Several Comments on American Subjects for Our Recent World Cup Visitors

This Christian blog is ακωλυτως, unhindered, and can speak on any subject, even seemingly totally secular things. As Christians, we are often told by our Christian leaders that we should be in the world but not of the world. Being in the world means that we can have and express opinions on secular subjects.

To a Christian, everything belongs to the Lord. He cannot be restricted. He is lord over everything or he is lord over nothing. There is a saying that your God is too small. God is not small.

Here are a few American things which may need a brief explanation: ranch dressing, barbecue, yellow school buses, mailbox flags, Chick-fil-A, food combinations, air conditioning, gun ownership, biscuits and gravy, lack of mass transport, giant megastores, the fifty states.

Ranch Dressing: Our World Cup visitors fell in love with ranch dressing. It is a favorite of many Americans. The main caveat with this dressing is that it is dairy-based, created using buttermilk or sour cream, so those with lactose-intolerance need to take notice. It also contains eggs, so those with egg allergies need to be aware.

Ranch dressing is not readily available in countries other than the United States for several reasons, one being that it is not a traditional food item in those countries. Another reason is some of the dressing’s ingredients.

Titanium dioxide is a whitening agent banned by the European Union. Other EU-banned or restricted ingredients in ranch dressing include some synthetic stabilizers and antioxidant preservatives used to prolong shelf-life.

The European Union also bans recombinant bovine somatotropin growth hormones, which are often present in U.S. dairy products.

Barbecue: We are very proud of our barbecue (BBQ), with each region insisting that their particular BBQ tradition is the best. There is a great variation in the woods which are used used for smoking the meat and in the sauces. Some traditions do not use sauces at all.

The sauces may be based on tomatoes, vinegar, sugar or molasses, mustard, mayonnaise, apple cider, soy sauce, mirin, ginger, hot peppers, peaches or other fruits, vegetable broths, honey, tahini, coffee, horseradish, gochujang, hot spices, syrups, alcoholic beverages, onions, or meat (beef, ham, chicken, or fish) drippings. Some even make vegan sauces. Everyone is convinced that their BBQ sauce is the best and sauce recipes are often very closely guarded.

Yellow School Buses: The school buses seemed to be fascinating to many of our visitors. To us, they are nothing special. Most of us have ridden in them. Here is some information about them:

1. The U.S. is quite large and many students live many miles away from their schools, especially for schools which serve an entire county. For many, it is impractical or even dangerous to walk or bicycle to their school.

2. The yellow color is intended to be distinctive.

3. Traffic is required by law to stop in both directions when a school bus stops to pick up or deliver students. No one wants to hit a child with their car.

4. Many parents must arrive at work during the hours of 6-8 AM and most schools start at 8 AM. It is difficult for the parents to be two places at one time.

5. When a school bus delivers 30 students to school, that means that there are not 30 extra automobiles causing congestion in the parking lot.

6. Riding in a yellow school bus is not glamorous. Most do not have seatbelts or very good spring suspensions. The ride is often bumpy and there is no air-conditioning. They are heated in the winter. The buses are often crowded and smell like whatever the individual students smell like. You may get discarded chewed bubblegum on your shoe. To get an idea of what riding on a school bus is like, see the ending of the hilarious comedy film, Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

Mailbox Flags: This is the explanation of the little flags on individual home mailboxes: we do not have to go to our postal office to conduct our mailings. If we have our little flag flipped up, this is a signal to the postal carrier that we have outgoing mail. They push the flag into the down position, take our outgoing mail, and leave our incoming mail in the box.

It is a federal crime for anyone other than a postal worker to interfere in any way with postal delivery. It is also a federal crime for anyone else to open our mailboxes and file through our mail to see who has mailed us items or to take any of our mail.

Chick-fil-A: This is a brand or trade name for a chicken filet sandwich. The traditional Chick-fil-A sandwich is the bun, a piece of chicken coated with an egg wash and a dry flour dredge which contains a blend of spices, and one slice of pickle. The chicken is fried under pressure in peanut oil, that’s it. Every other company which sells chicken sandwiches has their own specific combination of ingredients and oils. Some may bake their chicken.

Food Combinations: Some visitors wondered if it was permissible to mix certain foods or to eat them in certain ways or at certain times. This struck many Americans as strange. This is a free country. It is nobody else’s business if you want to put ketchup on your collard greens. You can eat whatever you like, whenever you want to. Many Americans love a good breakfast for their evening meal. Some enjoy eating spaghetti for breakfast.

Knowing that no-one will like everything, eat whatever you like. If you enjoy some strange combination of foods, stick it in your mouth and eat it.

