Joe Biden brags about having “the most extensive and inclusive VOTER FRAUD organization in the ...

KeithThroop comments on Oct 24, 2020:

Talk about a serious gaffe! LOL!

KeithThroop replies on Oct 24, 2020:

@Krunoslav I remember that one! LOL! He had plenty of gaffes. I still voted for him twice, though.

A quote from a book I am currently reading: > One thing I learned from dad, religion ain't no ...

KeithThroop comments on Oct 24, 2020:

I suppose that would depend upon the nature of the particular religion and how it was practiced. The statement is far too generalized to be very helpful as I see it.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 24, 2020:

@tracycoyle Thanks for clarifying your point. I see better where you are coming from. :)

A quote from a book I am currently reading: > One thing I learned from dad, religion ain't no ...

KeithThroop comments on Oct 24, 2020:

I suppose that would depend upon the nature of the particular religion and how it was practiced. The statement is far too generalized to be very helpful as I see it.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 24, 2020:

@tracycoyle Then I suppose I would have to ask how one defines the word *religion* when asserting that "religion ain't no good." I know people tend to redefine a lot of words these days, but, as I understand the word, the statement is basically saying that belief in a deity, and following a system of values and practices associated with said deity, is no good. I would then say, again, that it would depend upon the nature of the particular religion and how it was practiced. However, if one thinks that any and all forms of theism are necessarily bad, then I suppose he or she would agree the aforementioned statement. But this would then also seem to require their thinking that all practitioners of religion are also bad. After all, how could they think that it is good to practice something bad? Anyway, I am back to having problems with the quote.

The Anti-Trumpers Still Going? [youtu.be]

KeithThroop comments on Oct 24, 2020:

John McCain was a veteran and a legitimate war hero, and I give him all due respect for that. However, especially toward the end of his career, he regularly betrayed his fellow Republicans and the principles he had formerly espoused, apparently because he wanted the approbation of the media and ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 24, 2020:

@TimTuolomne Some of the medals he is known to have won, however, require a pretty vigorous investigation and vetting to receive, as I recall. For example, it would be very hard to receive a silver start or a legion of merit that wasn't actually earned.

The Anti-Trumpers Still Going? [youtu.be]

KeithThroop comments on Oct 24, 2020:

John McCain was a veteran and a legitimate war hero, and I give him all due respect for that. However, especially toward the end of his career, he regularly betrayed his fellow Republicans and the principles he had formerly espoused, apparently because he wanted the approbation of the media and ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 24, 2020:

@TimTuolomne I did find this just a few minutes ago, which seems to jibe with your memory of things: https://prepareforchange.net/2017/09/11/navy-releases-mccains-records-mccain-was-personally-responsible-for-the-deadliest-fire-in-the-history-of-the-us-navy/

The Anti-Trumpers Still Going? [youtu.be]

KeithThroop comments on Oct 24, 2020:

John McCain was a veteran and a legitimate war hero, and I give him all due respect for that. However, especially toward the end of his career, he regularly betrayed his fellow Republicans and the principles he had formerly espoused, apparently because he wanted the approbation of the media and ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 24, 2020:

@TimTuolomne It wouldn't surprise me if they had been scrubbed from the internet. As I said, I'm open to evidence. I've given John the benefit of the doubt on the issue, but my mind can certainly be changed.

The Anti-Trumpers Still Going? [youtu.be]

KeithThroop comments on Oct 24, 2020:

John McCain was a veteran and a legitimate war hero, and I give him all due respect for that. However, especially toward the end of his career, he regularly betrayed his fellow Republicans and the principles he had formerly espoused, apparently because he wanted the approbation of the media and ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 24, 2020:

@TimTuolomne I've read a few articles about the issue in the past. If you have a good source that I should read, I'd be happy to check it out. I'm open to any credible evidence.

The Anti-Trumpers Still Going? [youtu.be]

KeithThroop comments on Oct 24, 2020:

John McCain was a veteran and a legitimate war hero, and I give him all due respect for that. However, especially toward the end of his career, he regularly betrayed his fellow Republicans and the principles he had formerly espoused, apparently because he wanted the approbation of the media and ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 24, 2020:

@TimTuolomne I've never seen any real proof of that.

Should Christians Vote for President Trump?

ZuzecaSape comments on Oct 24, 2020:

I voted no, but I honestly don't care and I'm not a Christian. I don't see Christians as having much choice in the matter, but if they want to pretend Trump is a Christian, I suppose that's their right. 🤷‍♂️

KeithThroop replies on Oct 24, 2020:

@ZuzecaSape I think that President Trump is almost certainly a theist, albeit not a very thoughtful one, or so it seems to me. I don't see any good reason for assuming he is an atheist at all.

Should Christians Vote for President Trump?

ZuzecaSape comments on Oct 24, 2020:

I voted no, but I honestly don't care and I'm not a Christian. I don't see Christians as having much choice in the matter, but if they want to pretend Trump is a Christian, I suppose that's their right. 🤷‍♂️

KeithThroop replies on Oct 24, 2020:

@ZuzecaSape By the way, I noticed the picture you posted had a tweet from Sam Harris saying, "the irony: 81 percent of Evangelicals just elected our first atheist president." Does he think that President Trump is an atheist? If so, does he give any arguments for this anywhere. As far as I know, President Trump has repeatedly claimed to admire the teachings of Norman Vincent Peale (whom I regard as a Christian heretic, but that is beside the current point). So, unless he is deliberately lying about it, this would make him a theist.

Clarence Thomas Is the North Star for Originalism on the Supreme Court [dailysignal.com]

KeithThroop comments on Oct 24, 2020:

Clarence Thomas is one of my heroes.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 24, 2020:

@tracycoyle Well, the writers of the Constitution knew full well that there would be many things they did not contemplate or foresee, so that is why we have an amendment process. Unfortunately -- at least from my perspective -- many people would rather try to find Justices who will enact what they want done rather than go through the difficult process of amending the Constitution, because this would require them to convince a large majority of the country to agree with what they want first. They would have to win them over. Sadly, the amendment process has been largely ignored in recent decades in favor of judicial activism. This is definitely not what the writers of the Constitution would have contemplated!

Should Christians Vote for President Trump?

ZuzecaSape comments on Oct 24, 2020:

I voted no, but I honestly don't care and I'm not a Christian. I don't see Christians as having much choice in the matter, but if they want to pretend Trump is a Christian, I suppose that's their right. 🤷‍♂️

KeithThroop replies on Oct 24, 2020:

I don't know of any of my fellow Christians who actually thinks that President Trump is a Christian, but I suppose there are some gullible ones out there who think so. I don't think, however, that this should be a requirement for a Christian to vote for someone. We simply have to vote for a candidate who is best in keeping with the values and policies we hold dear, understanding that there will likely never be a candidate who will fully agree with us. To be sure, President Trump fails at a few significant points, but on many key issues his actions reflect what we would like to see done.

