The Off-Topic and Random Thoughts Thread(Anything Goes!)

I don't know if anyone here is familiar with reddit and the subreddit AdviceAnimals, but years ago a meme gained popularity and it was the millennial falcon meme. The meme was very good at allowing millennials to effectively air their grievances against boomers and their frustrations in general. Then the meme was killed. I remember reading a lot of relatable memes of it and then going to the comments and seeing a lot of people being negative about the meme, its format, its mere existence being cringe or how annoying and unfunny it was. I now wonder if the negative comments were bots, bot farms, or troll farms meant to kill the meme because it was so effective. I think the meme was a unifying force and helping create a voice for a generation. The powers that be seem to never want people to unify, probably in fear that they will be discovered and turned on.
 
Black woman from the math channel I get from antenna TV currently enthusiastically translating the mathematician's words in sign language, while doing happy facial expressions.

My insight on this relevant sociopolitical event is that me and her are both people with probably too much free time. I do wonder what conviction lead to her being there as her job, and why the happy facial expressions, however. What lead me to that channel was just free antenna access on a literal 90s TV, and testing it late at night.
 
Romans 12:14: Bless those who persecute you; bless, and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep, 16by being of the same mind toward one another, not being haughty in mind, but associating with the humble. Do not be wise in your own mind. 17Never paying back evil for evil to anyone, respecting what is good in the sight of all men, 18if possible, so far as it depends on you, being at peace with all men, 19never taking your own revenge, beloved—instead leave room for the wrath of God. For it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. 20“BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.” 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Unforgiveness is a sin that I have struggled with and continue to struggle with. When someone sins against you, the temptation to sin against them back feels too powerful to escape. It feels "right" to sin against someone who has sinned against you. Holding on to unforgiveness makes you stronger so that you may sin against your enemy all the better. I realized that holding onto unforgiveness is a curse in itself. The purpose of forgiveness is to lead to restoration. Christ forgave us in this way: that while we were still enemies, He died for us. That is, He took the curse we deserve on Himself in order to restore us to Himself. That is what true forgiveness looks like. How can any Christian be unforgiving when God has already forgiven them so freely in this way?
 
Unforgiveness is a sin that I have struggled with and continue to struggle with. When someone sins against you, the temptation to sin against them back feels too powerful to escape. It feels "right" to sin against someone who has sinned against you. Holding on to unforgiveness makes you stronger so that you may sin against your enemy all the better. I realized that holding onto unforgiveness is a curse in itself. The purpose of forgiveness is to lead to restoration. Christ forgave us in this way: that while we were still enemies, He died for us. That is, He took the curse we deserve on Himself in order to restore us to Himself. That is what true forgiveness looks like. How can any Christian be unforgiving when God has already forgiven them so freely in this way?
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If God forgave the adversary, could that be considered the ultimate punishment?
Biblically, no. God redeems so that we do not endure punishment. Those are mutually exclusive categories.

If you're referring to the devil, then there is not even a basis for how the devil could be saved, as Christ takes on a human (not angelic) nature and propitiates sin on behalf of mankind (the Church in particular). There is nothing in Scripture about Him doing this intercessory work on behalf of angels.
 
Biblically, no. God redeems so that we do not endure punishment. Those are mutually exclusive categories.

If you're referring to the devil, then there is not even a basis for how the devil could be saved, as Christ takes on a human (not angelic) nature and propitiates sin on behalf of mankind (the Church in particular). There is nothing in Scripture about Him doing this intercessory work on behalf of angels.

In that case it's a good thing we're not angels.
 
In that case it's a good thing we're not angels.
Hebrews 2:14: Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. 16For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. 17Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
 
If you're a delivery driver never take an order from Subway- it may be for a young woman who thinks of Subway as a pastry shop that has enough chocolate chip cookies to fill a baker's dozen.
 
Currently reading The Sermon on The Mount in between Mark 1:39 and Mark 1:40- I think that's where it fits in Mark's chronology. In Matthew 5 Jesus says "be ye perfect as your heavenly father is perfect." I can hear some say that Jesus didn't mean that because he knew we were sinners and couldn't be perfect, but that's not the point. Man's sin is that he doesn't even aim at God's standard. Only those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will have any hope of seeing God.
 
In evil times like these, it is easy to become despondent when it seems that the wicked are "getting away with it." This is the exact thing that David wrestles with in Psalm 94, but God promises to destroy the evil-doer and to pour their own iniquity back onto them.

1 O Yahweh, God of vengeance, God of vengeance, shine forth! 2 Be lifted up, O Judge of the earth, Render recompense to the proud. 3 How long shall the wicked, O Yahweh, How long shall the wicked exult? 4 They pour forth words, they speak arrogantly; All workers of iniquity vaunt themselves. 5 They crush Your people, O Yahweh, And afflict Your inheritance. 6 They slay the widow and the sojourner And murder the orphans. 7 They have said, “Yah does not see, Nor does the God of Jacob discern.” 8 Discern, you senseless among the people; And when will you have insight, you fools? 9 He who planted the ear, does He not hear? He who formed the eye, does He not see? 10 He who disciplines the nations, will He not rebuke, Even He who teaches man knowledge? 11 Yahweh knows the thoughts of man, That they are vanity. 12 Blessed is the man whom You discipline, O Yah, And whom You teach out of Your law; 13 That You may grant him calm from the days of calamity, Until a pit is dug for the wicked. 14 For Yahweh will not abandon His people, Nor will He forsake His inheritance. 15 For judgment will again be righteous, And all the upright in heart will follow it. 16 Who will arise for me against evildoers? Who will take his stand for me against workers of iniquity? 17 If Yahweh had not been my help, My soul would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence. 18 If I should say, “My foot has stumbled,” Your lovingkindness, O Yahweh, will hold me up. 19 When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul. 20 Can a throne of destruction be allied with You, One which forms trouble by statute? 21 They band themselves together against the life of the righteous And condemn the innocent to death. 22 But Yahweh has been my stronghold, And my God the rock of my refuge. 23 He has brought back their iniquity upon them And will destroy them in their evil; Yahweh our God will destroy them.
They are not getting away with it, but they are "storing up wrath for themselves."
 
For the last few years I worked through a ton of things from my past and near-present. Now I can hardly stomach thinking about the past and I feel allergic to nostalgia. I take it as a sign of growth and healing. I used to long for the past and the internet didn't help with easy access to many aspects of recent history. It is time to look forward, and for once in my life I can't wait for the future.
 
I'll be the first to come out and say it, all the pro-palestine protests I have to put up with in my city are turning me into a Zionist. I'm even enjoying a lot more Ben Shapiro lately.
Even if one tends to be sympathetic to the Palestinian situation in Gaza, I agree that Palestinian protestors are highly unlikeable leftists and radical muzzies in person, and not on their best behavior when protesting. I certainly would not want to be around one of those protests, and might wish to see them violently suppressed.

Don't know that it makes me like Ben Shapiro though!
 
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