Air Conditioning: We like our AC. Most modern homes in the United States are now built with central air conditioning systems controlled by heat pumps which switch between heating and cooling as the weather dictates.

One major reason for AC is that infants, children, people with chronic conditions, pregnant women, and the elderly are put into high risk in conditions of extreme heat.

Gun Ownership: The right to own guns is enshrined in our constitution, except, of course, for high grade military weapons. Not everyone owns a gun, but most people who do own guns use them for hunting (and yes, most of them eat what they kill), for sport shooting like shooting ranges and skeet shooting, or for personal and home protection. And, admittedly, there are some people who abuse the right of gun ownership.

Biscuits and Gravy: This is a traditional Southern breakfast. Few people would eat it every single day. It consists of soft dough biscuits covered in a white sausage gravy which often contains bits of pork sausage, bacon, or even ground beef. Many versions are heavily seasoned with black pepper. Most of us consider it to be heavenly.

There are hundreds of types of other gravies made from ingredients as varied as coffee, cheeses, chocolate, apple cider, cornmeal, eggs, onions, seafood, flour, heavy cream, or tomatoes.

Lack of Mass Transport: America is primarily an individual automobile culture. Most of us would rather not deal with public transportation. Schedules! No. Delays! No. Extra cost! No. We just get in our car and go where we want to go when we want to do it.

Giant Megastores: Costco, Target, Walmart, Sam's, and other megastores can be described as large department stores which also include pharmacy and grocery departments. Some even have coffee shops, auto parts and repairs, gasoline pumps, cookie and cupcake shops, or delicatessens.

One Country with Fifty States: The United States is sometimes said to have no distinctive culture. That is actually not true, but it is also true that each one of the regions and each one of the states has its own distinctive culture. Massachusetts, Mississippi, Oregon, and Alaska can all seem like separate countries which are united by a shared history. Events like the 911 attacks, the moon landing, World War II, the Miracle on Ice, and the 2026 World Cup can bring us all together.

Romans 12:2

Hot Car Deaths

 Every year, in the hot summertime, children die because their parents forget that they are still in the automobile. The closed interiors of the vehicles quickly become like an oven in the hot sun.

Apparently, the adults somehow become hurried or distracted and momentarily and tragically forget about the children. Everyone understands that there was no intention to harm the child. But harm was still done.

There are other kinds of harm besides death. Death or physical injury are immediately obvious. Not so with emotional and spiritual cuts and wounds.

Not all emotional cuts and spiritual wounds are maliciously or even intentionally inflicted. The feeling of neglect or of being seen as a bother to their parents can cause painful lifelong wounds to a child. Anything, even church activities, which continually distract us from our children’s emotional and spiritual needs, can be harmful.  

Exodus 22:23; Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Proverbs 13:22, 22:6; Nehemiah 4:14; Psalms 82:4,127:3; Matthew 18:6,10; Luke 17:2, 22:36; Romans 12:18-19; Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21; 1 Timothy 5:8; 2 Corinthians 12:14. 

Will You be Ready?

Recently, I was watching an American football game, but it could have been a game in any sport and in any country.

Abruptly, the coach called for one of his primary players to come out of the game and to be replaced by one of the seldom used players.

The primary player had been performing well and the situation in the game was very important because the coach’s team was about to score. Replacing the primary player made no obvious tactical sense in terms of game strategy.

The game was being broadcasted nationally and the move by the coach was so obvious that the television commentators remarked about it but had no explanation for it.

The secondary player responded well and the team scored. On the next series of plays, the coach returned the primary player to the game. After the game the coach offered no explanation for the substitution.

The player switch could have been tactical in response to something which the coach noticed about the other team. I believe that it was something else. I think it was a teaching moment.

The coach could have been telling his substitutes to not fall asleep and to be ready to act at all times. They might only be placed into the current game once or even only once in an entire season, but, when they are called upon they are expected to be ready at that moment.

The replacement player could have been daydreaming or talking to someone and not paying attention to the game.

Instead, he went into the game and executed the duties of his assigned position. If he had not been ready, the coach would have called on someone else the next time an opportunity arose.

As Mordechai said to Esther when it was her time to be called upon: “And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14. Italics added. Read the entire chapter with emphasis on verse 14. Mordechai’s implication is that God put Esther in the place where she needed to be in order to carry out his will. (Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.)

Esther 4:1-15; 1 Samuel 3:9; Isaiah 6:8; Matthew 24:42-44; Ephesians 2:10.

