Sunday, April 10, 2022

Deception is at an all time high - Ukraine, Qanon, Trump cult

 Donald Trump spoke in Michigan a week ago.  I viewed the livestream presentation last Sunday afternoon.  It was hard to stomach.  He spoke again last night in Selma, North Carolina and his groupies such as Mike Lindell, the woman running for governor of Arizona on a Trump ticket were present.  At the Michigan event in Washington, Michigan on March 2nd, he announced his "RINO" (translated:  anybody who raises an eyebrow at Donald Trump) hitlist.  Two Michigan Congressmen Peter Meijer and Fred Upton were included.  The next day Upon announced his retirement and Trump has been  boasting about his success in chasing them from the political scene.  Brave Liz Cheney is on his list.  He already chased Adam Kinzinger away, but don't count Kinzinger out.  He has formed a brave Country First PAC (Political Action Committee.

I've written before about the LOVE JOY TRUMP book that clearly includes unashamedly blatant New Age themes and proclamations such as Trump is ushering in the Age of Aquarius, the Millennial Reign of Christ, and Gaia worship.  This should be shocking to anybody knowing specifics about the New Age Movement and their Bible.  I'm bothered by how little it is disturbing Evangelicals and some Catholics who once professed to know better.

I believe Trump is consciously operating out of the old Nazi/Hitler   playbook.  He has declared that if he is re=elected President in 2024 he will pardon those charged and convicted with the Capitol invasion on January 6, 2021.  He is running efforts to take control of the election machinery from the bottom up - precinct workers, clerks, public officials, judges and putting those in power who will reaffirm his big lie that he was elected by a landslide in 2020 but the "Bit Steal" intervened.  He is holding frequent large scale rallies that in some ways remind me of Munich spectacles.  

Brannon Howse has made probably an excellent living parroting the information I pioneered on the New Age Movement and its ramifications for Christians.  For that, I have no complaint, although I think it strange that he never attempted to make contact with me.  As those of you who hav e, you know that I  pick up my phone and am willing to generously share information and sources.

Now,  Brannon Howse and Mike Lindell have worked together in recent history.  Brannon Howse certainly knows enough about the New Age Movement to have set Mike Lindell straight.  Even a cursory glance at LOVE JOY TRUMP that Lindell forwarded and probably paid for the publication would have clearly shown Mr. Howse that Mike Lindell and the cohorts writing that book were either New Age activists and/or had followed into its trap. Why did he obviously not set Lindell straight?  I bluntly have to assume that Mike Lindell's money was more important to Brannon Howse than Mike Lindell's soul!

What about Qanon?

Qanon is obviously alive and well on Planet Earth.  A Trump enrosed Secretary of State candidate for michigan Kristine Karamo spoke to a recent Michigan Republic Club  meeting on the second Wednesday of March, 2022.  I was present, seated near the font and given the mike to question her.  I expressed my fears and concerns to her about Qanon and itss possible spread to the Michigan Trump circles.  She told the entire room she knew little or nothing about Qanon.  I wa shocked even before I learned the full truth because she claims to have a master's degree in Apologetics.  It is impossible in my opinion to be in that field and not be aware of Qanon.

Yesterday, another candidate for the same office, a Michigan State Representative from the Upper Peninsula introduced himself to me at a small political meeting.  I was there to help notarize precinct delegate applications.  I decided to tell h im my concerns about Ms. Karamo's statements to me and the large audience of which I was a part this past week  -- our local GoGop meeting.  He was shocked at her reported lack of knowledge.  "Kristine Karamo spoke at a national Qanon Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 23, 2021 and he promptly handed me the evidence.   You can find it yourself easily on a Google / Duck Dck Go /  Bing or other internet engine search.

Bluntly, she lied.  

It is also looking to me sadly as though Archbishop Vigano is also falling into the Qanon and beyond traps including the theory that Putin is a hero trying to block the World Economic Forum and New World Order.

So much confusion -- hard to know where to start to fight it.  I am also fearful that some of you might be taken in by the Qanon cult.  We must be praying daily, "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

Constance





1,072 comments:

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Anonymous said...

6:21 PM
Thanks.
I'll watch it.
Constance is not my conscience and guide. Others here are not, either.
If there is truth (or at least some--no one holds it all) then I want to see that for myself. And don't care if berated because I am not towing a particular pre-approved line here for..well who cares who? Not me.
I believe censorship is so damaging. So let the truth be the truth (actually that goes along with a verse to remember..Romans 3:3 let God be true and every man a liar) -- then....wherever we find it and at times in places and from people we might not think it would be is a good thing. Surely reasonable thinking people can arrive at something reasonable and well thought out. And surely God can direct people to truth if they are really asking Him and out of His way so he point them to it.

Anonymous said...

I am in total agreement with Vigano on this...

Former Vatican envoy and outspoken papal critic Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò released a letter Monday, March 7th blaming “deep state” forces in the United States, the European Union and NATO for triggering the current war and demonizing Russia.

But Viganò sees a deeper plot to institute a new world order. Naming the United Nations, NATO and the International Monetary Fund as well as the European Union and billionaire philanthropists like George Soros and Bill Gates, the archbishop identified a global conspiracy, initiated by an American deep state, to introduce a world government based on economic interests and progressivism.

Viganò portrayed Zelenskyy as an E.U. puppet, an affable outsider introduced to foment Ukrainians’ feelings against Russia.

https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2022/03/07/vigano-ukraine-242526

Craig said...

I don’t have the time—or inclination in most cases—to comment. Should I decide to come back and read rather than skim, I may comment on some items. For now, one has come to my attention, which I’ll address.


----


J,

As regards the ‘mark’ in Rev 13:16, you appear to try to define it via English translations of other Greek words for “mark”, “stamp”, or “seal”. The Greek word here is charagma, and following are the complete usages (eight) in the NT:

-Acts 17:29 – engraving/image of skill/trade; refers to gold, silver and stone images of pagan gods
-Rev 13:16 – mark to be received upon right hand OR forehead
-Rev 13:17 – same as above; requirement to buy or sell
-Rev 14:9 – same as above: “Anyone who…receives [beast’s] mark on his forehead or on his hand”
-Rev 14:11 – ditto; refers to “whoever receives the mark of his name."
-Rev 16:2 – ditto; “painful sore/wound {SINGULAR} appeared/became upon those humans who took mark of the beast”. This sore/wound is most logically located on the area of the mark itself.
-Rev 19:20 – ditto: the signs of the false prophet “deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image [eikōn, “likeness”]”. (The word for “image”/“likeness” is used of Jesus in Col 1:15.)
-Rev 20:4 – ditto: “…those who neither worshiped the beast nor its image, and who had not received its mark upon his/her forehead or his/her hand.

The fact that the location for this mark is upon one of two places—either forehead or right hand—favors the interpretation of it as a physical mark rather than a ‘spiritual’ one. Moreover, as noted above the singular (as opposed to plural) sore/wound favors an interpretation of its placement being on the physical mark. And most damagingly, how would one buy or sell with a mere ‘spiritual’ mark? How would that be checked by TPTB?

A ‘spiritual’ mark makes no sense in these contexts. And a coin as “mark” doesn’t work here, either.

The 144,000 in Rev 7:3 are “sealed” using the Greek verb sphragizō. In Revelation, this verb is used in the following: 7:3; 7:4 [twice]; 7:5; 7:8; 10:4; 20:3 (Satan thrown into abyss, which was ‘sealed’ for 1000 years); 22:10. In the rest of the NT, it is used: Matt 27:66; John 3:33; 6:27; Romans 15:28; 1Cor 1:22; Eph 1:13; 4:30.

The noun form of this verb, sphragis is found in the NT: Rom 4:11; 1Cor 9:2; 2Tim 2:19; Rev 5:1; 5:2; 5:5; 5:9; 6:1; 6:3; 6:5; 6:7; 6:9; 6:12; 7:2; 8:1; 9:4.

Anonymous said...

To Anonymous @ 6:22 PM:

Thank you so much. You are 'a breath of fresh air' on this blog.

We all need to pray that God guides us toward the TRUTH (wherever that may lead).

I would love to be wrong about what I have learned in the past two years. I would love to wake up and have someone tell me that it has all been a terrible nightmare.

If everyone would just 'leave their egos at the door'... this blog would be a much better place for sharing information.

Craig said...

J,

Above should be 2Cor 1:22, not 1Cor 1:22

Anonymous said...


QAnon, NAR Franklin Graham, Archbishop Vigano, Jericho marches, spiritual warfare prayers, calls for violenece are all elements in comments by donors to truckers' Freedom Convoy in Canada.

https://religiondispatches.org/leaked-freedom-convoy-donor-comments-clearly-demonstrate-christian-nationalist-presence/

J said...

Craig,

Yes, I knew the Greek word for "mark" was charagma.

I believe the reference to a mark on the hand and the forehead should remind us of this:

Exodus 13:9

9It shall be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the Lord’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the Lord has brought you out of Egypt.

Anonymous said...

and this ...

https://www.alternet.org/2022/02/ottawa-truckers/

Anonymous said...

Craig @ 7:48 PM

Yes, I agree with you. My interpretation is that it is a 'physical' mark.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Revelation 13:16-17

16 And he shall make all, both little and great, rich and poor, freemen and bondmen, to have a character in their right hand, or on their foreheads.

17 And that no man might buy or sell, but he that hath the character, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

J said...

8:06 PM,

I'll read the article on Religion Dispatches, but these are the labels on the top level navigation on the site. I copied and pasted, and got a lot more than just the top level labels, but I decided to leave it. It is New Age and worldly. It doesn't bother you? How often do you read articles on it, just curious? (No article titles copied and pasted under "Russia Invades Ukraine" for some reason.)

Racial Justice

‘Always Pray to the Father’: Mormon Leader Calls Desire for Knowledge of Heavenly Mother ‘Arrogant and Unproductive’

For Black Buddhists Struggling with Intergenerational Trauma of Slavery, Segregation, and Incarceration, Thich Nhat Hanh’s Teachings are Vital

Douthat, Do Tell! Some Questions for a Columnist Longing for the Good Old Days of American Religion


Politics/Law

‘Manufactured’ Smear Campaign Attempts to Intimidate Church ‘Fasting From Whiteness’— It Didn’t Work

The White Nationalist Fringe Just Took a Giant Step Closer to the Center of the GOP

Gary North (1942-2022) Sought to Deny Religious Liberty to ‘the Enemies of God’ — But He Was Willing to Wait Patiently For The Revolution to Develop


Sex/Gender/Justice

‘Always Pray to the Father’: Mormon Leader Calls Desire for Knowledge of Heavenly Mother ‘Arrogant and Unproductive’

The Most Forgotten Queer Folks in the US are Fighting Back Against a Powerful — and Publicly Funded — Group That Discriminates With Impunity

With Demons Held Responsible These Days for Everything from Covid to LGBTQ Rights, Take a Visual Tour of the History of Demonization


Christian Nationalism

Douthat, Do Tell! Some Questions for a Columnist Longing for the Good Old Days of American Religion

‘Manufactured’ Smear Campaign Attempts to Intimidate Church ‘Fasting From Whiteness’— It Didn’t Work

The Most Forgotten Queer Folks in the US are Fighting Back Against a Powerful — and Publicly Funded — Group That Discriminates With Impunity


Russia Invades Ukraine

J said...

I'm done reading the article 8:06 PM.

I don't agree with the beliefs of QAnon, NAR, etc. but the author seems very squeamish and alarmist to me. The article seems designed to make the reader go, "Ew, Christian conservatives. We're sure glad we're better than they are!" I think in the setting of the overall web site the context makes me think that this article is using a few donor comments to caricature all Christian conservatives and all vaccine/COVID skeptics.

J said...

8:17 PM,

This type of article on AlterNet, like so many others about Christians on AlterNet, is designed to make non-Christians think that we are dangerous, like terrorists.

Notice the headline of the article makes it seem like the Bible itself is a dangerous, terrorist book.

J said...

Craig and Anonymous,

I'm going to get a little personal for a minute. I've spent some time in my life thinking about the mark of the beast. In my childhood I imagined the Antichrist walking down my street, finding me hiding in the basement, and branding me with a hot 666 iron. He would be able to do it like Santa Claus can go to all the houses on Christmas Eve. Not that I believed in Santa Claus. I kept the Feast of Tabernacles, not Christmas.

My description of my imagined mark of the beast reflects a ridiculous childhood fear, but indulge me for a minute, because it brings up an important issue. The issue is that if the mark is spiritual, NOBODY CAN FORCE IT UPON US. Jesus keeps us safe, for even if we die, we spend eternity with Him in heaven.

If the mark is physical, IT CAN BE FORCED UPON US, damning us for eternity.

I ask you both seriously to consider whether a forced mark of the beast is whatsoever consistent with every other message in the whole Bible.

Or do you presume that Jesus would automatically protect people who are sealed by the Holy Spirit? But what if He didn't? Then they should fight, because if they don't, they'll be damned eternally?

Would all the people of Shanghai be eternally damned while all the people of Florida would be the sealed ones?

How would this all work?

I'm being very serious. I was brought up in the sect called the Worldwide Church of God. Please don't be tempted to condescend to me, because this sect happened to be very influential on popular end times beliefs. One of the professors at Ambassador College, the college of the Worldwide Church of God, originated the idea of the EU being the head the grows back on the Roman Empire beast. His name is Charles Dorothy. My parents both were his students. He was the favorite professor of both of them.

Anonymous said...

J said: "I don't know whether it's true or false, but it's interesting that nobody debunked it. Instead she got immediately canceled from Fox News."

She got canceled from Fox News after having the audacity to compare Dr. Fauci to Dr. Mengele on the air.

Fox News’ Lara Logan Appears To Be Going Full QAnon Wacky, Accusing Zelensky And The Ukrainian Military Of Being Part Of ‘The Occult’

https://uproxx.com/viral/lara-logan-zelensky-occult-ukraine-nazis/


From what little I gathered, Lara Logan has spent the last few years living mostly in Austin Texas with her family and occassionally remoting in or doing some studio work. She's recovered from some type of cancer and perhaps all the chemo has taken a toll on her ability to draw rational thought. Her criticisms of Zelensky are just personal opinions or misinformation generated by her husband. It's not like she's still an "investigative journalist" out in the field reporting facts. She's simply gone the way of Qanon.

A late addition: Lara Logan is also an unrepentant adulterer who pursued and then married a married man with children in 2008. His name is Joseph Burkett, a purveyor of fake news and possibly CIA? In 2008 when he pursued his extramarital relationship with Mrs. Logan, he was head of the Lincoln Group, a US Gov paid disinformation organization charged with planting positive stories in Baghdad's newspapers. It was "information operations". (source:https://www.whattolaugh.com/joseph-w-burkett/)

Here's the article from 2008 about their affair.

