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January 5, 2006 – In early December, 2005, the Washington Post published an article describing a number of psychiatrists and psychologists who believe that "extreme bias" against other races or homosexuals should be considered a mental illness and added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA).

Posted: 2006-01-04 08:32:25

D.Lim: Belief instead of scientific finding. What is worth a news? Some belief?

The topic/title is misleading, as it hints on all psychiatrists and psychologists deciding on this issue, whereas only some(an unknown number) are thinking that way without any scientific proof or finding.

Should belief against God and Biblical Christians be news?

True Christians have true encountering with God Almighty, who is personally and Love and Righteous.

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He said in his letter: "If gay people made the decision not to think gay, they would not act gay.

"Whatever they are giving their attention to will eventually mould them into its image."

• Joe Roberts 73, and his wife Helen, 68, of Fleetwood, Lancashire

The devout Christians said the council was "pandering" to minority groups and said they felt discriminated against.

D.Lim: Interesting to see that there is no repentance or apology from the council or their inappropriate thinking and action. The police, not finding offence or pressing charge of any kind show that the law has a different understanding to what is appropriate in action of the citizens.

Would it be unfair to say that the council hate the majority, hate Bible Christians(who do not seem to be the majority in the population; being branded extremists by large groups of people[humanists, universalists, atheists, Liberal Christians and Communists]) so much as to brand them sickening name/s, invented name of hatred, and cause them calculated harm and unpleasant experience by calling the police?

Would they not have ill-will against their fellow citizens, hoping that these people they are against in thought and action will be apprehend by the police and indicted?

What wants to be incriminated? Who wants to do to others what they do not want themselves?

\o/

we must stand by faith and be a clear witness of what is true in the face of increasing presure to be silence or to agree with ungodliness... I pray that God will give us fortitude and wisdom -to love the sinner while speaking against the sins- as we are witnesses of Jesus salvation. Amen!

• sister maria g. 24 Dec 2005
• http://www.netministries.org/see/charmin.exe/CM08315

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'Gay weddings' become law in UK – BBC News - Monday, 5 December 2005, 03:20 GMT

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By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent

(Filed: 30/11/2005) – News.Telegraph

A long-awaited Vatican document that bars men with "deep-seated" homosexual tendencies from the priesthood was officially published yesterday in the first major ruling of Pope Benedict XVI's reign.

The document said that practising homosexuals, those with deeply rooted homosexual tendencies or those who supported "gay culture" should be weeded out by bishops and principals of theological colleges.

However, the "instruction" by the Vatican's Congregation for Catholic Education said that candidates who had experienced homosexual leanings during a passing phase could be ordained if they had clearly overcome them for at least three years.

The document does not affect men who are already priests, only those applying to enter the priesthood. It urges Catholics to reject homophobia and to show respect for homosexuals, saying that deep-seated homosexual tendencies were "objectively disordered" and often constituted "a trial" for gay people.

Donald Cozzens, an American priest and author of The Changing Face of the Priesthood, estimates that up to 30 per cent of priests in the UK are homosexual.

Swedish anti-gay pastor acquitted

A new Vatican instruction on banning homosexual men from entering the priesthood won't be officially released until Tuesday, but its leaked contents are being condemned on a wide range of fronts by a wide range of critics.

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Florida News -- Tutu: Support gays in church. The archbishop says the church is investing too much time in the battle against homosexuality. – GOPUSA 14 Nov 2005

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However, Steve Schuh, who's gay and Anglican, expressed disappointment at the global church's move.

"It sends really quite a devastating message to gay and lesbian people ... and to their straight allies, that this is something so impossible to bridge ... that it's worth splitting a church over."

Some Anglican leaders said the controversy is unlikely to have any impact on services, but others fear it may lead people who don't agree with the more liberal Canadian position to leave the church.

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Hutchison said the organization of the worldwide church doesn't give the primates the authority to order anyone out of the consultative council.

The Canadian church, which has 800,000 members, will consider its options at a meeting in May and will likely consent to temporarily withdrawing from the council, he said.