Subjects in the Labels List Which Begin with the Letters chrj to ck

 This blog is ακωλυτως, unhindered. (Acts 28:31) Any subject is fair game. Below is a listing of the LABELS which begin with the letters chrj to ck. All can be searched from the list which follows the last posted article on this page or by typing them into the SEARCH button at the top of the page. Most will call up multiple postings in which they appear.

chromosome, chronology, church, church activities, church attendance, church bulletin, church burnout, church council, church councils, Church of Christ, Church of God of Prophecy, Church of Iran, Church of Satan, Church of Scotland, church organ, church people, church politics, church sign board, church work, circulatory system, circumcision, circumstances, circus, citizen, citizenship, city state, civic duty, civic involvement, civil disobedience, civil records, civil rights, civility.

There is Power in the Blood

Lewis E. Jones (1865-1934) was a YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) worker who wrote  the hymn, There is Power in the Blood (1899). He is recorded as having said, "I want to be so full of Christ that when a mosquito bites me he flies away singing there is power in the blood."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeTE0W7K4sU

Biblical Sources of Common English Language Phrases: The Eyes Are the Windows of the Soul

 

The exact earliest origin of the phrase "the eyes are the window of the soul" is debated but the concept is ancient.

 

The Roman philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC/BCE), said “The face is a picture of the mind as the eyes are its interpreter.”

 

The phrase does not appear in the Bible but the concept is echoed by Jesus in Matthew 6:22–23 where he says "The eye is the lamp of the body … if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light…”

 

The first known use of the phrase in its modern form was by the 16th-century French poet Guillaume de Salluste Du Bartas (1544-1590), who spoke of the eyes as "windows of the soul".

 

As I was growing up, I was taught that it was rude to not look people in the eyes as you talked to them. The idea was that to not do so made you appear to be evasive or uninterested. But … there are numerous cultures which believe the exact opposite, that avoiding direct eye contact is a sign of respect and deference to the other person. They see direct eye contact as aggressive and as an invasion of their personal space.

 

So, I am either very open and direct or I am very rude, because I will look into you and allow you to look into me. It is just part of who I am.

 

I am in my over 60 years period of life so, through the decades, I have occasionally met numerous internationally known persons, usually for only a few minutes or even seconds. I am just a regular person. Let’s just say that I don’t normally run in their circles and that meeting most of them was incidental.

 

I will discuss what I saw in the eyes of some of them but I will respect their privacy and will not personally identify them.

 

One of them was a retired National Football League quarterback who was posthumously inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame. His eyes told me that he was friendly and easy-going, fun to talk with, and that he was surprised that I did not ask for his autograph.

 

Another was a politician who was involved with the peace negotiations during the Vietnam War. His eyes told me that he did not see me at all.

 

The eyes of the legendary daytime soap opera actor whom I met told me that he would have rather been anywhere else than where he was.

 

Highly respected as a radio announcer in numerous sports, one man showed me friendly eyes and even invited me to sit and talk with him about sports during his lunch hour.

 

An Israeli business executive showed me eyes that told me that she respected my politeness and competence. Whenever she visited, she sought me out before meeting with my superiors.

 

My co-worker of African ancestry showed me eyes of deep friendship, great professional competence, and ambition. He ended up in a national governmental health position.

 

The historic singer looked deep into my eyes with what appeared to be panic and repugnance as if I were an unexpected intruder into her home. I must have pushed her personal space and privacy buttons.

 

I was sitting on the second row in the coliseum when an internationally known Christian singer came down from the stage and began to personally interact with people in the crowd. When he stopped to talk to two pre-teen girls, he was about four feet away from me. He noticed me and we locked eyes.

 

What I saw was kindness, generosity, gentleness, sincerity, and a love for the people who had come to his concert. What I saw was a Christian man. His wife has said that he is the purest soul she has ever met. We all should hope that our eyes show the same thing.

Three Religious Truths

I do not know the origin of this joke but I would strongly believe that it came from a Baptist.

There are three religious truths.

1. Jews do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah.

2. Protestants do not recognize the Pope as the leader of the Christian faith. 

3. Baptists do not recognize each other in the liquor store.

Subjects in the Labels List Which Begin with the letters bia to boys

This blog is ακωλυτως, unhindered. (Acts 28:31) Any subject is fair game. Below is a listing of the LABELS which begin with the letters bia to boys. All of the Labels can be searched from the list which follows the last posted article on this page or by typing them into the SEARCH button at the top of the page. Most will call up multiple postings in which they appear.

