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Bob from Indianapolis, Indiana, United States

    • I’m Between 23 – 33
    • My religious preference: Atheism
Mom’s: No religious preference

Dad’s: No religious preference

    • Growing up, I primarily lived with: Both mom and dad
  • I attend religious services generally at least once every: I do not attend
Question Answer
If you could travel back in time to any period, and meet any person who is historically significant, who would you want to meet and why?

Jesus. He would be the best at convincing me if Christianity is true. If it is true, it is the most important question.

Out of all the problems that we are facing in our world today, what do you consider is our biggest problem and how do you think we can solve this problem?

The biggest problem is bullying. A bully is someone who likes to make others suffer or enjoys watching others suffer. The challenge in fixing this is, bullies don’t see themselves as bullies. Therefore, we must help people see the ramifications of their actions. We must increase empathy instead of shaming.

Do you think it is possible that you and I were put here on this earth for some kind of purpose? If so, what do you think that was? If not, why do you think so?

I don’t believe we have a purpose and I start there as my default position because I don’t believe there is a God. Technically, I suppose I’m technically agnostic since I grant it is possible that God exists. But I call myself atheist since I don’t believe He does. This seems like the right starting point and I see no reason to move from it unless evidence can convince me otherwise.

We live in a world that tends to believe, now more than ever, that all religions are equal and no one religion is better than another. In your opinion does it matter what someone believes? If not, why not, if so, why so?

Yes, it does matter what we believe because the implicit prescriptions of various religions are different.

All religions have different beliefs about the afterlife but many seem to indicate that we go to a better place, if we do the right things in this life. What do you personally believe about the afterlife and what do you think we need to do in this life in order to get to this better place in the next life?

I’m agnostic about the afterlife yet somehow, I picture myself going to heaven because I tried to do the right thing. And trying is all we can do.

If you do not believe there is life after this life is over, where do you think we came from?

I guess I would say the evolutionary paradigm but, admittedly, consciousness is a real problem.

If you do not believe there is life after this life is over, why is it difficult for us to avoid believing in non-material things like truth, love, beauty, goodness, etc…?

I have no idea! The biological explanation is boring and speculative.

 

Ane from Indianapolis, Indiana, United States

    • I’m Between 17 – 23
    • My religious preference: Catholic Christianity
Mom’s: Protestant Christianity
    • Growing up, I primarily lived with: Just mom
  • I attend religious services generally at least once every: I do not attend
Question Answer
If you could travel back in time to any period, and meet any person who is historically significant, who would you want to meet and why?

Any painter or philosopher from the Roman period because I love art and culture. I can’t even choose one person, but Roman painters and philosophers have had a big impact on art and culture so any one of them.

Out of all the problems that we are facing in our world today, what do you consider is our biggest problem and how do you think we can solve this problem?

The biggest problem is that people are too jaded. In order to solve this, we need more kindness. We need to express love by giving people the benefit of the doubt. How exactly we implement this change, I’m not sure.

Do you think it is possible that you and I were put here on this earth for some kind of purpose? If so, what do you think that was? If not, why do you think so?

I want to believe there is a purpose, but it is hard for me to believe because of all the evil and suffering in the world. That said, I see religions offering love, and that could indicate purpose.

We live in a world that tends to believe, now more than ever, that all religions are equal and no one religion is better than another. In your opinion does it matter what someone believes? If not, why not, if so, why so?

It does matter what someone believes. There is something meaningful about people who follow their heart. But people can follow their heart in a good or bad way.

All religions have different beliefs about the afterlife but many seem to indicate that we go to a better place, if we do the right things in this life. What do you personally believe about the afterlife and what do you think we need to do in this life in order to get to this better place in the next life?

I’m agnostic about the existence of an afterlife. If there is an afterlife, it is probably a place free of suffering. If there is a heaven, I imagine it exists to help us learn from our mistakes. But we may only have so many strikes. If we strike out, we have to pay.

If you do not believe there is life after this life is over, where do you think we came from?

Maybe we just came from the earth.

If you do not believe there is life after this life is over, why is it difficult for us to avoid believing in non-material things like truth, love, beauty, goodness, etc…?

It is difficult to avoid them because it feels good to believe in them. I like it more. What I like influences what I believe or embrace.

 

Peter from unknown, India

    • I’m Between 23 – 33
    • My religious preference: Catholic Christianity
    • Growing up, I primarily lived with: Did not live with parents
  • I attend religious services generally at least once every: Week
Question Answer
If you could travel back in time to any period, and meet any person who is historically significant, who would you want to meet and why?

There are many but I choose St Augustine. Reason? He is a model of repentance and many things to learn from him.

Out of all the problems that we are facing in our world today, what do you consider is our biggest problem and how do you think we can solve this problem?

The problem world is facing today is the result of growth in human inventions, diverse cultures, technology growth and so on which might sound growth in terms of human world but this is exactly what has taken people more and more away from God.

The solution of this might sound very harsh but according to me the stubborn and wicked nature of humans will not lead them back to God, so in my view the same thing which is shown in the Old testament by GOD,THE FATHER must repeat and that is “DESTRUCTION”

Yes, covid is such an example. When everything is fine people forget the existence of GOD so there need to be reminder towards humans by God and that’s a way to repent and get back.