But Hutchison conceded that a permanent schism with the global church, which is made up of 38 national churches and 77 million members, is now a more likely possibility.

"This may simply be delaying what is going to be a negative outcome in the long run."

Several church leaders, particularly from Africa, were outraged when the U.S. church elected the first openly gay Anglican bishop in 2003 in New Hampshire.

The London Daily Telegraph reports:  group of clergy has broken sacramental ties with the diocesan bishop in an unprecedented revolt against his liberal views on homosexuality, The Telegraph has learnt.

In what could be the start of an escalating conflict, at least eight conservative clerics have told the Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Rev John Gladwin, that they will refuse to share Holy Communion with him. They are furious that the bishop and five of his colleagues sent a letter to a national newspaper earlier this week announcing their determined support for liberal Anglicans in North America.

The group could prove the tip of an iceberg because 100 priests in the diocese - more than a fifth of the total -signed a statement in November expressing unease about the liberal drift of the Anglican Church.

One of the group, the Rev John Richardson, said yesterday that he thought that their numbers could swell significantly over the next few weeks.

He said that a number of conservative parishes would not be able to participate in services of confirmation, baptism or communion with Bishop Gladwin.

e have never had a collective group of clergy out of sacramental fellowship with their bishop since the 17th century? said Mr. Richardson, a minister in Henham, Elsenham and Ugley, Essex.

hile this is not the end of the road, it is one of the most serious protests we could make short of leaving the Church.

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Posted by Fr Chuck on February 25, 2005, 6:47 pm, in reply to "Homosexuality"

No real Christian can accept it as proper behavior.

The activity of homosexual behavior is wrong.

It is a sin, and against the will of God. But also we ahve to remember that all sexual sins are against the will of God, adultry, living outside of marriage. We have appeared to attack one sin more than the other sins.

But those that accept Homosexual as a proper life style have adapted the Bible for thier own use and are not relaly following Christ and the bible any longer.

Posted by Rev. Dr. Randall Herr on February 25, 2005, 8:37 pm, in reply to "Re: Homosexuality"

Sister Mary, loved by Christ:

Please do not take this as argumentative, just a comment. First, there is absolutely no recognized scientific evidence that homosexuality is anything except learned behavior. Second, you are absolutely correct that homosexuality is a sin no greater or lesser than any other sin. And, like any sin which one refuses to confess and repent, the path leads to hell. Finally, we do not find the "status" of homosexuality in our heart or in our minds. We find it in God's Holy Word, the Bible.

God Bless,

Pastor Chuck

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Posted by Rev. Dr. Randall Herr on February 25, 2005, 4:58 pm, in reply to "Homosexuality"

What I "think" or what your "think" doesn't amount to a hill of beans. What does God's Word say? That is what is important.

God Bless,

Pastor Chuck

Posted by Ian Sullivan on February 25, 2005, 4:26 pm, in reply to "Homosexuality"

It is a SIN, therefore it can't be "OK".

Posted by Pastor Bill on February 26, 2005, 7:59 am, in reply to "Homosexuality"

If we are to be true to our callings as Ministers in Christ's service then we have to declare it a sin just as He says it is.

Link: 2 Him 4 HIm Ministries

Posted by Bro. Terry on February 26, 2005, 5:27 am, in reply to "Homosexuality"

Tis not a matter of what "I" think, even opinion-wise, tis a matter of what God has declared and made so as per His Word.

Without going into a full-blown discourse on this issue, I will try to minimise this. Quoting from the Amplified Bible:

Now having said that about such people, who apparently think they are really doing "ok" for themselves, verse 22 records the following:

"Claiming to be wise, they became fools (professing to be smart, they made simpletons of themselves)".

And of course verse 23 talks about how they began to worship images, creation, etc.. instead of the one True God, and verses 24 & 25 state: "Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their (own) hearts to sexual impurity, to the dishonouring of their bodies among themselves (abandoning them to the degrading power of sin). Because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen (so be it)".