Clarence Thomas Is the North Star for Originalism on the Supreme Court [dailysignal.com]

KeithThroop comments on Oct 24, 2020:

Clarence Thomas is one of my heroes.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 24, 2020:

@tracycoyle I think you make some good observations there, although I think we can get an understanding of how the original words were used. This does, however, require some study and a bit of scholarship. I think that originalist scholars should write a lexicon of terminology and what it originally meant. Maybe there already is one that I haven't yet stumbled across. I'll have to search to see. I appreciate ACB's notion that, when we run across things unforeseen by the Constitution, we have to apply the principles that clearly underlay it. I see similar issues here that I run across in Biblical studies and interpretation.

This is how they do it Dar'shun. 😁

Rick-A comments on Oct 24, 2020:

Is it a coyote?

KeithThroop replies on Oct 24, 2020:

It's Wile E. Coyote from the old Road Runner Cartoons. He was always trying to catch the Road Runner for dinner, but he always failed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCJwcNmGxRc

Daisy Cousens Live Stream | TRUMP v BIDEN DEBATE STREAM - YouTube

KeithThroop comments on Oct 23, 2020:

I enjoyed the debate overall, although It was hard to listen to Biden, in particular, tell so many lies. I lost track of them. He lied almost every time he spoke.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 23, 2020:

@KanjaG The moderator was much better, although she did seem to interrupt President Trump a lot more than she interrupted Joe Biden. In fact, Joe Biden interrupted President Trump quite a bit as well, but the president did a good job remaining disciplined this time around.

Trump Posts Full Raw '60 Minutes' Interview (FULL VIDEO!) [youtube.

KanjaG comments on Oct 22, 2020:

“I’m not gonna fact check you.” Probably too scared to be proven wrong.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 22, 2020:

Of course, as I recall, she said that after already trying to fact-check him and essentially being called on it.

Are Hate Crime Hoaxers Above the Law?

Penrodster comments on Oct 22, 2020:

I don't get the hoaxing as a problem. Someone put a noose on Smollets' neck, someone beat him, people colluded to set up the scenario. Those are ALL crimes, why is it not prosecuted? These crimes they claim are hoaxes are NOT hoaxes. Someone committed the actions, investigate and charge the ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 22, 2020:

@Penrodster Right. Those actions were crimes.

You punch me, I punch back.

KeithThroop comments on Oct 22, 2020:

The exception to that rule for me as a Christian would be in cases of a slap intended as an insult rather than an attempt to do serious physical harm or of persecution for my faith. In such cases, the Lord Jesus commands me to "turn the other cheek" (Matt. 5:10-12; 38-39). He would not require me, ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 22, 2020:

@Krunoslav good point here: > I imagine the quote was about the idea of having self respect, not allowing yourself to be bullied, but not being a bully. I would also add that, when we allow someone to bully us, we also encourage his bullying of others. So, if we care about others and not just about ourselves, we will be motivated to stop bullying toward ourselves for their sake, even if not for our own.

Email reveals how Hunter Biden introduced Ukrainian biz man to dad

KeithThroop comments on Oct 16, 2020:

I've stopped using Twitter, and I'm thinking of dropping Facebook as well, perhaps opting for something like MeWe (?).

KeithThroop replies on Oct 22, 2020:

@SpikeTalon Thanks. I'll check it out.

Are Hate Crime Hoaxers Above the Law?

Penrodster comments on Oct 22, 2020:

I don't get the hoaxing as a problem. Someone put a noose on Smollets' neck, someone beat him, people colluded to set up the scenario. Those are ALL crimes, why is it not prosecuted? These crimes they claim are hoaxes are NOT hoaxes. Someone committed the actions, investigate and charge the ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 22, 2020:

I think they are hoaxes that were uncovered and spoiled before they could really work. They were at the very least *attempted* hoaxes. But you're right. They should be prosecuted.

The FBI’s subpoena of a laptop and hard drive purportedly belonging to Hunter Biden came in ...

Penrodster comments on Oct 22, 2020:

"C'mon man" should be his campaign slogan. Much better than "Build Back Better."

KeithThroop replies on Oct 22, 2020:

I thought it was supposed to be "No malarkey." I guess that was just too unbelievable. 😁

Joe Biden's earliest days in the Senate as revealed in a 1974 interview: crass and venal, using his ...

KeithThroop comments on Oct 22, 2020:

There was never anything appealing about Jor Biden. It is hard to imagine how he kept getting re-elected to the Senate.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 22, 2020:

@SpikeTalon Yes, that would certainly explain it, and I wouldn't put it past him.

Perils of social isolation: Suicides up among young people in Wisconsin's second largest county.

KeithThroop comments on Oct 21, 2020:

Suicide has become such a problem in our society. It is so sad. I fear the root causes, however, run much deeper in our society that just the pressure and isolation of the lockdowns. These may be the immediate cause of many suicides, but I seriously doubt that they are the ultimate cause. It seems ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 21, 2020:

@SpikeTalon Somehow I knew you would have some interesting food for thought.

Predictions: Extreme Right: Trump 56% Biden 44% Electoral college 405-133 for Trump ...

KeithThroop comments on Oct 21, 2020:

My political positions haven't changed, but I have changed my view of President Trump. Or, rather, he changed my view by governing more conservatively that I ever imagined he would. I voted third party in 2016 (the Constitution Party), but I'm all in for President Trump this time around. In fact, I ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 21, 2020:

@tracycoyle I also supported Cruz here in Illinois. My wife and I actively campaigned for him.

Perils of social isolation: Suicides up among young people in Wisconsin's second largest county.

KeithThroop comments on Oct 21, 2020:

Suicide has become such a problem in our society. It is so sad. I fear the root causes, however, run much deeper in our society that just the pressure and isolation of the lockdowns. These may be the immediate cause of many suicides, but I seriously doubt that they are the ultimate cause. It seems ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 21, 2020:

@SpikeTalon You may be right, although my own experience has been quite different. What are your thoughts about the possible cultural changes that might be leading to an apparently higher number of suicides among younger generations than in the past? Just wondering. No agenda.

Do you think mob rule will come to your city?

KeithThroop comments on Oct 21, 2020:

I live in relatively small midwestern city in America, and I doubt that we will see such a situation any time in the foreseeable future. Most folks here wouldn't tolerate it. Of course, I could be wrong, but I certainly hope I am right.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 21, 2020:

@Lexpd1145 All that happened here was a small group (from out of town, if memory serves) tried to loot a local Target, but they were stopped after breaking a couple of windows, and nothing else happened after that. There have been a few genuinely peaceful protests by some students from the local universities, though, with no incidents at all, but those stopped as well. The only thing after that was when a small group, about a dozen or so, stood outside a Back the Blue rally (in which I was involved) and yelled at us as we went in and out. The police were there, however, and they kept the peace. I think they arrested one man who threatened someone. Anyway, that is the extent of the "unrest" here.

