First of all, what is a cult? A cult is a system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object. The term has taken on a more negative connotation over the last 50 years. Today many people think of cults as a religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader. Groups like the Manson Family, the Peoples Temple, the Branch Davidians, and Heaven's Gate would fit into this second definition.

Keeping in mind the negative definition, let's consider the reasons people fall for these extremist groups.

In some of my blog posts, I have argued that things are not always as bad as some try to make it seem. I want to now offer some support for the negative side of things. In November, the United States government announced that over 100,000 Americans died of drug overdoses between April 2020 and April 2021. That is the first time U.S. drug overdose deaths have crossed the 6-figure threshold in any 12 month period.

Partly to blame for this increase is the use of the synthetic opioid fentanyl. Fentanyl is much more powerful than morphine and heroin, which are potent opioids. In fact, over 64,000 of the 100,000 deaths were due to fentanyl. Fentanyl is being added to other drugs like cocaine and counterfeit pills, killing people who ingest it unknowingly.

A recent Washington Post-Ipsos poll found that 54 percent of teens ages 14 to 18 said "living a religious life" is very important to them, compared to 95 percent who thought free time and 93 percent who thought career success was more important. These numbers point out the fact our younger generations are not prioritizing religion as being important.

More dramatically, a 2018 Pew Research poll found 65 percent of Americans ages 18 to 29 believed in at least one of four beliefs that Pew called "New Age." These beliefs included the power of psychics, astrology, and spiritual energy being in physical things.

I just wanted to write this blog to remind everyone in the United States about how lucky we are to live in this country. Especially at this time of our Thanksgiving holiday, we need to remind ourselves of how fortunate we are. Sure, we are going through issues right now on mandates and vaccines. There is disagreement and division in the country over it. But we are debating these issues in the courts, and everyone's perspective can still be heard. We also get the right to vote if we choose to and to determine who will make these types of decisions.

Is it possible for a Christian to be perfect in our flesh and blood bodies? Believe it or not, I have run into this idea a few times in my life. Once was in college when a street preacher was suggesting this in a public area on campus. I heard it again from a Seventh-Day Adventist who used to visit my church in Maryland. I have even heard it brought up by Church of God folks.

Because of this, I decided to write this blog. At first glance, you may wonder why anyone would think they could be perfect in this life since Jesus Christ had to die to purge us of our sins. If we can become perfect on our own, why would we need Jesus?

On October 9, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1084, which will force large stores to have non-gendered toy sections beginning in 2024. The stores will still have boys' and girls' sections. Still, the new law will have stores provide "a reasonable selection of toys and items in a "gender-neutral section…regardless of whether they have been traditionally marketed for either girls or boys."

California Assemblyman Evan Low stated, "Traditionally, children's toys and products have been categorized by a child's gender. In retail, this has led to the proliferation of [science, technology, engineering, and mathematics]-geared toys in a 'boys' section and toys that direct girls to pursuits such as caring for a baby, fashion, and domestic life."

French foreign minister Jean Yves Le Drian has accused the United States (US) President Joe Biden of acting like Donald Trump after France was pushed aside when the US, United Kingdom (UK), and Australia announced a partnership for the Indo-Pacific that will lead to Australia purchasing US nuclear-powered submarines.

The partnership by the US, UK, and Australia is attempting to counter China's emerging Navy in the Indian and Pacific oceans. The last time the US ever engaged in a technology transfer like this was from 1958 to 1962, when it agreed to exchange nuclear capabilities with the UK in an effort to deter the Soviet Union from nuclear action as part of the US–UK Mutual Defense Agreement, which is still in effect.

In early September, the Supreme Court allowed a Texas statute to remain in effect before lower courts battle to see if it is constitutional. The statute prohibits most abortions in Texas after six weeks of pregnancy. The Court voted 5-to-4 to allow the statute for now.

The statute also empowers private citizens, not state officials, to enforce the ban on abortions after six weeks. This innovation helped the statute stay viable and not be struck down. Other states have been unsuccessful in doing what Texas has done because they lacked this innovation.

We are all aware of the dangers of traumatic events. These events—like physical, sexual, or psychological abuse—can impact victims for many years. Research into this field is also addressing how certain trauma can be passed on generationally.

Generational trauma entails maladaptive behaviors and patterns passed down from parents to children. Let me give you a couple of examples. One would be when a parent has experienced childhood abuse of some sort. Once they have their own children they begin abusing them in the same way they were abused. Children often mirror or replicate what they learned from their parents in so many ways.

As I exited my local grocery store recently I noticed a large truck near my vehicle. As I got closer there were some store employees milling about the vehicles. After putting my groceries in my trunk I realized the driver of the truck had recently imbedded his Ford Silverado into the right front grill of my Toyota Corolla. I had been hit and my car got the raw end of the exchange.

In July I attended a family reunion in Nashville, Tennessee. My cousin’s home was picked because of the centrality of his location to relatives in the east and west. He also has done very well for himself and he has a very large backyard with a huge pool. This reunion was for family members on my father’s side of the family. The last time I saw so many members of my family at an event was a funeral. It was good to see everyone on a more joyous occasion.

You might wonder how a blog on house hunting can get spiritual. Well, please give me some time to explain.

It all began on a Saturday night in June as I decided we should drive all night to get a good head start on our cross-country drive. The destination was California to search for a home. We made it in about 53 hours with one hotel stop somewhere in Oklahoma. We were driving from Maryland. Upon our arrival in California we set out on three consecutive days of house hunting for about eight hours per day. By the end of that first weekend on the trip we put bids in on two houses.

Last summer, the Defense Department issued a news release with the following headline: "Establishment of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF)." The mission of the UAPTF is "to detect, analyze and catalog UAPs that could potentially pose a threat to U.S. national security," according to the Pentagon.

A few months after this, as part of President Trump's spending and pandemic relief package, the Senate Intelligence Committee included a provision calling for the director of national intelligence to help produce an unclassified report on everything government agencies know about Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs), including many unusual sightings reported by military pilots. The report came out in late June 2021.

In early May, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon promised to push ahead with another Scotland independence referendum after her party gained a strong result in Scottish Parliament elections. Sturgeon commented that an independence referendum was the "will of the country" when her Scottish National Party (SNP) and pro-independence allies took a majority of the 129 seats in an early May election.

The SNP wants another try at an independence vote, which it lost in 2014 by 45 to 55 percent. The SNP feels views have changed since the 2016 vote to break with the European Union (E.U.) (Brexit), which 62 percent of Scottish voters opposed. Since 2014, Scotland has voted overwhelmingly against Brexit, 62 percent to 38 percent.