The following verses go on to say that acts of homosexuality are practised, which in itself is an abomination in the sight of Almighty God. What is interesting to note, well....to me anyway, is the phrase "God gave them up"; as if to say God gave up on these people. No matter what ones beliefs are insofar as 'how' they became a homosexual or lesbian...be it genetics, choice, whatever the excuse, God has said it is an abomination - a sin. All of mans frail reasonings won't stack up to what God has so decreed. For example, I can pray all day to God and seek to justify some sinful lifestyle, and actually hear Him say something like, "yeah...go ahead. You're free to do as you wish". May be an odd answer, true, but remember His Word. Others did a similar thing, and the Word says that "God gave them up". He has His will, and we have ours. We can either walk in ours or walk in His. And sometimes the choices we make, we make because we are so bent on doing it our way..... regardless of what someone else says, including God. Why? Because we have found some sordid way to justify what it is we are doing. And not even God can stop us! And it may perchance be that God finally looks at such a one and says, "yeah...go ahead". Its the wrong thing alright. God has pulled out all the warnings, but we just won't/don't listen. God prefers we not take the course we're on, yet He gives us the opporunity to decide for ourselves.

Yes, yes, ok...ok..I got long winded here! Gee, ...did I say minimise ???? Well, enough said...and I prayerfully hopes this helps!

Its not meant nor designed to sound one-sided, but I have to go with what God says....not with what I think or say! Homosexuality was, is, and will always be what God calls it - a sin!

Posted by Rev.Mark on February 25, 2005, 11:36 pm, in reply to "Homosexuality"

Despite what anyone says,God says it is wrong and a sin and I am not going to argue with God.

Posted by Pastor Walsh on February 25, 2005, 9:45 pm, in reply to "Homosexuality"

I personally feel that if a man or woman chooses to be a homosexual, they should not call themselves Christian. I don't know about Leviticus, but the New Testament refers to Homosexuality as perverse more than once. Not prejudiced, just Biblically sound.

Posted by Fr Chuck on February 26, 2005, 3:35 pm, in reply to "Re: Homosexuality"

No, one can not just forget the Bible,

We do love the person, but not the sin. And a person, who has a natural desire for young boys, may be natural for him, but it is still a sin and morally wrong.

And using the Bible as our guide book, we are not doing the judging, God has already given us the rule book. We are only telling people according to God's word what is correct behavior.

The person who kills, abuses his wife, abuses children, they are all people, and as such we love them, but we have to know and call thier actions sin.

The people who wish to make sinful acts socially acceptable, do so merely from thier own sinful nature, denying what God says, for thier own personal desires.

Forget the Bible, not if you are really a Christian.

Posted by Rev. Dr. Randall Herr on February 26, 2005, 6:15 pm, in reply to "Re: Homosexuality"

Dear sister loved by Christ, Mary:

I think my short, abrupt answer has mislead what I wanted to convey. Homosexuality is a sin according to the Bible. I think that is very clear. But, it is no different in God's eyes than the sins you and I commit every day. But, unconfessed sin, non-repentance for one's sin condemns one to hell.

As to a Christian's reaction and action toward a homosexual, I agree that we should approach them with the love we have for all God's sinful people, which is all people, because "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

This morning I posted on this board my homily which I will deliver tomorrow morning. It's title is "2005 Lent #3 Homily." I encourage you to read it because part of it shows Jesus confronting a sinful woman with her sins without being condemning or judgement. You see, the Law is not only a club, it is also a mirror. Hold that mirror up to a sinner and that sinner can see their error and know its consequences. How they react is up to them. Holding up God's Law does not mean you are judging; it means you are holding up God's Law and nothing more. It doesn't mean you stop being kind, considerate, and loving, but it certainly means that you cannot be supportive of the life-style.

Prior to entering the pulpit ministry I was a college professor, later Dean, teaching Health Care Administration. I had more papers and publication cross my desk on research and investigation than I could reasonably select to read. But, the possibility of a genetic pre-disposition toward homosexuality always caught my attention.

