The Children's return to class on the Blue Mountains was Tuesday, 28th January, 2020 when they prayed for rain, because of the choking smoke and fires. Katoomba received 701mm during the month of February and it was highest for February total since 1956. It was also the Katoomba's fourth highest monthly total on record for any time of the year. There was no manipulation of the children it was their initiative. Being in tune with the creation is important. Tony there was no prospect of rain promised by the Climate News activists, whom they were hearing on the news as fires were reported.

//The Children's return to class on the Blue Mountains was Tuesday, 28th January, 2020 when they prayed for rain, because of the choking smoke and fires. Katoomba received 701mm during the month of February and it was highest for February total since 1956. It was also the Katoomba's fourth highest monthly total on record for any time of the year.//

Sorry, my mistake. I assumed since you specifically quoted the article dated March 16, you were referring to the rain on that day - and it was very wet that day. Although it was wetter back in February; work was flooded out for a few days. Once again, this rain was forecast a few days out: big rain events like that are bloody hard not to see coming.

//Tony there was no prospect of rain promised by the Climate News activists//

Right, and what about the prospect of rain promised by the weather forecast? You know, this sort of thing:

http://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/forecasts/newcastle.shtml
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gs58kIWyrA

Where they tell you what the weather is doing for next few days. And don't mention climate change at all. Because it isn't in any way relevant, so I don't know why you keep trying to drag it into the discussion. Do you think I'm incapable of recognising an obvious red herring?

Dear Josephus,

Good on the kids in Katoomba. Pity the prayers of the kids in Bourke and Dubbo were not answered in the same fashion but perhaps they weren't as worthy. Who know the mysterious ways of the Lord.

To Toni.

I've had conversations that I've shared my testimony. From what I've seen of those conversations though is at least one person who wants to prove me wrong on experiences I've seen first hand, while they didn't. From those long and exhausting conversations, what I've learned is that nothing I say will matter in the conversation from that point on. I can say how their explanations are don't fit the situations they are trying to rationalize away, and they can say right back, "prove it." "If I'm wrong, then prove it." Or the conversation can go to a worse turn and I don't have to defend my experience but I have to defend myself. Either I am called a lier, or I have to defend my ability to have rational and sane observations. Crazy may or may not be used at this time, but a lapse of judgement, a trick of the brain, or a mental illness are the common hurdles to jump over and jump through. Enough that I have to prove my own ability to know the world around me, and to speak truthfully.

This isn't about hearing criticisms. I've heard them. They don't fit the situations. This is about finding a practical approach to my testimony whenever it would come up. That approach is that they can look for God also. If I can find Him then so can they. This takes away from the very insulting conversation that would follow of trying to prove me as a lier or dumber then a box of rocks.

If you don't believe me, or want to find out if what I say has any value to it, then look for God on your own. That saves both me and the other person time and can actually give results or at least resolve the issue. It's a practical solution. Meanwhile, if what I say is true, then it can be looked at for any gems for finding God, or for hope and inspiration on the quest of finding God.

(Continued)

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As for praying to Thor. If you believe in Thor, then it is not ridicule. If you don't believe in Thor, then praying to him as a comparison to praying to God, is ridicule. You can use a Hindu god instead if you like, but the same rule applies. If you don't believe in them, you use it as a means to counter prayers of those who do believe in God. Then that is also ridicule.

My examples were not examples of the type of prayers you used when you joke only said you prayed for rain. There are prayers that are answered that do not fit with your views of the results of praying. The children praying for rain do fit your explanation, but they also fit mine as well. That God does answer prayers. After all if He can answer prayers in a way that is undoubtedly from God, He can also answer them by just making it rain and not have to flaunt His power. There was a prayer, and the prayer was answered. It's possible that God is responsible for this, especially when God is real anyways.

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Dear Not_Now.Soon,

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Thank you for those details of the social and religious influences that determined your world-view.

I hope your family has now settled into Australia and managed to adapt to the “Australian way of life” and become accepted. It’s no easy task and can take a very long time, several generations.

Happily, the “White Australia Policy” that came into force with federation in 1901 began to be progressively dismantled after the second world war (as from 1949), was finalised with the passing of the Racial Discrimination Act in 1975.

Racism was legal in Australia for three-quarters of a century. And, in fact, our Constitution, which is the supreme law of the nation, still contains two racial sections that continue to remain in force :

• Section 51(xxvi), commonly called "the race power", is the subsection of Section 51 of the Constitution of Australia granting the Australian Commonwealth the power to make special laws for people of any race.

• Section 25 is a provision of the Constitution of Australia headed "Provision as to races disqualified from voting’. It states that ‘For the purposes of the last section, if by the law of any State all persons of any race are disqualified from voting at elections for the more numerous House of the Parliament of the State, then, in reckoning the number of the people of the State or of the Commonwealth, persons of that race resident in that State shall not be counted."

Prior to 1975, life was not easy for people (particularly “non-white” people) immigrating to Australia. Though racism was gradually diminishing, it was not until 1975 with the influx of non-European migration in large numbers that mentalities began to change significantly. Today, we are a country that is defined, in part, by our diverse multicultural nature and character.

So much for the social influences.

The motor for religious influence, of course, is inheritance. We inherit our beliefs. Islam will, inevitably, dethrone Christianity and become the world’s leading religion by 2050. Muslims have slightly higher fertility rates than Christians and death rates about 20% lower.

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