There is another soft way too. This involves the role of parents. every human being has a very huge impact of their childhood in their entire life. Parents must and should take care that instead of giving cartoon books, video games and moves into the hands of their children, it must be Bible and Church traditions and theology which is given to them and they must turn as a model for their children’s in spiritual life right from the childhood

Do you think it is possible that you and I were put here on this earth for some kind of purpose? If so, what do you think that was? If not, why do you think so?

Yes there is a purpose and the purpose is quite simple. There is only 1 final target of our lives and that is establishing the kingdom of God on this earth. Ways to do it might be different but this is the final target

We live in a world that tends to believe, now more than ever, that all religions are equal and no one religion is better than another. In your opinion does it matter what someone believes? If not, why not, if so, why so?

There is a moral saying that All GODS ARE ONE this is mostly used in India because it is the only country which has lot many religions and this sentence is used or this means to have a PEACEFUL SOCIETY without religious conflicts and riots. But if someone(Christian believer) takes this literally then firstly he is breaking the first commandment and secondly he/she is falling into a very major problem.
There is no way that all religions are equal and even such a thought is a sin. And more than all there is no concept of “GODS” because there is only “ONE TRIUNE GOD” who is the “CREATOR” and there is no second alternative

All religions have different beliefs about the afterlife but many seem to indicate that we go to a better place, if we do the right things in this life. What do you personally believe about the afterlife and what do you think we need to do in this life in order to get to this better place in the next life?

As a catholic, we believe (according to scriptures and early church) that WORKS play a part in the process of getting saved. Now this does not mean that we must do something in order to get this. It is a misunderstood theological aspect and many who are against this doctrine often misunderstand this to be like A HUMAN IS GOING TO DO SOMETHING AND BY THAT HE WILL BE SAVED.
NO, not at all. What this means is we need to have FAITH first and that’s a act/work meaning it has to be a ongoing thing. This comes from GRACE of GOD.
Bible repeatedly shows us JESUS saying to “PRACTICE THE FAITH” in other words ‘LIVE OUT YOUR FAITH’
So when we live out the faith/ in other words show it in our works, it will be a part of our saving process because “ A PERSON WHO SAYS I BELIEVE IN GOD AND FOLLOW EVERYTHING HE SAYS, AND IF HE/SHE IS NOT ABLE TO LIVE IT OUT IS ABSOLUTELY A FALSE BELIEVER” who is just trying to USE GOD for getting what they need

If you do not believe there is life after this life is over, where do you think we came from?

I do believe there is

If you do not believe there is life after this life is over, why is it difficult for us to avoid believing in non-material things like truth, love, beauty, goodness, etc…?

I do believe in life after death

 

Mary (Interviewed by: Matthew Dodd) from Hillsboro, Oregon, United States

    • I’m Between 33 – 55
    • My religious preference: Not sure.
Mom’s: Protestant Christianity

Dad’s: Protestant Christianity

    • Growing up, I primarily lived with: Both mom and dad
  • I attend religious services generally at least once every: I do not attend
Question Answer
If you could travel back in time to any period, and meet any person who is historically significant, who would you want to meet and why?

“I would want to meet Paul, the Apostle Paul, because he was incredibly inspired by the work of Jesus enough to evoke extreme anger, extreme joy, and the entire range of emotions and he believed very deeply. So, more than meeting Jesus, I identify with him because he was a writer, and I am a writer. I would love to hear his account and his story.”

Follow up question: “So you said he evokes extreme anger. What do you mean by that?”

Response: “I just see when I study his letters, I see them full of emotion. He gets very frustrated and angry at what humans do to, they sort of, go away from the intended message of what Jesus did. For me the greatest story, the one that identify with the most is where, and I am not well-versed enough to know, but I think it is the Ephesians, but I honestly couldn’t say for sure, but they are getting very caught up in the rules, and well, do you have to be Jewish first to be Christian or do you just have to be Christian and do you have to be circumcised, and there are all these rules people were trying to make. And you can see his frustration and his anger in his words, and like, this is the whole reason we had Jesus, why are you getting lost in these unimportant details. And that’s the kind of thing, I think that’s where I got lost with religion was some of the rules and some of the less important details that I did not have much control over.

I have a background, a chronic trauma background, and uh, I sort checked out once I did not fit the good Christian girl model. Um, I was told I should. I grew up in Georgia and um, I just identify with that frustration. But you also see great amount of joy, the whole range of emotions. So, I would like to know from him, there is not a lot about him, historically. So, I would like to know more about him and what inspired him about Jesus.”

Out of all the problems that we are facing in our world today, what do you consider is our biggest problem and how do you think we can solve this problem?

“The biggest problem in the world now is idolization, which breeds division.”

Follow up question: “So making people or things your idols?”