Pope Francis Calls for Civil Union Laws for Same-sex Couples [washingtonpost.

govols comments on Oct 21, 2020:

My comprehension of Christianity is that its viability as a world view relies on it being adaptable to any number of the infinite cultures for which it's required to provide a meaningful message of hope and faith. I'm not a big fan of the current pope, but his his the head of a family. He has to ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 21, 2020:

To be sure, Christians are called upon by God to love everyone, which entails bearing with their weaknesses (humbly recognizing that we all have them) as well as telling them the truth (humbly recognizing that we ourselves are neither the source nor the arbiter of truth). Christians are not called upon by God, however, to sacrifice their moral principles in order to conform to a given society or culture. In fact, we are called upon to remain true to the moral teachings of the Bible despite what a given society or culture may demand of us. It is not an easy thing to do, but do it we must. Of course, I don't expect non-Christians to fully understand. No doubt many of them will view us as intolerant, and even cruel, but our stance is one of love for others whom we see following a path of destruction. We are called upon to warn them, not to encourage them in the direction they are headed. Also, although I am a Protestant, what I have just outlined is a perspective upon which Protestants and Catholics have historically agreed, despite our fundamental disagreements on some other matters. Anyway, I am saddened by what I've seen in the current pope, and I am genuinely sympathetic toward the many traditional Catholics who feel betrayed by him.

Protocols of the Elders of Zion? q:142130

KeithThroop comments on Oct 21, 2020:

I agree with @lawrenceblair. We should stick to discussing Biblical Christianity in this group, which means that the focus should be on the Bible and it's teachings. Oh, and by the way, a disagreement with Dispensationalism does not amount to antisemitism, if that is what you were implying below.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 21, 2020:

@eschatologyguy Hmm.... Here was the first line description about the video: > How the Church took part in aiding Hitler carry out the Holocaust. Well, except for all the Christians who were put in concentration camps or were killed because they refused to go along with Hilter's plans.

Protocols of the Elders of Zion? q:142130

KeithThroop comments on Oct 21, 2020:

I agree with @lawrenceblair. We should stick to discussing Biblical Christianity in this group, which means that the focus should be on the Bible and it's teachings. Oh, and by the way, a disagreement with Dispensationalism does not amount to antisemitism, if that is what you were implying below.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 21, 2020:

@eschatologyguy Is it about Biblical Christianity? Does it focus on the teaching of the Bible?

WashingtonExaminer: Polls tighten in Pennsylvania.

govols comments on Oct 21, 2020:

Have you seen any intuitively believable explanations from pollsters that they've figured out why they so terribly undercounted Trump support in 2016? I haven't.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 21, 2020:

@timon_phocas Good insights there. Thanks.

Protocols of the Elders of Zion? q:142130

KeithThroop comments on Oct 21, 2020:

I agree with @lawrenceblair. We should stick to discussing Biblical Christianity in this group, which means that the focus should be on the Bible and it's teachings. Oh, and by the way, a disagreement with Dispensationalism does not amount to antisemitism, if that is what you were implying below.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 21, 2020:

@eschatologyguy Right. It was a post that didn't really belong here, which was pointed out. You then brought up dispensations again in your response to me, together with your criticism about what you apparently see as the bad influence of Augustine on others who don't share the same views. So, I suggested that, if you want to talk about your view of the dispensations, it would be good to start a discussion about it and lay out a case from the Bible with which we all could interact. Such a discussion *would *belong here. By the way, I'm glad to hear that you weren't implying that anyone here might be antisemitic. I forgot to say that before, so I wanted to make sure you knew that I saw that and appreciated it. :)

Protocols of the Elders of Zion? q:142130

KeithThroop comments on Oct 21, 2020:

I agree with @lawrenceblair. We should stick to discussing Biblical Christianity in this group, which means that the focus should be on the Bible and it's teachings. Oh, and by the way, a disagreement with Dispensationalism does not amount to antisemitism, if that is what you were implying below.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 21, 2020:

@eschatologyguy If you want to have a discussion of "dispensations" in the Bible, it would be good to start a discussion about that in which you state your case *from the Bible* and invite feedback. As for the implied criticism that the only reason someone could have for disagreeing with your point of view is that he has read the Bible "through the lens of Augustine's writings," I can only say that it is a baseless ad hominem argument. Again, I would encourage you to start a discussion based on the Bible. That is what this group is for, as I understand it, and I'm sure others would be willing to engage with if you take that approach. :)

Sadly none of this will matter

Edgework comments on Oct 21, 2020:

It will matter, but possibly not in ways that anyone can predict. In a macro reflection of quantum reality, the mere act of observing a system changes it. The presence of the observer becomes a part of the whole; the reality keeps racing ahead of our efforts to understand its current state, as each ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 21, 2020:

A thoughtful, and thought-provoking, assessment.

Trump Urges AG Barr to ‘Act Fast’ to Probe Hunter Biden Business Dealings.

KeithThroop comments on Oct 20, 2020:

I'm not sure AG Barr is capable of acting quickly. I hope he proves me wrong.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 20, 2020:

@TimTuolomne Good points. Thanks! :)

Los Angeles ballots damaged after suspected arson attack on official drop box | US news

DaveO276 comments on Oct 20, 2020:

I hope they get to the bottom of this! If it was an arsonist trying to interfere with the election, I hope they catch the culprit and prosecute them to the fullest extent.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 20, 2020:

Same here!

Debate Commission's new rule designates mic mute times for Thursday's debate.

DaveO276 comments on Oct 20, 2020:

The rule seems fair enough. We shall see about its enforcement.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 20, 2020:

The enforcement is the main issue, I think.

Original thought is like original sin: both happened before you were born to people you could not ...

AdrianRainbow comments on Oct 20, 2020:

Except, of course, that 'original sin' is a singular instance. An historic event, supposedly. While 'original thought' is, was, and will be, recurrent throughout history. Basic false equivalence.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 20, 2020:

@Krunoslav Hi! > concept of "Original Sin" was never meant to be taken more than a humorous metaphor. In which case it works just fine. I take it you are referring here to the manner in which Fran Lebowitz was using the term in the quote you cited. As for the origin of the term "original sin," it may well have been coined by Augustine, but he didn't come up with the concept to which the term was meant to refer.

WHO DARES CALL US SINNERS?

KeithThroop comments on Oct 19, 2020:

> But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 20, 2020:

@Zteph First of all, I never said that God was "the accuser," as if it were a title for Him. I simply pointed out that He does accuse us of sin when He calls us sinners and demands that we repent and seek His forgiveness. I don't believe the Bible ever uses the word *satan* that way with respect to God, although it clearly indicates that He accuses us of sin. For what else would we call it when He calls us sinners and demands that we repent? Conceptually, that is what we call an "accusation." As for the Hebrew, I have agreed that the word *satan* basically means *accuser*, but that doesn't mean that this is all that Satan is or that others cannot make accusations too. The issue has to do with the sense in which the word or concept is being used. As I pointed out above, God accuses us of sin accurately and for our own good, whereas Satan accuses believers falsely and in order to harm them. Just because a word or concept is used in one way about Satan doesn't mean it could not be used in another way about God. For example, Jesus frequently calls God "the Father," but He can also call Satan "the father of lies" (John 8:44). Clearly not only the same concept but also the same word is being used for both, yet in different contexts and in different senses. Other examples could be given, but the point has been sufficiently made, I hope. At any rate, you are drawing a false conclusion based on a very narrow understanding of the way that such concepts are employed in the Bible.

Joe Biden so against Afrikaners in this speech.

timon_phocas comments on Oct 20, 2020:

My observation is Joe Biden has no principles except the pursuit of the presidency. That's been the only constant I've seen in his career.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 20, 2020:

Right on!

Joe Biden so against Afrikaners in this speech.

