Leupold BX-4 Rangefinding Binoculars

Ukraine / Russia

Regarding the actual matter in Ukraine, I dont see NATO being able to do much more than is being done. Stronger sanctions continue to make Russia desperate and push them into the care or the Chinese. Direct military involvement is a nightmare scenario. About all that can be done is to keep the supply lines rolling, especially as Russia tries to cut off Kyiv. Its a war of attrition now, and unfortunately Russia has a long history with those.
Spitballing here: I’d been kind of thinking that Ukrainians could take a cue from the Ba’athists in Iraq like “we surrender” *wink wink* — keep the supply lines rolling and start standing up a prolonged, costly, and bloody urban insurgency for the Russian occupiers to manage.
 
Spitballing here: I’d been kind of thinking that Ukrainians could take a cue from the Ba’athists in Iraq like “we surrender” *wink wink* — keep the supply lines rolling and start standing up a prolonged, costly, and bloody urban insurgency for the Russian occupiers to manage.
Gee that sounds a Lot like Vietnam.
Weeird!
 
God protected America and blessed it's boarders in the last couple hundred yrs.
Do you really think gods on your side now?
Transvestite training in the military. Murder of the unborn for your wellness? Does america even read revelations. ?
I'm going to entertain this for one post and one post only, because I have been dealing with this mindset for the entirety of my ministry.

America is not and never was a Christian nation. There were men involved in the founding of this nation who were almost certainly genuine believers but the vast majority were either a) following the vain tradition and dead religion of their fathers, b) closet deists with Christian language, or c) full-on deists. Largely due to influence from people like David Barton, contemporary Christians have attempted to rewrite the history of this nation. Puritan replacement theology paved the way for the unregenerate men to follow as whitewashed sepulchers claiming they were reclaiming the promised land for the true Israel and the bad theology has continued to spiral. God sets up and takes down nations of His own accord. America's rise to prominence is not because it has been a more righteous nation than others, God has seen fit over the course of history to allow plenty of pagan nations to be major regional or world powers.

Regarding morality in this nation, one must remember several things. First, America is not dealing with the first crisis of morality in its history. The chattel slave trade that underpinned the economy of the south in the fledgling nation was an abomination and the resulting atrocities have been ignored or downplayed be Christians for far too long. Second, goats act like goats and sheep shouldn't be surprised by that. The rise in abortion and other cultural streams that run counter to Scripture is solely on the shoulders of weak Christians who have not taken ownership of their responsibility as an ambassador for the Lord. Instead of being as wise as serpents and harmless as doves they have often been the opposite.

Finally, the terrible hermeneutics used to attempt to justify the rhetoric employed by last-days-scare-tacticians serve no purpose but to give those outside looking in good cause for believing Christians are off their rockers. The OT prophets, Mt. 24, 1 Tim. 4, and the book of Revelation (without the s) have real value for believers today. God has a plan for the future and He will accomplish it in His timing. You don't have to make the news headlines fit into Scripture. One of the final things that Jesus told the disciples before ascending to heaven was "its not for you to know" when He's returning, so stop thinking you have it figured out.

The idol of many believers today is political influence and power. Its easy to see because they can't conceive of how difficult or impossible ministry will be if America doesn't tolerate their faith. And yet they forget that the environment that Christianity was born into and spread like wildfire involved religious and political persecution for hundreds of years. That doesn't mean that I have forgotten Paul's command to pray for those in authority that we might live quiet and peaceable lives, but I also remember Hebrews 13:14; that here we have no continuing city but seek one to come. I'm looking for the blessed hope, not hand-wringing about the headlines.

Sorry @Big Fin for contributing to thread creep, but this is a personal sticking point of mine. It will truly be my last post on the subject.
 
I'm going to entertain this for one post and one post only, because I have been dealing with this mindset for the entirety of my ministry.

