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SCOTUS Decision: Ban on "Talk" Conversion Therapy is Unconstitutional
Calm replied to smac97's topic in General Discussions
If people can collect bounties by identifying lawbreakers, how do you think women are going to able to respond to accusations? -
To clarify: “ex nihilo” simply refers to the physical world of matter and energy, nothing physical?
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What They Talk About: Inactivity & Mass Exodus
Calm replied to Pyreaux's topic in General Discussions
Can you get where the Journal got it from? -
No, they don’t. They may claim to be true (and even that is not precise) but not all claim uniqueness in being the “one true church”. And technically (at least for revealed truth) it’s “one true and living church” which may not be the same thing. https://benspackman.com/2017/01/quick-thoughts-dc-130-true-living-church/ https://www.mormondialogue.org/topic/70969-what-does-it-mean-that-this-is-the-true-church/page/2/#findComment-1209849454 It helps to read carefully, in particular to consider that the Biblical uses of the words "true" and "living" in passages like "living waters", "true vine", living bread, etc. match the themes of D&C 1 overall. added: I see Navidad already addressed this sufficiently
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Yes, I didn't realize that he lived outside the state of Utah (or outside of the Salt Lake City area) and he was only here for the FAIR conference. This makes his accident more tragic to me, partly because of the confusing roads and bad drivers in Utah that we were discussing earlier. I'm not saying that the other drivers involved in the accident were bad drivers, but when a person is in an unfamiliar area with crazy traffic it is a lot easier to make a driving mistake.
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Not every church necessarily claims that. And the Catholic Church doesn’t jump through hoops; it most definitely openly states it. You can read all about the Catholic Church’s history. How are we not open about our history? It’s the history of Europe. Which is an absolute shame. Which was absolutely wrong and terrible, as stated by 2 popes who condemned it and asked forgiveness. Earlier you spoke against presentism. You might consider that here, too. Also size and politics come into play. Finally, there were the Danites.
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What They Talk About: Inactivity & Mass Exodus
webbles replied to Pyreaux's topic in General Discussions
Are you sure that is the correct link? Because I don't see the numbers that chatgpt is talking about. I'm wondering if there is a different link? -
"Restored Truth" Podcaster Chandler David Hendry Killed in Car Accident
Calm replied to InCognitus's topic in In The News
Wiki says Midway, Utah (if what you meant is you didn’t know where he was originally from as the article is only telling you where he is currently from; the “but” is confusing me ) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandler_David_Hendry -
What They Talk About: Inactivity & Mass Exodus
california boy replied to Pyreaux's topic in General Discussions
I came across a recent Pew Research report that sheds some light on this subject and thought it might be of interest to some of you. I ran it through ChatGPT to summarize the finding of the report. Any thoughts about the new statistical report or how ChatGPT summarized it? -
I would quietly suggest that your first statement does not represent the truth. Of the thousands of Christian groups in the world, I would suggest that very few insist that they are "the one true church." I would suggest that most suggest they are "a true church," and most probably are. As far as their leaders claiming to be speaking the word of God, I would agree with you, with the caveat that various leaders would claim that with varying amounts of humility, certainty, and confidence. When I pastored, I prayed every week that I would have wisdom and judgment in my teaching and preaching ministry. I recognized that on many points of doctrine, my teachings were just one view of many. I have also learned that just within the LDS church, local leaders, like bishops and stake presidents, have varying understandings of both scripture and the church general handbook, which on a local level. the interpretation is often varied. I should welcome you to the forum. So welcome! We are a widely diverse group with many varying degrees of beliefs and certainty in our midst. Oh, and as far as Hus; his case is quite a bit more complicated than you make it. I thoroughly enjoy the Moravian history and teachings. The Catholic Church, in the person of a recent pope, has apologized for his death. In fact, my wife and I just watched a Moravian church service from Pennsylvania this morning. As far as Arius, you can look up on Cambridge University websites his extant letters and other documents, which offer an excellent summary of his doctrinal beliefs.
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No BlipBlap. That does not follow because we reject the absolute materialist precept that if there was a God, God's mind would be material. Your argument begins with a false supposition. Even our minds are immaterial. Unlike God, we cannot make matter with a word. But like God, our thoughts and words are immaterial. They don't have physical properties. Our rational faculty is unique in creation. Our ability, like God, to entertain immaterial ideas and concepts are Godlike faculties. Thus, we are made in His image, unlike the irrational creation. That is why we, unlike the irrational creation possess the potential by God's grace to partake of His very nature through His Son who is now like us, an amalgam of matter and spirit, the God-Man. What wonderful good news to learn what can become of us! We cannot help what materialists believe. But we must insist that materialists grant us our own presuppositions if they are trying to disprove our beliefs.