In the 2000/2001 time frame, Purdue University researchers produced a report that indicated a possible link between a certain type of gene and the propensity towards homosexuality. Within six months the same research group reversed their findings. Today, to my knowledge, there is no scientific evidence that homosexuality is caused by anything but learned behavior. But, there is a fairly large and well financed number of homosexual advocate groups that with smoke and mirrors are attempting to show that homosexual behavior is inbreed and therefore natural. But, their data just does not hold up to the examination of scientific investigation.

Mary, I do not know where you are in your faith life and I will make no assumptions. You speak frequently of "love" and "gentleness" and those are certainly two of the hallmarks of the Christian walk. But, so is discernment; that ability to see what is before you and compare it to what God's Holy and Inerrant Word had to say about it and then to speak the truth of God's Word. Do you still love the sinner, but hate the sin? Sure! But, in gentleness and love, you continue to hold up God's Law as a mirror to show the sinner his sin.

God Bless,

Pastor Chuck

Posted by C Delaney RN on February 27, 2005, 6:08 am, in reply to "Re: Homosexuality"

If someone's house is on fire, are you just going to stand there and speak LOVE until they get the picture??? NO! Time is fleeting...repent is the correct word. Do you realize there are "churches" of homosexuals that are heading down the path of self-destruction...simply because someone whitewashed the warnings for them. "Oh, it's okay...you're just a little different."

There is the salvation for the homosexual. My own relative can tell you that! Without a doubt, in his opinion, there is no other way but to warn...he should know...he lead that lifestyle for years before someone saved him from flames.

Posted by C Delaney RN on February 27, 2005, 6:24 am, in reply to "Re: Homosexuality"

Okay...so someone reaches them with the gospel...then what? How do you tell them or show them how their daily lifestyle should reflect a changed person?

In your own words, how would you tell them in what ways their lives should reflect the change within? What truly reflects the change?

As for using the term "Law" to mean "that which was given to Israel" and is often called "Old Testament." The word "Torah" actually means "Instruction" as in "the instruction given as from a parent to a child."

I say go back to 1 Peter 2:21 and read whose life we are to follow. Then go back to Matthew and read about the Life we are to follow.

Scandinavia welcomed same-sex marriage and now they report reduced rates of

heterosexual marriage. – fornow.com February 28, 2005 8:17:07 PM

Apr. 11, 2005. 09:48 AM – T.S.

Nothing in Paul Martin's past as a ship owner can have prepared him for this: the sinking feeling that his government is going down under him. Since the explosive testimony of Groupaction president Jean Brault came to light last Thursday, the Liberals have crashed through the public opinion floor across Canada, Chantal Hébert writes.

By Louisa Lim

BBC News, China

It is only four years since China dropped homosexuality from its list of psychiatric disorders.

Now, gay activists in China are using the internet and other high-tech methods to try to create gay communities.

But even as China's gays come tiptoeing out of the closet, they admit they are fighting an uphill battle.

At a recent meeting in Beijing, a group of woman were discussing gender identity.

This kind of open salon for lesbians is relatively new in China, a product of the internet generation.

"If we didn't have the internet to unite people together, the salons, the bars, the discos could not be there. So the internet is a very, very important thing to lesbian culture," said 23-year-old Sylvia, attending the meeting with her girlfriend.

"You have a brand new way for you to find friends, find girlfriends, and start your new life, because before the internet appeared, everybody thought they were the only person in the world and they couldn't find any other people like themselves," she said.

But gay websites exist in a grey area, with some official interference.

"Some gay websites are closed by the service provider, and sometimes they'll give you other reasons, like not really gay-related, but actually the real reason is the sensitive gay content," said Xiao Xian, a lesbian activist.

"We're still testing the water, like what we can do, what is being allowed. So the government didn't have a clear rule put down on paper. Rather, it's unwritten rules, so you have to test it, you have to see what you can do," she said.

A gay and lesbian film festival attended by more than 100 people was recently held in a small room in a disused factory - a second attempt, after the authorities refused to allow them to hold the event on a university campus.

The films shown were mostly shot on the mainland, but most had never been seen in China before.

