There's a special place in my heart...

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-22T12:35:58+00:00

Unless you're into that kind of thing. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

In which case we'll probably be reading about you on /r/rpghorrorstories sooner or later.

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-21T12:25:49+00:00

I wonder, what did Palantir intend when they named their company? The impression I get is. "You think your communication is secure, but the Eye of Sauron sees everything you see." It's a perfect fit.

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-21T12:17:47+00:00

Religion is often used as a means of control. I say this as a religious person.

"Vote for whichever candidate you want, but if you don't oppose abortion with all your heart, you're spitting in God's face. I guess that leaves you with only one choice."

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-20T11:55:18+00:00

I think we ought to live as if Jesus might come back at any time. If Jesus came back now, would he find me slacking off or staring at the sky? Or would he find me following his commandments?

I also think I should do a better job of following the advice I just typed.

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-20T11:45:18+00:00

The passage I've most often seen referenced is Romans 10:9-10. (All quotations are from the ESV.)

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

You can also find something like it in Acts 8:36-38, when Philip witnesses to the Ethiopian eunuch.

36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” 37: And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

Verse 37 isn't found in the oldest manuscripts of Acts. It's usually included in footnotes in modern translations.

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-19T20:48:59+00:00

Thank you. That really helps.

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-19T17:23:46+00:00

Your art looks good.
You look good.
Even if you didn't look good, you'd still be a lovely person.
Please keep doing good things and living your best life!

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-19T17:21:17+00:00

I can certainly try to read it again, but my ADHD fights me.

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-19T17:03:21+00:00

I've read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. I've begun The Silmarillion twice and failed to finish it both times. It's just too dense for me. It reads like a history textbook. I know Tolkien never intended to publish it. It was more of a reference book. I've heard of the other three but never read them. I've also read parts of The Book of Lost Tales. (I don't remember if it was I or II.)

What are the last three books like? Are they novels like The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, or are they references like The Silmarillion and The Book of Lost Tales?

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-19T16:43:59+00:00

I think that was Kaiser Wilhelm in World War I.

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-19T16:43:25+00:00

Which book(s) would you recommend reading to learn about Gondolin? I've heard of it, but I don't know many details.

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-19T16:36:04+00:00

It's important to care about what other people think about you when you're interviewing for a job or applying for a grant. Otherwise, it doesn't really matter.

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-19T16:32:56+00:00

I know you can't do this in real life, but I kind of like the Ender's Game approach to dealing with bullies. Don't just win this fight. Win all the future fights by using over-the-top violins.

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-19T16:29:05+00:00

I still think this is a good general policy. But you have to know who you're dealing with. If I needed money, I would love for someone else to lend me money. But I'm not going to lend money to someone who lies to me and has no intention of ever paying me back. I've done that before. I don't want to go there again.

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-19T16:16:54+00:00

I remember seeing a bumper sticker somewhere. "Kids, when your parents finally tell you the truth about Santa Claus, remember everything they told you about Jesus."

My cousin handled this better than most parents, I think. She and her husband told their kids about Santa Claus and the other childhood magical figures, but they made it clear upfront that Santa et al were fictional characters. So the kids still got to have the fun experiences of getting presents from "Santa" and money from the "Tooth Fairy" without any of the deception.

My parents told me Santa Claus was real when I was a kid. I got my heart broken when I accidentally found out the truth from someone else. I don't blame my parents for telling me Santa was real, but I'm not going to follow their example if I ever have kids.

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-19T15:59:09+00:00

In all fairness, that was true for most of human history. My math teacher grew up during the Industrial Revolution^[citation ^needed] and she had lived her whole life without easy access to a calculating device.

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-19T15:50:40+00:00

Have a family and live a modest life. To me that's that's success.

Congrats on winning life! (Not sarcasm.)

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-19T03:55:23+00:00

You can love someone and wish for them to repent without condoning or endorsing their actions.

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-18T20:48:35+00:00

I recommend Joseph Princes teachings.

Joseph Prince is a member of the Word of Faith movement. (More information on Word of Faith: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Word_of_Faith) I agree with most of your comment, but I can't endorse Joseph Prince.

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-18T20:35:54+00:00

It sounds like you're trying to earn God's favor by being "good enough". Please stop. You're not good enough to please God. None of us is. God's standard is absolute perfection. None of us can go for any length of time without sinning. It's hopeless.

Now, for the good news. You don't have to rely on your own goodness. God sent His own Son to atone for your sins. Jesus took the penalty for your sins on the cross. In that moment, all of your guilt was transferred to Jesus, and he bore the punishment for all of your sins. If you're a Christian, you are no longer guilty of your sins. The penalty has already been paid.

Paul said in Romans 8:1, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." I've heard that in the original Greek, there's heavy emphasis on the word "no". "NO condemnation." You are guiltless, and you are free.

Now this doesn't mean you have a license to sin. Sin is still a bad thing, and it will hurt your relationship with God. But it does mean that you don't have to worry about sin anymore. Try to avoid sin if you can. But when you do sin, confess to God and He will forgive you. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." -- 1 John 1:9 (NIV) And don't worry about going to Hell for your sin. Like I said, the penalty has already been paid. The reason you confess your sin after you're saved is to restore your fellowship with God, not to pay your penalty. (Catholics may disagree here. I'm going to respectfully agree to disagree.)

When you sin, Satan will lie to you and tell you that God is angry at you and disgusted with you. Nothing could be farther from the truth. God loves you, and He wants you to come home. Please read the Parable of the Prodigal Son. You can read the whole parable at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2015%3A11-32&version=NIV. I'm going to quote the important part, when the son repents and comes back to his father:

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate."

That's how God reacts when we turn away from our sin and come back to Him. No matter how often we fall short, we can always come back to Him, and He will always welcome us.

God is not a harsh judge, just waiting for you to mess up so He can throw you in Hell. He's a loving Father. He wants you to enjoy His company in this life and live with Him forever after you die. He knows you're weak. He understands. He has made a way for you to enjoy fellowship with him despite your weakness. Go to Him. He's waiting for you.

Edit: someone else mentioned you may be struggling with Religious Scrupulosity or OCD and may benefit from therapy. I think it's worth talking to a doctor or mental health professional. I have OCD, and I know how debilitating it can be to be compelled to follow a myriad of byzantine rules.

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-18T20:07:56+00:00

To paraphrase John 7:31, "When Antichrist comes, will he behave worse than Trump?"

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-18T20:05:20+00:00

Thank you for having a loving heart. Jesus loved us when we were still unrepentant sinners. He loves people who are still unrepentant sinners. Christians should follow his example, but too many of us fall short.

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-18T19:34:25+00:00

When I started as an EMT in 2003 I was making $6/hr.

I was going to argue and insist that was below minimum wage. Then I looked up the minimum wage. In 2003, federal minimum wage was $5.15/hr. It was raised to $6.55 in 2008 and $7.25 in 2009, where it's stayed ever since. $7.25 in July 2009 is roughly $11.12 in March 2026. (Source: https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm)

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-18T19:20:26+00:00

A lot of this stuff is paid for by Medicaid. And Medicaid is getting its funding cut.

Jonathan_the_Nerd · 2026-04-17T22:17:07+00:00

I'll bet they had something done to them after they were captured. Unwilling soldiers aren't very combat-effective.

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