Candlelight Vigil for the Middle East

Peace and love.

I don’t think he knows what he’s talking aboot.

There are far right Christians, Mormons included, who are convinced that Revelation claims wars against Israel will usher in the Second Coming and the Final Battle between the Hosts of Heaven and Lucifer, and thus supporting Israel is the best way to ensure this, even while thinking that following Judaism is a path to the hellfire because not accepting Jesus into their hearts (Mormons don't follow this line of thought, to their credit). The posted Tweet is an accurate depiction; my snark was referring to the actual city of Magog, QC, and not the battle Revelation talks about.
Personally, I think John the Revelator was high as a kite when he wrote Revelation so.

Can I tell you what I believe as a Christian?

If you like, but I'd be very surprised if you fell into the group I described.

I would hope that your experience didn’t turn you off that Jesus is our lord and savior. Even if you don’t believe that, I’d astray there’s still some value in at least exploring his philosophy.

You mean like hanging out with sex workers and those who are shunned by society because they have a medical condition?

No no, John Smith was a con artist and priests are all pedophiles, therefore Jesus is fake. Just like snake oil hustlers are con artists, therefore all medicine is fake. Nancy Pelosi is a millionaire, therefore any claims by the DNC that they fight the wealthy are fake. The problem mustn't in individuals who identify with the thing while falling short of it or deliberately exploiting it, it has to be the thing itself so that I can keep happily riding along in my little handbasket that I've decorated just the way I want it.

No.

This is incredibly unusual…

Iranian media is reporting that the Swiss Ambassador to Iran was summoned so that she could be warned about the consequences of a potential Israeli military strike and US involvement in such a strike.

However, the ambassador was not summoned to the foreign ministry; instead, she was summoned to the IRGC.​

Summoning is a formal diplomatic tool that allows a host country to express a strong objection about a matter to a foreign diplomat.

I don't remember when a foreign diplomat in any country was summoned anywhere else but the host country's foreign ministry, much less the IRGC.​

https://x.com/yashar/status/1780319449494806724

IRGC getting increasingly bold.

I grew up Mormon. I know full well what Christian beliefs are, but my post had nothing to do with what I personally espouse in my worldviews.

This is a popular meme with anti-regime-but-still-supporting-family Iranian Americans at the moment:

Also sent to me from my partner:

Early reports that Israel has hit a nuclear facility in Isfahan (central Iran) and bases of their proxy forces in Syria and Iraq.

Rumors only no video on Farsi Twitter that Tibruz has been hit.

Unconfirmed reports that Israel struck a building in Baghdad where IRGC leaders and their militia proxies were meeting.

This is all Farsi Twitter but might not have been the nuke facility but instead the Artesh (regular military) air base which has some folks pissed as they want Israel to degrade Sepah (IRGC) not conscripts.

And again this is all just Farsi Twitter blowing up but that base would supposedly be where their last flyable F-14s are located. Which even today Russia can’t compete in terms of the quality and range of the radar so Iran uses as AWACS (we literally only sold F-14s to Iran. It was a late Nixon presidency decision.)

If they were targeting F-14s then this could just be phase one to clear the path for a real attack or maybe just making it clear they couldn’t stop the next one.

Y'know, I'm all in favour of America acting as a deterrent to prevent Israel's neighbors from deciding to obliterate it just for the crime of existing, but I'm not a huge fan of Israel feeling entitled to bully it's neighbors just because it trusts America will always defend it from any deserved retaliation.

Just on a personal note the timing couldn’t be worse. I get ~5-8 days a month with my NY partner and we should be boning the fuck out but instead they’re just crying and trying to make sure their family is okay but Musk has destroyed Twitter so much that now they are just laying on my chest yelling about how it is bullshit they have an asshole government and bullshit that we let a manchild destroy an amazing communication service and the whole time my penis is just right there all alone and being ignored.

Iranian State Media is saying that three drones were intercepted over Isfahan.

The government is now allowing flights into Irianian airspace so they at least think it is over.

Looks like it was limited in scope. Let that be the end of it now.

Unfortunately there are rumours that 'the west ' dissuaded Israel from a larger attack only on the grounds that they would now support a full invasion of Rafah.

For those worried the personal situation has resolved itself it in a very much positive international exchange.

(That’s a euphemism for my pastey ass whitey McWhiterson snipped self busting a nut all up in some Azeri-Tehrani pussy.)

I am relieved that you are ... relieved.

Wonderfully descriptive too - reads like a Literotica synopsis.