TimTuolomne comments on Oct 20, 2020:

At Biden’s sharpest, he couldn’t tell the difference between virtue signaling and actual virtue.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 20, 2020:

That statement makes a for a great quote!

San Diego public schools will overhaul its grading system to achieve "anti racism".

KeithThroop comments on Oct 19, 2020:

My wife and I homeschooled all three of our children, and we highly recommend it for all who are able to do so.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 19, 2020:

@SpikeTalon Thanks!

Good point.

KeithThroop comments on Oct 19, 2020:

I always hated those group projects.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 19, 2020:

@KCSantiago Exactly.

The Islamic religion is in need of a reformation by whatever means necessary. [euronews.com]

KeithThroop comments on Oct 17, 2020:

Typically, when one uses the word "reformation" to refer to a religion, it indicates that the religion should get back to its original, unadulterated form. Is that what we really want for Islam? As I see it, those that have that mindset are precisely the problem. It is the nominal adherent of Islam,...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 17, 2020:

@Krunoslav Me Too!

The Islamic religion is in need of a reformation by whatever means necessary. [euronews.com]

KeithThroop comments on Oct 17, 2020:

Typically, when one uses the word "reformation" to refer to a religion, it indicates that the religion should get back to its original, unadulterated form. Is that what we really want for Islam? As I see it, those that have that mindset are precisely the problem. It is the nominal adherent of Islam,...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 17, 2020:

@Krunoslav I have similar concerns. Note, however, that I said, "The wedding of Church and state *as institutions* inevitably corrupts both." I was not advocating the idea that there should be no place at all for the Church in politics. In fact, at least here in the U.S. where I live, our Constitution imagines a role for the Church in politics. The First Amendment says: > Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, *or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;* or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Most of the Constitution's framers were professing Christians, and their intent was to have freedom *of* religion, not freedom *from* religion. They imagined a situation in which the Church could speak freely on all issues, including political issues, even if some today want to curtail that right. But the Christian Church, nor any other religion, was to become a state religion, in which the two became institutionally intertwined, with the one doing the bidding of the other. Neither was to have authority over the other, but the Church does have the right to criticize the government and to try to influence the thinking of the population, just as the press does, or any other citizens do, whether religious or not.

The Islamic religion is in need of a reformation by whatever means necessary. [euronews.com]

KeithThroop comments on Oct 17, 2020:

Typically, when one uses the word "reformation" to refer to a religion, it indicates that the religion should get back to its original, unadulterated form. Is that what we really want for Islam? As I see it, those that have that mindset are precisely the problem. It is the nominal adherent of Islam,...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 17, 2020:

@Krunoslav There is no question that the Byzantine Empire played such a crucial role in preventing Islam from moving into Europe. We just need to remember, however, that genuine Christianity has always been at its best when not wedded to the state. In fact, it has actually flourished and been more faithful when the state has left it alone or opposed it rather than having professed to adopt it. The wedding of Church and state as institutions inevitably corrupts both. As for the role that Christianity plays in China today, I don't think we can really say. There are parts of rural China, perhaps, where it plays a very significant role amongst the population. We just don't know enough about what is happening with the Church there. What we do know, however, as we find out more and more, is that it is much stronger in China that many people think. As for your mention of yet another crackpot heretic, I don't view guys like him (or the aforementioned Jim Jones) as Christians at all. They do not represent the faith because they do not truly believe its tenets, and the vast majority of Christians would denounce them and refuse to acknowledge them as one of our number. But this does bring up an important point, namely that, when assessing the history of Christianity, we must be careful in assessing what people or movements are seen as proper examples of it. Thus, my reading of the history of Christianity would be quite different from, for example, some secular historians who are on the outside looking in and who may not make the same distinctions I would make as one on the inside looking out, as it were.

The Islamic religion is in need of a reformation by whatever means necessary. [euronews.com]

KeithThroop comments on Oct 17, 2020:

Typically, when one uses the word "reformation" to refer to a religion, it indicates that the religion should get back to its original, unadulterated form. Is that what we really want for Islam? As I see it, those that have that mindset are precisely the problem. It is the nominal adherent of Islam,...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 17, 2020:

@Krunoslav You often write such long comments that I rarely have time to fully respond. That is the case now, so I will just take up a few points. First, I think you have a point when implying that Jesus' teachings would not necessarily require pacifism. For example, I do not think He would require that Christians refuse to serve in the military in defense of their country. To the extent that the Crusades were such defensive wars, I don't think there would have been an issue. But the Crusades were not simply that. They were also attempts to force conversion on other people, with many atrocities committed that faithfulness to Jesus' teaching would definitely have prevented. > So its hard to say that if people followed Jesus teachings they would have survived as a religion, perhaps they would, but they certainly would not be powerful enough to spread it as far and wide as they did and probably today you would not be Christian. I don't think it is hard to say that at all. The history of the early Church proves, for example, that it thrived and expanded throughout the Roman Empire despite a couple of centuries of almost constant persecution, at times Empire-wide at the behest of a particular emperor, but most often in various localities by local leaders. During this period there was no Christian army going forth to defend the Church or a particular region on behalf of the Church. This actually led Tertullian to famously say, "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church." It seemed that the more the governing authorities tried to stamp it out, the more it grew. Even in modern times there are parts of the world where Christianity has been illegal but where it has thrived anyway, just as in those early centuries. As for how many Christians have survived in the Middle East, I don't think anyone really knows the answer to that. Numbers are hard to find or to assess where the Church has gone underground. We do know, however, that there were many more Evangelical Christians in the former Soviet Union than anyone ever expected and which were discovered only after the Iron Curtain fell. There is strong evidence of a similar phenomenon in China. Only time will tell with regard to the Middle Eastern countries. > that is the inherent problem of Holy Books, they are left to interpretation and can be interpreted in many ways. Yes, a book or a person's words may be *rightly* interpreted or *wrongly* interpreted. Once in a while, there may even be some statements that are deliberately vague and about which we must be careful not to be dogmatic in stating our interpretations. And you are right in seeing that most misinterpretations are motivated by people who seek to use a particular religion for their own ends. So, as you seem to understand correctly, the ...

The Islamic religion is in need of a reformation by whatever means necessary. [euronews.com]

KanjaG comments on Oct 17, 2020:

https://youtu.be/RFfDhh5cEqc

KeithThroop replies on Oct 17, 2020:

I think she is right about the problems with Islam, even if I would quibble with her use of the word "reformation" to describe it. What she is actually calling for is an outright rejection of many central tenets of Islam. Thankfully, there are many nominal Muslims these days who do exactly that.

The Islamic religion is in need of a reformation by whatever means necessary. [euronews.com]

KeithThroop comments on Oct 17, 2020:

Typically, when one uses the word "reformation" to refer to a religion, it indicates that the religion should get back to its original, unadulterated form. Is that what we really want for Islam? As I see it, those that have that mindset are precisely the problem. It is the nominal adherent of Islam,...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 17, 2020:

@maxmaccc I get what you're after, and I agree. The Christian Reformation was an effort to restore the Christian faith to its original, unadulterated form by returning to the Scriptures as the ultimate authority and remaining faithful to the true intentions of Jesus' teaching, which, had they been correctly followed, would have prevented terrible things such as the Crusades. God help us if the majority of Muslims around the word actually decide to do the same with regard to the Quran.

