Just wanted to point out that I added a bit of an edit I think probably right as you were writing this, because I felt my post came off as really snippy. ;) Goodnight to you too. :)

Except we've talked about two significant ways they've changed historically already, and we could keep going (and the abortion stuff happened a lot more recently than the Council of Nicea, which is why that was the one I went with). And there are scriptural justifications for other stances than the ones they take,…

Yes, I'm very aware of that. Although saying it was just about property rights is a bit of an oversimplification. There is scriptural justification for it, and there were always orders that did not allow priests to marry. Property rights and inheritance were a large part of the reason that the leadership decided to…

No shit. I pointed that out to show that the Church has changed throughout history and probably will change again. You're the one who is claiming that change is completely impossible.

I don't trust you, because I've done the research. They haven't changed recently, but historically the Church believed in delayed animation and that ensoulment didn't happen until weeks into the pregnancy, rather than at conception which is the current doctine. While all abortion was always seen as a sin in the same…

Your comment seems a little contradictory to me. You say they'll never change, but then you say that what the Pope is saying would not have been allowed 20 years ago. That kind of implies that they have changed, even if it is just a cynical grab at young people.

My question is, does it really matter if it's an act as long as it works? I mean, who cares if he doesn't really think this stuff as long as he's willing to endorse it? Either way it seems to be dragging the church (at a glacial pace, but still...) closer to the 21st century.

Mine does it whenever she wants much of anything, which sounds annoying but she's also really obedient so I can just put her in a down stay or something for 5-10 minutes and she'll chill out and leave me alone. What's really funny is that I'm actually pretty strict with her because she has dog aggression issues and I…

I speak from experience when I tell you that it gets a lot less cute when they grow up and are still doing it.

Haha yeah, that occurred to me right after I posted. I'm a bit tipsy and slow on the uptake. ;)

I've heard of FBI agents being assigned to international cases before. They don't have jurisdiction in a technical sense, but my understanding is that they liaise with law enforcement in the other country and assist in the investigation. But I could be wrong. I just know I've read about the FBI getting involved in…

That's actually pretty common if it's a crime of opportunity or more of a troll rather than a dedicated stalker. They harass like crazy as long as they feel like there won't be consequences, but then when the authorities start to take note and they risk real consequences, they stop (or rather, usually move on to…

I don't know how you're defining "significant systemic changes," but the Great Depression was pretty much what caused the US to develop a social safety net in the first place. That seems pretty significant to me. In addition, it's pretty much responsible for spurring a number of labor reforms and caused a huge spike…

Haha, I never once said it because my parents claimed religious objections to it (which is kind of true in my mom's faith, but it's not like Jehovah's Witnesses or something where they're all against it, a lot of kids in her faith say it). I think it was actually just because they're a couple of old hippies and didn't…

I can tell you one I've told. I had the birth control implant for awhile. A little while after I got it I was talking about aliens with a really gullible friend of mine for some reason, and I told her I'd been abducted by aliens. I made up this whole story about the abduction and said I had proof. I let her feel my…

Where have you seen that they were only shown photos of the officer's injuries and not of hers? I'm just curious, I've read several articles about this case including the Guardian one linked up there and I didn't see any mention of that.

Right on. I figured that's what you probably meant but I've met a surprising amount of people who think you need to feed the amounts on the back of the bag no matter what so I figured I'd mention it. :)

The correct amount per your vet's instructions or per the pet food bag? If it's the latter, most of those overestimate how much your pet will need. Only my working dogs eat the recommended amount, the rest get 1/2-3/4 of it and are in great health.

I do SAR and yeah, they send people home at the threat of inclement weather because if not then you risk tragedies starting to pile up. Usually the trained searchers stay out in the rain (we get called for thunderstorms because of the threat of lightning, blizzard conditions, things like that, but not normal rain),…

There is actually a boy at my church who comes in dresses sometimes, especially on major holidays where he wants to be as pretty as all the girls in their fancy dresses. I'm sure some people care but our minister thinks it's adorable so no one gives him or his family any shit. :)