Bing, biography, biology, bird, bird finger, birds, Birmingham, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, birth, birth control, birthday, bishop, Bizarro, blabbing, black, black comedy, Black Magic, black man, black metal, Black Sabbath, black smoke, black woman, blacks, blasphemy, blessing, blind, Blind Boys of Alabama, blog, blog aggregator, blog community, blog tools, BlogCatalog, Blogger, blood, Blood of Christ, Blood of Jesus, blues, blues music, board games, boats, Boaz, Bob Dylan, bodhisattva, body modification, Body of Christ, Bolivia, Bollywood, bomb threats, bone, bones, boogeyman, book, book comment, Book of Eli, Book of Jasher, Book of Mormon, Book of the Bee, Book of the Wars of the Lord, book reviews, books, Books-a-Million, boredom, Borg, Borneo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnian, bosons, Boston, botany, Botswana, Boudicca, bowel gas, bowling, Boy Scouts, boycott, boys.  

Hello, Seychelles! Bonjour, Seychelles !

 

Hello, Seychelles! 10 August, 2026.

 Hello, Seychelles! Welcome to the world-wide group of readers from many countries who also visit this blog.  I hope you find some of the posts useful or meaningful. Tell your friends about this blog. Everyone is welcome.

As of 10 August, there have been 1,356,004 page views of this blog. The current number of posts is 1882. These posts can be searched using the Search This Blog function. An alphabetical list of subjects discussed on this blog is at the extreme bottom of the blog page under Labels and indicates the number of posts about the subject in question. The Translate This Page tool can present the blog in numerous languages.

The Labels section at the bottom of the page is useful in searching for all Saints on the Loose blog posts which mention a particular subject. Numerous subjects are mentioned on this blog. All, in one way or another, are pertinent to the purposes of this blog. Search for any word of interest to you. There are hundreds of labels on various subjects including grace, sanctification, film commentary, food, horror, magic, archaeology, Star Trek, sanctification, blood, Pee-Wee Herman, Spain, blasphemy, Star of Bethlehem, doctrine, humor, distracted driving, ekklesia, and Arianism.

            This blog has been viewed from at least one hundred and fifty-four countries including Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia/Kampuchea, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Congo - Kinshasa), Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany,  Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast/Core d'Ivoire, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg,  Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of the Congo (Congo - Brazzaville), Reunion, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Togo, Tunisia, Turkiye, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam,  Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Bonjour, Seychelles ! 10 août 2026.

Bonjour, Seychelles ! Bienvenue au sein de la communauté internationale de lecteurs, issus de nombreux pays, qui consultent également ce blog. J'espère que vous trouverez certains articles utiles ou enrichissants. N'hésitez pas à faire connaître ce blog à vos amis. Tout le monde est le bienvenu.

Au 10 août, ce blog a enregistré 1 356 004 pages vues. Il compte actuellement 1 882 articles. Vous pouvez effectuer des recherches parmi ces articles grâce à la fonction « Rechercher sur ce blog ». Une liste alphabétique des sujets abordés figure tout en bas de la page, sous la rubrique « Libellés », et indique le nombre d'articles consacrés à chaque sujet. L'outil « Traduire cette page » permet d'afficher le blog dans de nombreuses langues. Ce blog a été consulté dans au moins cent cinquante-deux pays, dont l'Albanie, l'Algérie, l'Angola, Antigua-et-Barbuda, l'Argentine, l'Arménie, Aruba, l'Australie, l'Autriche, l'Azerbaïdjan, Bahreïn, le Bangladesh, la Biélorussie, la Belgique, le Belize, la Bolivie, la Bosnie-Herzégovine, le Botswana, le Brésil, Brunei Darussalam, la Bulgarie, le Burkina Faso, le Cambodge/Kampuchea, le Canada, le Cap-Vert, les îles Caïmans, le Chili, la Chine, la Colombie, le Costa Rica, la Croatie, Chypre, la Tchéquie, la République démocratique du Congo (Congo - Kinshasa), Danemark, Dominique, République dominicaine, Équateur, Égypte, El Salvador, Estonie, Eswatini, Éthiopie, Finlande, France, Gabon, Géorgie, Allemagne, Ghana, Grèce, Grenade, Guam, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hongrie, Islande, Inde, Indonésie, Iran, Irak, Irlande, Israël, Italie, Côte d'Ivoire/Core d'Ivoire, Jamaïque, Japon, Jordanie, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Koweït, Kirghizistan, Laos, Lettonie, Liban, Arabie Saoudite, Lesotho, Libye, Lituanie, Luxembourg, Macao, Macédoine, Madagascar, Malaisie, Mali, Malte, Mexique, Moldavie, Mongolie, Maroc, Myanmar, Namibie, Nauru, Népal, Pays-Bas, Nouvelle-Calédonie, Nouvelle-Zélande, Nigeria, Norvège, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Pérou, Philippines, Pologne, Portugal, Qatar, République du Congo (Congo - Brazzaville), Réunion, Roumanie, Russie, Saint-Kitts-et-Nevis, Seychelles, Sénégal, Serbie, Singapour, Slovaquie, Slovénie, Sud Afrique, Corée du Sud, Espagne, Sri Lanka, Soudan, Suriname, Suède, Suisse, Taïwan, Tanzanie, Thaïlande, Trinité-et-Tobago, Togo, Tunisie, Turquie, Turkménistan, Ouganda, Ukraine, Émirats arabes unis, Royaume-Uni, États-Unis d'Amérique, Uruguay, Ouzbékistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yémen, Zambie, Zimbabwe.

