highly immoral) Roman rulers. That would be great, wouldn’t it? Exactly what the Jewish people needed!
But no, not really. God definitely had other plans, and those plans would not have made the Jewish “patriots” happy at all.
And it is highly probable that God has other plans for our beloved country as well. He is in charge, however we may vote – or not vote.
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Okay, the third thing. Aren’t you one of those who believes that Trump actually got more votes than Biden, that the election was stolen? If so, why blame DJ and me? We didn’t steal it. 🙂
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Oh, I see that DJ’s post makes the same point that I was trying to make. Didn’t see that before posting my own comments.
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Yep. God is sovereign and is raising up and removing leaders. The real question is are we working with him or against him. We are doing one or the other. That’s why these things are important and there are no easy answers.
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That is an important question.
Not voting, by conviction, for someone, is an action as well, it’s not holding up our hands in disinterest or thinking, oh well, we aren’t really called to respond to and in the world around us.
We can’t know God’s ultimate will in what comes to pass, but we can — and should — make these weighty decisions based on what we know from Scripture about wise leadership.
We will come down differently in these choices, but we need to allow each other the right to do that with the mindset that we are all doing the spiritual work to discern what we believe is right in the given circumstances.
And how it turns out? It is His will for whatever reason. We can’t really know the ultimate end of that either.
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Kizzie, thanks for share that appropriate passage about the arrest and death of Christ.
Politically, something horrible, right? Should not have happened. Should have been prevented!
But God …
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*sharing
God’s will often baffles us, no?
He calls us to be obedient — sometimes that’s clear cut, sometimes not so much in our (often differing) election choices.
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America has a serious problem with imprisonment. Depending on who you count the number of prisoners is 500 to 700 per 100 000 persons. This is far higher than any other developed western country. The count differs if you include pre-trial, juveniles, and territories. The lowest number 505 per 100 000 is based on incarcerated adults in the US proper. The rate goes up if you include juveniles – the US imprisons far more juveniles than most countries.
Far too many minor crimes or social offences result in imprisonment. Drug possession is an easy one to cite, legalize, decriminalize or simple fine the offender. Just recently, I watched Boebert drone on about public urination as a criminal offense in DC; why? Why not simply ticket the offender the same way as a speeding ticket. My daughter is living in Berlin; shoplifting is a fine – you’re given a ticket and the fine comes in the mail. Why clog up the courts.
Some US states and cities are starting to realize the folly of locking up citizens for simple offenses, not to mention the expense. Its about time.
Quick comparison – Eastern European countries are about 190 per 100 000 , Australia/NZ about 160, the UK at 135…. Most of western Europe and Canada are below 100 with the Nordic countries at the lowest. Interestingly their prisons are luxury hotels in comparison to the US. You’d think people would be breaking down the door to get in.
Now one could argue America has more crime and therefore has more prisoners – but that’s a whole different story. Most crime esp violent crime is committed by men in their 20s. Keep them out of prison and focus on the future.
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Our conscience is a very important human mechanism. Without it, we really can’t discern God’s voice or his will—even when it’s spelled out in black and white. We see this playing out all across the nation in the daily news. Everyone has a conscience, but some have been seared profoundly.
That’s why it’s important to inform the conscience with scripture, and exercise it with practical discernment in daily affairs. And that’s why it’s important not to violate it, even while realizing it may not always be right. I may act in accord with my conscience but still be entirely wrong . It happens. Then more information and scripture and practical discernment is in order.
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HRW, I have thought about the problem of incarceration. Maybe community service, fines, or caning are possible options. Can’t say I’m excited about caning or stocks, but I think I would choose either one over prison if given the choice. Just sayin’….. ;–)
But all kidding aside, I don’t know why we are such a violent people.
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Often people view events in foreign countries through the lens of their own society. The prosecution of the Orthodox Church is an example. From a North American perspective, we would condemn it. However, orthodox churches align themselves with their national governments. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is tied to the Russian Orthodox Church while Ukraine has set up a separate Orthodox Church of Ukraine with the approval of the head of all orthodox churches. In addition in Ukraine there are Uniate Catholics, Greek Catholics, and Greek Orthodox — all supportive of Ukrainian independence. Given the support the Russian Orthodox Church has given Putin, its logical that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church would also be suspected.
