The Church Thread: Chapter I Verse I

[selmaborntidefan]

The only part of this I see possibly happening is someone in the Republican party attempting to match Trumps energy and ego, only to realize how foolish they look and sound. There's only one Trump (thank God) and the sooner the potential candidates for 2028 come to terms with this, the better off they will be. I don't see the Dems recovering in time for 2028, but if Republicans dial back the clock and put someone like Haley in the WH, 2032 will be a slam dunk, whether it's AOC or some bum they drag in off the street.

The party out of power ALWAYS looks like they'll never get there again, though. In the summer of 1991, George Bush couldn't possibly lose, so much so that all of the "big names" in the Democratic Party - Mario Cuomo, Bill Bradley, Al Gore, Lloyd Bentsen, Sam Nunn, Ann Richards, Richard Gephardt - said, "Nah, I'll wait until Bush finishes his 2nd term and run when it's easier in 1996 against maybe Quayle."

And who REALLY thought the Republican Party would win the thumping landslide at all levels they did in the 1994 midterms? Anyone who actually would have bet on that would have been seen as a nut.

And wasn't it supposed to be Hillary vs Rudi in 2008?

A party can look absolutely hapless - and then they win. And all of a sudden the loser is being asked what they should change in their party. The national Democrats were in far worse shape in 1980 than they are today; yes, they had the House but that was because they had a lot of Boll Weevil Democrats who today would be Republicans anyway.


I suspect Trump is going to run his boy in 2028 so he can be assured of staying out of jail.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

And no, it's not "okay". I mean let's face it, a substantial people who voted for Clinton in 1992 are in the graveyard now, so it's not even the same crowd (55 of the Senators the day Clinton took office are dead and the only ones still in office are Patty Murray, Mitch McConnell, and Chuck Grassley).

No sooner do I type this than Kit Bond passes away, meaning 56 of the 100 Senators in office on 1/20/1993 have checked out for good. He won Eagleton’s seat when Mr 1,000% retired in 1986.

Former Missouri Governor, Senator Christopher ‘Kit’ Bond dies

Former Missouri Governor and U.S. Senator Christopher “Kit” Bond died Tuesday in St. Louis at age 86, Governor Mike Kehoe announced.

fox2now.com

 

[Crimson1967]

I’m 57 and have gotten to the point I just don’t care anymore. I live in a state of one party rule where people get hives just thinking about voting for a Democrat.

I still vote out of some misguided sense of civic responsibility but I know that’s a waste of time. People scream about term limits but Katie Britt will be my senator the rest of my life. She will match her mentor’s 36 years without breaking a sweat. She’ll only be 76 then so she probably won’t stop at six terms.

I don’t see the political landscape getting any better and it’s not all Trump’s fault. But I have just gotten to where I don’t care anymore. If I die tomorrow that’s fine with me.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I’m 57 and have gotten to the point I just don’t care anymore. I live in a state of one party rule where people get hives just thinking about voting for a Democrat.

I still vote out of some misguided sense of civic responsibility but I know that’s a waste of time. People scream about term limits but Katie Britt will be my senator the rest of my life. She will match her mentor’s 36 years without breaking a sweat. She’ll only be 76 then so she probably won’t stop at six terms.

I don’t see the political landscape getting any better and it’s not all Trump’s fault. But I have just gotten to where I don’t care anymore. If I die tomorrow that’s fine with me.

I thought I didn't care when I died, being of an advanced age and all, until I was faced with imminent death. Then, perspective changed, I decided to fight...

 

[CrimsonJazz]

I thought I didn't care when I died, being of an advanced age and all, until I was faced with imminent death. Then, perspective changed, I decided to fight...