One of the films - a bittersweet gay love story between a man and a Martian - was directed by Cui Ze'en, a professor at Beijing Film Academy, who has been forbidden from teaching for 15 years since he came out of the closet.

He believes that the authorities feel as threatened by sexual dissidents as political dissidents.

"They're the same taboo," he said. "Homosexuality represents a different cultural politics. Being gay is a kind of body politics, which is entirely rejected in our system, because in our country, politics is all about being the same. But gay people are different."

At a smoky bar in southern China I caught up with the country's underground gay scene.

As disco lights flashed red, green and blue and music blared, a transvestite on stage strutted his stuff in a red bikini with gold tassels.

One of the performers was 28-year-old Yuan Bing, a slender boy from the country in a white diaphanous dress. He discovered as a child that he liked dressing up in girls' clothes.

He said the audience reaction to his drag act was generally positive, but it could get nasty.

"When we are performing, sometimes customers really react against us. They simply can't bear us and they verbally attack us. We love what we do and we sometimes get angry with this response," he said.

Every person here has their own story of heartbreak and discrimination.

"I don't think I can tell my parents. If other people found out, my parents would lose face," said Yuan Bing.

It is a familiar, sad story for China's sexual dissidents

In his stage persona, Yuan Bing braves public discrimination and official disapproval every day.

Yet in his private life he still hides behind a wall of silence.

May. 25, 2005. 06:51 AM – Toronto Star

Some of us, who don't really give a toss about the same-sex issue one way or the other, can at least appreciate the bewilderment of those who take these things ultra seriously. But if we're going to sanctify intra-gender marriage, however, I think we should also allow, like the French, marriage between the living and the dead, Rosie DiManno writes.

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The British Columbia Court of Appeal has upheld the suspension of school

teacher and counselor, Chris Kempling because of his "conduct unbecoming of

a teacher." The case began in 2002 after Kempling, on his own time, wrote

letters to the local Quesnell newspaper which the B.C. College of Teachers

deemed to be discriminatory against gays and lesbians. He has been handed a

three-month suspension. He is also serving a suspension for a letter

objecting to Bill C-38, the Canadian government's same-sex marriage bill

which is presently before parliament. Kempling has stated that he has

applied to return to the school district in September, but in a different

capacity.

In a press release following the court decision on June 13, Janet Epp

Buckingham, director of law and public policy for the Evangelical Fellowship

of Canada, said, "The court says, in effect, that teachers must stay silent

on controversial subjects or risk disciplinary action by their professional

association." – VOM 22-6-05

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In a letter earlier this month, C. Henfrey, a manager at the Co-op told Christian

Voice: "Following a review of the activities of Christian Voice, we wish to give you

notice that we require you to close your account with the Co-operative Bank plc. It

has come to our attention that Christian Voice is engaged in discriminatory

pronouncements, based on the grounds of sexual orientation. This public stance is

incompatible with the position of the Co-operative Bank, which publicly supports

diversity, in all its forms, for our staff, customers and other stakeholders." The

letter went on to give Christian Voice 30 days to get their account out of the

Co-op. The action comes days after Christian Voice applied through the Co-op to HSBC

for the facility to accept donations on-line.

Stephen Green retorted: "Of course we make 'discriminatory pronouncements on grounds

of sexual orientation'. We have been criticising homosexual rights ever since we

started eleven years ago. Standing up for righteousness is what we do.

www.christianvoice.org.uk In fact you could say there are dozens of such

pronouncements in my own book "The Sexual Dead-End", which was published in 1992. It

is a conviction of our Christian faith that homosexual activity is sinful, in fact

that it is an abomination in the eyes of God. It is also a conviction of ours that

the Lord Jesus shed His precious blood to forgive the sins of all who put their

trust in Him, including sexually-active homosexuals.

