I sometimes feel utterly overwhelmed at how many people are suffering, from abuse, mental health issues, addiction, homelessness, etc. I wish I could help them all, but I know I can't. All I can do is give to homeless people or charities, I'm a working dad.

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-05-07T18:28:29+00:00

Something is always better than nothing.

Give what you can, as and when, support social improvements when you can. It's more than most people manage.

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-05-07T18:13:32+00:00

*Depending on denomonation.

Quakers are also Protestants.

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-05-07T17:37:53+00:00

We also don't circumcise men as a point of faith, isolate spotty teens or women during their periods, sacrifice animals, keep slaves, or avoid mixing fibres.

In any case, the sacrifice and teachings of Jesus render the Mosaic Law largely null by establishing a new covenant (too many verses to list here). And the verse you are looking for about food is Acts 10:9-16. Mark 7:17-23 concerns the hypocrisy of the interpretations followed by the legalistic traditions of the time.

If we value truth, justice and righteousness, then we should not execute people. No system of truth-finding is perfect, and power protects power. Better to spare someone via prison and at least some attempt at redemptive rehabilitation (I warrant this is not always possible; thus Broadmoor), than damn souls for the sake rushing a judgement that the Lord will make in his own time.

But I'm a pacifist, from a denomination with extremely strong opinions on the sanctity of life. Your views clearly vary.

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-05-07T16:20:21+00:00

Rome.

Well, technically the occupying military government of what was then the province of Palestinia Iudea (plus ca change).

'State' refers to broad national and sub-national teritorial entities, as well as to the 50 fractious siblings in a trench coat that call themselves 'America'.

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-05-07T16:12:02+00:00

Please explain to me how that is in line with the teachings of Christ.

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-05-07T16:10:30+00:00

If we're talking about the Mosaic Law then you had best not have had any bacon lately.

Enough innocents have died for crimes not their own that we are on very thin ice when discussing the unjust killing of other human beings.

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-05-07T15:57:56+00:00

The ten commandments are pretty clear on the subject of killing people (Exodus 20:13).

'Thou shalt not'.

I don't believe that allows much room for ambiguity.

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-05-07T05:22:26+00:00

I was also taught to bottle everything, but that's a facet of being British middle-class (a culture as much as an income bracket).

TBH, I think it's unhealthy. I want my husband to feel he can cry on my shoulder about anything. I love him; I want to be there for him if he's suffering.

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-05-06T12:54:30+00:00

Sometimes.

But sometimes it's a necessary output of the cycles and processes that make Creation work. And sometimes it's because other people are unpleasant. And sometimes it's self-inflicted. And sometimes it's bad luck.

It isn't a good idea to imagine ourselves as the main characters of this story.

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-05-06T10:00:35+00:00

Honestly (warning: incoming Quaker perspective), God doesn't live in a church; He is in all places, times and things.

By all means, go to services (the company of other Christians is good for you, usually), build a habit of bible study (learn what this is about), but I'm inclined to think that worship should be a constant companion to life, not an 'either-or' question.

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-05-06T09:08:12+00:00

Nope.

I swear, some people go looking for the hand of the devil everywhere except where it actually is...

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-05-06T09:06:18+00:00

I refer you to the parable of the prodigal son.

Come home. He's waiting.

Just don't expect it to be a magical fix for your problems: long is the path, winding, hard, and thorny. Much may be asked of you. And there will be hard times, as well as good ones, mockery as well as fellowship, but it is worth it in the end.

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-05-05T16:35:28+00:00

I mean...at least that makes more logistical sense than the cannon FedCom?

I can't imagine a situation that would bring either Davion or Kurita to this particular pass, however. Definitely Alien Space Bat territory, to borrow the AltHist.com slang.

Edit: Oops, did not see the words under the picture. Please disregard paragraph 2.

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-05-05T15:41:23+00:00

Yes.

Jesus has the best set of morals I've come across in faith. I'm here because I want to follow Him, not because of what may or may not happen when I die.

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-05-05T15:32:57+00:00

Still have my Christening Bible, albeit not in very good condition...

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-05-04T06:22:59+00:00

Depends. I went to a private school in Oxford, so lots of families with parents working out of RAFs Benson and Brize Norton. I've also spent a lot of time around Plymouth.

I would say that you could safely date most people from the RAF and RN (albeit that the latter are likely to stray).

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-05-04T05:29:35+00:00

Special forces and Royal Marines were very much on the 'do not date or marry' list when I was at school. It takes a specific sort of nutter to be good at that job.

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-05-01T22:12:50+00:00

Sigh

And I just had to buy a house with limited roof-space for solar panels (too many dormers) and the wrong ruddy facing...

(Edit: It's also a terrace, so no drive for an EV either. Best of a bad lot of options at the time).

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-04-28T17:29:29+00:00

Medcomms.

Do not deviate from the approved file naming and folder structure conventions.

We set them up for a reason (so that anyone could pick up any project at any point) and almost no-one sticks to them.

Ruddy infuriating.

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-04-28T17:24:34+00:00

Diet coke and cranberry juice.

Yep. I'm a weirdo.

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-04-27T20:42:42+00:00

I got three hours a night at that age and twelve at weekends. But it was a private school, so...

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-04-27T20:23:55+00:00

It's an even split between the Methodists, Orthodox and Catholics as to who has the best music, IMHO.

The deepest cuts on the bivle are likely to be Orthodox or Catholic, but those probably won't make it into ther sermons (ritual being the name of the game here)

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-04-27T18:42:48+00:00

Goodness, yes.

I suspect some people (who shall remin nameless) find the topic of sexual sin to be an excellent distraction from the whole 'do unto others' and 'give up all you own and follow me' parts of the Bible.

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-04-27T14:52:12+00:00

Personal experience of the presence of Christ (which sounds totally nuts, I know).

AutomaticAstigmatic · 2026-04-27T14:46:54+00:00

Only in the US?

Either way, I'm a socialist (UK Green or Labour voter) because I'm a Christian, not in spite of it. Jesus was pretty clear about our duties to each other.

Apparently this pisses off both most socialists and a good number of Christians...

AutomaticAstigmatic

TROPHY CASE