I think most of us have been through periods like this. God knows I have. My recent conversion to Christianity had little to do with rewards in the afterlife; I wanted to grow spiritually and become a better person. It also gave me a renewed purpose in life and I feel better about moving forward than I have in a long time. My indifference to staying alive has pretty much vanished altogether. I'm glad you and @Crimson1967 are both still here.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I think most of us have been through periods like this. God knows I have. My recent conversion to Christianity had little to do with rewards in the afterlife; I wanted to grow spiritually and become a better person. It also gave me a renewed purpose in life and I feel better about moving forward than I have in a long time. My indifference to staying alive has pretty much vanished altogether. I'm glad you and @Crimson1967 are both still here.

I'll try to remain as long as i can, subject to God's will (and the help of MD Anderson)...

 

[cdub55]

I'll try to remain as long as i can, subject to God's will (and the help of MD Anderson)...

Keep fighting and Roll Tide!

 

[cdub55]

One thing that has always gave me hope, and Lord knows I have had some days where I had very little, is knowing that if God still has me here, He has a purpose that I haven't yet fulfilled. I truly believe this. Does that mean we will all accomplish that? Absolutely not. It is up to us to figure out what it is and do His work.

 

[mdb-tpet]

Boils down to parents. You can live a life with all the amenities but still set your child up for success. Unfortunately the majority of parents aren't parenting anymore. It takes time, patience, work, etc to be a good parent and they would rather not. Hand the kiddo an ipad and as long as they are out of their hair they are good. I wish I could be optimistic but it is hard to be when I see the lack of basic ability to read or communicate from so many kids these days.

It always has and always will take a village to raise a kid. As a nation, we've evolved dramatically in the last 4 generations on how much a kid is valued, how to raise a kid, how to educate a kid, as well as our resources, our city/suburb design, our culture, etc. Parents can only affect kids so much, unless you homeschool your kid and keep them from other kids/media, which doens't workout in the long run as well as some believe.

 

[cdub55]

It always has and always will take a village to raise a kid. As a nation, we've evolved dramatically in the last 4 generations on how much a kid is valued, how to raise a kid, how to educate a kid, as well as our resources, our city/suburb design, our culture, etc. Parents can only affect kids so much, unless you homeschool your kid and keep them from other kids/media, which doens't workout in the long run as well as some believe.

Agree with many points but expectations will always start and end at home. I live a life pouring into young people daily, and have done so for almost the last twenty years. I matter. But I'll give you a real life example...

I had a young man who would not do a simple task. I asked him to pick up a clear plastic wrapper that was underneath his desk. He was one of three students I asked to pick up some "trash" that was underneath their desk as they exited class. The young man told me he would absolutely not pick it up and he would never pick anything up. I called his dad and his dad told me, "you have janitors at the school and it isn't my son's job to do their job". I explained to him my reasoning for asking students to pick up after themselves. I left it at, "we can agree to disagree" on this topic, as I am not going to tell you how to parent at home, but you are also not going to dictate how I teach. I respect your opinion but when it comes to young people and their development I live and breathe it. I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. Young people can rise above their situation and I've seen it but they are an outlier. High expectations at home coincide with high achieving students.

 

[Crimson1967]

I think most of us have been through periods like this. God knows I have. My recent conversion to Christianity had little to do with rewards in the afterlife; I wanted to grow spiritually and become a better person. It also gave me a renewed purpose in life and I feel better about moving forward than I have in a long time. My indifference to staying alive has pretty much vanished altogether. I'm glad you and @Crimson1967 are both still here.

My wife died in October. It was totally unexpected. We had plans to do things together in our golden years that we will now never do. We had one child, he is 27 and doing well on his own. He isn’t yet married so my wife won’t get to meet the grandchildren she was looking forward to.

But my son really doesn’t need me beyond just liking having me around. I don’t have any other family I am close to and just one really close friend who has been a Godsend these last six months. I would like to have a “friend” who can be a companion and travel partner but that’s hard to find in a small town like where I live. My son wants me to move close to him once he is married with kids but if I moved now I would really be alone.

I meant what I said about not caring if I die. I believe I will see her again when I do. I have gotten back into church since her death and that has helped me. I’m not going to kill myself because I believe that’s a big sin but if told I have six months left, I wouldn’t be upset.