NEWS BABE’S ‘IRAQI TRYST’
https://nypost.com/2008/06/26/news-babes-iraqi-tryst/

If Logan is lying it wouldn't be the first time. She made huge errors reporting Benghazi that she had to publicly apologize for. Such misreporting had large political ramnifications and her husbands' position as a 'security expert" and government contractor may have played a role in dupping the 60 minutes journalist and/or their staff.

Lara Logan's Mystery Man

https://www.newsweek.com/lara-logans-mystery-man-162631

Craig said...

J,

Just like a 'vaccine mandate' is not forced--one can abstain and suffer the consequences, as per the dictates of the locale, of not being able to find certain employment, not being able to travel freely, etc.--the 'mark of the beast' need not be thought of as forced upon anyone. A physical mark would be a choice.

As for your citing Exodus 13:9 as applicable in some sense to Rev 13:16-17 (and etc.), I don't see a connection at all. Apples and oranges. One is clearly figurative, the other cannot be but physical.

J said...

Sure it would have to be forced. Children wouldn't make their own choices. The elderly wouldn't. Neither would prison inmates or members of mental institutions.

Anonymous said...

Laura Logan "got canceled from Fox News after having the audacity to compare Dr. Fauci to Dr. Mengele on the air"???

Whoo Whoo... go, Laura.

Actually, that's pretty tame. Most people have been calling Dr. FAUX-CHI a lot worse than that.

So, 9:33 PM (who is obviously 'without sin') has decided to trash Laura's personal life.

(Well, that should teach her a thing or two.)









Craig said...

J,

No more so than vaccine mandates. But, don't forget God's sovereignty.

I checked the grammar, and the final (hina) clause in Rev 13:16 ("that he/it should give them a mark...") is a Greek subjunctive, which means potentiality or possibility, as opposed to the indicative, which would be more a matter of fact or reality. And the mere fact that there are some who DO NOT take the mark implies not ALL are forced. How do they abstain? I don't know. I suppose we might find out.

Anonymous said...

Yes, and I see where that Globalist 'TOOL' Newsweek Magazine decided to 'finish' Lara Logan off for having the COURAGE to go up against the Globalists... by exposing them and everything they are up to these days.

(I certainly hope she's learned her lesson. LOL)

Anonymous said...

Lara Logan has learned (the hard way) that there is a PRICE you have to pay for having the courage of your convictions.

Anonymous said...

That Newsweek article was from 2013, long before her Qanon days.

As far as it being her personal life...marriage is a social contract and Godly institution. Lara Logan stole another woman's life and destroyed a child's family.

However, since you supported Trump I don't suppose adultery is a big deal to you.

x


amy h said...

Everyone on here giving Constance, our loyal friend for more than 30 years, a hard time, needs to get the H-E-Double Hockey Sticks out of the Duality/Bivalve/False Dichotomy and listen to what she is saying. "oh she's talking about Q Anon again.' Only because you aren't really listening, and constantly running to and fro, from one side to the next, living the inversion in real time.

You're not understanding the patent lies even the right is telling now, the obvious rubbing of our faces deliberately in evil, the Controlled Great Awakening, all the corny carnival bs swirling around you.

Constance is not off her game. You are. Evil is NOT the opposite of good. God has NO RELATIONSHIP WITH EVIL. He will not even be in the same universe with it, look upon it, suffer it for one second. Good and evil are not opposites of the same pole. Figure out the 3rd choice, get off the checkerboard floor, and shut up while ya do it. Thanks.

J said...

Craig 10:11 PM,

I'm sure I'll never completely comprehend every detail of Revelation, but I do understand this much. It's meant to comfort Christians so they understand even in seeming defeat, victory is theirs if they persevere in their faith. We can agree on that much, yes?

Anonymous said...

10:49 PM

You're in fine Pharisee form again I see, clanging x.
You make your "values" a context in "discussion" (that isn't what the subject is but you force it anyway).
Your values are your personal business, not to be imposed upon others.

People answer to God, not you.

Your amateur providence attitude, in front of God and everybody, is shameless and merciless, making use of you as the devil's bludgeoning tool. You condemn yourself by these antics.

Jesus will judge you by the measure you use to measure others. Go read His words again and judge yourself by His words, while you are so busy thinking you do God a favor.




J said...

X 10:49 PM,

Now we're required not to vote for or to read the articles or watch the videos of anybody who's committed adultery? How would we know for certain who has and who hasn't? What if he or she has repented of it? How would we know if they have or have not repented?

Anonymous said...

11:39 PM At J.

We can all say that.
And why our faith (may God increase it) is more important, now more than ever, than leaning on our own understanding, for the things God has yet to reveal.
To me, while I don't understand a whole lot yet, I still sense the feeling...somewhat of a huge shoe about to drop.

Anonymous said...

Craig, Maybe it means in this vein that some do not take the mark:

Hebrews 11:24 It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.

Refusing the temporary pleasures of sin but also the temporaries in necessity for living earthly life.
Take the mark and you can "live" in the here and now, but die spiritually is what I think is being implied.

Anonymous said...

Careful, X

If you're going to condemn all adulturers... you might just wipe out most of the Democrat Party. LOL


Anonymous said...

J asked: "Now we're required not to vote for or to read the articles or watch the videos of anybody who's committed adultery? How would we know for certain who has and who hasn't? What if he or she has repented of it? How would we know if they have or have not repented?"


1st -- It's a reflection of her character and willingness to publicly deceive others. The weight you want to place on that is up to you. Divorces and many of the details thereof are a matter of public record that I have utilized in my hiring and firing practices. Usually you can just ask the questions and their answers will tell you all you need to know. Unrepentant adulterers are usually pretty easy to spot. I don't check out everyone I meet, but to me the details matter because marriage is more important to our communities than politics.

Pro tip, never hire a financial advisor that lied to the person he/she shares a bed with because lying to you is easy compared to that.

2nd -- If Lara Logan was granted the gift of repentance it would be obvious. I'm not in her head but I think you would have seen and heard a public apology to his God-given ex-wife that Mr. Burkett and Lara dragged through a bitter public divorce and custody battle. They even demanded she get a mental health evaluation after destroying her. They'd be giving his ex-wife custody of her daughter as a household of unrepentant adulterers in no place for a child. An affair turned marriage is not a legitimate marriage. They should divorce and make restitution to the ex-wife, monetarily. You can't steal a spouse and then keep it. We don't allow bank robbers to keep the money they steal, do we? Some states still have interference with marital relations on the books though few enforce such. A few years ago Lara posed for some magazine article about her life, house, decorating, etc for some Texas soceity magazine and it included a family portrait including her kids as well as the legitimate child Mr. Burkett had with his ex-wife. Imagine some woman coming along and stealing your husband and time with your child and then posing them for "family portraits" in a local magazine where you live and referring to your kid as one of her children. I'm sure the real Mrs. Burkett was not amused. Just NOT very repentant seeming.

That said, sometimes it's hard to know. It's much easier to hide in todays culture and holding people accountable is certainly frowned upon (unless they voted for Biden).

x

Anonymous said...

12:37

I don't/can't condemn anyone.

But I can judge right and wrong and discern from there.

x

Anonymous said...

Who says that is supposed to be shared and imposed on others then?? Because that is what you do. And you are not going by first hand knowledge anyway. Even worse.
That is yours, for you, before the Lord---but you go at it like gossip and smear-what it ends up being so that is condemning, though you are trying to justify it.
Doesn't work that way.
Frankly, you are very unkind around here.
It's a really bad look for a testimony that says it's about following Jesus.

Anonymous said...

12:56 am

You make no sense. You don't have first-hand knowledge about pretty much everything you say here about me...about Biden about whoever calls you out for being a qanon disinformer. How do you justify your "gossiping and smear"?

The woman is married to her affair partner. She commits adultery every time she lays with him. He is not hers to keep. And... vice versa. If you are fine with aduterers and home wreckers than move on. You don't have to comment on everything I say. Please ghost me.

On the other hand, you sure do defend adulterers a lot. Is it just about Trump?

x



J said...

12:11 AM,

That would be consistent with the rest of the Bible. It would be consistent with the statement about the saints overcoming because they loved not their lives to the death. (Revelation 12:11)

There is some agency involved. The saints are handed white garments to put on in Revelation. They themselves put on the white garments. (Revelation 6:11)

I know my belief is in the minority here, and you and Craig alike may not agree with me, but I can't help but wonder: what does a vaccine have to do with sin, salvation, redemption, choosing Jesus over the world, worshiping God not Mammon, refraining from idolatry, persevering in the faith that was once delivered, accepting that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who paid our sin debt on the cross, and every other theme throughout the Bible?

Anonymous said...

This week I received a fundraiser letter from Donald Trump. The purpose of the PAC is to elect "Trump Republican Majorities".

The spending appears aimed at boosting former U.S. Sen. David Perdue in governor’s race; Trump views Kemp as disloyal

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/trump-pac-gives-500-000-for-attack-ads-against-georgias-brian-kemp-01649900623


An you all argue he is long gone from politics.


J said...

What is interesting is to cross reference the Jesus of the other books of the New Testament with the Jesus of Revelation.

Does this have anything to do with Revelation? Jesus is the same being in every book. Later on the people say, "We have no king but Caesar," (John 19:15) explicitly rejecting Jesus Christ as King of the Jews and Messiah. Does that have anything to do with Matthew 22:15-22?



Matthew 22:15-22
New King James Version
The Pharisees: Is It Lawful to Pay Taxes to Caesar?

15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. 16 And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not [a]regard the person of men. 17 Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

18 But Jesus [b]perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? 19 Show Me the tax money.”

So they brought Him a denarius.

20 And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?”

21 They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”

And He said to them, “Render[c] therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.

Anonymous said...

I will be sending Brian Kemp a donation.

J said...

X 12:40 AM,

Then you would approve of an aunt of mine who lives with her boyfriend in a brother-sister style relationship, because her husband is still alive. He divorced her but did not commit adultery.

My parents' former sect, Herbert Armstrong's Worldwide Church of God, imposed this type of relationship on many couples, who lived as brother and sister while waiting for an ex-spouse to die. They believed if they married and had conjugal relations, they would be committing adultery as long as the ex-spouse still lived.

I wonder if you think it is wrong for a battered wife to divorce an unrepentant abusive husband, so long as he only puts her in the hospital, but at least he doesn't penetrate another woman?

I know my father in his later years, after giving this issue of divorce and remarriage a thorough study, came not to believe this type of teaching. He counseled several couples over the years who were desperate for truly Biblical advice, wanting to resolve their conflicts without living in sin.

As for Lara Logan, we don't have her side of the story or her husband's side. Is it really our business?

No, I would not want to be treated as you say that Lara Logan's second husband treated his first wife, but is this relevant to the war in Ukraine?

You actually believe it's your business as an employer to nose around in your employees' personal lives? I've never heard of such a thing. Aren't there laws against it? I know you are allowed to hire a private detective to see if employees use drugs on premises while working, but isn't digging around in their sexual past crossing a line?

J said...

12:37 AM,

He never mentions that Joe and Jill Biden were both married before. Jill's ex-husband claimed Jill had an extra-marital affair with Joe before their purported blind date.

I don't relish going there. It makes me feel dirty and self-righteous at the same time.

It's clear that the Bible teaches that marriage is a sacrament and shouldn't be ended casually or frivolously.

But to judge only adultery but not other forms of sexual immorality -- including the LGBTQ agenda and the sexualization of children -- is weird.

To judge only the adultery of Republicans or of conservative media sources is pretty laughable.

Marriage is between a man, a woman and God. It isn't the business of everybody else in the whole world.

Anonymous said...

Someone needs to teach X a lesson on how NOT to DEBATE others on this blog.

X must believe he is 'without sin' since he LOVES to 'cast stones' on others here.

For example, in LESS than 24 hours, X has actually said the following:

"Unless you can absolutely prove to me you aren't sexual molesting children right now...you are wasting your time." (at 3:26 PM)

"Since you supported Trump I don't suppose adultery is a big deal to you." (at 10:49 PM)

"The woman is married to her affair partner. She commits adultery every time she lays with him. He is not hers to keep.... If you are fine with aduterers and home wreckers than move on." (at 1:50 AM)

J said...

This is an interesting look at the issue of the termination of marriage under the Mosaic law in light of Old Testament stories. I'm not endorsing it, because I'm still studying this issue out of curiosity, since it keeps being raised.

It seems to me that if the church is too strict, unreasonably and unliveably so, people will be driven to Sola Cultura for their answers to their problems. But that's just my tentative opinion and I only suggest studying this by taking a deep dive into the Mosaic law and Old Testament stories and what they could potentially teach us.

https://bible.org/seriespage/3-termination-marriage-mosaic-law

Anonymous said...

J @ 7:59 AM

Your first paragraph is exactly what is missing from the vast majority of 'modern' Christians lives. It is why the devil can so easily play them through the dialectic etc.

Your last paragraph shows a complete lack of discernment and immaturity.

Anonymous said...

"You don't have first-hand knowledge about pretty much everything you say here about me"

We have a trove of things you say about yourself and what you cram upon this blog Mr "ahead of the curve" "easy going guy".
This blog has it (from thread to thread almost non-stop) the tripe you type, so we have it first hand from YOU. Your own words condemn you.
You don't listen to yourself while you torch people--go off on everyone else.
That's just your first problem...

Quit this business of trying to present yourself as innocently "only speaking the truth" and somehow very virtuous (above all others).
You're a bully and merciless. CLANG CLANG CLANG is the sound of your posts.
Unchristian--unkind---your M.O. --- thread to thread to thread right up to this moment.

Anonymous said...

"An you all argue he is long gone from politics."

Didn't say that.
He might or might not be.
That's what is certain at this hour.

And I think it's all over anyway.
The fat lady has sung her tune.
It's a global world now.

Anonymous said...

J @ 8:31 AM and 9:14 AM

Bravo.

That snooping self-righteous Pharisee has no business in people's personal lives in the way you describe and yet there he is.
He must get off on those tidbits----real or imagined----to plant himself like that on personal doorsteps.

That's weird, that's wacked, that smells to high heaven.
I guess he's proven, for this entire blog again, by his own nasty words, that that is where he's "ahead of the curve".

And no one here is ahead of the curve as he is for dispensing disinfo.
For that he's the reigning champ--I mean chump.....

Anonymous said...

Just to clarify... no one is saying that Trump is "long gone from politics." He may want to run again in 2024... IF the Globalists don't get 'lucky' and arrest him, prosecute him and put him in prison for 'trumped-up charges' (pardon the pun) for January 6th.

However, Trump has no real POWER now... in that he has not been the President of the United States and 'the leader of the free world' in the past one year and 3 months.

Therefore, it is difficult for sane people to wrap their heads around this constant FEAR and OBSESSION over Donald Trump. (Christians, who are close to God, don't waste their time with fear and obsession... because that would be giving into temptation from Satan, who wants us to be obsessed and fearful... rather than placing their FAITH and TRUST in God.)

I mean, Trump couldn't be the antichrist... because he is not particularly 'religious'... and isn't the antichrist supposed to at least be extremely knowledgeable about SCRIPTURE?