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(Local Russian) Church Leader Detained For "Financing Terrorism"
The Nehor replied to smac97's topic in General Discussions
Not really. We are mostly under their radar entirely. You don’t know what you are talking about here. No. -
SCOTUS Decision: Ban on "Talk" Conversion Therapy is Unconstitutional
smac97 replied to smac97's topic in General Discussions
Or you could have asked. I culled them from YouTube videos of men in women's bathrooms. I think the pictures demonstrate a few things. First, I think the overwhelming focus on "trans" persons in bathrooms is about men going into women's bathrooms. Far less attention is paid to the reverse situation of women who identify as "trans men" going into men's bathrooms. I have a few thoughts as to the basis for this asymmetry. Second, over a number of posts you have posted numerous photos of women who identify as "trans men," apparently with the presupposition that they are a more important issue than the first item above (and/or to distract from the first item above). I posted pictorial examples of men caught in women's bathrooms because, well, that's the primary area of concern. I'm not sure that your pictures support your position in the way you apparently intended. I think many women and girls oppose men in women's bathrooms, but they are being subjected to it in many places anyway. Some jurisdictions, such as Kansas, are prioritizing the interests of women and girls over the interests of a much, much smaller group of persons (women who "identify" as men). Again: Sex-separated bathrooms, locker rooms, shelters, and prison units exist because of persistent differences in strength, patterns of sexual offense, and the reasonable expectation of privacy from the opposite sex. These are not arbitrary preferences. They are responses to material realities that affect safety, fairness, and dignity at scale. Third, the pictures I posted are comprised of a variety of men caught in women's bathrooms. Some are apparently self-identified "trans women" (including, e.g., Lily Tino) : We can't really say if they are "trans women" because, well, there is no way to objectively differentiate between A) men who "identify" as "trans women" and B) men who may or may not so identify. We've had this "whatever the individual declares about his/her 'gender identity' is correct, and there is to be no questioning of it" rule drilled into the public consciousness for years: The above pictures demonstrate the lack of any functioning and coherent "limiting principles," which in turn may explain why some jurisdictions, such as Kansas, have elected to create a coherent limiting principle: biological sex. Other pictures were less clear about "trans" identity, and perhaps showed instances of bad actors going into women's bathrooms: We really don't know whether any of these men is "trans," do we? After all, all they have to do is say "I identify as a woman" or "I am a trans woman" and they fit within what I understand to be your preferred laissez faire "anyone can do whatever they want" approach to allowing access to women's bathrooms. In fact, they would not even need to bother with the "trans" identity thing at all, since you reject any limiting principles re: men going into women's bathrooms, and you would instead have society allow anyone to go in under the color of law. The Kansas legislature, recognizing this, and also recognizing that bad actors could, under color of law, enter into women's bathrooms, and so decided to apply a limiting principle, namely, biological sex. I agree. Here is where I disagree. I think there are plenty of women and girls who find men in women's bathrooms "objectionable" (see, e.g., here and here). I believe so, yes. Any person can use such a claim, or else the "I identify as a woman" one, or else use no claim at all (since, again, you reject any coherent limiting principles) as a basis for entering into women's bathrooms. And there is no way to differentiate legitimate and illegitimate claims because these claims are almost always internal and subjective. I think women and girls are entitled to have safety among their concerns about men going into women's bathrooms. Do you think otherwise? I think there is a lot of disagreement about men going into women's bathrooms. Unfortunately, some of that may spill over into anger, or even "hate" in some quarters. While anger at overtly bad acts is understandable, a society of laws must govern by law. And what counts as "bad acts" is going to vary a bit (I think plenty of folks think that men entering into women's bathrooms is inherently bad/improper). In any event, if a man is caught doing something nefarious, or suspected of doing something nefarious, then he ought to be treated like any other person under the law. Yes. And your preferred approach to this issue is that the Walter Caleros-types of persons living in America have no need to "{sneak} into the girls restroom," since by your reckoning they can do so under the color of law. Respectfully, no, it isn't. Walter and "trans women" would, in your approach, fall into the same category, namely, men who can enter into women's bathrooms under color of law. I have spent many pages talking about "limiting principles," and Walter is a good example of why such principles are needed. in my view, the only coherent and workable limiting principle is biological sex (with, perhaps, some narrowly-drawn exceptions for persons with DSDs). From a previous post: Your comment above ("It seems Smac's fear is that a pervert could play the I'm-really-a-woman-and-I-have-the-right-to-be-here card, but there have been zero examples of that happening. Anywhere. Ever.") appears to put you at Step 1 ("It's not really happening"). I think this is not correct. First, under your approach, there is no need to "play the I'm-really-a-woman-and-I-have-the-right-to-be-here card," since everyone would have access to women's bathrooms. You reject any and all "limiting principles," correct? Second, I think there have been instances of bad actors taking steps to appear as women so as to enter into women's bathrooms for unlawful purposes (and under your "No Limiting Principles" approach, there would be no way for a jurisdiction to keep them out of women's spaces). Judge Rules Loudoun County Teen Sexually Assaulted Female Student in Girls' Bathroom (2021) "{T}he male student forcibly sodomized his ninth-grade daughter in a school bathroom while wearing a skirt." And he was in the girls' bathroom under color of law (the "gender-inclusivity policy"). 6 Men Who Disguised Themselves as Women to Access Bathrooms (from 2016) "{W]earing fake breasts and a wig while loitering in a women’s restroom..." "Hernandez had disguised himself as a woman on two separate occasions to get inside a UC Berkeley locker room." "Both instances involved a man in women’s clothing who used a mirror and camera to take pictures of a mother and her 5-year-old daughter..." "a man used a women’s locker room at a public swimming pool in Washington state to undress in front of young girls who were changing for swim practice. When Seattle Parks and Recreation staff asked him to leave, the man claimed that 'the law has changed and I have a right to be here.'" Transgender woman arrested for voyeurism at Ammon Target (2016) "{A} man, dressed in women’s clothing, had entered a fitting room in the women’s clothing section of the store. Deputies say the suspect was seen taking photos of a woman in a stall next to him while she was changing." Man Dressed as Woman Arrested for Spying Into Mall Bathroom Stall, Police Say (2015) "A man dressed as a woman was arrested in Virginia on Monday after police say he was caught peeping into restroom stalls three times in the past year." Cross-Dressing Man Secretly Taped Women at Macy’s (2013) "{T}he man was wearing a wig and was dressed as a woman." Sex offender posed as woman, went into women's locker room "A registered sex offender dressed up like a woman, went into a women's locker room at a pool and talked with several children before being chased down." Man Undresses In Front Of Children In Walmart Restroom (2010) "Burnes was wearing a dark woman's suit, black high heals, red nail polish, green eye shadow and women's jewelry. ... a witness also watched Burnes 'show off his white girdle and dark thong underwear' in the women's section of the store." Purdue police investigate report of man taking photographs in women's restroom (2008) "{A} man dressed as a woman was seen taking photographs under the wall of a women's bathroom stall..." Sexual predator jailed after claiming to be ‘transgender’ to assault women in shelter (2014 in Canada) "Under the name 'Jessica,' he was able to get into the women’s shelters, where he sexually assaulted several women in 2012..." ‘Transgender’ man may continue using girls’ locker room, says college (2012) "The 45-year-old man, who calls himself Colleen Francis, presents himself as a transgender 'female.' ... On September 26, teenage girls on a high school swim team were using the facilities when they saw 'Colleen' Francis exposing male genitalia through the glass window in a sauna." "Joe Wheeler of the Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office said he will not prosecute the matter as indecent exposure." Seems like the above items moves us to Step 2 ("Yeah, it's happening, but it's not a big deal"). These items were not hard to find, BTW. I don't think this matters, as under your regime there are no limiting principles, ergo no such thing as a "legitimate" or "illegitimate" right for males to enter into women's bathrooms. All of them have that right, under color of law. No need to even bother with claiming to be trans or dressing like a woman or entering covertly. You've said this twice now. What is this "category" thing? Under your preferred "no limiting principles / laissez faire" approach, what "categories" of men exist, such that some can enter into women's bathrooms and some cannot? By repeatedly alluding to "categorical" differences, you implicitly acknowledge reliance on some sort of limiting principle. Could you explain what the principle is? So everyone can enter into women's bathrooms under color of law. That is what you propose? Thanks, -Smac -
SCOTUS Decision: Ban on "Talk" Conversion Therapy is Unconstitutional
smac97 replied to smac97's topic in General Discussions