Not long ago here in the Slug community, there was some interaction regarding the meaning of the ...

turnerjolene48 comments on Oct 16, 2020:

I enjoyed your article very much. I didn't realize there was a difference in the golden rule as stated by other religions in that they are all in the negative. I really thought they were all in the positive just like the one stated by Jesus but then, I have never studied in a formal way about ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 16, 2020:

Thank you for the encouraging words. I'm glad it was helpful to you.

A reckoning is afoot for social media as Section 230 lights up the Hill- [redstate.

TheMiddleWay comments on Oct 16, 2020:

I see two possible consequences of repealing 230: - It will mean that none of this content will be permissible on social media for it exposes those platforms to liability. So Trump's twitter account would be canceled outright for fear that what he says could be used against twitter; NY Post, NY ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 16, 2020:

> I think a repeal will not fix social media, it will destroy it. You may well be right about that.

Email reveals how Hunter Biden introduced Ukrainian biz man to dad

KeithThroop comments on Oct 16, 2020:

I've stopped using Twitter, and I'm thinking of dropping Facebook as well, perhaps opting for something like MeWe (?).

KeithThroop replies on Oct 16, 2020:

@bigbearjoseph I've actually blocked Twitter via my CleanBrowsing app.

Email reveals how Hunter Biden introduced Ukrainian biz man to dad

KeithThroop comments on Oct 16, 2020:

I've stopped using Twitter, and I'm thinking of dropping Facebook as well, perhaps opting for something like MeWe (?).

KeithThroop replies on Oct 16, 2020:

@KanjaG I'll have to stick around on Facebook for a while in order to stay in touch with certain people and groups that will not be found elsewhere. This is what being subject to a virtual monopoly feels like.

Not long ago here in the Slug community, there was some interaction regarding the meaning of the ...

DaveO276 comments on Oct 16, 2020:

This is a very informative article. Clearly, the golden rule as expressed by Jesus was superior to the other similar sayings from other traditions. Another passage that might fit in fairly well is Matthew 22:36-40. I think this takes the principle to another level again.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 16, 2020:

Thanks for the encouraging word. And thanks for the insightful addition of the Scripture passage from Matthew. I couldn't agree more that it "takes the principle to another level again."

Reading through others’ posts this evening, and watching/reading my particular news sources, I’m...

DaveO276 comments on Oct 16, 2020:

Hopefully it is a TDS-induced miscalculation on the Democrats' part that will lose them the election. Don't get complacent, though... Get out there and make it so at the ballot box on November 3!

KeithThroop replies on Oct 16, 2020:

Right on. Those of us who want President Trump to win must not get complacent. We need to vote, and we need to encourage other like-minded to people to get out to the polls and cast their votes as well.

Some in CA want 17 yr olds to vote.

KeithThroop comments on Oct 15, 2020:

Frankly, I think people should not be able to drink, vote, or serve in the military until they are at least 21 years old.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 15, 2020:

@tracycoyle I went in at 18 myself. I was a Navy Gunner's Mate (ASROC). What branch were you?

Pretty spot on

KeithThroop comments on Oct 15, 2020:

Nothing spot on there at all. It is one long misrepresentation of the real differences between the Republicans and the Democrats.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 15, 2020:

@JacksonNought For the sake of time, I will offer just a couple of representative examples. > "Dems: We'd like cops to stop killing minorities. Reps: Dems hate police." This makes it sound like there is a real problem with cops going around killing minorities and that only Democrats care about it. And it misses or mischaracterizes any objection that Republicans might have to this scenario as their simply thinking that Democrats "hate police." Also, it completely leaves out the fact that there are many -- although by no means all -- Democrats that have actually called for defunding police to some extent (some lesser and some greater) and who have wrongly spoken as though most police are a problem when it is actually very few. At any rate, this simplistic statement makes it sound as though Republicans really have no arguments at all and therefore simply revert to ad hominem attacks, but this in itself is a kind of ad hominem attack against Republicans. And, by the way, I know of no Republican who isn't appalled by any unwarranted killing of anyone by police, whether they are minorities or not. > "D's: Taxes should be used for the benefit of everyone. R's: Dems want socialism." This makes it sound as though only Democrats think that "taxes should be used for the benefit of everyone," but this simply isn't true. Of course Republicans think that taxes should be used for the benefit of everyone. The issue is *how* they should be used to this end. After all, taxes that fund the military, the interstate highway system, FEMA, etc, are all for the benefit of everyone, and no one, to my knowledge, objects to such taxes in principle. As for the charge that Republicans simply respond by saying that "Dems want socialism," well, the fact that the party seems to tolerate so many openly Socialist people within its ranks makes it kind of hard not to think that. However, I know of many Republicans who would be careful not to make the charge against all Democrats, but who would instead make the charge only against those who clearly assert their Socialist views or who openly allow these views without criticizing them. But, besides that, Republicans actually offer arguments for how they think taxes should be used for the benefit of everyone. So, once again, this simplistic statement makes it sound as though Republicans really have no arguments at all and therefore simply revert to ad hominem attacks, but this in itself is once again a kind of ad hominem attack against Republicans.

Wolf and Nancy

being_human comments on Oct 15, 2020:

They are starting to lose control, their tricks aren't working, and they will lose.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 15, 2020:

I sure hope you're right.

Fakebook is now hiding any stories that tie Bidens son to the Ukrainian scam.

TheMiddleWay comments on Oct 14, 2020:

The solution is simple: if Facebook isn't presenting the stories you want to hear, then don't use Facebook. Problem solved.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 14, 2020:

@TheMiddleWay I agree with you in principle. Sadly, it is hard to get all your family and friends to follow you from Facebook to some other online community. If the only reason you are on Facebook is to stay connected with these people more easily, you're kind of stuck with it. I just don't count on it for my information. I get that elsewhere.

"When I look at the world I'm pessimistic, but when I look at people I am optimistic." - Carl Rogers

KeithThroop comments on Oct 14, 2020:

I'm not at all sure I understand his point, especially given the fact that just about everything in the world that might make one pessimistic has to do with the actions of people. What are your thoughts, @Krunoslav?

KeithThroop replies on Oct 14, 2020:

@Krunoslav Well, you seem to keep presupposing that Rogers was making a point worth hearing and that you have, in fact, correctly grasped it. I'm still not so sure about that. His statement has, however, led to a few interesting points being made in this thread. I'm sure that was part of your intent in posting it -- a good intention, by the way -- even if I'm still not sure that the statement itself makes much sense.

"When I look at the world I'm pessimistic, but when I look at people I am optimistic." - Carl Rogers

KeithThroop comments on Oct 14, 2020:

I'm not at all sure I understand his point, especially given the fact that just about everything in the world that might make one pessimistic has to do with the actions of people. What are your thoughts, @Krunoslav?

KeithThroop replies on Oct 14, 2020:

@Krunoslav Yes, the Bible is full metaphors. And, yes, many of them are meant to make us stop and think.

"When I look at the world I'm pessimistic, but when I look at people I am optimistic." - Carl Rogers

KeithThroop comments on Oct 14, 2020:

I'm not at all sure I understand his point, especially given the fact that just about everything in the world that might make one pessimistic has to do with the actions of people. What are your thoughts, @Krunoslav?

