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Have we badly misunderstood the Bible’s relevance for today?

Letters to the editor

Kimball Shinkoskey Woods Cross Experts in the religious world believe the Ten Commandments are a moral code intended to guide the private lives of both Jewish and Christian believers. Have the experts ever been wrong before? Hmm . . . experts for a long time were certain that the earth was flat. Turns out, modern scholars have noted that the commandments exist in the form of an ancient international treaty document. This is a huge signal that the document is a treaty negotiated between two or more separate and independent political entities, like the very proud twelve individual ...

Artificial intelligence: A modern Tower of Babel?

Columns

On May 25, Pope Leo XIV released his first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence.” This pastoral letter has been much anticipated by the Catholic Church, and immediate news headlines expressed intrigue that the pope addressed the moral dilemma of AI and compared it to the story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis. He also discussed Nehemiah, the cupbearer to Persian King Artaxerxes I during the 5th century B.C. In a detailed breakdown of the pope’s central points in “Magnifica Humanitas,” Our Sunday Visitor ...

Figuring out the cause and cure for a case of restless legs

Columns

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an active senior and have started to feel symptoms of restless legs syndrome (RLS). I’m wondering how and why this started. In the evenings, I use an athletic foam roller, drink water, and take magnesium supplements. I’d like to hear how to remedy this so that I can get some much-needed sleep. — J.L. ANSWER: We don’t understand exactly why people get RLS. One common finding is low iron stores, so you should have this tested by your regular doctor. If your iron is low, it should be supplemented, but your doctor should also find out the cause of why it’s ...

Mt. Carmel Twp.’s Data Center: Lessons for other communities

Letters to the editor

Tim Mannello Williamsport Communities throughout Pennsylvania worried about becoming a site for an AI data center can learn from Mount Carmel Township, where residents faced rapid proposals, limited information, and major environmental questions—showing how early awareness and strong local engagement can shape better outcomes. Many residents of Mount Carmel Township have been led to believe they have little power to oppose large data centers. Citing Pennsylvania’s newly passed House Bill 2151, which sets statewide standards, some developers claim local governments can no ...

Dear Annie: How to support a partner healing from trauma

Columns

Dear Annie: My soon-to-be fiancee has had an incredibly hard year. She had ankle surgery and a difficult recovery. She worked hard to get her mental health back on track. She gave up drinking for me. She also went through serious family drama after being kicked out of her aunt’s house, and she had to sue to get out of the situation. She won. For most of her life, her family had a lot of control over her. After more than 50 years, she finally stood up for herself and told them how she felt. I am so proud of her. Right now, I feel like her biggest cheerleader. We have known each ...

Lie at heart of Trump’s slush fund

Columns

The Orwellian ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ Trump has created — the legal equivalent of twirling the combination lock on Fort Knox and driving off with gold bars — purports to be righting a wrong. The bogus (and badly written) “settlement agreement,” which is laughable as there was no true lawsuit, claims to be compensating those who were victims of the “sustained use of the levers of government power by Democrat elected officials.” It goes on like that, accusing Democrats of “lawfare” and “weaponization.” Even more than usual with Trump, this foul fund represents a ...