But not to bathrooms. Yes. It seems like it would not be too difficult to go in and get a replacement that provides the individual's biological sex. Government documents such as DLs are not, I think, supposed to be a mode of self-expression of the individual. Rather, it serves some specific and important purposes: Identification accuracy: Sex is a stable, observable biometric characteristic that helps law enforcement, border officials, and others confirm that the person presenting the DL is the person to whom it was issued. Public safety and investigation: Accurate sex data assists in locating missing persons, identifying suspects or victims, and conducting criminal investigations where physical description matters. Sex-specific legal and medical contexts: DLs are sometimes used in settings where sex is relevant—medical emergencies, single-sex facilities, correctional placement, and certain statutory requirements. Administrative consistency: DLs serve as foundational identity documents. Recording sex the same way across records (birth certificate, license, etc.) reduces mismatches and fraud opportunities. Statistical and planning uses: Aggregated, sex-based data from licensing records can support transportation planning, public-health analysis, and other government functions that rely on demographic accuracy. I suspect you care less about the foregoing utilitarian-minded functions of DLs, and would prefer to have DLs reflect the individual's subjective "gender identity" that differs from his/her biological sex and the sexual binary. Some jurisdictions are on board with this approach, and some are not. Thanks, -Smac -
(Local Russian) Church Leader Detained For "Financing Terrorism"
BlipBlap replied to smac97's topic in General Discussions
They are afraid of the church as an institution because they believe that any American institution is a vehicle for American influence. It isn't really "unfocused" at all given that we are essentially seen as the same thing as any other evangelical group. The assessment of these supposed factions in Russia doesn't really work. A security establishment wouldn't make much money from limited interactions with other nations as most of their money would come from the sale of security services, weapons, etc. to said nations. It isn't about Ukraine at all, it's about another European country trying to maintain its power by oppressing it's population. Russia is just going about it in a different way compared to western Europeans. Their goal is to remove as much foreign influence on cultural pillars as possible so they can maintain control over them, whereas the western European nations want to destroy those cultural pillars through increasing foreign influence so they can then remake them in their own image. -
There's also the dependency/addiction factor to consider with GABA analogs, as well as how they interact with other medical procedures. I'd already linked an article regarding high rates of respiratory depression in surgical cases involving patients on GABA analogs, while dopamine agonists can be continued prior to surgery. Seems to me that it's far safer to start at a low dose of a dopamine agonist and taper up if needed versus starting with a GABA analog, especially since we have quite a bit of data for dopamine agonist safety due to Parkinson's.
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Faulty understanding is not unique to us, but that doesn't matter to my point. Every church claims to be the one true church. All of their leaders claim to be speaking the word of God. The only difference is that we openly state it, while other churches have to jump through hoops. This goes back to my previous point. We are far more open about our history than most. For example, where am I able to read the works of Arius? The short answer is nowhere. They were burned because they were considered heresy. What happened to Jan Hus? Oh right, he was excommunicated first over the sale of indulgences, and then he was invited to an ecumenical council to explain himself. Upon arriving, he was arrested and promptly murdered. The Catholic church then spent 15 years trying to kill all of his followers. "Christianity" has a long history of murdering heretics and detractors and destroying their works, acts that were all sanctioned by the respective church leadership. What happened to those who left our church over polygamy? They went their own way. Their personal affects weren't seized and destroyed on the orders of any prophet, they weren't hunted down by assassins or church-sanctioned armies.
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(Local Russian) Church Leader Detained For "Financing Terrorism"
BlipBlap replied to smac97's topic in General Discussions
Sure it does given that he was arrested under the tenants of the same law. The point being that this was going to happen regardless of how the Ukraine war was going. - Yesterday
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(Local Russian) Church Leader Detained For "Financing Terrorism"
The Nehor replied to smac97's topic in General Discussions
They’re not afraid of the institutional church. They are afraid of losing their grip on power. There is also a lot of friction within Russia. In broad terms you can put the oligarchs into two categories. One is pro-trade with the world and wants this conflict over and the sanctions loosened or lifted so they can go back to making money. The other makes money from the security establishment and wants limited interaction with most other nations and likes a state where conflict might occur because that is their bread and butter. This is why in the current conflict Putin is not making promises or propagandizing about what a post-war with Ukraine Russia is going to look like. He has to feed both groups enough to keep them in line and keep them on board. This kind of broad but mostly unfocused persecution feeds the security establishment types. -
(Local Russian) Church Leader Detained For "Financing Terrorism"
The Nehor replied to smac97's topic in General Discussions
Yeah, but that doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with this particular case.