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HRW, just curious, what do they do in Germany if the shoplifter either doesn’t pay the fine or completely ignores it ? Here, people who walk into a store and brazenly walk out with hundreds of dollars worth of stuff might just laugh at a ticket.
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Obama by way of Greenwald is correct – mainstream parties are “40 yard lines”. I’m way on the left side of the field. From my perspective, the American field of play is more accurately 45 to 35 in favor of the right. But Greenwald is wrong in Ukraine – its not Biden’s war; its Putin’s war. The Europeans understand this far better its a war between authoritarians and liberal democracies (ie the Washington Consensus, Rhine Model, and Nordic Model)
The attempt to introduce more currencies in the global marketplace goes far further than Biden. The US dollar was established as the currency of exchange after WW2 since it was the most dominant economy by far. The Soviets responded by trying to create a ruble zone but it lacked credibility. After the Euro was established, some countries wanted to use it instead of the US dollar, the most obvious example is Chavez’s attempt to have OPEC price oil in Euros not dollars. The attempted coups and US propaganda against him were not accidents.
Some academics argue that the US dollar dominance is the only thing keeping the US as the dominant power. I disagree but Russia, China, Iran and now India are all attempting to break the dollar monopoly for a reason, but this is nothing new.
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@2:27 — (why such violent people) … the Bible makes even more sense, no?
HRW, go northwest Iowa! Home to my family roots.
Lake Okoboji !
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And @2:29 — another reminder of how government and civic/civil entanglements and influences can sometimes blur the clear vision of the church.
We’ve been immensely blessed in this nation, by God’s grace and will. We’re far from perfect, we’ve made some big mistakes to acknowledge, repent for and try to correct; but we have also offered a beacon of hope and freedom for many.
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DJ, What mistakes have we made that need to be repented of and corrected as a nation?
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Well, slavery comes to mind?
We’ve had some, uh, unbecoming eras, as had every country — even the best of them — in the world.
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Clearly, no nation is perfect.
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And I agree with something else Kizzie said earlier, about how each others’ votes, including abstentions from conscience, have been repeatedly attacked here (not by you, Debra).
I’ve never criticized folks who voted for Trump. It’s their vote and it’s their conscience and I respect that, I don’t second-guess it thinking they’re deadbeats just willfully or stupidly selling out the country.
These are not easy times, for any of us.
Let’s at least respect each others’ (often hard) decisions, whether we think they’re wise or not.
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It’s not a gotcha question. I’ve been thinking about it and wondering.
The thing that comes to the top of my list so far is pride and rebellion. I know every nation has their own vulnerabilities and imperfections. And I’ve wondered if our inception as a nation left us particularly vulnerable because of those imperfections .
We never accepted the rule of a monarch the way so many nations have in their histories —like Canada and many others. I know Cyrus was born and raised in a very active king (shah) in a place where the fear of God was visibly demonstrable. People didn’t do certain kinds of things not because the Shah might disagree or a mullah might disapprove, but because they thought God sees them and the consequences would be real. It tempered the behavior considerably.
And having dethroned God from our public life, we have no other ruler but ourselves .
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Debra at 1;49,
Exactly.
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DJ and Kizzie,
Are you trying to convince me, or yourselves, that what you do is enough because God is in control?
Seems a bit of both to me.
Sure God is in control, but that doesn’t mean we get to just be spectators and do nothing. If that were true, this current evil admin and their party will never lose power, so why bother voting anymore or in a meaningful way, right?
God expects us to do our civic duties, pay taxes, vote, stuff like that. He also expects us to stand up against evil, and call it what it is, not shirk away and hide and hope He fixes it for us. He expects us to do our part too.