KeithThroop replies on Oct 14, 2020:

@Krunoslav Well, if that is what he meant, he sure could have said it a lot better. But, of course, all we have here is a brief quote taken out of context.

[fakehatecrimes.org] fake hate crimes: a database of hate crime hoaxes in the usa

DaveO276 comments on Oct 14, 2020:

Favorited! We need more resources like this to combat the left!

KeithThroop replies on Oct 14, 2020:

I saved it as well. It looks to be a very good resource.

Hey check out the little Trump, Daisy [bit.ly]

timon_phocas comments on Oct 13, 2020:

This is the weirdest election season I've ever seen. Biden holds events with fewer spectators that I have fingers on one hand. Trump holds events the same days with tens of thousands of spectators. And yet polls say Biden is ahead by 14 percent. Very strange.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 13, 2020:

Steve Turley has a couple of good recent videos that might explain it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps-6DvkqB3A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnZjS3YLWZA&t=603s

So, what do you think of the notion that the eternal aspects of God, no matter the truth of Jesus as...

KeithThroop comments on Oct 13, 2020:

I should point out that I think there is a point of confusion in your question, at least as I understand it. When orthodox Christian theologians speak of Jesus' death on the cross, they are speaking only of physical death, not of spiritual death, and this is because they believe it is what ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 13, 2020:

@govols There are some who have tried to make a case that Jesus' spirit was in Hades during those three days, perhaps announcing victory to those who had died in faith before He came as the Messiah, but I do not think that case is a good one. Unfortunately, there was a phrase understood that way in a later version of the Apostles' Creed, but I find the whole position suspect. I've actually addressed it briefly in an article on the Apostles' Creed here: https://reformedbaptistblog.com/2007/04/07/the-apostles-creed-a-teaching-outline/ Solid Christian theologians disagree on this point. Both views are within the bounds of Christian orthodoxy as I understand the issue.

So, what do you think of the notion that the eternal aspects of God, no matter the truth of Jesus as...

KeithThroop comments on Oct 13, 2020:

I should point out that I think there is a point of confusion in your question, at least as I understand it. When orthodox Christian theologians speak of Jesus' death on the cross, they are speaking only of physical death, not of spiritual death, and this is because they believe it is what ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 13, 2020:

@govols Ahh... I get your question. Well, the Scriptures do not say much about that directly, except, perhaps for Jesus' words on the cross, including His promise to the thief on the cross next to Him: "Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, 'If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.' 40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, 'Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.' 42 Then he said to Jesus, 'Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.' 43 And Jesus said to him, **'Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.'** 44 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45 Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, **'Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.'** Having said this, He breathed His last." (Luke 23:39-46 NKJ) Notice two things here: 1) Jesus promised the thief that on that day they would be together in "paradise," which is a transliteration of the Greek word parádeisos. This word is elsewhere used in the New Testament only two times, both of which are in reference to heaven (2 Cor. 12:4; Rev. 2:7), so this should be the way it is understood here as well. 2) Just before He died, Jesus said, "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit," which must mean, when taken together with His previous statement to the thief, that His spirit was with the Father in paradise/heaven between His death and resurrection. It would seem to be a necessary inference. I hope this helps.

So, what do you think of the notion that the eternal aspects of God, no matter the truth of Jesus as...

KeithThroop comments on Oct 13, 2020:

I should point out that I think there is a point of confusion in your question, at least as I understand it. When orthodox Christian theologians speak of Jesus' death on the cross, they are speaking only of physical death, not of spiritual death, and this is because they believe it is what ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 13, 2020:

@govols If you are wanting to know why Theologians speak only of the physical death of Jesus on the cross rather than spiritual death, it has to do with Scriptural teaching that views human beings as made up of both a body and a spirit/soul that are separated at death, with the spirit surviving the body. This view has been challenged by a small minority of professing Christians at times, but it has been the overwhelmingly predominant view over the centuries because Christians have agreed that Scripture teaches this view. I once wrote an article defending this view. Again, for what it's worth, you can read it here: https://reformedbaptistblog.com/2009/10/02/defense-of-a-conscious-intermediate-state/

So, what do you think of the notion that the eternal aspects of God, no matter the truth of Jesus as...

KeithThroop comments on Oct 13, 2020:

I should point out that I think there is a point of confusion in your question, at least as I understand it. When orthodox Christian theologians speak of Jesus' death on the cross, they are speaking only of physical death, not of spiritual death, and this is because they believe it is what ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 13, 2020:

@govols There are a number of passages, which include Matthew 16:21; 17:23; 20:19; 27:63; Acts 10:40; and 1 Cor. 15:4. These are some of the references to Jesus' prediction that He would die and rise again on the third day, along with statements that this was fulfilled.

So, what do you think of the notion that the eternal aspects of God, no matter the truth of Jesus as...

KeithThroop comments on Oct 13, 2020:

I disagree with the notion that the the Son was separated from the Father on the cross. For what it's worth, I have actually written about that here: https://reformedbaptistblog.com/2016/03/18/mark-1533-34-jesus-was-not-separated-from-the-father-on-the-cross-teaching-outline/

KeithThroop replies on Oct 13, 2020:

@govols Thank you for the encouraging word. I'm glad you found it helpful.

MEETING THE ENEMY A feminist comes to terms with the Men's Rights movement | Cassie Jaye | ...

KanjaG comments on Oct 13, 2020:

The Red Pill documentary: https://youtu.be/wMo3HJJcgzc

KeithThroop replies on Oct 13, 2020:

@KanjaG I've saved it in YouTube to watch later. Thanks.

Oh, I had many more but this branch of Slug is deader than my grandmaw

KeithThroop comments on Sep 3, 2020:

I tend to read a lot of books. I do like to read the occasional mystery, biography or political book. Most of the books I would add, however, would be of a theological nature, and I'm not sure how many here would be interested in such books.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 12, 2020:

@KanjaG Well, I tend to like older ones, but here is a brief list of some favorites if you're looking for something to read. The Hound of the Baskervilles, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Just about anything by Agatha Christie, but my favorites would include: The Mysterious Affair at Styles, Murder on the Orient Express (also released originally in the U.S. as Murder in the Calais Coach), Death on the Nile, Murder in Mesopotamia, and Evil Under the Sun. The Nine Tailors, by Dorothy Sayers (She is also a great writer) Farewell, My Lovely, by Raymond Chandler.

Maybe President Pelosi is their plan. That would be great. You could still have a chance.

KanjaG comments on Oct 12, 2020:

Pfff... jesus take the wheel haha

KeithThroop replies on Oct 12, 2020:

@KanjaG It's my day off, and I have tuned in to Fox News, but I mute it whenever a Democrat is speaking so as not to ruin my day.

Dr. Kent Hovind Vs Reinhold Schlieter Debate about GOD - YouTube

DaveO276 comments on Oct 11, 2020:

I absolutely agree with Dr Hovind's central premise that he gives in answer to the question - i.e. that God is not limited by time, space, or matter. His "trinity of trinities" might be slightly off scientifically, but that is a trivial technicality that makes no difference to his answer to the ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 11, 2020:

Yes, I found his "trinity of trinities" thing a bit odd myself, but, like you, I get the point he was trying to make, and I agree with that point. As for his mention of emotions, along with rational thought, as examples of spiritual or immaterial realities that may impact material things, I have no disagreement. I think most people would have to admit that both rational thought and emotions actually exist, that they are immaterial, and that they do impact material things in that they impact how we as human beings behave. I do think he should have pointed out the problem in the way his opponent spoke of "spiritual matter" as opposed to "material matter." He seemed to have his categories confused there. But Hovind was limited in time to answer, so he couldn't address everything.

