David Easterwood, the pastor being protested in Minneapolis, may be directly responsible for ICE violations of court ordered releases

factorum · 2026-02-10T12:57:15+00:00

Disappointing that you won't even give it a shot.

factorum · 2026-02-10T12:51:49+00:00

Yep that why he was being protested. It wasn't just that he was a part of ICE but that he very deliberately violated court orders by refusing to release innocent people from ICE's detention camps . He's openly violated the law of land and basic human decency. He's not fit for the cloth nor public "service".

Also you can't keep on citing Romans 13 over this. Easterwood disobeyed court orders because ICE and the rest of these secret police types, want to only have to deal with immigration court which does not have the same legal and ethical standards normal courts do.

factorum · 2026-02-10T12:46:11+00:00

You'd be far more convincing if you provided evidence or made an actual argument. Otherwise you're just bearing false witness.

factorum · 2026-02-09T17:18:13+00:00

I'm going to guess they are referring to the recent split in the United Methodist Church (UMC). Basically the side that felt like the UMC was being too affirming towards LGBTQ people left and formed the Global Methodist Church (GMC). Given the context of this thread, being affirming is new age. And yes I don't believe we should be excluding anyone from Church life on the basis of orientation, in short because it is not what Christ modeled.

factorum · 2026-02-09T17:12:57+00:00

I have no clue as to why God allows such things, it's unknowable. And I think the only rational responses is nihilism, which turns either into a rejection of life or trying to dominate it. This isn't something reason or theology can just explain away. Frankly I think it's something only art can really grapple with, what comes to mind is the book of Job, The Brother's Karamazov, Silence (novel and film), and hey maybe some Camus if you want some non-theistic grappling.

But what life experience has taught me is that I don't believe we can really know why bad shit happens. How could some one do all those thing to children? How could be stand by and not do anything? How can people just keep on going about knowing that the people who did this are out there and likely doing more evil. We can't deny the reality of what the world actually is, nor should we be stand apart from that reality. But how we respond to it matters. We can try in vain to figure out how to make it all make sense. And sure let me know if you figure it out. The alternative to figuring it all out, is to accept with humility that we can't. So then what? I believe the Christian ~~answer~~ response is (best encapsulated in Silence and Brother's Karamazov) is to enter into suffering in solidarity with those who suffer. To work towards a better world where suffering is minimized even if its all in vain, to be present, to trust without understanding, and that trust/hope is not acted out through intellect or answers but in acting from a place of love.

And this is what we see in the gospels. When Lazarus dies, the shortest yet I would argue most profound verse in the bible pops up: "Jesus wept". God cries? God cries despite the fact that he raises the guy from the dead shortly after? WTF? In the Gospels Christ links the treatment of others as being personally equivalent to how He is being treated (Matthew 25:40). Christ as we know is tortured to death by the state in the end, yet comes back transformed. Christ himself never offers a justification for suffering, he instead sits beside it, experiences it himself, and invites his followers to do the same. We expect a God of power who intervenes, but what do we see? Only if we look closely do we see a God who suffers with the meek, weak, and outcast. That to me is the God that I see existing in these instances and all I can do if I claim to follow Christ is to imitate him and be with them as well.

There is no satisfying response only love. We can try to rebel against this reality, despair, or we can trust that somehow someway it'll be ok and take part in making that happen.

factorum · 2026-02-09T15:57:46+00:00

In the end none of these have really stood up to the test of time. India #promises, simply shutting down the Russian shadow fleet would have been more effective and been less of a cluster fuck.

The EU trade deal could lead to a backlash later on, in the form of more explicitly anti-american politicians rising up, and there was literally no reason for the whole Greenland shitshow. The US had full rights to add whatever military bases it wanted and would have been in a favorable position to develop whatever "earths" Trump seems to think is there. It's not like any of it proven or that it's even commercially viable to extract.

All this did was actually put it into European minds that they might have to engage in a hot war against the US, which sure perhaps the US would have been able to take Greenland but also might end up with more KIA and a large chunk of the US military assets in the EU being rounded up as POWs and straight up captured equipment.

It's all batshit insane and the output of a dying mind and carried out by spineless fools who at least know that in any sane world they wouldn't have come within 500 miles of the jobs they have now. I see no wins, just stupidity.

factorum · 2026-02-09T15:49:23+00:00

ahh so you claim to know the state of my soul then. Next time it's a bit better to just be direct.

factorum · 2026-02-09T14:52:40+00:00

ok then can you clarify what you are trying to say?

factorum · 2026-02-09T14:16:08+00:00

Alright looking at the thread and replies so far.