Am I the only one here who is NOT losing sleep over Donald Trump???

Anonymous said...

J @ 8:31

I'm not a pastor so I don't/can't "impose" anything on anyone and I certainly extend a lot of grace in the area of divorce and remarriage. I approve of what your aunt is doing becuase it's biblical and she personally feels compelled to follow that strict interpretation. I've never divorced so I've never been confronted with those difficult choices. When my wife and I walk with divorcing couples those issues might come up and we feel they should be discussed but, as lay persons, we simply direct them to the scriptures and ask that they think about it and pray upon it and perhaps discuss it with the Pastor.

Divorce and remarriage is a different issue than adultery.

J asked: "I wonder if you think it is wrong for a battered wife to divorce an unrepentant abusive husband, so long as he only puts her in the hospital, but at least he doesn't penetrate another woman?"

Short Answer - Yes. She should separate herself from him physically, file for support or legal separation (if she needs that legal protection) and have no contact with him whatsoever. All communication should go through a mediator. Very few husbands that are THAT physically abusive repent but with anger management, counseling and a repentant heart, God can do anything. The other 99% of the time the husband will stray within one year and she has her ticket out of the marriage.

Even if he doesn't, personally I'd be fine with her divorcing her unrepentant abusive husband. She'd tried and earned her way out. Ultimately that's between her and God though whether it's right or wrong or whether she can remarry.

The REAL gray areas are the women being told by psychologists and even churches that they can divorce for, very often menial, "emotional" abuse. Women file the vast majority of divorces and most of them are unbiblical. Whether she was REALLY emotionally abused is sometimes very hard to tell, but she'll tell you anyway.

As far as Lara Logan...it was a sidenote as to her credibility and might explain her penchant for disinformation now that she's in an affair marriage to a government disinformer.

As far as employment law. Most, if not all of our employees are in "at-will" states. We can fire them at will. I've suspended and then fired cheating spouses that work for us before. We are a family first employer. We ask about family and will meet with spouses socially regularly. We don't socialize separately. When we bring people in for meetings, their spouses and children are invited. Fratinization in the workplace that doesn't include spouses is frowned upon. Old school. You don't have to be married to work for us but I prefer married employees. They tend to be more stable and that stability is reflected in their resume and job history (so it's not really the marital status that matters - still comes down to the resume)

Is it legal? Yea, I think so. Every large employer out there that I'm aware of at least does a purview of a job candidate's social media, a drug test and a criminal background check. Such criminal background check will include any cases they may have been involved with including in the family court (i.e. - divorce and custody disputes). It's public record, as it should be.

BTW...spouses LOVE us. I know in writing it sounds all so strict and intrusive. It really doesn't feel that way in real life. Making a truly family friendly business has to be done with intention and attention to details..but it's not a church nor is anyone required to stay.

x








J said...

10:45 AM,

To me it smacks of social credit to purport that employers could or should hold their employees accountable for whatever of their personal sins that have been outed.

Take a look at this, and not the similarity to what X said:

China: Social Credit System Has ‘Restored Morality’ by Blacklisting over 13 Million People

https://calvarypo.org/china-social-credit-system-has-restored-morality-by-blacklisting-over-13-million-people/

J said...

X 12:14 PM,

You are being reasonable but you shifted the grounds of consideration.

Anonymous said...

J @ 10:45 AM

Re: "China: Social Credit System Has ‘Restored Morality’ by Blacklisting over 13 Million People"


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


WOW, and isn't the 'Social Credit System' supposed to play a big part in the future New World Order?

Thank you, J for sharing this with us.





Anonymous said...

J @ 9:14 am

Jill Bidens divorce was problematic for me and I did look into it before voting for Joe.

Jill's ex-husband's claims don't really ring true to me and he never did publish that tell-all book he threatened.

Joe and Jill's corroborated timeline is Jill was separated from Bill sometime around August 1974 was divorced early 1975 during her junior year in college. She went through a tough time. During her senior year she dated some dorky college guys and then had a great blind date with Joe who was around 32 at the time to her 24. They didn't marry until 1977.

That's not generally the timeline of marriages that are the result of an extra-marital relationship. Affair marriages more often go divorce and remarriage in the same year with a baby to boot.

The fact Joe was even in that position albeit for the tragic death of his first wife. I imagine he'd still be married to her had that not happened and perhaps Hunter wouldn't be so messed up.

Bill Clinton is an example of a democrat adulterer, but he stayed married to Hillary which, I'm presuming, means he's repentant. At that point -- it IS between them and a private matter.

Nancy Reagan is a good example of an adulterous wife though.

People are redeemable. God can sanctify anyone and I'm not condeming anyone. You think I'm judging adultery much harsher than LGBTQ but I'm not. I could only wish other conservatives would judge adultery and living together with as much judgement as they reserve for the LGBTQ community. Republicans would never embrace someone like Pete Buttigieg* for President but they sure loved their unrepentant sexual immoral Trump. What's the difference?

*for the record, I support neither.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, that last post to J should be 'to J @ 12:17' (NOT 10:45).

J said...

"BTW...spouses LOVE us. I know in writing it sounds all so strict and intrusive. It really doesn't feel that way in real life."

This was not necessary to say to me on the basis of anything I wrote. I've been able to remain married by the grace of God, but I have to believe that in God's eyes, a marriage is more than a legal document filed away in a county filing system and more than two warm bodies under the same roof.

I was strict regarding my expectations of myself immediately after my conversion, out of fear of losing God's blessings for my child, but the results were eventually not good. As I grew in my faith and understanding, I realized some of my errors, and I was ironic and maybe even almost autistic in how I misunderstood the strict scriptures. I have a few opinions about it, but it's personal.

I actually believe that humans are like autistic children to God, and through Jesus and the Holy Spirit, God works with our hearts to do therapy with us and make us eventually able to communicate with Him. I don't think we always understand what we think we do. We are like Pharisees with Jesus. We don't always get it.

Anonymous said...

X at 12:14 PM stated the following (giving us a further peek inside of his head):

"As far as employment law. Most, if not all of our employees are in "at-will" states. We can fire them at will. I've suspended and then fired cheating spouses that work for us before. We are a family first employer. We ask about family and will meet with spouses socially regularly. We don't socialize separately. When we bring people in for meetings, their spouses and children are invited. Fratinization in the workplace that doesn't include spouses is frowned upon. Old school."

Anonymous said...

J,

We are not a government employer or contractor. We are a private enterprise. It's our job to give and our job to take away within the law.

It all goes smoothly for the most part. Decent men and women like working in a company that doesn't allow for closed-door one on one opposite sex meetings and where sexual harassment isn't tolerated. They appreciate working in an environment free from temptation where they will be held accountable. Accountability means being answerable for your actions and decisions. Accountability isn’t necessarily a disciplinary measure but a virtue that ensures operational efficiency by keeping things on track. That's where grace comes in.

A government credit rating system generally doesn't operate on grace at all. A family small business that puts its people and their families first CAN offer a lot of grace. Humans stumble. It's what they do after that that matters.

x

Anonymous said...

In my humble opinion, it seems to me that the average Christian wants to work on himself or herself; striving to live up to his or her potential; and hopefully be pleasing in the eyes of God... rather than spending an excessive amount of time looking for and pointing out the faults of others (leaving it to God to deal with those 'others' - since only HE has the ability to see into their hearts and souls).

J said...

I missed this part:

"I've suspended and then fired cheating spouses that work for us before."

I was too hasty in calling his post reasonable. I'm sure I may have missed other things, too.

Anonymous said...

With every word from X (and his 'verbal diarrea')... he just keeps digging a deeper hole for himself here on this blog.

(Unfortunately for us, it's more alarming than entertaining.)

Anonymous said...

12:58 pm

You have no idea. Family aside...active cheating spouses are very unstable, dangerous and a disruption to the workplace.

It doesn't happen that often. They are aware of the rules.

We fully support marital reconciliation and even pay for the marriage counseling.

x

Anonymous said...

1:11 pm

We are out looking for cheaters. The few times it has happened (and there are certainly more times that we don't know about) it was usually the spouses that came to us and reported the cheating and asking us to hold their spouse accountable.

Adultery destroys lives and, in the process thereof injures business and our culture.

If that's not for you, don't work for us.

x



J said...

X 1:22 PM,

What would you have done with Fantine in Les Miserables?

Anonymous said...

"Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them."

Ephesians 5:11 ESV

J said...

1:36 PM,

In the Old Testament one witness could not establish iniquity or sin, no matter what a person had done. (Deuteronomy 19:15)

Matthew 18:15-17 says - in the context of CHURCH not EMPLOYER or HOUSEHOLD MASTER:

15“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ 17And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector."

Notice it says, "if your brother sins against YOU." Notice it starts out keeping it PRIVATE.

Anonymous said...

J,

Fantine?

We employ single mothers.

We have especially gone out of our way to hire widowed mothers with children and provide them support and flexibility with the ability to support their family financially. Something our father lead us to do as it's biblical.

But women are held just as accountable for adultery as men. The anti-fraternization rules are written without regard to gender.

Regular dating by single employees outside the workplace is none of our business.

Lets turn this around a bit. Do you think it's ok to fire swingers? We have never had this issue arise as people tend to keep those things a secret but more and more alternative lifestyles are becoming somehow acceptable to share publicly. I wouldn't hire a polyamorous person but should I discipline them if I find out later they are actively and PUBLICLY "swinging"? I don't want that couple at our company family gatherings, would you?

x

Anonymous said...

12:58 PM

Wow.
Overlord x and his business.

Man oh man, how would yall like to work for that tyrant?
Snoopin' on you and your family. Judging you even in the off hours of your personal home life.

His tighty whiteys are in some kinda knot, even sounds oppressive...veers into the weird zone.
And x must wear a superman cape when he shows up at his business, and might be packing a 20 lb Bible with him.

People should be paid to do their jobs, kept or let go based on their job performance, not whether or not they "please" some "spiritual" tyrant.
No wonder he's so ugly to deal with here at this blog! And no wonder he voted for Democrat hell for our country since the model is his own place of employment!!!!

You lifted the corner of your rug x, and it looks smarmy as hell under there.
You ain't into grace at all!

Anonymous said...

based on their job performance and behavior at the job I meant to add.

Anonymous said...

The J, and X show!

New blog title: What J + X Thinks!

X is nice to you J because you feed the TROLL.

Don't forget he has been way beyond nasty to most people here.

He is a leopard who will never change his perverted leftist spots.

But keep feeding the TROLL. No problem.



Anonymous said...

Leave J alone. She's a good poster. She deals head on with topics..and with infamous X.

Anonymous said...

1:57 pm

Yes...Matthew 18:15-17 is an unwritten corporate consideration as we proceed. We are an employer, not their church.

Like I said...more often than not it's the spouse that has already confronted the cheater, privately (as most spouses tend to do) who then comes to us because the spouse won't stop. We try to handle it all quietly and privately to avoid public shaming, embarrassment and to promote reconciliation. We own their computers and phones so "witnesses" other than the spouse usually aren't needed. Unlock the cell phone and gift it to the spouse.

Workplace affairs are another story. They are a "sin against us" in that they are in every way violating rules they agreed to and, without fail, using company resources and time to carry on their illicit relationship. It's considered theft. Non-workplace affairs, usually at some level, involved theft too. Stealing away for long lunches, calling in "sick", hours texting, emailing and facetiming. It's quite apparent when you look at the electronic details just how damaging affairs are to employers. It's on par with drug addiction. The employee stops functioning and becomes useless and a cancer in the workplace.

If you want to hire them...go for it.

x

Anonymous said...

Is that why X is always trying to accuse somebody of flirting with him here at the blog?
And brings up some sexual subjects like he does from time to time to try to trap people in the rude questions he asks?

He's a freak.

Anonymous said...

It's not FEAR and OBSESSION. It is reporting what Trump is doing to advance his political agenda.

Chasing your tail again.

To point out what he's doing does not translate to mean a lack of FAITH and TRUST. Are warnings about the new age or any kind a lack of faith and trust? Maybe in your book but not mine. The mere criticism of Donald Trump, your idol, sends you right over the edge.

J said...

2:16 PM,

I just couldn't ignore it that X is an employer who asks interviewees questions about their sex lives and who fires employees if a spouse comes to him and claims adultery. I found it too freakishly horrifying. I have never heard of anything like it before. I think I'm done with the topic now. I believe in the sacrament of marriage but not the social credit-like way of attempting to enforce it in the workplace.

Anonymous said...

J,

Quickly. Neither I, nor human resources ever ASK interviewees about their sex lives nor do we discipline or fire workers solely on the word of their spouse. She/he may be lying, cheating themselves, and/or vindictive. We simply will not in any way enable a man or woman to cheat on their spouse, abandon their marriages, divorce to be with their paramour and destroy their families. Someone else can hire them.

Lots of companies have ZERO fraternization policies. It's a fine line between encouraging team building and enabling inappropriate opposite-sex extra-marital relationships. Some people are simply not cut out to work in an office or in the field with opposite sex co-workers.

Before social media most affairs started at work. My dad instituted the "Billy Graham Rules" for our company and they've done well by us since. I've taken it a step further always looking for ways to help our married employees be more productive, while being there for their kids and having more fulfilling marriages.

Marriage is a social institution, not entirely a private matter. The breakdown of American culture, in my opinion, is much more tied to heterosexual divorce than anything else. I'm just trying my best to make America great again. lol

x



Anonymous said...

@2:45 PM

Ditto on what you said, J.

I think X has outed himself big time now.

The rampant Pharisee-ism is awful in my book too.
Explains a lot of his posturing and politics to me.


I feel no kinship in the Lord with this "brother".

Not long ago I gave some credit in a post to former President Trump and he quickly posted in reply to accuse me of having a small phallus -- oh dear God really? (and how and why that he would go there with anybody goes to a weird place) -- and I promptly replied that I know what the definition of a woman is......because I am one. I told him he is a terrible minder reader. Myself I think he is pretty horrible to deal with. I have nothing to hide but sure glad I don't work for him!

His assumptions are over-the-top and why "discussion" with him is, 90% of the time, an exercise in futility with that cat of some very strange stripes.

Anonymous said...

"I'm just trying my best to make America great again."

How are you going to do that since you're usually pulling on a door that says push to open?

Wrong way X strikes again!!!

And pretty damn toxic going about it too.

Anonymous said...

"I've taken it a step further always looking for ways to help our married employees"

Um, sounds like some steps too far, overlord, x.
You operate by some genuine smarm.
You gave us some real fodder "fodder x" ....the employer pontificator who listens to his employees confessions.

Your business is making other people's business your business.
Man, this is some weird stuff...






Anonymous said...

2:40 PM

Donald Trump has NEVER been my 'idol' (that is so funny and just proves you don't know me at all)... but, he IS obviously an 'obsession' with a few on this blog.

Also, it is 'obsession' that will probably end up sending YOU 'over the edge.'

