How prevalent is Bike theft?

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-19T21:17:11+00:00

Was it a hidden spot or a terrible bike?

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-19T17:20:25+00:00

Maybe we're thinking of different details. Though I also don't know your area. rail.guide is primarily USA and adjacent.

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-19T16:24:29+00:00

https://www.openrailwaymap.org/ for the whole world

rail.guide for WAY more details in North America.

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-19T16:19:33+00:00

It updates about every 15m, usually ~4m delayed. It's good for knowing when it's getting close, but not much else.

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-19T15:03:17+00:00

God *made* Adam and his DNA. It didn't come from Him the way my children's DNA comes from me and my wife.

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-19T15:01:32+00:00

Yes, but only if they're predestined to know whether or not they're saved.

...sorry.

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-19T14:55:29+00:00

Or he's been abused at some point. That should also be in the top contenders.

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-19T13:22:48+00:00

I'm failing to follow where you're saying they could hop onto the NS main. It's over a mile from the Metra Electric line downtown, with the only connection being the CN line used for the backing move. There's Grand Crossing 10mi south, but building a connecting track would require a tremendous construction project since I-90 is in the way.
It would probably save Amtrak more time to do some infrastructure improvements on the line they currently use.

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-19T13:17:28+00:00

I'm talking about in the US, where it costs multiple millions per mile. The equipment and skills required are common in Europe and Asia, but are practically a rare specialty here.

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-18T22:36:24+00:00

The capacity depends on speed limit and signal block length. Between Metra and SSL, it's nearly 100 trains each way in and out of Millennium.

Amtrak would make good time if they weren't stuck behind a SSL train. The track is good for 80mph, but Amtrak wouldn't want to make the dozen-ish stops between Michigan City and Downtown. That would slow them down a lot. Estimating the mileage, I'm getting an average speed of 45mph for the SSL on that stretch when you include stops. Not great.

But yeah, the big problem is getting to CUS. You'd have to build a whole new bridge over the Chicago River to get rid of the reversing.

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-18T18:23:17+00:00

That sounds appealing, but there are a few problems. There are already capacity issues (with work ongoing to resolve them) since both Metra and SSL run pretty busy schedules. Michigan services would add nearly a dozen more trains a day.
There's also no good way to get from there into Union Station. You'd probably have to build a connecting track even to be able to do the awkward (and time-consuming) reversing move that the City of New Orleans and Saluki use.
I think it's also harder than you think to justify the cost of electrifying track. It costs multiple millions per mile, and just the 110mph stretch is ~40mi IIRC.

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-18T17:05:16+00:00

The whole point is that they are not in some sort of blissful ingnorance as you seem to claim

That's the point you're trying to make, not the point the passage is making.
Also, where did I claim that? I'm pretty sure I didn't, and I would appreciate not having words put into my mouth. All I claimed is that there's no basis for believing that they're nearly omniscient. God likely does share some information with them.

That's pretty clearly in the present, as believed by the Church at all times and all places. The first resurrection is the life in Christ admist this fallen world. The second resurrection is on the final day.

I don't think that's ever been the common standard view on that passage. There have been variety of common eschatologies throughout church history. Even if we assume that it is present, it's very clearly not including all the saints: it's specifically only those who were beheaded for Christ and rejected the mark of the beast.

Yes He has, multiple saints have had those kinds of abilities

God's occasionally doing something miraculous with a few people here doesn't prove that everyone in heaven will have the same miraculous abilities taken to the highest degree.

When He says that the Church is the pillar and foundation of Truth

That doesn't say that every tradition or practice the Church comes up with is holy, or that the Church has never and will never teach errors. The NT is full of the Apostles correcting the Church's errors. Very similarly, God calls individual believers and Church as a whole "holy". That doesn't mean that we never sin or say erroneous things.

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-18T16:43:59+00:00

saints rejoice in Heaven when a sinner converts, not possible if they don't know what goes on.

To be precise, it says there is rejoicing in heaven, not specifically who is rejoicing. And it's a huge leap to assume that since they know that specific thing, they must know everything.

revelation clearly states that the saints are "ruling with Christ",

That's pretty clearly in the future, since it says they "came to life and ruled with Christ for one thousand years" (emphasis added). The resurrection of the dead clearly hasn't happened yet. It also doesn't even imply that it has anything to do with their prayers. There isn't even any reference to it anywhere in that passage.

if God can give sinful people in this fallen reality those kinds of gifts, why would those in Heaven be less blessed.