 

[Padreruf]

My wife died in October. It was totally unexpected. We had plans to do things together in our golden years that we will now never do. We had one child, he is 27 and doing well on his own. He isn’t yet married so my wife won’t get to meet the grandchildren she was looking forward to.

But my son really doesn’t need me beyond just liking having me around. I don’t have any other family I am close to and just one really close friend who has been a Godsend these last six months. I would like to have a “friend” who can be a companion and travel partner but that’s hard to find in a small town like where I live. My son wants me to move close to him once he is married with kids but if I moved now I would really be alone.

I meant what I said about not caring if I die. I believe I will see her again when I do. I have gotten back into church since her death and that has helped me. I’m not going to kill myself because I believe that’s a big sin but if told I have six months left, I wouldn’t be upset.

You are in depression and it is not surprising given that you have lost your life partner. Go volunteer somewhere and put yourself into the lives of others...you will receive far more that you can give.

 

[CrimsonJazz]

My wife died in October. It was totally unexpected. We had plans to do things together in our golden years that we will now never do. We had one child, he is 27 and doing well on his own. He isn’t yet married so my wife won’t get to meet the grandchildren she was looking forward to.

But my son really doesn’t need me beyond just liking having me around. I don’t have any other family I am close to and just one really close friend who has been a Godsend these last six months. I would like to have a “friend” who can be a companion and travel partner but that’s hard to find in a small town like where I live. My son wants me to move close to him once he is married with kids but if I moved now I would really be alone.

I meant what I said about not caring if I die. I believe I will see her again when I do. I have gotten back into church since her death and that has helped me. I’m not going to kill myself because I believe that’s a big sin but if told I have six months left, I wouldn’t be upset.

Been there, partner. My first wife was only 35 when she passed and I still get stunned by this even today. Like all working men, I stay pretty busy but if you ever need to talk to someone who can actually identify with what you're going through, I'm just a PM away. I will make time for you.

 

[mdb-tpet]

Been there, partner. My first wife was only 35 when she passed and I still get stunned by this even today. Like all working men, I stay pretty busy but if you ever need to talk to someone who can actually identify with what you're going through, I'm just a PM away. I will make time for you.

One of our primary issues with this generation is this rapid movement, short career, mobile society where we are online too much, is that we don't have, develop, or make new deep connections with people. This is very well documented.

My only salve for this is to find something that you like to do, such as a sport, games, volunteering, hiking, or anything that is a positive activity that you can do along with a like minded group or couple of people, and you'll find a few people you really enjoy being around that will make life more meaningful. It's really hard to lose someone that you have a deep connection with especially if you don't have a strong and significant support network, and one of the keys is to make new friendships and groups that bring you joy.

For me that's biking. There's few things like riding at 25 mph, 6 inches behind someone else's rear tire, depending on them to be sane while watching out for arrogant/dangerous drivers and road debris that creates a magnificent bond when you get back to the ride start and occasionally get a beer to celebrate being alive. There's a dedicated group of nuts like me who stick together for the joy of riding.

 

[Huckleberry]

NYT gift link

Pete Hegseth Leads Christian Prayer Service in the Pentagon
The event was held in the Pentagon’s auditorium during working hours and featured Mr. Hegseth’s pastor.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth led a Christian prayer service in the Pentagon’s auditorium on Wednesday morning, during working hours, in which President Trump was praised as a divinely appointed leader.

The event, billed as the “Secretary of Defense Christian Prayer & Worship Service,” was standing room only and ran for about 30 minutes, with Brooks Potteiger, the pastor of Mr. Hegseth’s church in Tennessee, as the main speaker.

Mr. Hegseth said he intended that the prayer service become a monthly event.

 

[AWRTR]

NYT gift link

Pete Hegseth Leads Christian Prayer Service in the Pentagon
The event was held in the Pentagon’s auditorium during working hours and featured Mr. Hegseth’s pastor.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth led a Christian prayer service in the Pentagon’s auditorium on Wednesday morning, during working hours, in which President Trump was praised as a divinely appointed leader.