This conflict is escalating and i fear we might get involved somehow but I hope that doesn't happen.

DaveO276 comments on Oct 11, 2020:

This is a very sad situation. I don't see it as the west's fight. This is for the two countries to sort out between themselves. The international community can certainly provide diplomatic and humanitarian aid if they want to, but I wouldn't condone military intervention unless enemy countries ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 11, 2020:

We cannot try to be the world's police, coming to the aid of every wronged party, even though we are saddened by their plight and would like to be able to help. I think your response strikes the right balance.

Chris Wallace, the Tattletale | Greg Kelly Your thoughts on this exchange? [youtu.be]

KanjaG comments on Oct 10, 2020:

It was so obvious that Chris was working against Trump during the debate. Why did anyone think he would be a good moderator? He can barely have a decent conversation with this man. So much for be fair and moderate. 16:52 made me laugh out loud 😂 how true....

KeithThroop replies on Oct 10, 2020:

Yes, Chris says to his guest that he wants to "finish" his question, but there were arguments and accusations being made before any question came out of his mouth. He did the same thing to the President in the debates, as the guest pointed out. This is typical Chris Wallace arrogance and bias.

25th Amendment! Is Pelosi Plotting to Remove Trump? | Todd Starnes

DaveO276 comments on Oct 10, 2020:

This is the situation as I see it... As the law stands, Nancy Pelosi can't invoke the 25th amendment. Only the VP ***AND*** a majority of the cabinet can do that. With enough votes in both chambers (which would be nearly impossible this side of the election at least), congress could make a ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 10, 2020:

As I read the 25th Amendment, it looks to me like you’ve reasoned things out correctly.

Constitution 101: Living and Breathing is the Same as Dead

DaveO276 comments on Oct 10, 2020:

I am an originalist!

KeithThroop replies on Oct 10, 2020:

Same here. If people think we need to change the Constitution, there is a built-in mechanism for doing so, the amendment process. But that process requires a super-majority to make changes, and those who can't win over a majority would rather do it through Leftists judges who legislate from the bench. It is despicable.

Critical race theory continuing to be taught despite Trump ban.

DaveO276 comments on Oct 10, 2020:

What did Trump's executive order actually do? Why does it not cover this? Is it just that it initiated a process of removing CRT from curricula, and that the process has not been completed yet, or is there more to it than that? Was this a private school? I would have thought that the ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 10, 2020:

@DaveO276 That is one of my favorite Teddy Roosevelt quotes.

Critical race theory continuing to be taught despite Trump ban.

DaveO276 comments on Oct 10, 2020:

What did Trump's executive order actually do? Why does it not cover this? Is it just that it initiated a process of removing CRT from curricula, and that the process has not been completed yet, or is there more to it than that? Was this a private school? I would have thought that the ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 10, 2020:

I could be wrong, but I thought the executive order banned CRT training in Federal institutions, such as say, the Department of Labor or the FBI, where employees had often been required to endure such training.

The Mystery of the Market   In a famous conversation between Mikhail Gorbachev, the last ...

Edgework comments on Oct 10, 2020:

The best method for determining what a product or service is worth—offer it for sale and see what people are willing to pay for it. The beauty of the market, which no power-hungry bureaucrat can tolerate or even comprehend, is that no one is in charge. It’s a perfect, brainless, ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 10, 2020:

I wish our supposedly pro-capitalist Republican politicians could explain things so succinctly and so well. But perhaps many of them don't really believe it?

Candace Owens -- How I almost died from COVID-19 [facebook] What a sad state of affairs! ...

DaveO276 comments on Oct 10, 2020:

How many weren't so lucky? And how many were designated as COVID deaths to cover this up?

KeithThroop replies on Oct 10, 2020:

Great questions!

Who else finds it strange that in a huge, often very talented, successful country as the USA, all ...

DaveO276 comments on Oct 10, 2020:

When times are good, the people who would lead well don't want authority, and those who are worst suited to power take over... Over time it devolves to what you see today.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 10, 2020:

That's an interesting point. Something to ponder.

Will the pandemic result in the salvage and restoration of classical liberal education and the ...

DaveO276 comments on Oct 9, 2020:

Power to the parents! Put childhood education back into the hands of parents, where it belongs, and put higher education firmly into the free market!

KeithThroop replies on Oct 9, 2020:

Amen to that!

Eric Trump Says Donald Trump 'Literally Saved Christianity'

KeithThroop comments on Oct 9, 2020:

Well, that was stupid thing to say. There is no sense in which President Trump has "saved Christianity," whether literally or figuratively.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 9, 2020:

@DaveO276 Yes, that would have been the right thing to say.

Eric Trump Says Donald Trump 'Literally Saved Christianity'

DaveO276 comments on Oct 9, 2020:

I think he meant "literally" the way Rachel Maddow claimed she used it in reference to OAN.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 9, 2020:

I think you are right, and I find it just as annoying when he uses the word "literally" this way as I do when others like Maddow use it that way. They use it as a form of hyperbole, which is to say that hey use it to mean "figuratively," which is, of course, the opposite of what it "literally" means. 🙄

Mike Pence vs. Kamala Harris Debate. Pence brings us back to the 1980s. [youtu.be]

DaveO276 comments on Oct 9, 2020:

Pence is the Republican candidate for the USA we want. Trump is the Republican candidate for the USA we have.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 9, 2020:

I think that I would perhaps even say that Trump is the candidate we might actually need, whether we like it or not. He's like the castor oil candidate, and Pence is the spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine go down. I'm hoping that President Trump wins re-election and that, like Bush Sr. won after Reagan's second term, we get Pence as president after Trump. (Hey, a guy can hope, can't he?)

Is the Trump mystique gone now that COVID has demonstrated his mortality?

KanjaG comments on Oct 9, 2020:

Don't know what 'mystique' you're referring to but certainly glad that he, or anyone for that matter, could bounce back from this. If it were Obama, they would call it heroic.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 9, 2020:

Right. I don't know what he means, although I'm pretty sure he doesn't mean the Marvel Comics character of that name. 😁

Hillary Clinton Says Democrats Can’t Be Civil Until They’re Back in Power – Reason.com

DaveO276 comments on Oct 8, 2020:

As I saw on another post on this site, the two parties once agreed on ends, but disagreed on means. Democrats have gone so far left that the two parties no longer even agree on the fundamental direction the country should pursue. I hope a peaceful resolution can be found to bring the goals of ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 9, 2020:

I'm not optimistic about it either.

God, if you don't exist, don't reply to this.

timon_phocas comments on Oct 8, 2020:

Howdy @Zteph, No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained *Him* John 1:18 But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always *being* ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you... I Peter 3:15 If you want a response ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 8, 2020:

Well said.