So very sad for you.

Anonymous said...

X states at 1:06 PM: "Humans stumble. It's what they do after that that matters."

___________________________________________________________________________


X, YOU have been 'stumbling' all over this blog for a LONG time now.

Just curious, what are YOU going to do 'after that that matters'?

Anonymous said...

I'm just in awe of how much time X has to post here around the clock.

I would imagine he would be up his 'wazoo' in lawsuits from his former employees.

(Maybe he really IS 'Superman' LOL.)

Anonymous said...

J is 'handling' X just fine.

Keep up the good work.

Craig said...

With Elon Musk's majority shares in Twaddle, 'mean tweets' could come back.

MEME THE LEFT

"The lefties on Twitter are having a meltdown of unbelievable proportions. It's a sight to behold. Imagine the left losing one of their information strongholds, as we move into the 2024 election. Imagine the possibilities. Imagine the opportunities that brings. Love it. :)"

----

Whatever one thinks of Trump, free speech should prevail.

Anonymous said...

He's not an obsession with me. He's NEWS WORTHY. Learn the difference. Your responses are laughable because any mention of his name sends you in a complete meltdown.

Craig said...

J,

You wrote: …[Revelation]’s meant to comfort Christians so they understand even in seeming defeat, victory is theirs if they persevere in their faith. We can agree on that much, yes?

Yep.

You wrote: …I can't help but wonder: what does a vaccine have to do with sin, salvation, redemption, choosing Jesus over the world, worshiping God not Mammon, refraining from idolatry, persevering in the faith that was once delivered, accepting that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who paid our sin debt on the cross, and every other theme throughout the Bible?

Read the few verses before Rev 13:16-17. Worship of the ‘beast’ comes before the mark. That should answer that question.

My position has been all along that it's not the vaxx, but the vax mandate that acts as a precursor to the ultimate mark.

Anonymous said...

Craig,

Elon Musk is another unrepentant adulterer and New Ager. As babylon bee found out recently, he is not a Christian.



Elon Musk says humans could eventually download their brains into robots — and Grimes thinks Jeff Bezos would do it

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/08/elon-musk-humans-could-eventually-download-their-brains-into-robots.html

x

p.s. - my position has been all along that it's not the vaccine, nor any vaccine mandate (that's we've had for numerous vaccines for decades now) but rather the selfishness, lack of decorum and respect and complete willingness to lie about vaccines that acts as the precursor to the ultimate mark. The whole covid vaccine thing wasn't an legitimate exercise in rigorous debate over health care but, rather, political infantilism following Biden's landslide victory. The new world order will capitalize upon such infantilism someday. It takes a Trump or a man like Trump to order such "brand" of loyalty and motivate the fear and hate necessary to get crazy people to follow through implementing such.

J said...

This has become a laugh line:

"...is another unrepentant adulterer"

And it shouldn't be, but God help me, that's what X has turned it into.

J said...

4:09 PM,

Not long ago I gave some credit in a post to former President Trump and he quickly posted in reply to accuse me of having a small phallus -- oh dear God really? (and how and why that he would go there with anybody goes to a weird place) -- and I promptly replied that I know what the definition of a woman is......because I am one. I told him he is a terrible minder reader. Myself I think he is pretty horrible to deal with. I have nothing to hide but sure glad I don't work for him!

____________________________________________________________________________________________

LOL. You and me both!

Anonymous said...

5:48 pm

It becomes impossible to argue with them about Trump because the thing they absolutely love about the guy is how much "libs" and others hate him. It's truly sad when the best candidates republicans can put forward are there simply based on their ability to trigger liberals and moderates (which is anyone that doesn't love him and make believe they actually believe all his lies --- thus, any criticism of Trump FEEDS their love of him...that they then deny but can't help feeling because you seem so triggered).

I just measure Trump biblically. He fails and gets a way worse score than Biden. End of story. I've always considered Trump unelectable in much the same way Larry Flint or Hugh Hefner wouldn't/shouldn't seriously be considered appropriate to be our nation's President. I have no idea how Trump won in 2016 without cheating. I still feel like so many Americans have lost their minds supporting this absolutely disgusting man simply because many smart educated people find him repulsive reprobate.





J said...

Craig 6:02 PM,

That makes more sense. I'll reply at more length tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

Yes, J at 6:39 PM - I agree.

Notice how X rotates to posting as 'X' and then switches to posting as 'Anonymous'?

His venom leaps off the page.

Craig said...

X,

Is that your face on the meme in my 5:46 PM post?

Anonymous said...

the 6:48 post is mine directed at the other anonymous supporting Mrs. Cumbey.

I am not obligated to sign any of my posts but I've signed x to most all of them lately and there is truly another anonymous here arguing with the qanonymous troll whose sole job it seems is moronically policing this blog.

x

Anonymous said...

Craig,

I wouldn't know. I didn't look. I don't celebrate 50 year old eccentric narcissistic billionaires that abandon two wives and 6 kids (5 with his first wife and 1 with the second) to date a 27 year old actress. I'm sure he'll fit in with the Maga/Qanon republicans though. He's famous.

x


Craig said...

It's Holy Week, so let's focus on something more appropriate:

What Did Pilate State in John 19:22? (repost)


J said...

Craig 5:46 PM,

I've been following the Twitter and Elon Musk stories with interest. Elon Musk is quite a character. The Iron Man Tony Stark character in the Avenger movies was partially modeled on Elon Musk. It would be nice to have hope for a little reprieve from a billionaire taking on another billionaire. It's a potential development well worth watching.

Anonymous said...

No x, you are the blog 'sheriff' remember?

And fodder x, the pontif, listening to people's sins (I mean gossip).
What time does your confessional open since you get here early and stay late?

Your business is monkey business since you are here morning, noon, and night.
Oh yeah, and you are the resident "doc" of what we are not at all sure ~ QuaXanon.
You're getting famous x!

Anonymous said...

"Whatever one thinks of Trump, free speech should prevail."

The Left is killing free speech.
Just ask comedians and they'll tell you.

Fred Sanford and Aunt Esther would be burned at the stake by the Left now!

Anonymous said...

And none of those comedians are funny (they've also 'killed' comedy).

Anonymous said...

You missed the point.
Free speech (funny or not) is the point.
And I defend your right to speak up and totally miss the point.

Anonymous said...

Covid-19 Vaccines Carry Low Risk of Heart Conditions, Studies Find: Cardiac risks including myocarditis were higher following Covid-19 infection and non-Covid vaccination than after Covid vaccination

https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-vaccines-carry-low-risk-of-heart-conditions-studies-find-11649716211

Excerpt:

"The risk of developing inflammatory heart conditions after Covid-19 vaccination is relatively low, two large studies found, especially when compared with the heart-related risks from Covid-19 disease itself and from vaccines against other diseases.

One study, an analysis of 22 previous studies, found that the risk of the conditions including myocarditis in people who received a Covid-19 vaccine wasn’t significantly different from that for non-Covid-19 vaccines such as those against flu, polio and measles. And the heart risk associated with Covid-19 shots was lower than the risk after smallpox vaccination. The results of the analysis, which included data on the effects of more than 400 million doses of various vaccines, were published online Monday by The Lancet Respiratory Medicine."

Anonymous said...

To me this is the New Age NAR ecumenical takeover of the religious right. This is NOT a Christian movement. Half the people in these crowds are even saved. They are being told the gospel, just mage/qanon lies and propaganda.


https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/06/us/christian-right-wing-politics.html

The Growing Religious Fervor in the American Right: ‘This Is a Jesus Movement’: Rituals of Christian worship have become embedded in conservative rallies, as praise music and prayer blend with political anger over vaccines and the 2020 election.



Craig said...

Skeptical of medical science reports?
Carlton Gyles

“It is simply no longer possible to believe much of the clinical research that is published, or to rely on the judgment of trusted physicians or authoritative medical guidelines. I take no pleasure in this conclusion, which I reached slowly and reluctantly over my two decades as editor of The New England Journal of Medicine” (1).

More recently, Richard Horton, editor of The Lancet, wrote that “The case against science is straightforward: much of the scientific literature, perhaps half, may simply be untrue. Afflicted by studies with small sample sizes, tiny effects, invalid exploratory analyses, and flagrant conflicts of interest, together with an obsession for pursuing fashionable trends of dubious importance, science has taken a turn towards darkness” (2).

Anonymous said...

Thanks for @ 10:28 PM.


Medicine, Insurance, Drug Companies, big money, big decisions on our health, and dubious..so intertwined it's scary.

Anonymous said...

The rise of Elon Musk to the world's richest man

The rollercoaster rise of Elon Musk: Billionaire Tesla founder left behind troubled South African childhood with an 'evil' father to become world's richest man and father of SEVEN kids (including one set of twins and one set of triplets) with two women - as he launches $41.3BN Twitter takeover bid

Musk, 50 is attempting to expand his booming business; the SpaceX founder announced on Wednesday that he wanted to buy Twitter for $41.39 billion

It's been reported that Twitter's board of directors is meeting on Thursday afternoon to discuss Musk's historic bid and 'carefully review the proposal'

According to Bloomberg, Musk is currently the wealthiest person in the world - with a net worth of around $260 billion

But how did Musk go from a nerdy child living in South Africa with an absentee mother and emotionally abusive father to the richest man on Earth?

Musk didn't have the easiest childhood - he was severely bullied by his classmates and struggled to find the funds to move to America as a teen

Against all odds, he made it to the U.S.- through scholarships, loans, and working two jobs simultaneously - where his business took off and prospered

But not without more hardship - after launching his first company in 1995, Musk became homeless and had to sleep on the couch in his office

As he gears up to potentially purchase Twitter and expand is already-enormous list of business ventures, FEMAIL has taken a look back at his career

He announced last year that he was 'selling almost all physical possessions,' including several California properties amounting to more than $100 million - and $15 billion worth of Tesla stock. He purportedly then moved into a 75-square-foot $50,000 'Tiny House' close to SpaceX's Starbase rocket-launch site in Boca Chica, Texas.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-10719535/How-Billionaire-SpaceX-founder-Elon-Musk-went-loner-South-Africa-richest-man-world.html

Craig said...

In view of Holy Week, part two to the above (@ 7:50), which is, admittedly, very technical:

What Did Pilate State in John 19:22?: Conclusion (repost)


Anonymous said...

Gr8 now you think elon musk triggers me and I'm gonna hear about him endlessly. Like I really care. Just don't make him President (you can't - he was born in South Africa). We don't need another reprobate dividing this country.

He can't take it with him. Brilliant man but pathetic story. Very intelligent first wife and 5 beautiful kids that he threw away for what? All the money in the world but he blew it. There's still hope for him, I guess. He should try to reconcile with his first wife...if she'll have him.

Here's the guys at Babylon Bee completing missing the opportunity to share the Gospel with Elon Musk while Elon uncomfortably discusses his lack of faith and new age spirituality.

FULL INTERVIEW: Elon Musk Sits Down With The Babylon Bee

https://youtu.be/jvGnw1sHh9M


Justin Peters breaks down why he is longer a fan of Babylon Bee due to their failure to seize the opportunity to witness to Elon Musk.

Why I'm No Longer a Fan of the Babylon Bee
Justin Peters Ministries - Jan 8, 2022
https://youtu.be/tmhi8jijA2o

x

Craig said...

X @ 11:30 PM,

Well, perhaps the folks at Babylon Bee witnessed to Musk after the cameras 'stopped rolling'.

Anonymous said...

Craig,

Nice red-herring. You used the guy from the Lancet to refute a right-leaning article about a Lancet study in the Wall Street Journal indicating the covid vaccine doesn't injure as many hearts as the covid virus itself and it injures much less than other common vaccines used over the last 50 years.

I'm thinking the studies they are speaking of that as being lies are the half-baked politically motivated "studies" that you and others here linked over the last 2 years while trying to score political points off the deaths and misery of the moronically unvaccinated.

Sad thing is you still think you're right. That ivermectin works and the covid vaccine is somehow very dangerous. I have always acknowledged it could have been. But, at this point, it's obvious the covid vaccines saved A LOT of lives.

Maybe you'll just pivot to it just being about the mandate and not the actual vaccine despite the fact rarely, if ever, in all the years this blog has been going did anyone complain about all the other vaccines that are mandated...FOR BABIES (which should be much more scary than persons our age taking a vaccine)

Anonymous said...

that was me...x

Craig said...

X,

Your obsession with others' marital status/statuses is apparently creating some incongruity in your thinking. E.g., you assert that Elon Musk is not a Christian, yet you expect him to adhere to the Christian worldview regarding marriage/divorce?

Anonymous said...

Craig,

Perhaps but watch Justin Peters criticism and see if you want to be as forgiving towards Babylon Bee. They seemingly laughed at the idea of Musk being Christian.

You like Justin Peters, right? He did the series "Clouds Without Waters" about the NAR, Word of Faith and prosperity gospel.

x

p.s.- I know it's all long but Justin's video is shorter and has clips of the relevant parts of the interview with Musk.

Craig said...

X @ 11:41 PM,

That's no red herring; that's quite relevant. It was The Lancet after all that, with absolutely NO scientific data, claimed the lab leak hypothesis had no basis in fact. At least they later posted a followup admitting their hastiness. But that was only AFTER others began their own investigations.

However, your post in response to mine (11:41 PM) IS full of red herrings.

Anonymous said...

Craig,

Again...marriage is a Godly and community endeavor and matter of public record.

Nobody held a gun to his head and made him get married.

Like all humans, Elon was created in the image of God. He may be in rebellion/denial and loving his sin too much to put his faith in Jesus but he KNOWS God is real. We are born knowing God. There is no such thing as an atheist. He will be held accountable,

x

Anonymous said...


The institution and ceremony of marriage is for the public, for society, but the marriage relationship of a man and a woman, is for the private life. Are you so daft that this needs to be explained to you?
We, in a public way, know you are married x because you told us (we give you the benefit of the doubt that this is true since you are anonymous to us....but we don't know about your personal marriage relationship because that is for you and your wife. And please don't tell us. We aren't interested in yours, or others, private matters and honor their privacy something you don't do so you disrespectfully snoop, and gossip, because you can't get enough of what should remain other people's private business. That's creepy.
You ramrod topics by your presumptions and assumptions because that is your forte', and this topic is just another one where you are messed up.
You insist you have to tell the rest of us how to think, feel, and live, from soup to nuts. You are not the Holy Spirit. He's a gentleman. You're a bully. You are dishonoring God when you dishonor yourself and others, by your ignorant, arrogant, and argumentative ways.




You still can't--or won't--learn to separate apples from bananas.



Anonymous said...

Leave it to X (the narcissist) @ 11:30 PM to take a Daily Mail article about Elon Musk... and somehow turn that around make it all about HIS judgement about Elon's character and the state of Elon's soul (and then goes 'from zero to 60' about how Elon can never be President???)... as if Elon gives a flying fig about what X thinks.