What Did Jesus Eat?

 What did Jesus eat? Well, he was poor and he ate what was available. There was very little meat and no real refrigeration other than storing food in cooler places like caves.

Like everyone else, he ate what he could get and what was allowed under the Jewish definition of clean and unclean foods. Foods which were available included fish, birds, lamb, lentils, whole grains, vegetables, dates,  pomegranates, honey, olives and olive oil, grapes, wine, vinegar, figs, bread, cumin, barley, raisins, apples, almonds, pistachios, dates, dill, mint, cinnamon, cumin, and eggs. The only meat he is specifically mentioned as eating was fish, but he also ate lamb since he participated in Passover celebrations where lamb was the required meat. 

Vegetarianism and veganism are acceptable lifestyles for practicing Christians but Jesus did eat meat.

Exodus 12:8; Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 7:19; Luke 1:12, 2:41, 22:7-15, 24:41-43; John 2:13, 5:1, 21:9-14; Acts 10; Romans 14; 1 Timothy 4:1-5; Colossians 2:16-17

Subjects in the Labels List (Labels Which Begin with the Letter B, with a range of bel to bil)

 This blog is ακωλυτως, unhindered. (Acts 28:31) Any subject is fair game. Below is a listing of the LABELS which begin with the letters bel to bil. All can be searched from the list which follows the last posted article on this page or by typing them into the SEARCH button at the top of the page. Most will call up multiple postings in which they appear

            Bela Lugosi, Belarus, Belgium, belief systems, believe, Belize, Bella, belligerence, bells, Belshazzar, Beltane, Bemidbar, Ben Carson, Ben Harper, Ben Johnson, Benedictines, Benjamin Franklin, Benny Hinn, Bereans, bereavement, Bereshit, Berlin, Bernard of Clairvaux, Bernie Sanders, Bethany House Publishers, Beth Shelburne, Bethany, Bethany House Publishers, Bethlehem, Bethsaida, betrayal, Betty Boop, Bhutan, Bible, Bible Belt, Bible codes, Bible printer’s errors, Bible reading, Bible study, Bible theme parks, Bible verses, Bible-haters,  Bibleman,  biblical, biblical canonicity, biblical error, biblical history, biblical interpretation, biblical medicine, biblical place names, biblical places, bibliography, bibliolatry, Bickertonites, Big Oak Ranch, bigotry, bikini, Bill and Ted, Bill Gates, Bill Maher, Bill Mauldin, Bill O’Reilly, billboard, Billy Bass, Billy Crystal, Billy Graham.

Biblical Sources of Common English Phrases: Laughter is the best medicine

 

Laughter is the best medicine is a popular saying in English. The origin of the phrase is believed to have come from Proverbs 17:22 (NIV): "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."  (שָׂמֵחַ sameach joyful, gleeful, happy, merry: Strong’s 8056)

לֵב שָׂמֵחַ יֵיטִב גֵּהָה וְרוּחַ נְכֵאָה תְּיַבֶּשׁ־גָּרֶם

An Update of Superheroes Have Religious Beliefs

 I have just posted an extensive update of Superheroes Have Religious Beliefs which was first posted 13 November 2009. To view the post, search for comic book religion in the search box at the top of this page.

What does the Bible say about artificial intelligence?

AI (artificial intelligence) is merely a useful tool. It does not know anything in the way that we do. AI may sound like a person, but it cannot bear the image of God. It is a computer program which follows instructions which it has been taught. Properly utilized, it can find information in seconds which would take the user days or weeks to find. Where AI is weak is in areas which require opinions. The opinions AI gives may very well (I would say probably do) at least partially reflect the worldviews of its teachers. The teachers would insist that this is not so or that, if bias is present, it is unintentional.