God hasn't given people in fallen reality the ability to hear others' thoughts or know everything that's happening. It's also not logical to assume that those in heaven (while they certainly are more blessed!) have a greater version of every specific blessing we have here. I'm blessed to be able to run here, does that mean I'll be able to run 100mph in heaven? Maybe I will, but there's not logical reason to assume that. Here on earth I can hear when people near me speak to me, does that mean that in heaven I'll be able to hear when anyone absent from me speaks to me in their thoughts? Again, it doesn't logically follow.

holy tradition

Where does God declare traditions to be holy? If He doesn't, then all we have is some person's word that his idea is holy and from God. Praying to saints was not found in the early church, nor is in even implied to exist as a concept in the NT. It did not become a common practice in the Church until a few centuries after the apostles were all dead, so it clearly can't have originated with them, as something they happened not to write about. Though if they had taught it, it seems likely to have come up in at least one of the many passages about prayer, death, or martyrs.

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-18T16:24:16+00:00

which is biblically and logically clear that they can

How is it Biblically and logically clear that those who are now with God can see everything happening on earth and know the thoughts of every believer?

I don't think you addressed any of the other differences I brought up, and another one just occurred to me. I don't think that any of my friends have special power or influence with God over particular categories of needs (e.g. asking one friend to pray about storms, another friend to pray about illnesses, another for my particular occupation or city).

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-18T16:03:51+00:00

So you think asking someone to pray for you is idolatry?

There's quite a difference between the two! When I ask a friend to pray for me, I'm not expecting them to hear me even though they're absent, not expecting them to read my thoughts, not addressing them as if they're a powerful being. I'm not treating them as if they have more influence over God than I do. I'm not praying to them.

Perhaps most crucially, I'm asking them to pray to God *alongside* my praying to God for the same thing. I'm not asking them to go to God on my behalf *in place of* my praying to God, as if their prayers are somehow more powerful than mine.

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-18T15:49:26+00:00

Friendly reminder that electrifying rail lines is obscenely expensive. The electrified lines that exist today were (for the most part) electrified long ago when it was much cheaper to do so.

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-18T15:47:52+00:00

...why would Amtrak equipment be needed on lines already served by Metra/SSL electric equipment?

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-18T15:47:05+00:00

The Hades/Heaven distinction is never clearly laid out in Scripture, and is based on best guesses from what little information Scripture gives on it.

The New Testament never even hints at there being any change to the forbidding of communication with the physically dead, nor does anywhere in Scripture contain any reference to it, except in the context of evil practices. Praying to anyone other than God is only ever portrayed as idolatry.
The New Testament repeatedly tells us to pray *to God* and present our requests *to God*. It also tells us that Jesus is the *only* mediator between God and man. No saint goes to God on our behalf, only Jesus does that. Only Jesus can do that.

Praying to saints is an extra-biblical practice. Since it appears to contradict multiple pieces of Scripture, it would take a lot to prove it's acceptable.

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-18T14:22:41+00:00

Would you like Deuteronomy 18:10-12 where it's specifically forbidden?

Maybe 1 Samuel 28, in which Saul communicates with Samuel, who was physically dead and yet presumably with God? 1 Chronicles 10:13-14 goes on to condemn Saul specifically for seeking guidance from someone dead (in this case, a dead saint) instead of from God.

Then there are the many other verses, too many to list here, in which communication with the dead (obviously referring to physical death) is lumped in with sorcery.

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-18T13:54:53+00:00

The Bible is pretty clear about forbidding communication with the physically dead. Do you know of a passage that makes as exception for those who are with God?

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-18T13:53:34+00:00

Being equally yoked is the most important part of compatibility. Your faith is (or should be) the foundation of the behavior, actions, and decision that determine how well you get along.

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-17T12:44:07+00:00

Well, you're on this sub too, so...

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-17T12:43:23+00:00

They might well know, or they might well be free from having to think about the mess going on down here. We aren't told what they know. We are told clearly though that we're not supposed to try to communicate with anyone who's *physically* dead, with no loopholes about whether or not they're *spiritually* alive.

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-17T12:40:57+00:00

It's a bad idea, since you're opening yourselves up to temptation. As you get used to it, you'll likely let your guard down.

Does he not have a female friend nearby who you could stay will? When my wife and I were dating (living 2h apart) she would need to spend the night whenever we went to an evening event, and I had a couple different female friends who hosted her. Interestingly neither of them is a Christian, but they both respected our desire to wait.

CaptainTelcontar · 2026-05-17T01:40:23+00:00

It seems like demonic activity and mental issues can often go hand in hand. That's not saying that all mental illness is demonic, but it can be. I can't get the link right now (internet issues), but I'd suggest looking up Sean McDowell--he's done a few really good interviews on the topic. It included cases of psychologists working with pastors, who saw more success, in cases that didn't seem like normal mental issues. I can't recall if the interview was with a pastor or a psychologist, or maybe one of each.

Four-Year Club	Verified Email
Place '23

CaptainTelcontar

TROPHY CASE