@Lookout
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in various ways. Cool enough this AM to start a fire. Trying to thaw
my fingers. There is no more normal weather here. It varies wildly from
year to year and season to season. Cold in the winter and hot in the summer
is about the only consistency.

Enjoy your day in the holler.

I liked your art quotes and sculpture.

It's been cool mornings and nice 70F days. However, we've gone 18 days without rain. Oct. is typically our driest month. Fortunately, they a calling for rain in early Nov. We need it.

Glad you got your 'puter working. Thanks for the OT!

@soryang
.
which you describe is the threat of church tax exemption status here. If
churches pass over the political/exempt status blurred line there can be
legal consequences. It has happened here where even mega churches lost
their tax exempt status by advocating for some political agenda. It is
somewhere written in the constitution or bill of rights. But enforcing laws
are another matter altogether.

Smoke alarms are the bane of my existence. The spouse insists on them, but I
disable them as they are more trouble than worth. It is just another insurance
scam AFAIK.

Doesn't surprise me though. I had read about and commented on Korean cults, particularly those in South Korea a few times: the Unification Church aka the Moonies. Moon's widow is currently in prison for violating South Korean election laws. Her appeal is still pending. US supporters cry "But Freedom of Religion!" The Church lost its classification as a religion in Japan due to massive political corruption concerning the current and longstanding ruling LDP party. Abe's assassin was a victim of Unification Church fraud. Another far right wing cult is Sarang Jae il Church led by Christian street demagogue Jeon Gwang-hun. Big Yoon supporter, accused and acquitted of deliberately spreading Covid in spite of court ordered bail conditions, having inappropriate relations with female followers, etc. He wants to be a presidential candidate, himself.

The New Heaven and Earth cult, a "Christian" group, is a Unification Church look alike. Also called Sincheonji, new heaven and Earth, one of it's evangelical enclaves continued to gather for services in both Wuhan China, and the Daegu area in South Korea, after the covid outbreak. They brought the virus to South Korea before the borders were closed. They continued to gather for worship services after time and manner restrictions were imposed on assemblies, and failed to report church member contacts and those infected with covid to the Ministry of Health. In fact, they encouraged their followers not to do so.

Lee was previously convicted in January 2021 for embezzling 5.6 billion won and obstructing public affairs. He received a three-year prison sentence that was suspended with a four-year probation period

Concerning pretrial detention on other matters like campaign law violations he was released for health reasons. He's quite old. He was found not guilty of infectious disease law violations.

Then there is the thesis that North Korea is little more than a Christian cult look alike based on Kim Il Seung's family background. His parents were devout Christians, among those converted during the spread of Christianity widely in Pyongyang by western missionaries. The thesis posits that "Koreans are more susceptible to cults than others." I don't really accept the premise. Koreans are imbued with Confucian values, and place a lot of value on ceremony, social obligations and community, at least traditionally. I think you could argue that North Korean government and social organization is based more on communist ideology, and models furnished by Japanese imperialism, and the old Chosun and Chinese court traditions. I don't think Koreans are any more susceptible than anyone else to cults. The Kim family is regarded as a royal blood line, the Baiktusan blood line, related to Korean ancient mythology, this is similar to Japan's view of its emperor. The Moonies after garbed themselves in royal attire, much like the Pope.

The crown on the suspect who attempted the assassination of Lee Jae-myung, suggested a Sincheonji connection, as well as a meeting with a Sincheonji follower shortly before the attempt.

The fire detectors in my new home started malfunctioning late last night, couldn't stop it. Couldn't sleep much due to the noises. Waiting for a talented family member to arrive and help. I'm completely dysfunctional at this point. This is the third battery related breakdown causing troubles for us in three weeks.

Thanx for the OT Q!