America is not and never was a Christian nation. There were men involved in the founding of this nation who were almost certainly genuine believers but the vast majority were either a) following the vain tradition and dead religion of their fathers, b) closet deists with Christian language, or c) full-on deists. Largely due to influence from people like David Barton, contemporary Christians have attempted to rewrite the history of this nation. Puritan replacement theology paved the way for the unregenerate men to follow as whitewashed sepulchers claiming they were reclaiming the promised land for the true Israel and the bad theology has continued to spiral. God sets up and takes down nations of His own accord. America's rise to prominence is not because it has been a more righteous nation than others, God has seen fit over the course of history to allow plenty of pagan nations to be major regional or world powers.

Regarding morality in this nation, one must remember several things. First, America is not dealing with the first crisis of morality in its history. The chattel slave trade that underpinned the economy of the south in the fledgling nation was an abomination and the resulting atrocities have been ignored or downplayed be Christians for far too long. Second, goats act like goats and sheep shouldn't be surprised by that. The rise in abortion and other cultural streams that run counter to Scripture is solely on the shoulders of weak Christians who have not taken ownership of their responsibility as an ambassador for the Lord. Instead of being as wise as serpents and harmless as doves they have often been the opposite.

Finally, the terrible hermeneutics used to attempt to justify the rhetoric employed by last-days-scare-tacticians serve no purpose but to give those outside looking in good cause for believing Christians are off their rockers. The OT prophets, Mt. 24, 1 Tim. 4, and the book of Revelation (without the s) have real value for believers today. God has a plan for the future and He will accomplish it in His timing. You don't have to make the news headlines fit into Scripture. One of the final things that Jesus told the disciples before ascending to heaven was "its not for you to know" when He's returning, so stop thinking you have it figured out.

The idol of many believers today is political influence and power. Its easy to see because they can't conceive of how difficult or impossible ministry will be if America doesn't tolerate their faith. And yet they forget that the environment that Christianity was born into and spread like wildfire involved religious and political persecution for hundreds of years. That doesn't mean that I have forgotten Paul's command to pray for those in authority that we might live quiet and peaceable lives, but I also remember Hebrews 13:14; that here we have no continuing city but seek one to come. I'm looking for the blessed hope, not hand-wringing about the headlines.

Sorry @Big Fin for contributing to thread creep, but this is a personal sticking point of mine. It will truly be my last post on the subject.
In either Germs, Guns, and Steel or American Holocaust there is a poignant line (paraphrased): America is a prosperous nation not because of the piety of our nation’s founders, leaders, or citizens, but rather because of the great untapped bonanza of natural resources the settlers stumbled upon that we extract from stolen land.

America has a closet packed full of skeletons, and I reject the claim of American moral or spiritual superiority, past or present. Our nation was dealt the best cards and we played them well. It’s humbling to have been born here when I did.

Hopefully before we point fingers at the citizenry of Russia or other nations for supporting the Ukraine war, we can suspend our judgment, as we largely lack the perspective of living under some some strongman’s thumb, economically, politically, or spiritually.
 
God protected America and blessed it's boarders in the last couple hundred yrs.
Do you really think gods on your side now?
Transvestite training in the military. Murder of the unborn for your wellness? Does america even read revelations. ?

"Religion in Ukraine is diverse, with a majority of the population adhering to Christianity. A 2018 survey conducted by the Razumkov Centre found that 71.7% of the population declared themselves believers."
Not sure God does much protecting of the borders of Christian countries.
 
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Borders are the dividing lines between nations.

Boarders are people who rent rooms at your drafty old B&B.

If you can't tell the difference, then I'm not going to listen to your take on Russian foreign policy issues.

Or border security.

Or anything.
Come on Ben! He's probably got some good sources on acquiring magic mushrooms. We all got skills you know.
 
Lovely thought process speculating which missile sites Putin would target first in the US.
.....and all the refugees coming to Montana thought they were moving somewhere safer. ;)
 
Borders are the dividing lines between nations.

Boarders are people who rent rooms at your drafty old B&B.

If you can't tell the difference, then I'm not going to listen to your take on Russian foreign policy issues.

Or border security.

Or anything.
God doesn't watch spell check either apparently
 

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