The Daily Mail is a very popular international website out of the United Kingdom. Their readers make up a cross-secton of people (of various nationalities and religious beliefs) from ALL OVER THE WORLD who read these articles and leave comments... and they also don't give a flying fig about what X thinks.

LOL (Laughing so hard, I nearly spit out my coffee.)

Anonymous said...

Elon Musk mocks Mark Zuckerberg the 'Sun King' for his total power over Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram and says if his $43 BILLION takeover over Twitter is approved he would open up the app to the public to ensure free speech

Elon Musk, 50, on Thursday defended his plan to take control of Twitter, insisting that it was in defense of democracy and in protection of free speech, rather than a way of making money

Musk was asked on stage at a TED conference in Vancouver for his response to concern about the world's richest man owning such a powerful communication platform, and replied that Zuckerberg was worse

'As for media sort of ownership, you've got Mark Zuckerberg owning Facebook and Instagram and WhatsApp, and with a share ownership structure that will have Mark Zuckerberg the 14th still controlling those entities'

Musk told the Vancouver audience that he was not motivated by profit, saying he wanted to make Twitter's algorithm public and own the company to protect free speech and democracy

He said that he was 'not sure I will actually be able to acquire it,' even though he 'could technically afford it' - but insisted it was 'not a way to make money'

Musk on Wednesday night sent a letter to Twitter offering to take the company private for $43 billion

He called it his 'best and final offer' and insisted 'I am not playing the back-and-forth game'

On Thursday afternoon Twitter's board of directors met, with the company having said it will 'carefully review the proposal'

After the meeting, CEO Parag Agrawal told staff the board would follow a 'rigorous process' and make a decision 'in the best interest of our shareholders'

Twitter's board of directors is reportedly considering a 'poison pill' plan to block Musk's takeover

The Tesla and SpaceX founder on Thursday told a TED conference that he has a Plan B - but he refused to say what that was

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10720413/Elon-Musk-NO-LONGER-Twitters-biggest-shareholder.html

Craig said...

X,

You wrote: Nobody held a gun to his [Elon Musk's] head and made him get married.

In line with your whole 'impose-my-Christian-worldview-over-non-Christians' faulty premise, had Musk never married and lived with another woman, you'd be accusing him of 'shacking up'.


J said...

12:31 AM,

Nicely put to X: "You are not the Holy Spirit. He's a gentleman. You're a bully." It's inherently comical, too, in a way.

I just had to walk away and take a break last night. My brain became fried because all I could manage was to feel like laughing at X. I need to collect my thoughts and get back into a theological frame of mind so I can give Craig an appropriate response to one of his comments.

J said...

A few recent comments have contained comedy gold. One commenter said X walked into work in tighty whities in a bunch with a Super Man cape. That was the comment that made me feel silly the rest of the evening, I think. Oh, my goodness, maybe I have "spring brain," too.

It's hard to think of the mark of the beast and X in tighty whities in a Super Man cape, striding into work, both at the same time.

I guess I need my brain to act its age again, LOL.

J said...

Interesting developments in the still emerging story about Musk and Twitter:


‘Amazing coincidence!’ SEC and DOJ swoop in to investigate Tesla as Musk mulls Twitter takeover; report

https://www.bizpacreview.com/2022/04/15/amazing-coincidence-sec-and-doj-swoop-in-to-investigate-tesla-as-musk-mulls-twitter-takeover-report-1226116/


BREAKING: Jack Posobiec offers Elon Musk a copy of Hunter Biden's laptop

https://thepostmillennial.com/breaking-jack-posobiec-offers-elon-musk-a-copy-of-hunter-bidens-laptop

GrantNZ said...

Just a reminder the solution to the worlds problems happened 2022 years ago when Jesus Christ died on the cross and His blood was shed for our sins.
Three days later He triumphed over sin and death with the resurrection.
We need to keep that centered to our efforts.

Craig said...

In John 1:29 when John the Baptizer refers to Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”, the verb used for “takes away” is airō. This same verb is used by Jesus’ antagonists in John 19:15: “Take away, take away; crucify Him!” The verb has a connotation of either/both ‘take away’ or ‘take up’.

J said...

Craig, this is in response to your 6:02 PM post yesterday.



J,

You wrote: …[Revelation]’s meant to comfort Christians so they understand even in seeming defeat, victory is theirs if they persevere in their faith. We can agree on that much, yes?

Yep.

You wrote: …I can't help but wonder: what does a vaccine have to do with sin, salvation, redemption, choosing Jesus over the world, worshiping God not Mammon, refraining from idolatry, persevering in the faith that was once delivered, accepting that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who paid our sin debt on the cross, and every other theme throughout the Bible?

Read the few verses before Rev 13:16-17. Worship of the ‘beast’ comes before the mark. That should answer that question.

My position has been all along that it's not the vaxx, but the vax mandate that acts as a precursor to the ultimate mark.

________________________________________________________________________________________

First, I think it's important to begin by identifying who and what the "beast" signifies. There are two beasts in Revelation. One is the beast that rises from the land and has two horns. The other is the beast that rises from the sea. Revelation 13 is about the beast that rises from the sea. It parallels the beasts of Daniel 7.

Would you agree?

Craig said...

J @ 10:14 AM,

I don't have the time to go back and forth on this. Why not just state your position?

Anonymous said...

Craig and J,

Is adultery only a sin if you are a Christian?

Do non-Christians suffer the consequences of sin?

This forum has identified new age persons and anyone suspect of becoming an/the anti-christ. Elon Musk is a genius, billionairre who Satan has a grand canyon sized foothold upon. It's not a stretch to imagine that a consequence of his eggregious sins against the wife of his youth and his children might result in a black hole in his soul that he'll try to fill with money, fame and the accolades of populations of persons who are willing to worship him for living his best life now. How does the anti-christ BECOME the anti-christ?

Further, many of you all seem awfully liberal when it comes to adultery. Very 60's live and let live and mind your own business, while y'all be dominionist like crazy supporting candidates and politicians that want to actually "impose-Christian-worldview-over-non-Christians' such as "don't say gay" and white nationalist Christian history in PUBLIC schools. Heck many here even support banning all forms of birth control, even for married couples but what I do with my private property is over the top and humourous?

Talk the dominionist talk when it doesn't affect you isn't hard, but actually walking a Christian life within your community is a lot more difficult.

x

p.s.- You know, if Dominionists actually took total control we'd likely have adultery and sodomy laws where you'd go to jail for adultery or oral sex. Losing your job is NOTHING compared to what "The Family" you support would want to do if given the chance.

J said...

Craig,

Okay, sure.

First, to correct a mistake I realized upon re-reading Revelation 13. There's so much going on that it's easy to forget things.

The beast from the land causes the people of the land to worship the beast from the sea. This is precisely what happens before the mark of the beast is described.

My position is that the beast from the sea represents Rome. The beast from the land represents a force rising up from apostate first century AD Jerusalem.

The mark of the beast refers to first century AD worship practices occurring in Jerusalem that would have been understood by the first Jewish Christian converts of that time and place.The practices can be summarized as idolatry and spiritual adultery. They were the culmination of national Israel's covenant violation as prophesied by Moses from the very beginning.

Are the churches completely exempt from persecution, then? Of course not. They can be persecuted to this very day and judged for idolatry to this very day.

Just as the Apostle Paul warned, they should not boast against the branches. Gentile churches were grafted in to the olive tree that used to consist of national Israel, God's first bride, who became divorced because of her repeated spiritual adultery. The gentile branches can be broken off again.

There have always been many antichrists, and there are many antichrists to this very day. The spirit of Antichrist is behind the many antichrists. The spirit of Antichrist was in the world during the time when the Apostle John was writing and saying it is the last hour. He meant the last hour of the Old Covenant.

The vaccine mandate is no friend of mine. I am opposed to it without reservation. But I don't think that the first century AD Apostles were writing to the first century AD Jewish and gentile churches about a 21st century COVID vaccine mandate that would not come on the scene until more than 2,000 years later.

J said...

X 10:47 AM,

I don't know where to begin. I may reply later or may not. There isn't just one problem assumption or just two. Not just one or two points of confusion (to me).

Craig said...

X,

Cease with the straw-manning.

You (rightly) criticize Dominionists, yet you have your own theocracy going. One cannot legislate morality. That comes from God. And beating people over the head may not be the best method of evangelizing.

RayB said...


Kim Iversen: Bucha Was A BRITISH 'Special Op’ & Ukraine Peace Talks Are DEAD, According To Putin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQL90v-iR_g

As a commenter stated: "Sun Tzu states that "All warfare is based on deception" and yet we accept all claims by Uktaine as if they are truthful. Truth in war is surrounded by a Bodyguard of Lies there is absolutely no excuse for uncritically accepting the claims of Ukraine without testing them. That is why this balanced coverage is so essential."

Craig said...

J,

Might I suggest strictly reading very slowly from the beginning of Revelation 13--a few times. Put aside any preconceived notions and possible references to other Scripture. The primary task should be to place the current text in its proper context in order to have a better idea of how 13:16-17 fits in with it.

And I'm not saying I have THE answer or even ANY firm answers--except that the mark cannot be anything but physical.

Anonymous said...

8:23 AM @ J

Many times there is relief in comedy, and some perspective too ;)

We can all take ourselves and opinions too seriously--then along comes something to help us reorient ourselves again by putting thoughts in order and then we move on to the next thing.
Comedy has the potential to crystalize context for our minds..and chuckles are good for the belly.

Now on to other things pertaining this blessed Holy Week!!!

Anonymous said...

The Globalists are hoping that the Vanguard Group can STOP Elon Musk (their worst nightmare) from bringing back FREE SPEECH to Twitter.

Go, Elon... and pass the popcorn!!!

Anonymous said...

11:48 AM

Yes, thank you for reminding us that this is Holy Week.

Today, Good Friday... we are reminded that Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died on the Cross for the sins of all mankind... and this Easter Sunday, we will be reminded that HE IS RISEN!!!

RayB said...


A wealth of information contained in this 1 hour interview ...

The West Needs WW III – Martin Armstrong

https://usawatchdog.com/the-west-needs-wwiii-martin-armstrong/

Anonymous said...

X @ 10:47 AM:

Still sitting back (with his 'tighty whities in a bunch') judging how 'some' on this blog can be 'awfully liberal when it comes to adultury'?

X, did your mother drop you on your head when you were a baby?

Why don't you 'get it' that it is not your place to be Elon Musk's (or anyone elses) judge and jury?

That is God's place. That's why HE gets to be God... and you get to be X.

All Christians can do is PRAY that a person will follow the right path... and have a 'come to Jesus' moment at some point in his or her life.

J said...

Craig 11:22 AM,

J,

Might I suggest strictly reading very slowly from the beginning of Revelation 13--a few times. Put aside any preconceived notions and possible references to other Scripture. The primary task should be to place the current text in its proper context in order to have a better idea of how 13:16-17 fits in with it.

And I'm not saying I have THE answer or even ANY firm answers--except that the mark cannot be anything but physical.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Put aside preconceived notions - yes. Put aside possible references to other Scripture - why?

Anonymous said...

11:58 AM
To simply add: (from my favorite devotional and gave me perspective this morning so this is as much for me as anyone)

Beware of “the cares of this world…” (Mark 4:19). They are the very things that produce the wrong attitudes in our soul. It is incredible what enormous power there is in simple things to distract our attention away from God. Refuse to be swamped by “the cares of this world.”

Another thing that distracts us is our passion for vindication. St. Augustine prayed, “O Lord, deliver me from this lust of always vindicating myself.” Such a need for constant vindication destroys our soul’s faith in God. Don’t say, “I must explain myself,” or, “I must get people to understand.” Our Lord never explained anything— He left the misunderstandings or misconceptions of others to correct themselves. (God really is sovereign and knows how to work in the hearts of people right where they are at.)


~ When we discern that other people are not growing spiritually and allow that discernment to turn to criticism, we block our fellowship with God. God never gives us discernment so that we may criticize, but that we may intercede. ~


May our focus be upon Whom it belongs.


Hebrews 12
New King James Version
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

J said...

X 10:47 AM,

Craig answered you very wisely and humorously. Others have answered you both directly and indirectly.

Some of your ideas have just never occurred to me or been modeled to me. My parents were devout and disapproved of an uncle's ex-wife so much that I was never allowed to stay the night at my cousin's house until my teens. Yet they never once called her a "whore" or behaved in an unfriendly way towards her. The worst my mother said of her was that she had no self-discipline while my uncle was away. But she was adamant I was not allowed to go over there because of the bad influence. At family gatherings they were friendly and decent to her. (This aunt ran around on this uncle when he flew a plane in Vietnam.)

I babysat for a divorced next-door neighbor while she went on her paper route in the afternoon and then again on week-end nights so she could go out to a bar and bring home a different man each week-end. My devout parents never once said anything judgemental to her, and they made me apologize to her after I called her a whore when I was fed up after she had gone months without paying me one dollar. The neighbor's mother sat there and listened to me and said to me, "You're the whore!" and almost made me cry. I was about fourteen. My parents told me to heap hot coals on her head by apologizing and being nice to her. After that she gave me a five dollar bill once every few weeks.

It has honestly never been modeled to me or suggested to me in my entire life to be judgemental to others in the way that you seem to assume that I should be. I marvel at it, because my homeschooling was Dominionist in nature, and my parents had come out of an authoritarian sect. Yet the way I was raised has no resemblance at all to what you say, other than of course I learned the Ten Commandments, but most of all I learned what my mother modeled for me, and that was her living it, that was her walking the talk.

Craig said...

J,

You wrote: Put aside possible references to other Scripture - why?

Because properly performing exegesis requires focus on the passage at hand. Any sort of possible allusions or citations should be considered only after the primary passage is well-understood, to include possible alternate understandings. Otherwise, one runs the risk of eisegesis--reading INTO the text, rather than drawing from it.

Moreover, citations and allusions to other Scriptures are not always meant to be understood in the exact same way as the original context(s) of the citation or allusion. For example, many of the Messianic fulfillments in the NT are a bit different from their original contexts (e.g. OT references in Hebrews 1 & 2). Thus, they may cause eisegesis from the presumed referent into the primary text.

J said...

Craig,

When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the desert, Satan quoted Scriptures. Jesus answered these with other Scriptures.

Given the example of Jesus, I think you need to qualify what you said and narrow it down more.

I don't think it's regarded by classical Protestant theologians as a bad hermeneutic to attempt to allow the Bible to interpret the Bible.

Given this, could you provide me an example of a way in which you think I was doing a form of eisegesis with a Bible cross reference?

Craig said...

J,

I think you're missing my point. I never said to NOT look at Scripture referents.

In Jesus' discourse with Satan he makes his quotations obvious by prefacing with "it is written" (and this is a theme in my current article I'd posted a link to above). So, if the text is that obvious, then sure look at the referent. But Revelation is not usually that straightforward. It's far different from back-and-forth discourse.