The event, billed as the “Secretary of Defense Christian Prayer & Worship Service,” was standing room only and ran for about 30 minutes, with Brooks Potteiger, the pastor of Mr. Hegseth’s church in Tennessee, as the main speaker.

Mr. Hegseth said he intended that the prayer service become a monthly event.

Sounds great to me as long as attendance is voluntary.

Asked AI if there was space provided for Muslim daily prayers here is the answer:

the Pentagon provides space for daily Muslim prayers. The Pentagon Memorial Chapel, located near the site where American Airlines Flight 77 struck on September 11, 2001, is a nondenominational space that hosts regular religious services and prayers for multiple faiths, including Islam.

Details of Muslim Prayer at the Pentagon

• Daily Prayers: Muslim military personnel and civilian employees can use the chapel for daily prayers Monday through Thursday. These are typically the five daily prayers (Salat) required in Islam, with midafternoon prayers noted as a regular group activity.
• Friday Worship: On Fridays, a local imam conducts a congregational Jum’ah prayer service with a sermon, attended by approximately 25 worshippers, including service members and civilians.

Sounds to me like everyone is getting their moment.

 

[CrimsonJazz]

Sounds great to me as long as attendance is voluntary.

Asked AI if there was space provided for Muslim daily prayers here is the answer:

the Pentagon provides space for daily Muslim prayers. The Pentagon Memorial Chapel, located near the site where American Airlines Flight 77 struck on September 11, 2001, is a nondenominational space that hosts regular religious services and prayers for multiple faiths, including Islam.

Details of Muslim Prayer at the Pentagon

• Daily Prayers: Muslim military personnel and civilian employees can use the chapel for daily prayers Monday through Thursday. These are typically the five daily prayers (Salat) required in Islam, with midafternoon prayers noted as a regular group activity.
• Friday Worship: On Fridays, a local imam conducts a congregational Jum’ah prayer service with a sermon, attended by approximately 25 worshippers, including service members and civilians.

Sounds to me like everyone is getting their moment.

Shush now, what's wrong with you? Don't you know how hard it is to sell the threat of "white Christian nationalism" to a glassy-eyed nation with people like you running around making even-handed posts like this? We've got a narrative to sell, dammit!

 

[Huckleberry]

Sounds great to me as long as attendance is voluntary.

Asked AI if there was space provided for Muslim daily prayers here is the answer:

the Pentagon provides space for daily Muslim prayers. The Pentagon Memorial Chapel, located near the site where American Airlines Flight 77 struck on September 11, 2001, is a nondenominational space that hosts regular religious services and prayers for multiple faiths, including Islam.

Details of Muslim Prayer at the Pentagon

• Daily Prayers: Muslim military personnel and civilian employees can use the chapel for daily prayers Monday through Thursday. These are typically the five daily prayers (Salat) required in Islam, with midafternoon prayers noted as a regular group activity.
• Friday Worship: On Fridays, a local imam conducts a congregational Jum’ah prayer service with a sermon, attended by approximately 25 worshippers, including service members and civilians.

Sounds to me like everyone is getting their moment.

No one should be getting their moment. Have your worship services at whatever building houses your version of church. Work places, particularly government ones, shouldn’t have to accommodate religious preferences. I realize the law doesn’t quite see it that way, but nowhere does it say that religious services have to be held in the workplace.

As for voluntary attendance, that’s all fine until the devoutly religious boss starts to look to see which of his employees skip the service.

 

[crimsonaudio]

As for voluntary attendance, that’s all fine until the devoutly religious boss starts to look to see which of his employees skip the service.

Ahh, the old 'slippery slope' - which only ever seems to apply to non-liberal policies...

 

[Huckleberry]

Ahh, the old 'slippery slope' - which only ever seems to apply to non-liberal policies...

I guess it all depends on whose ox is being gored, but it doesn’t make the point less valid.