The Bible was written many centuries before computers existed. The first device that can be considered to be a modern computer appeared in 1941 in Germany, unless you consider the handheld abacus, a calculating device which appeared in Sumeria ca 2700 to 2300 BC/BCE. The abacus could be used to add, subtract, multiply, and divide. Hand held electronic calculators first showed up in the 1980’s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/computer

The Bible makes no mention of artificial intelligence since it was written many centuries before the idea of modern computers was even conceived. It does, however give us principles for the use of computer technology.

The Bible warns about the danger of idolatry. AI can become an idol when it is trusted more than God's promises. If it is used to exploit, deceive, or defraud others it becomes evil. If the use of AI becomes obsessive, that can distract from devotion to God.

The strongest and most appropriate use of AI is to dramatically speed up information searches, speech or textual translation, and mathematical calculations. These activities become almost instantaneous.

Definition: Apocrypha

 Apocrypha: Books which are considered to be useful for study but which are not considered to be part of the scriptural canon. There is significant disagreement among the various denominations as to which books are in each group.

Most of the books create a bridge across the 400 years between the Old and New Testaments. There are a few other individual books only accepted by one or two religious traditions. The books are primarily of Jewish origin but some Christian groups also accept other books of a Christian origin.

Protestants generally deny the canonicity of the books and either include them in a separate section of the Bible or omit them entirely. 

Update of the About this Blog page

 On today, 18 July 2026, I have updated the About This Blog page.

Should Christians Fear Artificial Intelligence?

 AI is a computer program that looks at patterns in data. It has no emotions or personal identity, even though the most advanced programs can carry on a conversation with you and refer to themselves as I.

AI can find obscure information almost instantly, translate between numerous languages simultaneously, whether they are spoken or written, and can create lifelike voices and images in seconds. Many people have begun to use it to enhance their Bible study. Tilly Norwood is a completely computer-generated actress who is now beginning to appear in motion pictures. Yes, AI can be a powerful tool.

We should not fear AI itself. It is not a conscious being, but is actually just numerous extremely fast computer programs which have been trained to mimic human behavior and speech. That is one of the concerns: it was trained by humans. You know about humans.

Rather than fear the computer programs, we need to be careful and wise about them. They can be used by criminals or malevolent persons to create fake videos, spread lies, or steal data. Some evil persons have created pornographic videos featuring the faces of innocent persons to whom they wish to cause embarrassment and harm. Some evil persons have used AI to mine and steal other peoples personal financial or private data. Some actors are afraid that their images and voices may be used to produce films in which they were not actually involved, costing them money, career choices, and personal reputation. Faked videos could conceivably be used to implicate innocent persons in crimes.

Just pay attention. Be as wise as a serpent and as innocent as a dove.

Secular Work as a Christian Ministry

 Christians should insist on excellence because their work is   ultimately done for God and can be seen as an act of worship. An      example from history of a Christian person who understood this is    Brother Lawrence. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brother_Lawrence

 

The insistence for excellence, however, has to be tempered with humility so that it never tips over into toxic arrogant perfectionism. That becomes the sin of elevation of the self above God.

 

Biblical passages which exhibit this idea include Colossians 3:23-24, Proverbs 22:29, and Philippians 4:8.

 

The modern trend is to let things slide, to get by on less, on giving less effort and personal involvement to a situation, not allowing a responsibility to interfere too much with our personal interests. This is sometimes called quiet quitting, doing just enough to not be unpleasantly noticed. This happens even in our churches.

 

The cafeteria in the hospital where I worked before my retirement started exhibiting a symptom of the times in which we live. Suddenly one day, everything was gone: coffee creamer, sweeteners, salt, pepper, ketchup (catsup if you insist), mayonnaise, and mustard.

The cafeteria said that customers could still have these items

but would have to specifically ask for them. Some of the “less sophisticated” (patronizingly read “old” or “rural”) customers seemed to be totally bewildered by this.

 

The hospital cafeteria is a contract service with a commercial restaurant chain which seems to have lost sight of the traditional service provider-customer relationship. Until recently, even though the cafeteria long ago quit washing dishes and began using only plastic plates and utensils, they still seemed to realize that the strict bottom line was ranked lower than providing quality customer service. Condiments, spices, sauces, and other items were understood to be included in the price of the food items being sold.

Yes, I saw some people abusing their customer rights and stuffing things like ketchup packages and napkins into their purses and pockets, but petty theft by an unscrupulous few isn’t enough justification to punish the many who play by the rules.