I never said you were performing eisegesis (though I implied it in your assertion that the 'mark' must be figurative and not literal). I'm cautioning you from possibly doing so by looking for assumed allusions/citations in a book that's difficult to interpret.

Again, the primary purpose of the exegete is to first properly exegete the passage in question. Let the text speak for itself before you apply the 'let the Bible interpret the Bible' approach, because you might be misconstruing a particular passage as referring to another when that's not authorial intent.

You must keep in mind that there are many different interpretations of Revelation, some of which depend upon a preconceived hermeneutic which may or may not be correct. Given the various interpretations, obviously some (or even all) are not correct.

J said...

Craig,

Fair enough. But eisegeis frequently comes from news headlines.

I don't think either of us will convince the other as to the nature of the mark of the beast. I think everybody will just need to study it and consult their trusted pastors, priests, Bible teachers, while praying for discernment.

It's definitely challenging to study. Our popular Bible teachers aren't the greatest when it comes to the last book of the Bible (in my opinion, after studying it).

J said...

P.S. I think the reason why the book of Revelation is harder than the other New Testament books is because it is the most Jewish of all the books. It has more allusions to the Old Testament than all other books. It contains apocalyptic, prophetic language that was used by Old Testament prophets. I think the church, as it became more gentile, paid less attention to the Old Testament.

J said...

Craig, you probably already knew this, but in case anyone who comments here is interested. One more thing about Revelation is that it is structured as a chiasm. This is an introduction to what a chiastic structure is.

https://www.gotquestions.org/chiasm-chiastic.html

Anonymous said...

1:38 PM

AMEN!!!

(Thank you for sharing.)

Anonymous said...

In the 33 years that Jesus spent on this Earth, I love this story of Him as a 12 year old boy studying in the Temple in Jerusalem.

Luke 2:46-47

46 And it came to pass, that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them, and asking them questions.

47 And all that heard him were astonished at his wisdom and his answers.

RayB said...


Insane Spike in Heart Attacks and Strokes Prompts German Emergency Services to Demand Suspension of Covid “Vaccine” Mandates by JD Rucker

"You won't hear American media talk about this because they don't want you to know. Even in Germany, media and government are trying to bury it, but the truth is starting to come out."

"It’s extremely challenging to get accurate medical data in the United States, especially as it pertains to emergency services. The various databases and tracking services have been conspicuously late in reporting ever since Covid-19 hit the world. A conspiracy-minded person might come to the conclusion that our government is trying to hide something from us."

"They would be correct in coming to that conclusion."

"In Germany, there is better tracking and a new report raises serious questions about the dangers of the Covid-19 vaccines. As expected, neither the German government nor their corporate media apparatus are raiding those questions, but the people responding to emergencies are calling for a suspension of vaccine mandates after a new report shows a dramatic increase in heart problems and strokes ever since the jabs were rolled out."

More here:

https://noqreport.com/2022/04/15/insane-spike-in-heart-attacks-and-strokes-prompts-german-emergency-services-to-demand-suspension-of-covid-vaccine-mandates/

RayB said...


"Purgatory" on Earth ... self punishment with the hope of achieving the remission of sins:

Philippines Observes Good Friday with Floggings, but Coronavirus Stalls Traditional Crucifixions

"Catholic believers in the Philippines observed Good Friday this year with traditional self-flagellation rituals known as penitensya (“penitence”), marching in bloody processions to acknowledge their sins and be forgiven."

https://www.breitbart.com/asia/2022/04/15/philippines-observes-good-friday-with-floggings-but-coronavirus-stalls-traditional-crucifixions/

PS: By the way, according to the Scriptures, Jesus was not crucified on "good Friday," he was crucified on Thursday. (Just another attempt of Satan in order to bring the authority and authenticity of the Scriptures into question).


Anonymous said...

"PS: By the way, according to the Scriptures, Jesus was not crucified on "good Friday," he was crucified on Thursday. (Just another attempt of Satan in order to bring the authority and authenticity of the Scriptures into question)."

Amen, RayB.

The Jews go by the lunar calendar, each day starting in the evening at sunset rather than the morning, unlike ours which goes by solar days that start at sunrise. And like the Passover lambs before that day of sacrifice, they are examined for 5 days prior. When Jesus rode in to Jerusalem and presented Himself in that triumphal entry on a donkey colt, He was there for those final 5 days before crucified as the Lamb of God. There was the yearly Passover celebration that week, but also the regular Sabbath so He was quickly buried Thursday, before Preparation day (Friday) because Saturday was the Sabbath. It is noteworthy that Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea had handled a dead body and could not honor the Sabbath because they were "unclean" for that ritual.
Explaining that to their family and friends might have been some very interesting conversation for that weekend, but they counted that a cost they would make...Jesus was their Savior and they had come to know, to believe, that. They became "dead" to their religion in that act, but alive in faith in the One they believed really was Who they had been waiting for----the Lord, their Messiah, Who died to save them. What that Sunday must have been for them had to have been beyond words.
We still have no words for how awesome Jesus Christ is.....everything about Him is beyond words of mouths..really, only hearts can speak and express this belief. Exactly what Jesus is after.......

Anonymous said...

Just an observation, folks. Does anyone here realize that the Babylon Bee is satire? and it's getting posted here as "truth."

J said...

You must be thinking of X's post about the Babylon Bee missing the opportunity to witness to Elon Musk?

X was on a roll, and I think most of us by that time were getting overloaded and not fully paying attention.

For my part, I was distracted by X's claims about enforcing marital faithfulness among his employees in his workplace.

It sounds even more crazy when I summarize it.

Yes, Craig was right to try to change the subject to something more appropriate for Holy Week.

Anonymous said...

J at 2:03pm

You were a wise 14 year old. Children have an easier time with right and wrong more often than parents do. Your parents could have signaled to you that your thinking wasn't wrong. The word 'whore' appears over 90 times in the Bible. It was a good descriptor of your neighbors behavior. You parents could have still told you to apologize for being disrespectful towards her without making you feel like your instincts were wrong.

It's not wrong to label bad behavior...it's wrong to behave wrong.

What missing, obviously, from my writing here in this format where I have been set up as the bad guy is that truth has to be delivered with love and grace. I don't run around looking for whore and calling out adulterers in our workplace. We are a family. We overpay and people love/like working for us. We are there for them when they have problems and when they have success.

Also...are prisons are full of people lacking judgment and they are put there by, most often, by a court and juries of their peers (like you and me) that are selected randomly from the community to "judge" them by the law.

That's just an example. The Bible verse about not being judgemental is one of the most misinterpreted verses of the Bible. We are supposed to be discerning and judging of right and wrong...we just aren't supposed to do it hypocritically and we are not to judge people in the sense of condemning them. Any judgment that is done, is to be done righteously and with love.

You are acting whorish, your actions, in time become who (figurative) you are, a whore. Repent from (figurative) whorish behavior and STOP, forgiveness and, possibly, restoration of relationships may yet be available to you...in time as trust is restored. So might your job if you work for me.

As a mother of a special needs child you are likely aware that there is an 80% divorce rate among parents of special needs children. Imagine having an employer that prioritized your family and marriage with compassion for your particular situation and difficulties that offered flexibility to you and/or your husband while also not having you or your husband have to work side by side, in and around, known unrepentant adulterers.

It really doesn't come up that often in real life and I've done it an injustice trying to share the subject here among politicized persons looking to accuse and win political arguments versus just talking like adults.

x


Craig said...

Canada is a partner in WEF’s program to bring digital ID to travel

Keean Bexte
April 14, 2022

The Government of Canada, Air Canada and two major Canadian airports have partnered with the World Economic Forum (WEF) on a digital ID project that could see a social credit-like system be required for traveling.

The Canadian government is listed as a partner on the WEF’s own “Known Traveller Digital Identity” website.

“The pilot group, convened by the World Economic Forum, consists of the Government of Canada and the Netherlands, Air Canada, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Montreal-Trudeau International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol,” writes the WEF.

KTDI is referred to as a way to “promote secure, seamless passenger travel in anticipation of changing traveller behaviours and expectations, the critical need to strengthen cross-border security and the surge in passenger volumes expected in the coming decade.”

The website claims it’s based on a “decentralized digital identity” that will allow governments to confirm proof of citizenship and other aspects of identity. Every time a government checks a person’s digital ID, it is added to their record, possibly affecting their standing.

“These attestations are the backbone of trust and the basis of reputation and, ultimately, how security decisions are made by each participating organization. The more attestations a traveller collects, the more known he or she could become,” it reads.

“It is important to note that in order to be allowed to travel, the traveller must share all information required by the relevant entity (such as a border agency.).”

Some have criticized the WEF for pushing the “Great Reset” onto the developed world. Indeed, WEF founder Klaus Schwab has even openly bragged about how he has penetrated the cabinets of the world, including the government of Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“I have to say, when I mention now names, like Mrs. (Angela) Merkel and even Vladimir Putin, and so on, they all have been Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum. But what we are very proud of now is the young generation like Prime Minister Trudeau,” said Schwab in 2017.

“We penetrate the cabinet. So yesterday, I was at a reception for Prime Minister Trudeau, and I know that half of his cabinet, or even more than half of his cabinet, are actually Young Global Leaders.”

Some claim that while the WEF is influential, it’s by no means running or directly influencing the Canadian government. However, this pilot program suggests the opposite is true.

Craig said...

One can quickly deduce that using your phone for your digital ID can be problematic. What if you lose your phone? What if someone steals it?

It would be so much simpler if we were to just put the info on our right hand as a handy little subcutaneous digital ID, right?

Anonymous said...

Ok.
There you go again.

How conveniently you forget how you badly you have behaved here and keep trying to come off as some spiritual giant and the rest of us beneath you, twisting what we say against us so you can feel superior--because this is exactly how you portray yourself, but whining now about the consequences of your unneighborly uber-manipulative antics or flamethrower brand of "discussion" believing it's yourself that acts as the adult here?
You draw fire after people have gotten sick and tired of your argumentative ways and bloviating takeovers of every topic to hijack this blog and cut everyone else off to distract from what they post, by your own name calling and disparaging of those with whom you disagree. And you keep it up-don't let up, but don't like the tables turned on you.


The shoe on the other foot is uncomfortable, eh?
Get over it.

You can't be right 100% of the time neither can we be wrong 100% of the time.
You are the conversation killer around here. It is you that goes heavy negative when not even necessary.. Preach to yourself, tend to your own knittin'. Let others differ from you and learn to be ok with it, snowflake.
Craig's earlier meme is pretty much what your posts sound like.

Quite uncivil, you are.

Anonymous said...

MagaRayQ,

Welcome back from your cry.

You may want to read the actual newspaper article from Germany that your qanon friend, JD Rucker, hyperbolized.

Heart problems and strokes: the number of rescue operations is increasing sharply

https://www.berliner-zeitung.de/news/berlin-feuerwehr-herzprobleme-und-schlaganfaelle-zahl-der-rettungseinsaetze-steigt-stark-an-li.222431

It's not alarming and certainly not "insane" that the number of ambulance rides in 2020 (before the vaccine) AND 2021 involving heart issue and stroke issues (2 symptoms of Covid) rose moderately (12.4% and 12.9% in 2020 and 31.2% and 27.4% in 2021 compared to the 2018/2019 averages).

These measurements are missing a lot of details. In particular, I'm betting overall ambulance calls and rides for all reasons likely went up too as people were hesitant to go to hospitals until it was too late and didn't want vulnerable loved ones taking them to the hospital (preferring to call adequately protected fire brigade personnel).

There are a myriad of possible reasons and not giving the actual underlying data is pretty sketchy considering the conclusion they are attempting to draw. Berlin had its first big wave starting November 2020 leading to a peak in early January 2021 that continued on sporadically through spring. The majority of their serious cases and deaths occured in 2021. If they showed us the actual breakdown of the numbers...did ambulance rides PEAK at that same time as covid cases and long before most of the population was vaccinated? Where is there any evidence that the vaccine had anything to do with this versus, if anything, attributing it to a massive outbreak of a novel virus known to cause these issues?

Ambulance call logs COULD be a "signal" but it's not evidence of anything without more details. My guess is if they show the data, it's dismissable entirely (which is the point of not giving the data).

x

Anonymous said...

7:35 pm stated: "Just an observation, folks. Does anyone here realize that the Babylon Bee is satire? and it's getting posted here as "truth.""

They claim to be a conservative Christian organization news satire website, like the Onion, for the entertainment of Christians.

If they want to be JUST a satire website that's fine. Drop the conservative Christian claim and don't make taking about God a part of the joke. I believe their interview with Elon Musk was straight up. It was not a joke or satire. It was an opportunity missed and they way they dismissed Christianity was embarrassing FOR THEM.

Maybe you have a problem with Justin Peters' criticism?

I'm not condeming them...I fail myself...often and don't take advantage of every opportunity and would DIE if Justin Peters' was there to make a 45 minute video pointing out where and how I failed. It's a good lesson for all Christians to learn. Trying to fit in and be hip with the secular world isn't really a good thing.

x

Anonymous said...

Qanonymous @ 9:10 pm - Thank you for your input. I hear you. I prayed for you in church today.

God bless you all.

x

J said...

X 8:31 PM,

The Bible condemns both physical and spiritual adultery, but spiritual adultery more so. Could many of those "whore" references in the Bible be the Old Testament prophets trying to call Israel to repentance for idolatry?

Yes, RayB has pointed out before, probably more than once, that Jesus told the adulterous woman to "go and sin no more," right after he saved her from being stoned, possibly by stooping down to write the names of men in the sand showing he knew they had slept with her before or with another woman before.

I could tell a lot of stories about goings-on in workplaces, but I'm sure we all could. I think this subject has been pretty well exhausted at this point.

If you really believe truth should be told in love and grace, and you do it at work, then do it here.

J said...

MagaRayQ,

Welcome back from your cry.

_________________________________________________

No truth, no love, no grace.

J said...

Quoting X with the above.

J said...

RayB,

Welcome back.

Anonymous said...

The Q is wrong x.
Has been all along, and has made people tired of you. You don't hold all truth.
There has been some Q material here, that's true at times, but not all of us....as you tend to lump us. All it takes is one or two people but many more anons than that post here. Maybe too quick to reply without staking at face value, and too easy to sideswipe with a great big assuming brush?
Just being honest with you.



Just so you know, I've prayed for you, too.
Happy Resurrection Day.

Anonymous said...

9:49 PM at J.

Good example of what has been noted so often before.

RayB said...

X displaying his typical "no truth, no love, no grace" as he attacks J, who happens to be a very fine Christian LADY:

"You are acting whorish, your actions, in time become who (figurative) you are, a whore. Repent from (figurative) whorish behavior and STOP..."

And ... "As a mother of a special needs child you are likely aware that there is an 80% divorce rate among parents of special needs children."

NOTE: This guy is not only mean, he is downright EVIL, and he posts such EVIL while professing himself to be a 'christian'. I can only imagine what his supposed workers say about this nut behind his back ! That is, if he really does (wink, wink) run a business ... or THREE ... as he has claimed.

