There is no moral obligation for a Christian to support the state of Israel just because of their ties to Abraham, especially if the government is doing something wrong. In general, however, my perception of the nation is that its values are closely aligned to Christian values, so I tend to favor the things they do. I think I would have an easier time living in Israel than in Iran, for example. Iran sponsors terrorism and stirs up trouble in the region, whereas Israel primarily fights to maintain their existence among so many who want to wipe them out.

I have a license, but I’ve been away from Nostr for a while. I’m going to try to be more involved again.

This is a very good way to think about our times. I am sure that Tolkien thought the same about his time, but it has become worse since then.

N5GSG. I got my license as a kid in 1977 and got back into the hobby in 2021. I do mostly CW on HF and am getting into digital modes. #HamRadio

Why should we believe in God (in 100 words)?

We observe three things in the Universe. First, everything we observe is temporary and changing. There must be some kind of foundation that is the eternal and unchanging cause of it all. Second, the Universe is full of beauty, mathematical precision, and unfathomable design that the greatest human intellects struggle to understand. Third, we human animals have lofty desires for love, justice, and meaning that goes way beyond physical existence and animal life. These three things point to an all-powerful, eternal, unchanging, intelligent, and loving Creator who made humans in His image for the purpose of eternal life with Him.

Congratulations on the General license, and I’m glad to hear the G90 is working well for you.

I have a 40 m QCX+ and a 20 m QCX Mini. They both work well and were fun to build. I also have a QDX that I need to build. QRP labs have great designs, so I expect the QMX to be a good choice.

You covered up your radio. That’s what I want to see!

Hello Nostr!

I made my first JS8 QSOs last Saturday. I like this mode and will do more with it when I can.

No, you are not the last. I haven't seen it yet. I am just now watching Blade Runner 2049 (in stages because it's long) that I checked out from the library. The problem is that I usually watch movies with my wife, and she's not that interested in science fiction. I occasionally see a movie with some of my work friends who like more nerdy fare, and the last time I did that, it was Oppenheimer.

Someday I will dig into the Go CLI Nostr code out there to make use of it. nostr:note1k9uaww8p4yu8zkygtmpx4m6ccxlme45nzsf62whxme8ca90pegeq0ucnl6

This expression caught my attention years ago after I had become disgusted with the theological arguments that went on in the church I was in. It began my reading of the Church Fathers and changed my life. nostr:note10u3dnrggnue3u9r65dvnl8azdc3e5m0zyxna6ezyragl26xsdhwqkhp4sc

Thanks! I need to write more!

St. Thomas Aquinas is my confirmation saint, and today my wife and I celebrated his feast day by participating in the first annual St. Thomas Aquinas Eucharistic Procession at the University of Dallas.

nostr:note18nfjptdxet2z7xt9ge7dycnqkjggwhlph7tq82ztvwdqcrmdr6qqtw6yf6

I like them both, too.

This looks cool. I need to try it out someday.

nostr:nevent1qyghwumn8ghj7vf5xqhxvdm69e5k7tcpz4mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduhsz9mhwden5te0wfjkccte9ec8y6tdv9kzumn9wshszrnhwden5te0dehhxtnvdakz7qg3waehxw309ahx7um5wgh8w6twv5hszxthwden5te0wfjkccte9eekummjwsh8xmmrd9skctcpzdmhxue69uhhqatjwpkx2urpvuhx2ue0qyt8wumn8ghj7etyv4hzumn0wd68ytnvv9hxgtcpzamhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumn0wd68ytnzv9hxgtcpremhxue69uhkummnw3ez6ur4vgh8wetvd3hhyer9wghxuet59uq36amnwvaz7tmwdaehgu3wvf5hgcm0d9hx2u3wwdhkx6tpdshsz8rhwden5te0vd58y6tnw3cxjmrv9ehx7um5wgcjucm0d5hszynhwden5te0wp6hyurvv4cxzeewv4esz9rhwden5te0wfjkccte9ejxzmt4wvhxjmcpzemhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumn0wd68ytnzv9hxgqgnwaehxw309aex2mrp09skymr99ehhyecpzpmhxue69uhkummnw3ezuamfdejsqgrm5gr39xsukmknapst7jqu2qqvwfcctc5u98ue3n42grtwn4333cdaf9dk

This is on my list to look into someday. Right now I'm focused on portable HF where I operate CW and am trying to get into digital modes like Olivia and JS8Call.

Here is a blog post about some thoughts I had that were triggered by the Gospel reading at Mass this morning. Share and enjoy! https://grahamtx.net/posts/2024/parables-and-divine-hiddenness/

The latest issue of the University of Dallas publication, Veritas, has a very good article on the redefinition of marriage by Ryan T. Anderson. https://give.udallas.edu/veritas/winter2023

Anthony Esolen is great. Enjoy!

Looking great, nostr:npub1jlrs53pkdfjnts29kveljul2sm0actt6n8dxrrzqcersttvcuv3qdjynqn! Keep up the good work, and God bless!

The Word of God is an infinite person because only such a person can adequately express the infinity of God. Knowing that person is the same as knowing God. “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.”

Good one!

When I was a junior in high school, in the minutes before Physics class, I was talking to my friend Chad. It was 1979, and only a few of us at my school had used a computer and could write programs in BASIC. Chad had even done some paid work, so I really looked up to him. As we were waiting for the bell to ring, he was showing me prophecies in the Old Testament that were fulfilled by Jesus. I saw that there was a coherency in the Bible, even though it had been written by many human authors over the span of centuries. I realized that coherency was evidence of divine authorship of the Bible, so I have spent the rest of my life seeking the God that I got a glimpse of back in high school.

:(

Yes. In my apartment complex, I see parents with their little children in the parking lot. They have to be on the lookout for cars and make sure the children are out of the way. I'm sure that when the parents are busy, the children have to be shut up indoors.

You are right. In my area, I only see immigrant families and minorities with children living in the apartment complexes. I think white Americans wait until they're in a house before having children, but they do have dogs. We do have nice public playgrounds nearby, though.

I also wonder if there are liability concerns with playgrounds that apartment owners don't want to get involved with.

I knew Finrod prophesied that God would enter our world as a man in a beautiful passage in *Morgoth’s Ring*.

Thank you for the well wishes. The classes went well. In one, we talked about Google’s new Gemini AI, and in the other, we talked about Book I of *Mere Christianity* by C. S. Lewis. Now I am working on writing a Python exam.

Good morning! Finrod is my favorite character in the Silmarillion. I'm doing well. I'm teaching my last classes of the semester today and getting ready for final exams.

Thanks for posting that. The replies gave me some people to follow.

Happy Feast of St. Nicholas! In this brilliant reflection, Pope Benedict combines Santa Clause, astronomy, the Council of Nicea, and the love of Jesus.

Today is the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. One of the readings at Mass this morning shows the order that God is restoring under the kingship of Christ. God makes everything subject to Christ, who presents his kingdom back to his Father, establishing the true Patriarchy of love.

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. “For God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things under him, that God may be everything to every one. (1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28)