"We told the Co-op bank when we switched to them three years ago that we were a

voice for Biblical values and that we promote traditional family life. They raised

no problem with that at all, and at no time did they tell us about their militant

pro-homosexuality. Even today, on ther website, they keep that very quiet.

www.co-operativebank.co.uk Only in the staff recruitment section is there any word

about 'diversity' and the words 'in all its forms' or "sexual orientation" are

nowhere to be seen. All the questions on the ethical questionaire we had to complete

were to do with whether we traded in arms or chemicals or had dealings with

oppresive regimes. We quite truthfully said we did not, and we reckon the

Co-operative Bank are in breach of contract - not that we would want to continue

with such a discriminatory, anti-Christian outfit anyway."

Paul Monaghan, 'Head of Sustainable Development' at the Co-operative Bank, rang

Stephen Green to tell him that anyone who regarded homosexual acts as sinful had no

place banking with the Co-op at all. "You must have slipped through the net," he

said, "Your website is full of blatant homophobia." Mr Monaghan went on: "The

Co-operative Bank has no problem with gay people at all. We have been actively

present at the Manchester Gay Pride march and Cardiff Mardi Gras and want to be

present at every gay event." The Co-op was "not a natural port of call" for those

who took a Biblical view of homosexuality, he said.

Stephen Green said, "The Co-op centre all their banking policies around the 1948

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which does not mention 'diversity' or sexual

orientation once. But it does say this, in Article 18: 'Everyone has the right to

freedom of thought, conscience and religion' and in Article 16(3) 'The family is the

natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by

society and the State' http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html

"The Co-op bank, for all its fine words, is discriminating against us on the grounds

of conscience and religion, something which the UDHR specifically forbids and which

will shortly become illegal in the UK if the Government have their way. For a bank

which claims to support the UDHR and to be against discrimination, their attitude

towards us is unethical, blatantly discriminatory and nothing short of hypocritical.

They should renounce all claim to support the UDHR and plainly state on their home

page that they do not want any business from Bible-believing Christians including

Evangelicals, Catholics, orthodox Jews and Muslims or any one who does not share

their passion for gay rights.

"The sadness is that, along with many other Christian organisations and individuals,

we chose the Co-op to handle our banking because of their Christian roots, their

fairtrade policies, and what we took to be their ethical stance on investments and

business dealings. At the time, there was no mention by them that people who believe

that homosexual acts are sinful would not be welcome. We feel let down, frankly, and

the whole business has left a sour taste in the mouth.

"We are now calling upon Christians who bank with and shop at the Co-op to withdraw

their business until such time as this bank's unethical and discriminatory attitude

changes. Clearly, and on their own admission, the Co-op is not the bank for those

who honour the name of the Lord Jesus Christ."

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Spanish MPs back gay marriages – BBC News 30-6-05

Gay Bolivians take to the streets to demand legal rights - BBC News 30-6-05

(IsraelNN.com) Shas chairman, Knesset Member Eli Yishai today said that the "Gay Pride" parade in Jerusalem was the equivalent of pig's hooves wedged in the walls of the Old City. Yishai was referring to the Talmudic story of how a pig was placed in a basket to be lifted into the walls of the city of Jerusalem during the Hasmonean period, and when the pig's hoof touched the walls, the Land of Israel was struck by a massive earthquake.

"The march of contamination goes through the streets of the capital of the Jewish people and anyone with a Jewish soul should be in tears," Yishai said. "At a time when the Jewish people is torn over fundamental questions, a group of people come and disturb the people of Israel with parades of lechery."

Thirteen protestors were arrested for attempting to block the course of the Gay Pride parade in Jerusalem. The arrested individuals were all apparently religious Jews. Earlier, two or three marchers were stabbed by an individual violently protesting the Gay Pride parade.

At the Shabbat Square in Jerusalem, Haredi demonstrators had been holding a protest against the parade for its insensitivity to the holiness of the capital.

Jul. 5, 2005. 06:40 AM – Toronto Star

Some people are attracted to women; some are attracted to men. And some, if Sigmund Freud, Dr. Alfred Kinsey and millions of self-described bisexuals are to be believed, are drawn to both sexes. But a new study casts doubt on whether true bisexuality exists, at least in men.

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