By the way X, what field again is it that you hold your (wink, wink) Doctorate in?
What possible reason could there be for you to withhold that information from us??
Could it be, that this is just another one of your many fabrications? ROFL !!!

Anonymous said...

Just a quick foray back into Rays propaganda post calling the level of ambulance calls in Berlin, Germany rising "insanely"...

the article itself said this:

"The fire brigade community in Berlin, an association of hundreds of firefighters who are critical of vaccinations, says it has “taken note of with great interest” the request from SPD MP Robert Schaddach. A spokesman for the fire brigade community told the Berliner Zeitung: “Such rates of increase need to be explained.” It is striking that “the total numbers of heart problems and strokes in 2018 and 2019 are relatively close together. In 2020, a first increase compared to the 2018/19 average of 12.4 percent for heart problems and 12.9 percent for strokes can be observed. In 2021 there will be a second, even higher increase. Compared to the 2018/19 average, this more massive increase is then 31.2 percent for heart problems and 27.4 percent for strokes." (see - https://noqreport.com/2022/04/15/insane-spike-in-heart-attacks-and-strokes-prompts-german-emergency-services-to-demand-suspension-of-covid-vaccine-mandates/ )

As limited as this data is allow me to explain a trick they used to try to make this seem more "alarming" and "insane"...

The never compared 2021 to 2020.

The heart calls went from an average of 33,440 in 2018/2019 to 37,587 in 2020 (a 12.4% increase over 2018/2019) to 43,806 in 2021 (which is a 16.5% increase over 2020).

The stroke calls went from an average of 10,312 in 2018/2019 to 11,642 in 2020 (a 12.9% increase over 2018/2019) to 13,096 such ambulance calls in 2021 (a 12.5% increase over 2020).

Again... google "Berlin Corona Virus Stats" and see that Berlin's big Covid wave was from Nov 1, 2020 through the Spring of 2021 with more taking place in 2021 and these increased fire brigade ambulance calls in 2020 and 2021 seem to correlate exactly with the progress of covid in that specific population with a jump the tale end of 2020 and a bigger spike into early 2021. The cherry picked and manipulated percentages after the vaccine rollout just aren't that shocking nor insane at all according to the data they've presented.

I explain so you can understand how agents of Qanon are manipulating numbers to make a deliberately deceptive headlines and jump to outlandish conclusions thereby enticing the politically motivated to pass these fake headlines around. It's clickbait, not science or even an attempt at being science.

x

Anonymous said...

MagaRayQ,

Again with the lies.

That was in no way an attack on J.

I referred specifically to a (figurative) you...not her. Why would I call J such things, I don't KNOW J from adam.

I commend anyone with a special needs child that holds a marriage together. It's not easy. I was simply sharing a fact I quickly googled to relate how the spouses of my employees appreciate our family and marriage oriented policies and how she'd likely appreciate it real life too.

Ridiculous... and you're probably just doing this to be a CRay-anon but I'll apologize to J if I offended her at all...for sure....as that was never my intent.

x

RayB said...


Just ANOTHER tragic story among thousands that have not been written ...

27-Year-Old Swimmer Dies of Heart Attack and Media Still Refuses to Wonder if the Jabs Had Something to Do With It

https://thelibertydaily.com/27-year-old-swimmer-dies-of-heart-attack-and-media-still-refuses-to-wonder-if-the-jabs-had-something-to-do-with-it/

RayB said...


Needless to say, we are living in 'perilous times' ...

Shanghai Descends into Chaos as Taiwan Military Distributes Survival Handbook to Citizens in Preparation for China Invasion

"Reports coming out of Shanghai show riots now breaking out among desperate people fighting back against POLICE FORCING PEOPLE INTO QUARNTINE CONCENTRATION CAMPS, and HORRIBLE SIDE EFFECTS FROM THE SINOVAC COVID-19 VACCINES WHERE PEOPLE ARE REPORTEDLY DROPPING DEAD SOON AFTER THE SHOTS."

https://healthimpactnews.com/2022/shanghai-descends-into-chaos-as-taiwan-military-distributes-survival-handbook-to-citizens-in-preparation-for-china-invasion/

"In nearby Taiwan, the military is taking unprecedented measures by distributing a 28-page public emergency handbook to prepare their citizens to handle an IMMINENT CHINESE INVASION."

Anonymous said...

Just ANOTHER tragic story among thousands that have been written (there are 61,000,000 hits for "swimmer has heart attack")...


For example, this 26-Year-Old Swimmer Dies of Heart Attack in May, 2012 and MagaRayQ still refuses to wonder if sometimes athletes have always suffered heart attacks, especially swimmers and such deaths aren't that abnormal and the Jabs don't have anything to do with it.

World Champion Swimmer Dies of Heart Attack at 26
May, 2012
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/natl-world-champion-swimmer-dies-of-heart-attack-at-26/1955551/

Here's another very popular 26 year swimmer that died of cardiac arrest more recently but before Covid...

Immensely-popular Hong Kong swimmer Kenneth To died from "Sudden Cardiac Arrest," according to an Alachua County coroner's report.
June 29, 2019
https://swimswam.com/coroners-report-swimmer-kenneth-tos-passing-ruled-sudden-cardiac-death/

Here's some history of swimming deaths in triathalons over the years. Like Soccer...swimming is exteme cardiac sport and there are just statisticall A LOT of soccer players and swimmers worldwide so, absent any evidence there are actually MORE deaths in 2021 and beyond than previous years and such is not actually largely related to the actual covid virus, this individual stories are completely meaningless propaganda typical of the lies MagaRayQ scours the internet and brings to this forum.

Know Your Risk of Cardiac Arrest During Open Water Swimming

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/know-your-risk-of-cardiac-arrest-during-open-water-swimming/

Excerpt: "There is only one large study on sudden death during a triathlon. Researchers in the USA studied almost 1,000,000 triathletes competing in approximately 3,000 triathlon events between January 2006 through September 2008. They gathered data from two large American registries and obtained post mortem reports from medical examiners. Overall there were 14 deaths during this period which corresponds to 1.5 in 100,000 participants. Most deaths occurred in males (80 percent) and middle-aged runners (median age 44 years). All of the deaths happened during the swimming stage of the race, apart from one cycling fatality, which occurred as a result of neck injuries following a fall.

In addition, recently released data from USA Triathlon (USAT) has provided more information on risk factors. A panel was asked to review information about fatalities that occurred at USAT-sanctioned events between 2003 and 2011. In those nine years, nearly 23,000 sanctioned events were held, involving more than three million participants. The overall fatality rate for competing triathletes was approximately one per 76,000 participants. Among the 43 race-related athlete deaths, five were traumatic, caused by injuries sustained in cycling crashes; the remaining 38 deaths were non-traumatic. Of the 38 non-traumatic fatalities, 30 occurred during the swim, three occurred during cycling, three occurred during the run, and two occurred after an athlete had completed the race."

J said...

Luke 7:36-50
New King James Version
A Sinful Woman Forgiven

36 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”

40 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

So he said, “Teacher, say it.”

41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”

43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”

And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” 44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

50 Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

J said...

For the record...

As the article says, "Why is clarifying this misconception important? Because our behavior is heavily influenced by what we believe to be normative. Couples who know another couple who have gotten a divorce are more likely to divorce themselves (McDermott et al., 2013). Divorce takes a heavy emotional and financial toll on families. Couples who think there is more hope for their relationship are more likely to stay married.

None of this is meant to minimize the significant stress and financial burden that many families of children with autism experience. In fact, the focus on the divorce rate is most likely a well-meaning attempt to draw attention to the support these families need. It may have the inadvertent effect of making things worse, however, rather than better."

Divorce among parents of children with autism: dispelling urban legends

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1362361313509528

J said...

My husband is a director. He tells me a lot of stories. The woman who went to his manager's apartment and took this manager to the ER after he suffered a stroke, one week after being vaccinated -- she was the very one he thought at one time might be fraternizing. Sometimes it's better not to make too many assumptions and to have a light touch with people and leave them be. They're both introverts, and once it seemed something might be going on, then it seemed it probably was not. It's probably best not come on like a police officer shining a flashlight on two teen-agers sitting in a car in a park after dark. That's not really how adults treat other adults, or should treat them. She is probably really his only friend, and he might be dead if she had not gone to his apartment to check on him.

Anonymous said...

Elon Musk’s ex wife isn’t quite as judgmental as X about their divorce. So much for the objective marriage counselor.


https://youtu.be/OxA0LESuUDE


Anonymous said...

Statement by X @ 9:24 PM I believe their interview with Elon Musk was straight up. It was not a joke or satire.

Statement from the Babylon Bee's website Babylonbee.com Sign Up for the Babylon Bee Newsletter/ Fake news you can trust delivered straight to your inbox.

Yes, X, we'll just overlook the fact that the Babylonians calls their own news reports LIES. Perhaps the writers should fill out a job application to work for you, since you are so good at determining what's straight and what isn't.

It's not about what they say, it's about what we believe. Now we can all go back to reading our favorite news source The Gateway Pundit in spite of what Ms. Cumbey says. LOLLOL

Anonymous said...

X
Ray B is NOT Q-anon. Stop telling that lie about him.
I rather doubt that anyone on this blog is Q anon and you probably know that yourself.
You are a relentless troll and have pretty much wrecked this blog site.
What other function do you have, really, other than to kill, steal and destroy?
Congratulations.

J said...

Those Christians who are drawn more to QAnon seem to be much more likely to be some type of Charismatics more than any other kind. I think the appropriate response is to try to get more Christians to read the Bible. Many professing Christians do not know their Bibles. It's unlikely to help them by starting off attacking and misunderstanding them. I'm speaking about off-blog. I don't think anybody promotes QAnon here.

If there should happen to be overlap between news promoted by QAnon followers, and news promoted here, just remember that disinformation works by mixing truth with falsehood. This means QAnon followers are being influenced by truth to see more credibility in falsehood.

One QAnon theme is about pedophilia and sexualization of children and trafficking of them. We can all see that children are increasingly sexualized in our culture. Does this mean we should believe all Democrats are Satanic pedophiles? Of course not.

But some Satanic pedophiles do exist, and think how convenient it is for them to be able to act as cry-bullies under the guise of fighting QAnon disinformation. We know the news. It's real. Drag Queen Story Hour happens. Gay Pride Parades including children and exposing small children to open kinks of every variety - that happens. We all know it. We all read about it. We know Disney promotes LGBTQ in cartoons that are targeted at children, and we know that it gives safe harbor to an incredible number of pedophiles.

I think it's similar with every other theme of QAnon. People could even use QAnon to say that Christianity itself is bad, because look at how many Christians follow QAnon. It's the same procedure.

J said...

P.S. I don't remember if it was X or X's new Anonymous friend who posted the lists of Republican pedophiles. It is right to expose them but wrong to do so from a motive of distracting from the Democratic agenda to normalize pedophilia. If Republicans are pedophiles or are protecting pedophiles, it makes them hypocrites.

But Democrats are moving in the direction of normalizing pedophilia and normalizing the sexualization of children, the mutilation of children, the recruitment and grooming of children into LGBTQ identities and lifestyles, the protection of child predators, and every imaginable perversion, even to include bestiality.

Republican child predators should be exposed and denounced. I'm all for it, so long as they receive due process.

This isn't even in the same league as arguments for or against libertarianism or Dominionism. We are talking about children, little kids, very young kids at times. Children. They can be led into sin more easily than adults. They can be fooled and deceived more easily. Shaped and groomed more easily. Confused more easily. Scarred emotionally and physically for life. They aren't capable of protecting themselves. If parents don't protect children, who will?

Why would anybody be opposed to protecting children unless they were in favor of enabling evil being done to children?

An individual can hurt dozens of children. A cultural Zeitgeist can hurt millions of them. A change of laws and policies and educational agendas can deceive millions.

We should oppose both the individual predator and the policies that hurt children. What motive would somebody have for trying to distract from or to argue against either type of protection - whether protecting children from an individual, or protecting children from their culture and their government?

How could a professing Christian ever put good for evil or evil for good when it comes to protecting children, especially a professing Christian who is also a parent?

Anonymous said...


Elon Musk is now 'talking to private equity investor to partner with him on an increased bid for Twitter' after board adopted a dramatic 'poison pill' defense to thwart his $43B hostile takeover

Musk, 50, on Wednesday night informed the board of Twitter that he wanted to buy the company, and made the offer official on Thursday

On Friday the board complicated his plan, refusing to accept it immediately and instead opting instead for a 'poison pill' to limit his ability to force through a sale

Musk is now talking to other potential partners, The New York Post reported - among them Twitter board member and investor Egon Durban

Musk on Thursday admitted that he did not know if he could pull off the takeover, even though he 'technically' had the $43 billion necessary

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10723409/Elon-Musk-talking-investors-partner-bid-Twitter.html

RayB said...

J @ 9:07 AM & Anon @ 8:30 AM ...

I agree with your posts.

There seems to be an unwarranted obsession with a couple of people on this blog over 'Q-Anon' and 'Trump.' X continues to apply the Q-Anon label to anyone and everyone that has even the slightest disagreement with him. Constance applies the Q-Anon tag to anyone that APPEARS to support Trump, and or, even QUESTION the integrity of the 2020 election results. For example:

"Too many of you need to replace Trump "your Savior" with Jesus Your Savior!"

- Constance @ 8:12 AM

Now think about this amazing, blanket accusation. EXACTLY who on this blog has ever indicated, in even the slightest manner, that Trump is their "Savior?" According to Constance, there are "too many of you" that do exactly that!

WHO ARE THEY CONSTANCE? Can you provide even ONE example to back up your character defaming, judgmental claim??? Would your accusations hold up in a court of law, Ms. Attorney? I'll answer that; NO THEY WOULD NOT !

This is by no means an isolated incident perpetrated by Mrs. Cumbey. I EXPECT this type of slanderous nonsense from X. I don't expect it (but I'm beginning to change my mind on this) from Constance.

Constance either needs to provide us with proof, with clarity, in order to back up her scurrilous claims, or issue an apology to those on this blog that are professing Christians, the very group that she has singled out to attack with her baseless accusations.

Anonymous said...

J said

"Those Christians who are drawn more to QAnon seem to be much more likely to be some type of Charismatics more than any other kind."

J, you spend way too much time unassuming. I have spent much of my life in a wide variety of denominations, and the most devout, kind, sincere, Christ loving people I have found are charismatic, and 'full gospel' believers.

My kids, 40's and grandchildren, teens, are fundamentalist Baptists. They are some of the most misguided, dumb as dirt, and STUBBORN 'Christians' you will ever meet.

I personally only know one person who believes QAnon is a real thing. And that person is Catholic!

Anonymous said...

assuming,,,,not unassuming, meant to post.

RayB said...


From Constance's thread above:

"It is also looking to me sadly as though Archbishop Vigano is also falling into the Qanon and beyond traps including the theory that Putin is a hero trying to block the World Economic Forum and New World Order."