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AJ – Neither DJ nor I have ever said or thought, “we get to just be spectators and do nothing.” We have denied that accusation and explained our view a few times, but you keep coming back to that. Are you purposely misreading our words or do you really just not allow for any other views but your own?
As I said somewhere above, I voted. But mostly, I pray for our people, which has more power than my vote one way or the other.
Where in the Bible does it say anything about our duties as citizens, other than paying taxes? (I’m not saying there may not be other verses, but I would be curious to be reminded of them if there are.)
Romans 13:1 says (emphasis mine, of course), “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.”
That was written at a time when the Roman Caesar was Nero.
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AJ. Check the Scriptures.
And where did we ever say we “get to be spectators”?
Yes, He calls us to act and follow our consciences — informed by Scripture, by the way — and I don’t have to worry that God will “fit it.”
Don’t worry, God’s got this, he always has. He’s not wringing his hands over how we are or are not going to vote. Voting is important, but my trust does not lie in the electoral college or in me or my neighbor determining the outcome of history.
Theology 101.
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Consider this.
God is in control. We all agree on that.
Now I have cancer as you know. God can heal me, if it’s his will. But He most likely won’t do so miraculously, but rather thru good doctors and medicine, which He also provides and allows knowledge of for our benefit. God expects me to use the tools He has given us for our benefit. That’s not relying on man, but the tools and men He has given for my and others benefit.
When I hear people talk like you 2 do I often think of David. He was a horribly flawed man, yet God used him for Israel’s benefit despite his failings. Yet to hear you 2 I’m convinced if we lived then you would say you couldn’t vote for David as king because he was unfaithful and did some really bad stuff. He was God’s ordained king, yet he wouldn’t meet your standards. Who do you think is wrong in this scenario, you, or God?
You know the answer.
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Social contagions are a problem – I remember the repressed memories and multiple personalities contagion of the 80s. Social contagions can also be irrational fears – witch trials. Trans has the quality of social contagion and the medical establishment should be more careful (but then again it wasn’t with multiple personalities either) . However, the resulting fear of drag shows and grooming is also a social contagion. Drag has been around for as long as recorded history. During the Shakespeare era only men could act thus they had to play female roles. Someone just recently dug out an old photo of Ronald Reagan in drag. Tootsie was a comedy about a man dressed as a woman in order to act in a soap opera and it was rated PG. Families have been attending Pride events for decades but suddenly now its grooming. When the usual suspects of the right or left side of the internet hammer home the same themes, its time to be suspicious. The drag show “threat” is manufactured.
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You may not say it DJ, but that’s what you action, or inaction in this case show. It’s like you don’t think God could use a flawed man like Trump.
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Debra, thanks for the thoughtful response.
AJ, I think you’re still missing the theological argument here.
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AJ. Scriptures.
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The closest verse I can think of that could imply doing our civic duty would be the one about loving our neighbors. But even there, God would call different people to different ways of doing that.
Some He calls into politics – local, state, or national. Others are running food banks or homeless shelters or volunteering in other ways. Some may feel the need to vote in a certain way, and others may not. But it’s all in God’s hands as we each do what He calls us each to do in our own personal lives. I don’t want to let my right hand know what the left is doing (or is it the other way around), so I will just say that I have my own ways of contributing to my community.
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Yes, we are given the means, from voting to medical care, by which to act. We need to make use of all of those, but if convicted by a conscience informed by scripture — that one cannot with a clear mind or spirit “choose” either option — that also is our call. And we should follow that when it convicts us.
But the outcome? It is still in God’s hands, NOT ours. I’m sorry, but this is a basic teaching and I’m not sure how you’re not seeing it in this case.
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And on another point, this one making use of the principles of logic.
If the election was “stolen” from Trump, how did my not voting specifically for Trump (or Biden) matter? It’s one or the other from the premise on which you’re arguing.
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My neighbors were lifelong Democrats who switched parties to vote for Trump (both times). I would never ridicule or critique their choice in the ballot box. It’s what they felt clearly and they voted in accordance to that.