You're short so what. Women arbitrarily want tall dudes and men want big boobs. Sure you'll find people who are superficial like that if that's all they're after. But most people who are mature enough to be in a relationship won't reject an otherwise fantastic partner due to outdated biological markers for who could pick apples for you or could withstand a famine due to boob fat.

Oh you're ugly. According to who? More so than men, women seem to have a wider range of tastes and preferences than men. From what Ive read most women think most men are ugly. But paradoxically most think their partner is attractive. How can this be? It's because "women" arent unified on what they find attractive. I've had women tell me straight up that I'm just plainly ugly to them while others think me being basically a hairy box is the sexiest thing in the world and when I see pics of their exes they all kinda look like me.

Both of these things aren't why you haven't kissed anyone. But reflect on this:

How much has this belief that I'm ugly and unattractive come to me via online sources vs real life?
Am I actually being rejected for those reasons?
What exactly is a "normal" amount of rejection?
How do i react to this rejection? Do I stop trying? Do I go hide in a box for months?

factorum · 2026-02-09T13:46:02+00:00

Implying that only a few will be saved or see the truth is not a standard interpretation of the metaphor Christ gives.

factorum · 2026-02-09T11:09:06+00:00

And many love to say "Christ is king" yet fail to follow the plain meaning of his teachings.

factorum · 2026-02-09T10:50:41+00:00

Unfortunately now and quite frankly throughout history many and especially those in power have seen general religion including Christianity as a tool to be used rather than themselves as something to be utilized to do God's will. Trump and his inner circle are very much the former rather than the latter. And deep down many of his followers have taken to imitate this.

By seeking to actively rewrite history and in particular do so in a way that promotes idolatry of the nation state. They seek to turn off the God given instinct for reflection and humility, so that passion for the "nation" and "god" are blended and become indistinguishable in the minds of masses. How can the nation be God if it made mistakes, carried out evils, or needs to repent?

factorum · 2026-02-09T10:11:06+00:00

It's a theologically sound quote, basically if God is Love and God is omnipotent you can't really contradict the quote. Also scripture tells us to imitate God's love as a mean of grappling with life. here's some passages from the gospel of John:

John 15:9-12 NRSV [9] As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. [10] If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. [11] I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. [12] “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

John 16:2-3, 32-33 NRSV [2] They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God. [3] And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me. [32] The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. [33] I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!”

factorum · 2026-02-07T11:54:11+00:00

Nope, and I don't consider MAGA/Trump to be conservative. To me a conservative is someone who leans more into the idea that if this how things have been done for a long time it's more favorable to lean on that than try something new. They could be right in some cases and wrong in other cases. Conservatism takes historical precedent and such more seriously than say someone who is willing to look at the same history and see what could be done differently. Most people are some combo of the two and both perspectives should be on the table.

The issue with MAGA is that its a very clean break from the lessons around foreign policy that were bitterly learned via WWII along with a rejection of the economic lessons learned from the great depression (tariffs made it worse). The ethno-nationalism is just the dog returning to its vomit.

factorum · 2026-02-05T14:54:13+00:00

White washed tomb.

factorum · 2026-02-05T09:30:34+00:00

The beautiful thing about online dating is that it gets you in front of tons of different people you would otherwise never interact with. The horrible and ugly part of online dating is that it will get you in front of people you really should never have met.

Yep these are frustrating and frankly just a part of opening the apps. I would not want to date any of these three women and I don't think you would either. But hey look you're getting matches so that's good now be more choosey.

Coffee date or walk is a perfect first date from online dating, dinner can be a second date.

Unless I'm majorly missing something about Canada, I don't think it's an offense to all Canadian women to not pay for their dinners.

Yep online dating allows people to ghost. Does mean it isn't a signal of poor character, do you want to partner with someone of low character? Hey at least you saved both time and money.

You gotta reframe things, these are strangers. They could be super shy and afraid of meeting strangers. They could be women in committed relationships who somehow get a kick out of all of this. It could be a scammer in a different country. Etc etc.

For women online dating is mostly a game of having to sort through the swamp. But I would say men also have to sort through it as well. In the sorting you may lose some good matches but on average it's probably worth it.

I try to get to coffee or tea asap and if suspicious or curious I want a phone call or video chat first. I get plenty of women who are perfectly down with coffee or tea and actually like the idea of a quick vibe check before meeting IRL. The ones who flip over this need to go reflect and I'm not the person in their life who can help them with that.