NOTE: I have been following Vigano's statements, etc. from the outset when he became famous for *bravely exposing the Vatican's complicity in the cover-up of the Cardinal Theodore McCarrick's sex scandals.

Now, Constance has thrown Vigano under her Q-Anon bus, by making the claim that Vigano considers Putin a "hero." In all of my readings of all things related to Vigano, I have NEVER read anything that indicates that he holds Putin to be a "hero" of his.

Constance apparently relies on the corporate mainstream media in order to provide information to her, whereby, she arrives at her judgmental conclusions.

The history that led up to the Russian invasion is lengthy, complex and well below the surface. I suggest that Constance (and others) do a 'deep dive' into that history. There is no such thing as a one-sided coin, especially when it involves war.

* To this day, Archbishop Vigano remains in HIDING, out of fear for his life. When you cross the Vatican, and do so publicly as Vigano has done, your life is in SERIOUS danger! Vigano knows this and is acting accordingly.

RayB said...


New York Times Op-ed on Holy Weekend: Let’s Get Rid of God

"God, it seems, paints with a wide brush. He paints with a roller. In Egypt, said our rabbi, he even killed first-born cattle. He killed cows. If he were mortal, the God of Jews, Christians and Muslims would be dragged to The Hague. And yet we praise him. We emulate him. We implore our children to be like him."

"Perhaps now, as missiles rain down and the dead are discovered in mass graves, is a good time to stop emulating this hateful God. Perhaps we can stop extolling his brutality. Perhaps now is a good time to teach our children to pass over God — to be as unlike him as possible."

"Killing gods is an idea I can get behind."

Read more here:

https://www.breitbart.com/faith/2022/04/15/new-york-times-op-ed-on-holy-weekend-lets-get-rid-of-god-really/

NOTE: This reminds me of an infamous magazine cover that boldly declared that "God is Dead." I believe it was either Time or Newsweek from the late 1960's. What they were REALLY declaring was that they WANTED God to be 'dead.' If that were true, they wouldn't have to answer for their rebellion against Him!

Just keep this in mind; if you rely on the mainstream media for your news source, this is exactly the mindset that they have. It also happens to be the mindset of those that control the entertainment industry ... including the trash that comes into your homes via cable TV.

Anonymous said...

https://dailyexpose.uk/2022/04/16/d-o-d-issued-contract-for-covid-19-research-3-months-before-covid-was-known-to-exist/


Hi RayB, Glad to see your posts again.
Have you seen this?

Timing, place, and a novel virus........

J said...

10:06 AM,

I'm sorry if I made wrong assumptions. I'm going by what I've read in the news, and also by the Love Joy Trump book.

Maybe those sources are providing examples of hyper Charismatics, not Charismatics.

Anonymous said...

True, J at 7:07 AM


We can rush to judgment so fast and create terrible circumstances by being "well meaning".

Many things on our radar, in reality, really don't belong there as something we need to do something or anything about. There may be another reason other than what we think we see that we happen to know what we "know" (but don't). We have things to learn of ourselves and of others that presuming and assuming will never show us.
I want a better grasp of this myself. Amateur providences don't do the work of the Holy Spirit.

I posted this yesterday @ 1:38 PM (goes for me too)

~ When we discern that other people are not growing spiritually and allow that discernment to turn to criticism, we block our fellowship with God. God never gives us discernment so that we may criticize, but that we may intercede. ~

People are God's project (including letting Him chisel on me) and the intrusiveness I found in X's approach at his workplace goes beyond what it should. The employer/employee business relationship should not include messy personal matters on the level he talks about. I would be most uncomfortable in that setting only because what's private should remain private between people.
Too entwined and appears heavy-handed. (And it is not right to drag political take in that discussion as X did--creating a bias that doesn't fit the picture but that is currently they way he treats posters here--his politics getting in the way again--his business approach mimics some heavy governing influence). I wonder, but he can address that or not, I suppose--to involve people where they do not belong.
Our government today is an oppressor in our personal lives much too much....so is X in his business, in my opinion. A Christian businessman should not pry or listen to those details, he should pray and direct them to a pastor/counselor (he says he does that)...BUT... stay out of it. Well meaning, maybe.....blurring the lines Biblically, yes.

Anonymous said...

"Those Christians who are drawn more to QAnon seem to be much more likely to be some type of Charismatics more than any other kind. I think the appropriate response is to try to get more Christians to read the Bible. Many professing Christians do not know their Bibles. It's unlikely to help them by starting off attacking and misunderstanding them. I'm speaking about off-blog. I don't think anybody promotes QAnon here."

"P.S. I don't remember if it was X or X's new Anonymous friend who posted the lists of Republican pedophiles. It is right to expose them but wrong to do so from a motive of distracting from the Democratic agenda to normalize pedophilia. If Republicans are pedophiles or are protecting pedophiles, it makes them hypocrites.

But Democrats are moving in the direction of normalizing pedophilia and normalizing the sexualization of children,..." And to give it balance and fix the bias, someone posted the Democrat names guilty of the same offences from the same site and what X (or friend) refused to do. The cherry-picking attitude and tactic is awful all on it's own.

Thank so much for the wise and objective view, J.

The blog owner needs this wise discernment and wisdom for her own blog!

J said...

11:07 AM,

Beautifully expressed, and I like your phrase "amateur providence." It's succinct and profound.

I've bumbled that way myself, and then had to pick up the pieces afterwards, the best I could.

I think that's what could possibly be the meaning of the Bible verse saying God frowns upon us being busybodies.

Yes, I agree that the governing authorities overstep when they become busybodies or when they try too hard to exercise "amateur providence."

I think another good topic of discussion could be what the Bible means by the Christian duty to obey governing authorities. Maybe Craig could or has shed light on the original Greek. For instance in Hebrews Christians were called to obey elders, but the word "obey" in English was "peitho" in Greek. "Peitho" means something more like "to be persuaded by."

I've been reading this series about leadership. https://www.scripturerevealed.com/category/leadership/

I'm still studying it, but I thought it may be relevant to the subject of avoiding what some believe could become the precursor to the mark of the beast.

RayB said...

Anon @ 10:35 AM ...

Thanks for that. Very revealing piece. Based upon similar information, this has all been planned well in advance, and it was done on a GLOBAL basis. The results of these EXPERIMENTAL 'vaccines' are already alarming ... but ... in the opinion of many experts ... it's going to get much, much worse. Unfortunately, multitudes of 'trusting' people remain in denial.

Denial of truth is a predominant element of fallen mankind. The 'vaccine' denial very much reminds me of the typical German citizen during World War II, most of whom denied what was known to be going on inside the concentration camps. They simply could not allow themselves to believe that their 'government' would do 'such things' to fellow human beings.

We are living in very similar times. I'm currently reading A. J. P. Taylor's classic: "The Origins of World War II." The parallels of the Ukraine war and the lead up to WW II are very similar. Human nature does not change, and since original sin, it has remained the same throughout the ages. Not only is human nature sinful, it is also HIGHLY prone to the deceptive schemes of man. That's why the Word of God is so important. It never changes, it's truth remains constant no matter what the surrounding, unsettling conditions are. Over time, God's Word provides discernment, and man's dark, sinful schemes are exposed to the light.

THANK GOD for His Word and the grace that He provides to sincere seekers of His truth.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, J.
That quote I posted (from 1:38 PM post) and that succinct profound statement was made by Oswald Chambers in his devotional My Utmost for His Highest. It is a devotional (like none other and my absolute favorite) that has greatly impacted my walk with the Lord Jesus.
Next to my daily Bible reading schedule (the Divine Mentor another very wonderful resource) it is an every day source of some real riches. Some of it so deep I had to read it daily for 3 years straight for some of it's wisdom to begin to sink in. The Lord used it to open my eyes and my heart much wider and it is still as enlightening, challenging and convicting, and very comforting. as it was at the first.
I read the classic version because I love it's expression the most in an older style to write (late 1800-early 1900). Since I made good grades in English in school it was not as daunting as some say they find it in the classic rendition, so a more updated language version is available. It, like so many Spurgeon sermons and devotionals also, has blessed me immeasurably..

Anonymous said...

The Federal Reserve Bank continuously touts their, possibly soon to be implemented 'digital' currency.

What could be more of a precursor to the Beastly Mark than that?

The lead up has been incremental of course.

9/11, Patriot Act, fear fear fear, and more fear. The virus, the jab. The Mandates. More Mandates to come. Don't be stupid enough to think the Luciferians are done with viruses, and shots! Then the digital currency, likely to be the step into the Beastly Mark itself.

So you can go on being a Good Pharisee like X, and Constance, and march to the devils beat(he is a master musician). Or you can be truly courageous, and not participate in everything the world wants you to participate in.

It doesn't have to be complicated!

Anonymous said...

Specific proof that qanon is shared here besides the deluge of articles shared from the homosexual lifestyle promoting gateway pundit, natural news (which is it's own brand of Q) and russian disinformation website beforeitsnews (who will post anything to be divisive and stoke maga fears)

MagaRayQ posted an disinformation article about the covid vaccine from this website...

https://noqreport.com/tag/qanon/

Just read the front page -- JD Rucker is completely gone qanon as has RayB himself.

x

Craig said...

X @ 12:23 PM,

You're gonna have to more specific about your assertion of "specific proof".

J said...

I've posted a link or two from the NOQ Report site, so by your logic, I must have gone QAnon. It's news to me.

I scanned the page full of articles appearing under the QAnon tag. It doesn't look like it continues into 2022. It stopped in April 2021, about one year ago.

It actually may be a clue that QAnon has waned in either credibility, popularity or both. I'm not saying QAnon is dead, but just look at the article dates under the Q tag. They suddenly fell off a cliff after April of 2021.

For this NOQ Report web site, anyway, the QAnon tag was dropped one year ago.

Craig said...

J,

I was waiting for X's explanation for his assertion/accusation before mentioning the dates of those articles (and to respond to anything else X may have used to 'bolster' his case).

Anonymous said...

I think you may be right, J.
Some friends of ours have been heavily influenced by "Q". They are nominal christians at best (and really my spouse and I believe are not really born again believers). We have spoken to them about the Gospel, of course, where conversation tended to go but also that material, our disbelief in it, and prayed they would go instead to their Bibles and quit taking QAnon as "gospel" for what is happening in current events. They used to call us about once a month with the latest "fantastic" "behind the scenes" "information" and kept getting met with the same response from us. The news backs up many things that Q material has highlighted as you mentioned about pedophilia etc in an earlier post but the extent and purpose with information containing even small amounts of truth goes quickly off the rails.
Their devotion to those sources has cooled now since they don't bring it up anymore, and we hope the case..
Maybe they just quit wanting to share that with us because we rejected it, we don't know.
I do not like the trend of mixing political rallies with Gospel music and speakers. I am not opposed to pastors having opinions outside of church services but can cross a line rather quickly in my book. Stick to the church being the church and politics can begin to change because actual changed people are being changed by the Gospel, not an add on for some "religious cred" fueled by politics.
The world wants the spectacular just like it did when Jesus was on the earth. Israel like too many in America today, wanted a Bread King, a Real estate King, a Warrior King to produce all their earthly cares and wants supplied......anything but a Savior from sin..
Boils down to making a choice to follow Judas, or Jesus, take your pick.

Anonymous said...

J @ 6:58 am re: urban legions, divorce and autism

After reading the article you posted, I agree the 80% figure has been an oft-cited static figure for a long time that probably hasn't been substantiated at all. It's not a very easy number to substantiate because who even defines where on the autism scale any individual child lands at any particular time in order to make any resulting divorce of that child's parents autism/special needs related or not.

At the other hand, studies of divorce in autistic homes while the children are still children doesn't really tell the whole story either. As small children there's just seemingly no way to even conceive of divorcing as it takes both parents (usually) to manage and care for the needs of a young special needs child. It's the long haul divorce rate where I see divorce rates diverging.

I'm generalizing, but what I see happening in these marriages with special needs children (which also happens in marriages without special needs children) is a breakdown of what a marital relationship is meant to be in favor of simply sharing and dividing the tasks of caring for the children and each parent, out of necessity, then, over time developing an independent lifestyle where they take turns watching the children and seeking a life for themselves beyond the home.

Marriage is supposed to mimic our relationship with God. We are supposed to be together, developing and nurturing an inter-dependent lifestyle where we are each others most fun, best, most reliable accountability partner for each other, our family and for God.

When you live independently of each other that is much harder to do. And when we walk apart from each other, just like when we walk apart from God, evil gets a toehold. Most of the time it wasn't meant to happen, but one or the other spouse developes and nurtures an opposite-sex friendship within this independent life that starts out completely innocent, until it isn't. When you spend too much time with someone not your spouse and share things with them (like feelings you just can't share with your spouse ....including resentments), eventually your feelings will follow your actions and you'll get the feels.

In the case of special needs marriages, once one spouse "falls in love" with someone else, the rationalizations and justifications for divorce quickly follow. It's really easy in special needs situaitons because they often haven't lived as husband and wife for years. They've taken turns with the child/children and lived an automonous lifestyle emersing themselves in work and/or hobbies.

This doesn't happen typically when the children are small. It's too hard then and the independent lifestyles and resentments haven't taken their toll yet.

I'm not picking on special needs marriages, really and it's not the kid's fault. It's just human nature. Where you spend your most enjoyable time in life is where your feelings will take you. The phenomenon of "gray divorce" is a culmination of the exact same thing, parents investing too much effort ...independently...into their children instead of each other.

Again...I've seen no indication from you that I'm being offensive speaking about this. If I've crossed any line on this topic, I apologize. We've finished the subject several times already.

x

p.s. - Once people "fall in love" with someone not their spouse all heck breaks loose. They become terrible lying and conniving individuals and a complete disruption in the workplace. Workplaces with good strict extensive written fraternization rules just maybe help nip these type relationships from developing in OUR workplace BEFORE people fall in love with someone outside their marriage.

Constance Cumbey said...

To ALL:
I've sick in bed since last Wednesday.

Constance

Anonymous said...

"I scanned the page full of articles appearing under the QAnon tag. It doesn't look like it continues into 2022. It stopped in April 2021, about one year ago."

Yeah not long after Jan. 6th, the maga/qanon folks figured out they needed to try and distance themselves from qanon.

It's still qanon.

x


Anonymous said...

Craig said: "I was waiting for X's explanation for his assertion/accusation before mentioning the dates of those articles (and to respond to anything else X may have used to 'bolster' his case)."

I googled JD Rucker qanon and when I went to that link I DID think that was the home page and I was shocked it was one qanon article after another and so obvious.

I did not notice the dates.

Doesn't change my opinion of the website. As J explained, they try to mix truth in with lies. It's still a dishonest maga/qanon website devoid of any journalistic credibility.

x

Anonymous said...

Constance, I'm praying for you that you'll be feeling better soon. Please take care of yourself. Hope you have family around so that you're not alone.

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