The only reason the cafeteria doesn’t suffer a customer backlash is that the client base is transient and, at the same time, captive. The choices are leave the hospital to get food, order from a delivery service, eat in the the cafeteria, or resort to the cracker and peanut machines.

At least plastic plates and cutlery are still provided. It would be really messy to eat spaghetti with your fingers.     

Biblical Sources of Common English Language Phrases: In Your Mind’s Eye

 

 

 

I am one of the 1% to 4% of the world’s population who experience aphantasia, the complete inability to voluntarily visualize mental images. We cannot see a cat or our child’s face in our mind’s eye. We see only a blank mental screen. We do know what a cat looks like. Most people with the condition do not even realize that they have it. I was in my 70’s before I became aware of my condition.

 

Aphantasia is a condition of neurodivergence but is not considered to be a disability or disease. The condition can be congenital (from birth) or acquired after a brain injury.

 

While the condition is not normative, it does not interfere with normal activities, even the production of artworks. Persons with aphantasia may exhibit enhanced verbal skills, conceptual thought, and an enhanced and very accurate spatial memory.

 

The phrase, in my mind’s eye, sounds like it could be from the Bible, but it is not. Ephesians 1:18 speaks of the eyes of your heart and Matthew 6:22 speaks of your focused inner eye. These seem to be speaking of spiritual discernment and not of visualizing mental images.

 

The first known appearance of the phrase in the English language is seen from Geoffrey Chaucer in 1390 as the eyen of his mynde. Not until 1577 does it appear as mind’s eye. By 1620, the phrase was in common use as is shown when William Shakespeare used it in his play, Hamlet.

The Greatest Song Ever Written

 

     Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney says that the greatest song ever written is God Only Knows by Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. This is indeed a beautiful and masterfully orchestrated piece of music and echoes the tragically sad life story of Brian Wilson.

     Some, however would insist that the song is only one of many claimants to the title. They would include the works of Richard Carpenter, Wolfgang Mozart, Frank Zappa, John Williams, Ennio Morricone, Dominico Scarlatti, Michael Oldfield, and many others.

     I am not an expert in musical theory or musical history, but I would suggest another song. It is a very simple song which has appeared in countless versions over the years.

     Amazing Grace (1772) was written by a man who for many years was a slave trader, responsible for destroying the live of hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of people. If anyone ever knew about guilt, regret, repentance, and forgiveness it was John Newton. After his conversion experience, he became an Anglican clergyman.

     Newton wrote the words to Amazing Grace. The music, which comes from a traditional folk tune, was paired with the poem in 1855 by an American composer named William Walker.

The most well-known performance of the song is by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. I am of Anglo-Norman and Scottish ancestry and this one always makes my eyes tear up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8AeV8Jbx6M

My own personal favorite performance is a far-less known one by The Silver Thistle Pipes and Drums. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpPHH7wQz_M

Welcome, Eswatini!

 Sawubona! 7 Kholwane, Mashi, 2026.

Sanibonani maSiswatini! Siyakwamukela ecenjini lemhlaba wonkhe lebafundzi labavela emaveni lamanyenti nabo labavakashela le-blog.  Ngiyatsemba kutsi utfola letinye taletintfo letibhalwe phansi tilusito noma tinenchazelo. Tjela bangani bakho ngale blog. Wonkhe umuntfu wemukelekile.

Kusukela mhla tinge-7 Indlovana, sekube nekubukwa kwemakhasi langu-1,270,802 ale-blog. Inani letintfo letibhalwe phansi nyalo ngu 1865. Letintfo letibhalwe phansi tingaseshwa ngekusebentisa umsebenti we Search This Blog. Luhla lwetinhlavu tetinhlavugama lwetihloko leticocwa ngato kule-blog lusephansi kakhulu ekhasini le-blog ngaphansi kwemaLebuli futsi lukhombisa linani letintfo letibhalwe ngalesihloko lokukhulunywa ngaso. Lithuluzi lelitsi Humusha Lelikhasi lingetfula le-blog ngetilwimi letinyenti.

Sigaba se-Labels lesingephansi kwelikhasi siyasita ekufuneni bonkhe Bangcwele kuma-blog posts e-Loose lakhuluma ngesihloko lesitsite. Tifundvo letinyenti tishiwo kule blog. Konkhe, ngendlela letsite, kuhambisana netinjongo tale-blog. Sesha noma nguliphi ligama lelikutsandzako. Kukhona emakhulu emalebuli ngetihloko letehlukahlukene letifaka ekhatsi umusa, kungcweliswa, kuphawula kwemafilimu, kudla, kwesaba, umlingo, kuvubukulwa, i-Star Trek, kungcweliswa, ingati, Pee-Wee Herman, eSpain, kuhlambalata, Inkhanyeti yaseBhetlehema, imfundziso, emahlaya, kushayela lokuphazamisekile, ekklesia, kanye ne-Arianism.

