Most people think Rome persecuted early Christians because Rome hated religion. That's not really what was going on. Rome had room for religion. Rome was drowning in gods. Temples, shrines, festivals, sacrifices, household idols. The issue was not that Christians had beliefs. The issue was allegiance. Rome could tolerate private faith. What it could not tolerate for long was a public people whose highest loyalty did not belong to the state. Now, to feel why that mattered, you have to picture how Rome held the crowd together. They used a rhythm. A system. Keep people fed, and not just fed, but fed for free. Grain distributions meant survival was tied to the system. Life stayed smoother if you stayed compliant. It quieted unrest without needing soldiers on every corner. Then keep people entertained. Games, festivals, spectacle. Loud enough to drown out reflection. Then keep desire active. Always something to crave next. Status, pleasure, comfort, approval. Keep people chasing. Keep them busy. Busy people do not ask big questions. And wrap all of it in ritual so participation feels normal, not forced. Altars. Processions. Public sacrifices. Honor the emperor. Not because everyone believed deeply, but because participation was the signal. It told the empire, I belong. I'm safe. I'm one of us. That's how you manage millions. Not by persuading every individual, but by shaping the crowd. Then Christ broke the rhythm. The gospel did not just give people new opinions. It moved the center. It rewired loyalty. And once loyalty shifts, it shows up in public. It changes what you do. What you refuse. What you will not say just to keep life easy. Because Rome's religion was not just spiritual. It was an economy. Temples moved money. Festivals moved commerce. Idols had supply chains. Craftsmen made statues. Vendors sold offerings. Trade groups often had ritual meals and offerings tied to the gods, and participation could affect your reputation and your ability to work. So when Christians stopped bowing, they also stopped buying.

i have to start somewhere, so here goes... On the topic of Truth tellers, i'm interested to hear where others spend their time gathering information. While i understand this is topical and subjective, i've noticed a trend i'm experiencing that i abandon a source i trusted when they step across my lines. i spent an hour a day watching The Bongino show for years during Russiagate, but quit when he stopped Ukraine coverage. it seemed to me he was avoiding the topic of the massive money laundering in favor of lesser importance stories. you see where he is now? I use Viva Frei for legal analysis, but crickets from him on the Tyler Robinson Gag order? red flags for my "pro Israel" radar. "cat up a tree" coverage is overt avoidance. My 23 y/o son says he watches Fuentes, who i had audited and understood the 'shock jock' aspect coupled with the appeal of taboo topics. disproportional Black crime, Racism is natural, etc. i told my son "they" would "get to" Fuentes and he would sell out, after my experience with Trump's reversal on campaign promises. and now Nick's acceptance of the Tyler shooter narrative on Crowder has many convinced. (i've only watched 1/4 of his 2 hour interview on Piers Morgan) Tucker was amazing in his interview with Qatar’s Prime Minister. consistent values on display. i'm also using maybe 3 or 5 channels for the TPUSA questions being asked. I'm more political than Religion focused, but look for any references as a springboard to Scripture. i have to say, after 8 years on a "conservative bubble" politics forum, i had to walk away when faced with lockstep Zionism there. two admin announced criticism of Israel was "chumming" and bannable. echos of Pam Bondi censoring? and literal posts in a "RIP Charlie Kirk" thread stating 'Second amendment comes BEFORE the first'. epitome of a dog whistle, by multiple members. To which i learned: Titus 3:9-15 https://becomingcloser.org/titus_long/never_teach_a_pig_to_sing.html

I’m sure many of you know the answer already - Jesus. But I was pondering that tonight and I was hit by the sheer magnanimity of that statement. Life is hard. Complicated. And wrought with challenge after challenge. Possibly hundreds of choices everyday, leading to infinite outcomes. That is a TERRIFYING thought without Him. (Pause and really ponder your life for a moment…) I am overwhelmed thinking about not having Jesus to follow. 😭 Think of all the people without the sure ability to follow Him without fear, knowing how good He is? How safe He is? How sure and faithful and loving and saving He is. That no matter how many times I mess up, He will always right me. 😮‍💨 Without finding fault or getting angry or condemning me. And without ever leaving me alone to fend for myself - either physically or emotionally. Life is difficult with Him. It’s impossible… doesn’t even exist truly without Him, that’s just living Hell. Anyways, I was hit with the vastness of this seemingly simple thought and wanted to share it. I also cannot imagine how many people tonight do not have that hope, and even more with all the heavy things going on right now. And we are covered in the hope and peace of Jesus that comes not from this world - but only directly from being in Him and loved by Him.

Hey everyone I logged into my X account earlier and my feed is just full of these latest file dumps and there are some shocking and horrific things in it. It seems like power structures across the entire planet, from the very top echelons right down even to local councils are infested by people who are utterly depraved. The initial shock of seeing some of these awful files has me questioning how we can live normal, good and honest lives when we are surrounded by all this evil. Then it occurred to me that I pray almost daily for discernment and now it makes me wonder, are these latest files deliberately dropped now for some reason? Why now and not months ago? Are they to distract us from something else going on? It's such a confusing time where I am questioning everything and trusting in very little. Has anyone else been diving into this latest scandal? What's your thoughts on it?

Hi everyone I thought I would upload these photos of the Northern Lights taken by my friend the other night, she lives about 30 mins from me. I had never seen them before because of the light pollution where I live but even with the light pollution, it was so vivid even I could see it. I stood in my back garden in the freezing cold and watched them for ages. In a previous post I asked how God speaks to you and I realised the other night that nature is when I feel him, he doesn't speak to me as such but I feel him and that is good enough for me. I thank him every day for the environment he has created for us. He is the ultimate artist.