Trump lost. Period. He may win another time. I don’t know the outcome of any of this, but God does, he knows the beginning from the end, and I find that completely reassuring. I’m sorry you don’t have that comfort that Scripture gives.
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AJ – There is a big difference between saying that our consciences would not let us vote for Trump and that we don’t think that God could use a man like Trump. Of course, He could.
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Thank you, Kizzie, for your last few comments.
God, indeed, uses people who are elected, some for good, some for judgement on a nation, some for any number of His reasons that we can’t know.
An action to abstain from supporting a candidate based on an understanding of Scripture and what makes for a wise leader is NOT inaction. It’s very much a purposeful action.
Can you or I misjudge our own voting preferences in a particular race? You bet. We need to always keep that humility.
But we act the best we know with the information given and in prayer.
How are you missing this?
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Debra – some people joke about streaming punishments live – pay per view, the state makes money, people are entertained and they are warned. Not much different than public hangings. But that rarely worked in 18th century England and I doubt it would now.
In Germany, paperwork follows you. In my neighbourhood, people ignore fines. If you have a stake in the economy or society, you’ll pay fines or it will go on your property taxes, prevent drivers license renewal or garnished before a tax refund. Those with no stake, ignore fines. Give people a stake in society and they will take fines etc more seriously. Too many people with too little at stake is not a good thing.
Why is America violent? The real question is why are North and South America violent. Except for Canada, the rest of the Americas are far more violent than the rest of the world. Some point to the influence of slavery and racial hierarchies. Others to the more expolitative forms of capitalism practised in the Americas. South Africa has similar violent crime rates as the Americas which suggests a history of exploitation based on race is one cause. Within the US, the higher rate of violent crime in the south vs the north indicates the difference produced by a society run by “honour” as opposed to “common law”.
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If Trump were elected, yes, God would then clearly be using him in that circumstance for something. But — It could be to a beneficial purpose for us as a nation or not.
We can’t know that.
We act in the way Scripture leads as we have the sight to see, realizing God may have something else in mind. And yes, realizing we may have made a wrong call, but it was made seeking and relying on guidance and that is the best we can do in those circumstances.
Do you have the humility to say that perhaps God might do something entirely unexpected under a leader who might surprise you? Someone you voted for or not? Good or bad? I hope I do. We all need that humility.
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Getting back to what Debra said @4:41:
~ And having dethroned God from our public life, we have no other ruler but ourselves ~
Pretty much, I fear. 😦
And Kizzie @5:28 … I tend to agree that there’s no hard-and-fast command to “vote” in a national election. It certainly can be seen as a privilege God has granted us in this nation, but it’s not especially a hard and fast command that I can see.
Seeing it that way, again, seems to be looking through the lens of 2023 American politics (for interpretation) rather than through the lens of Scripture to interpret these issues we may face today.
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BTW that Tablet article AJ linked to is really good. I haven’t finished all of it yet as I have a hard time reading ling pieces on my phone so I have to wait until I get back home tonight. But that’s a source that might be worth a better look.
HRW, Live-streaming, pay per view justice. Why didn’t I think of that. Maybe not a good idea .:–)
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And I’m sorry if I came off intense and stressed or sharp — Kizzie and I have often explained our position and it simply feels like it’s not being heard at all, or respected for what it is, agree or not.
I understand the position of voting for Trump because one believes he lines up on the issues and those positions are better for the country.
I know Biden voters who believe the same.
I have a girlfriend (registered Republican, school teacher) who vacillated in 2020, she could not abide by Trump but told me she was taking the summer to fully research the issues and the candidates. She wound up going for Biden. I wasn’t surprised, but I also respected that, as I know she worked through the issues as she saw them. I couldn’t vote that way, but I respect that she decided it was the best choice for her to make.
That’s how it works.
I just believe we should allow each other the respect and space to come to those conclusions for themselves, especially in an age when things have gone so politically sideways.
It’s more than a bit of a mess out there.
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We all have to make decisions we can live with (and yes, having “clean hands” and a clear conscience — whether voting one way or another … or regretfully concluding we will have to abstain this time … is important biblically).
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