Critical race theory is an attack on America -- Liz Wheeler [youtube.com]

Lightman comments on Oct 8, 2020:

It is an attack on the WEST

KeithThroop replies on Oct 8, 2020:

Indeed!

A reminder that Mike Pence once penned an essay about Disney's Mulan, calling it liberal propaganda ...

KeithThroop comments on Oct 8, 2020:

I noticed that his arguments centered on what he saw at the time as the apparent inability of the military to integrate men and women without causing problems, and the problems he focused on were the terrible stories at the time of women being sexually harassed or molested. He was particularly ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 8, 2020:

@maxmaccc I'm not sure precisely what this issue has to do with the current discussion, but, yes, the Bible speaks of a woman being submissive to her husband as the head of the home, and it gives a good idea what this would look like, which is not exactly what many people think of when they hear words like "obedient" and "subservient." Many people today hear words like that and tend to think of blind obedience or being a virtual slave. Here is a key passage on the issue: "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish." (Ephesians 5:22-27) However, I know of no place where the Bible speaks generally of women being submissive to men, as your question implies. And notice, for example, in the passage I've cited above, that the Apostle Paul specifically says to Christian women, "submit to your own husbands." He doesn't require that they submit to any other men than their husbands, although he would certainly say that they, along with their husbands, should submit to other proper authorities in their lives, such as government or church leaders. But in every case such submission is qualified by the higher calling to submit to God. So, for example, in cases in which husbands have no right to require submission from their wives because it would violate in some way their higher calling to submit to God, then they should NOT submit their husbands' leadership. Notice also in the passage above that Paul presupposes a situation in which the Christian husband is loving his wife in a self-sacrificing way that only ever seeks what is best for his wife and implies that he will be as patient and understanding with his wife as Jesus is with him. The Apostle Peter says to husbands in this regard: "Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel [with the idea in mind that the woman is typically physically weaker than the man], and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered." (1 Pet. 3:7) Notice the emphasis on understanding and on their spiritually "being heirs together," which was a totally revolutionary idea in a culture in which, with very few exceptions, only men were heirs. The Apostle Paul does something similar in his Epistle to ...

A reminder that Mike Pence once penned an essay about Disney's Mulan, calling it liberal propaganda ...

KeithThroop comments on Oct 8, 2020:

I noticed that his arguments centered on what he saw at the time as the apparent inability of the military to integrate men and women without causing problems, and the problems he focused on were the terrible stories at the time of women being sexually harassed or molested. He was particularly ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 8, 2020:

@Triumph This is a pretty fair and balanced assessment. https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-long-hair.html

Pence stinks so much he has flies landing on him.

KanjaG comments on Oct 8, 2020:

https://youtu.be/B1RMCyjGNws Just gonna leave this here. Goodnight folks!

KeithThroop replies on Oct 8, 2020:

I enjoyed that. Thanks for posting it. :)

Why the fuck is this game not being talked about for it's creepy ass features..?

DeplorableToo comments on Oct 8, 2020:

What the...? Parents should know what their kids are doing on their phones (or, better yet, stop buying them phones)

KeithThroop replies on Oct 8, 2020:

We told our children that they could have phones when they were able to buy them and pay to use them on their own. We told them that, if they were responsible enough to earn the money to pay for them, then they were responsible enough to have them. We did the same thing with driving, although we didn't make them buy their own cars before they drove. We just required them to pay for their own insurance and their own gas money. Some have criticized us for this approach, but it seems to have served them well, and none of them have ever resented it. Instead, they have actually looked back with appreciation. Anyway, I agree with you, as I so often do. :)

Trump Drops MASSIVE Bombshell Implicating Hillary Clinton, Democrats In Fabricating Russia Gate Hoax...

DeplorableToo comments on Oct 8, 2020:

We all knew this, we all expected this to be the Red October surprise. And, we all know that Hillary, Joe and Obama will get away with all of it. The only people that will be arrested will be the disposable agents and spies they had jumping through hoops to "find anything".

KeithThroop replies on Oct 8, 2020:

I wish I could disagree and assert that those at the top will be held responsible, but I know you are right.

A reminder that Mike Pence once penned an essay about Disney's Mulan, calling it liberal propaganda ...

KeithThroop comments on Oct 8, 2020:

I noticed that his arguments centered on what he saw at the time as the apparent inability of the military to integrate men and women without causing problems, and the problems he focused on were the terrible stories at the time of women being sexually harassed or molested. He was particularly ...

KeithThroop replies on Oct 8, 2020:

@JacksonNought I don't see him linking things in quite the same way as you do, but you make a good point here. He certainly did attack the notion that a delicate girl could gain military victory over stronger and more experienced men. He does have a valid point there so far as his criticism of the Disney movie goes. It is also a point many in the military make today, frankly, as they see military fitness standards decline in order to make it easier for women to pass when they typically cannot meet the same standards as men. That issue has been highlighted and debated over and over again. https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/off-duty/military-fitness/2017/05/21/new-concerns-that-lower-fitness-standards-fuel-disrespect-for-women/ https://dailycaller.com/2019/08/29/us-army-accused-lowering-standards-female-rangers/ https://mwi.usma.edu/women-arent-problem-standards/ https://sites.psu.edu/brandilynheckmanrcl/2014/02/28/women-vs-men-pfa-physical-fitness-assessment/

Trump leaves the hospital and spawns some absolutely hilarious memes- [redstate.com]

saramarylop3z comments on Oct 7, 2020:

Wonka🤣

KeithThroop replies on Oct 8, 2020:

That was my favorite as well. :)

Timeline History: archeological evidence of phoenician child sacrifice.

KeithThroop comments on Oct 6, 2020:

Actually, the case seems pretty cut and dried to me. They did, in fact, perform child sacrifices, just as so many ancient sources said that they did.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 7, 2020:

@SocialDarwin I know of no place in the Bible that says that the earth is only 5,000 years old. Some people arrive at a conclusion of anywhere between 5,000 to 7,000 years old basically based upon their calculation of genealogies in the early part of the Bible, but I see your point. Thanks for the clarification. In case didn't you know, however, there are some Young Earth Creationists (probably the majority) and some Old Earth Creationists.

Timeline History: archeological evidence of phoenician child sacrifice.

KeithThroop comments on Oct 6, 2020:

Actually, the case seems pretty cut and dried to me. They did, in fact, perform child sacrifices, just as so many ancient sources said that they did.

KeithThroop replies on Oct 7, 2020:

@SocialDarwin Hmm… Maybe I missed it, but I don't recall the video dealing in any way with the age of the earth.

After the fact checkers check the fact checkers who checked the facts one thing is abundantly clear.

TimTuolomne comments on Oct 7, 2020:

Generally, human beings criticize others for their own traits. Selfish people will say everyone is selfish. Sociopaths will say everyone is really a sociopath. And those who habitually fib, fabricate, deny responsibility and outright lie are the ones throwing rocks at the President

KeithThroop replies on Oct 7, 2020:

Good point.

Timeline History: archeological evidence of phoenician child sacrifice.

FrozenSoul comments on Oct 6, 2020:

George Bush sacrificed a shit load of children when he sent young men to Iraq to die for a lie (and for oil). Nothing new

KeithThroop replies on Oct 6, 2020:

That can hardly be compared to infant sacrifice.