            Le blog ibukwe lokungenani emaveni lalikhulu nemashumi lasihlanu nakubili .

Subjects in the Labels List Which Begin with the Letters cla to col

This blog is ακωλυτως, unhindered. (Acts 28:31) Any subject is fair game. Below is a listing of the LABELS which begin with the letters cla to col. All can be searched from the list which follows the last posted article on this page or by typing them into the SEARCH button at the top of the page. Most will call up multiple postings in which they appear.

clan, classical music, Claudius, cleansing, cleft palate, Clemson University, Cleopatra, clergy, clerical ostentation, clip art, cliques, cloning, clothing, Clotilde, clotting, Clovis, clowns, Clyde T. Francisco, CNN, Cochabamba, cod roe, coffin, Coffin Joe, coincidence, coincidences, Coins, collection plate, college, college football, college football national championship, college sports, Colombia, color, color blindness, Colorado, Colossians.

The Holy Goalie

 

Álisson Ramsés Becker. born 2 October 1992, is a Brazilian professional footballer ("soccer player" for Americans). He plays his professional football for Liverpool in the English Premier League. Professionally, he is known as Alisson. On 18 May 2026, he was selected to be on Brazil's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Because of his German ancestry, Alisson was nicknamed "The German" while playing for Roma in Italy. He speaks Portuguese, Italian, Spanish and English.

Alisson and his wife, Natália, have been WHO advocates for pro-active care of mental health.

Alisson is mentioned in this blog because he is an outspoken Pentecostal Christian known to hold baptisms in his swimming pool. One teammate nicknamed Becker "The Holy Goalie" due to his outspoken faith.

With so many athletes being known for drugs, domestic abuse, out of control tempers, personal arrogance, questionable financial dealings, and any number of other negatives, it is to be praised that Alisson chooses to publicly serve the Lord.

(This is an English language humorous word play. It may not translate well into other languages. "The Holy Goalie" is an alliterative word play on "the Holy Ghost" or "the Holy Spirit.")

Science in Antiquity

 Many modern people have a very limited view of history. They can only see or think about five or ten years into the past. They see history as boring and they think of the ancients as ignorant and backward. This was actually not true. What the ancients lacked was the modern accumulation of facts. An ancient Israelite would have been very puzzled and culture-shocked to have been dumped into the modern world, but he or she could have eventually learned to drive a car or to cook on a stove or to use a cellphone.

The ancients were just as intelligent as we are but the accumulation of scientific facts had not yet reached a critical point. Human knowledge took centuries to double, fact by fact. As knowledge accumulated, the rate of accumulation began to speed up. Every answer exposes a new question. Buckminster Fuller spoke of the Knowledge Doubling Curve which was relatively flat for centuries, then began a slow climb, and then went into an explosive upward thrust.

By the end of the 19^th Century, knowledge was doubling once per century. By about 1945, the rate of doubling was about every 25 years. By 1982, the rate was about every 12-13 months. By 2020, the doubling was occurring about every 12 hours. With at least 50,000,000,000 devices now operating and with the rise of artificial intelligence, the rate may now be in minutes.

2296 BC/BCE: Chinese scholars make the first known observation of a comet.

Ca 2600 BC/BCE: 1. Imhotep (fl ca 2980-2950 BC/BCE, WBD), an Egyptian physician, discusses the diagnosis and treatment of about 200 diseases. He was a specialist in medicine and priestly magic.

            2. An Egyptian scribe, Hesy-Re, is described in tomb inscriptions as “…the greatest of those who deal with teeth, and of physicians.”

Ca 2700 BC/BCE: 1. Land surveying appears in Egypt.

              2. In Egypt, the first written mention of dentists.

              3. Chinese scholars list 365 plants.

fl ca 2980-2950 BC/BCE: Imhotep, an Egyptian physician, discusses the diagnosis and treatment of about 200 diseases. He was a specialist in medicine and priestly magic.

Ca 3000 BC/BCE:The first historical mention of cancer occurs in Egypt. Breast tumors and ulcers are cauterized with a “fire drill.”

Ca 4000 BC: In the Upper Great Lakes area (USA), copper metallurgy is practiced.

Ca 5000 BC: Bolas are used as hunting weapons in Uruguay.

Ca 6500 BC: Early surgery (trepanation: the drilling of holes in the skull to relieve pressure) is practiced in France.