Credible News Sources: The Russian Hacking Story

[temporal1]

At the risk of being charged with treason I will admit that we already have it. Big time.

one day, sometime ago, i came across a list like this one.
this list reflected (to me) just how beyond-the-beyond U.S. government has grown:
List of U.S. Government and Military Acronyms
https://www.alabar.org/assets/uploads/2 ... ronyms.pdf

i have never visited the Grand Canyon.
this list may very well represent a greater spectacle than the Grand Canyon -
100% at taxpayer expense.

ken's observations above are not any sort of exaggeration.
and, yes, i believe Canada is "right there," too.

Coming from one who chastised a few of us for bunny trailing another thread.

the gentlemen deserve the real credit.
here, i'm a tagalong.
recall when i was "queen" of bunny trails?! i think of that now+then.
you guys taught me not to do that. (so much.)

it's nice to give a thread a page or a few before trailing-off.

[Josh]

I wonder how much it behooves citizens of Jesus' kingdom to always complain about the government: it is too big, has too many departments, spends too much money, has bad leaders.

I don't see any of this attitude in scripture.

[appleman2006]

I am not complaining so much as trying to state ways that I think they could do better. Call it an appeal if you wish. In that I am simply following Paul's example and I think I am in comfortable company there.

[Szdfan]

It appears the FBI supports the CIA's assessment that Russia hacked the DNC in order to influence the election.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/na ... 6377c0b385

FBI Director James B. Comey and Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. are in agreement with a CIA assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election in part to help Donald Trump win the presidency, according to U.S. officials.

Comey’s support for the CIA’s conclusion reflects the fact that the leaders of the three agencies have always been in agreement on Russian intentions, officals said, contrary to suggestions by some lawmakers that the FBI disagreed with the CIA.

[Gene]

I wonder how much it behooves citizens of Jesus' kingdom to always complain about the government: it is too big, has too many departments, spends too much money, has bad leaders.

I don't see any of this attitude in scripture.

As a counter, may I offer the saga of John the Baptist and Herodias? Of course the governmental reaction in this case was somewhat worse than an unjustified IRS audit, perhaps leading to a bit of hesitancy on the part of anyone else inclined to critique the morality of the ruling class.

[Jazman]

I wonder how much it behooves citizens of Jesus' kingdom to always complain about the government: it is too big, has too many departments, spends too much money, has bad leaders.

I don't see any of this attitude in scripture.

Amen! You're not the only one distressed at this attitude... especially considering the real and tangible religious (and other) freedoms we have. (better than most places in the world) Yet we complain. (Just heard some this morning again at church...) To my ears it often sounds like they don't want any gov at all...because the whinging is so constant. Yet if that were the case, the freedoms and comforts they take for granted now would all be gone or seriously different in a way they wouldn't like either! I wish more pastors, teachers, preachers would address this attitude publicly and then maybe it wouldn't be so pervasive. Unfortunately I hear the same attitude over the pulpit at times...

[appleman2006]

Being thankful is always a good thing. At times though when I have said almost exact things as you just did in your last post, Jazman, I have been accused of being complacent and not caring about the many so called disadvantaged in our society.
\
I guess sometimes you just cannot win.

[ken_sylvania]

I wonder how much it behooves citizens of Jesus' kingdom to always complain about the government: it is too big, has too many departments, spends too much money, has bad leaders.

I don't see any of this attitude in scripture.

Amen! You're not the only one distressed at this attitude... especially considering the real and tangible religious (and other) freedoms we have. (better than most places in the world) Yet we complain. (Just heard some this morning again at church...) To my ears it often sounds like they don't want any gov at all...because the whinging is so constant. Yet if that were the case, the freedoms and comforts they take for granted now would all be gone or seriously different in a way they wouldn't like either! I wish more pastors, teachers, preachers would address this attitude publicly and then maybe it wouldn't be so pervasive. Unfortunately I hear the same attitude over the pulpit at times...

I was part of a conversation yesterday morning in which a number of brothers remarked that they are thankful that we have government and zoning laws, even though it gets in our way and is quite a hassle sometimes. They were thankful for the order that it helps bring to society.

[temporal1]

Being thankful is always a good thing. At times though when I have said almost exact things as you just did in your last post, Jazman, I have been accused of being complacent and not caring about the many so called disadvantaged in our society.
\
I guess sometimes you just cannot win.

Being grateful is profoundly important to Jesus.
Not knowing the settings, the words/context, etc., it's hard to judge in a sweeping way.

There are two important matters. One is gratitude, the other is vigilance.
Both are important to Jesus, in His perfect knowledge.

In today's world many are alarmed that their prior lack of vigilance (over decades) has led to harmful attitudes, practices, wastefulness. i see many revisiting their understanding and attitudes. which i see as a constructive process that Jesus encouraged.

there is more to Jesus's message than, "we have enough, we are thankful."
He requires vigilance, too. the former, alone, can lead to apathy, and it has.

there's not enough detail to know what is happening in every individual situation.
there is always plenty to be watchful about.

[temporal1]

I was part of a conversation yesterday morning in which a number of brothers remarked that they are thankful that we have government and zoning laws, even though it gets in our way and is quite a hassle sometimes. They were thankful for the order that it helps bring to society.

this reminds of a friend we had, he drove a semi for many years. he was very wise with his money, he credited his father, they came from poverty in Mississippi. but they taught themselves and learned how to set priorities.

our friend was a single man, earning a good wage .. so, presumably, paying hefty taxes.
he once told us, "taxes?! - no, i do not worry about paying taxes! .. this is the cost of living in a civilized society."

not his only bit of wisdom for us.