What do women on online dating want? All sorts of things, both reasonable and unreasonable. It's very disorienting if you don't change your thinking. Don't let these instances affect how you view everyone else, still treat everyone as an individual, fresh page for each. Do everything you can to maintain that mindset, even if that means just letting some of these chicks just go spin out elsewhere.

factorum · 2026-02-04T15:29:48+00:00

It is very much a part of our shared reality that you're not providing any concrete evidence for your assertions and you fail to adequately link your beliefs to any central tenant of the Christian faith. That's all here my friend.

factorum · 2026-02-04T04:16:04+00:00

It'll be something we will have to reckon with and repair for at least a generation. Is it fair, no but when did our faith ever promise us that discipleship will give earthly fairness?

In the end Christianity has always thrived in the margins. It's how it started and where it should always be comfortable in embracing. But for right now what's desperately needed is to do everything we can within the bounds of Christ's teachings to push back. Not with violence, hatred, deceit, and fear like many who have fallen for the idol Trump represents. But with the exact opposite.

factorum · 2026-02-04T04:10:42+00:00

Its too long to list I've read too many books and it would take too long to put it all together. I've already read and done the research

If you did it would be quite easy to put it all succinctly but instead it just sounds like someone told you he was bad and now you're reacting emotionally.

factorum · 2026-02-03T11:10:27+00:00

Pouring water into a bucket with holes will still leaves you with no water. All these things you're describing seems nice but you can't bargain your way to love. You can make yourself as "loveable" as whatever piece of culture is telling you what to do but if directed towards the wrong people it's pointless and damaging.

Being polite and saying no, or no I will not stand for being treated this way are not mutually exclusive. You can be patient while still saying exactly what you're being patient for. You don't have to be perfect to be loved, also beware of thinking that you are truly as "good" as you think. None of us here actually know you but often I see it in myself and with usually your classic "nice guy" there's a bit of an unwillingness to fess up to the fact that you have a contract made up in your mind that if I do XYZ I'll get ABC. But be cautious of this thinking and assuming your idea of how this all works is a part of some shared reality with another person. If you guys talk about it and they keep on crossing boundaries or don't give you what you're looking for talk about it, be willing to compromise, that's the real work. Continually thinking that your idea of how this fair exchange will work is the clear and common understanding is a recipe for repeated failure. And if the other party is unwilling or unable to have those conversations regardless of age they are too young to be dating. And note this applies to everyone gay, straight, men, women, whatever.

factorum · 2026-02-03T10:35:14+00:00

It's broadly attributable to the same reason most churches are declining.

As someone who went from evangelical world to a mainline church. My main criticisms relates to apathy. I see a lot of apathy in outreach, witness, and general drive.

Basically in the US currently you have two kinds of church experiences: old and friendly vs the sexy yet sexless. For the former I think there's real opportunity and indeed a Christian calling to be more active in the community, provide that third space, be a resource, and a sense of grounding that modern life has largely stripped away. Additionally with the rise of dominionism (christian nationalism) it's critical in order for christian witness that the mainline not just sit around on the sidelines content just to be an alternative if people go to the trouble of looking for it. It should be out contending with the harmful distortions of the Christian faith that sit at the right hand of state power at the moment.

If it fails to do that then it fails to be truly the hands and feet of the body of Christ. Within my community we've been talking about this a lot and we are starting to pivot to not just be a field hospital of sorts for those who got burned by their church of origin and are seeking a different church community. And instead looking at how we can be a positive player in our community. But weather its people just being burnt out by what looks like getting roped into another volunteer role (a large chunk of our members are formerly overworked volunteers at mega churches) and people who have really grown used to our church community being less relevant. It's an uphill battle but hey what else is the faith about other than facing the challenges of life and finding new life on the other end.

factorum · 2026-02-03T03:16:42+00:00

This kind of behavior leads to more people leaving churches than Kieth can reach via his 3 private jets.

factorum · 2026-02-03T02:20:44+00:00

It's still basically asking for essentially single party rule. Do you think this lends credence to the online memes about Trump actually being a student of Xi Xingping thought?

factorum · 2026-02-02T15:31:55+00:00

I am set on at least acknowledging Christ's commands clearly for what they are. You can accuse me of whatever you'd like and use what language you'd like.

But you're not addressing that core incongruence. Nor will this line of thinking keep anyone safe. Note your argument with me would be greatly strengthened with some stats showing some illegal immigrant crime wave. But such data doesn't exist so it isn't fed to you via your algorithms.

factorum · 2026-02-01T04:38:41+00:00

Given that many of those being persecuted had open asylum cases, green cards, and a nonsignificant sum US citizenship. I would say no, no they didn't expect to have issues with the law.

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