Response: “I don’t think it matters. Each individual will idolize what they will. I am reading a book, and the author said, ‘If you want to know what you idolize, you just have to look and see what you demonize because you demonize the opposite.’ So, I see so much of that in our world, myself included, we put all our hopes and our dreams. . . insert politician, insert religion, insert. . . self-help person. . . um. . . blogger. Name it. We just think we can find this magic pill for life in whatever it is. And I am not ready to say that the answer is Jesus. But I am ready to say the answer to that is love and grace for the failures of others. Because none of is unique, in that we have none. We all have failures and I feel strongly that we as humans create shades of gray with our shortcomings, in that God just sees it all as black and white and so all of us are flawed to Him. And so, yeah, I think that would be our biggest failing right now. We seek too much hope that will not lead to lasting contentment or happiness or peace and love.”

Follow up question: “Why do you think people have idols? Where do you think that desire comes from?”

Response: “For me. It came from discontentment or just a desire to invest in future happiness. It was, instead of, maybe it was seeking contentment and accepting. . . it is not about the destination of paradise or finding some paradise, but it is finding contentment in the journey and embracing the good and the bad. And then it is not supposed to be perfect; life is not meant to be perfect. It is meant to be a balance where that can be used for good, maybe not for me in the way I think it should but maybe for somebody else. And I certainly spent a long-time putting hope into maybe there is a medication that would help. I suffered for fifteen years from severe chronic migraines that started two weeks after the physical part of my abuse started. . . so in hindsight we realized that it was a pure trauma response. So, there was always seeking some little pill that would take away. . . I also found that I placed a lot of my future happiness in my ability to have children and a happy family and a white picket fence and I have idolized that for myself. And sustained a lot of not really engaging in life the way it was meant to be engaged with because I just thought, ‘I will do that when I am a mom’ or ‘I will do that when I have a baby’. . . I don’t know. My husband and I just recently found out that we cannot have children so. . . um. . . that’s probably more than anything else has caused me to change my perspective on a lot of things and find ways to reevaluate and sort of see how I was seeing things in maybe not the best way. But it is sort of like a security blanket I suppose. We would rather have the evil that we know because we don’t want to let go of what is comfortable even though it is not what’s best.”

Follow up question: “What do you think would solve that. . . not just on a personal level, but if everyone has that propensity towards idolatry, then what would solve this greatest of all problems that humanity faces?”

Response: “I certainly don’t have all the answers, but I have found that where I find idolatry, which is often accompanied by anger and frustration, because it is always fruitless. I think one of the best things that ever happened to me was to not be able to have biological children because I realize now that as soon as that baby was born, all of my hopes and dreams would have been fulfilled hopes, I would not have been right where I am now. But I think the only thing that combats it when I see it within people is grace and love. Especially, when it is unexpected.”

Follow up question: “So grace and love being extended to them or them accepting grace and love in their lives, once they understand those things will not really satisfy what they thought they would satisfy?”

Response: “Well, I really don’t have any control over what somebody else’s chooses to accept. I see now in my own journey that there was a lot of times when people showed me grace and love when I did not deserve it and I certainly didn’t accept it. But it brought me one step closer to accepting it now. So, even though they are not aware that I now appreciate that encounter or friendship or whatever, without it I might still be lost or still have fear with my current position with where I am.

So, I cannot make anyone accept it but I can be that surprise smile or hug or just a person who shows acceptance and grace and love when someone is expecting to have an argument about politics and I say, ‘That is a phenomenal idea,’ or ‘I disagree with you but I love that you are thinking about things.’ I invent new ways every day.”

Do you think it is possible that you and I were put here on this earth for some kind of purpose? If so, what do you think that was? If not, why do you think so?

“Hmm. . . I grapple with this every day. I think so. I think we are all here for a reason. But my anxious self tells me I am just being narcissistic with my grandiose ideas. So, I should just get in line and be human. My. . . I am a writer, so I am trying to do more of that. If that answers your question.”

Follow up question: “So you feel like you are satisfying or fulfilling a purpose by writing?”

Response: “I think I see some patterns that other people miss. I am very observant. My husband tells me I have a writing style that is very impactful. I feel called to do it and to hold account but right now that it is just for me and my journal. I don’t think anyone wants to read what I write right now. But you know, maybe, someday it will be used for good. Maybe it is just be used for good to help me heal. I don’t know. Maybe that is the only purpose.”

We live in a world that tends to believe, now more than ever, that all religions are equal and no one religion is better than another. In your opinion does it matter what someone believes? If not, why not, if so, why so?

“So, grew up spending most the summer, every summer at a Methodist camp in North Carolina and I had this discussion with my Sunday School teacher when I was nine or ten. . . because my best friends growing up were Jewish and Muslim. And I don’t know. I struggle with this question constantly. I don’t know.”

Follow up question: “So the book is still out for you on that one?”

Response: “Yeah. My current theory is that I am ready to believe in a God, I see Him in my life but I also think as humans we want to understand that God and we try to illustrate Him or define Him, or Her or it or whatever, to make us feel safe. I think that the whole point of Him being a God is that He is this omniscient, unlimited being and so therefore, to say that He is limited in anyway is to be contrary to the things we are told in the Bible. So, I grapple with that constantly.”

All religions have different beliefs about the afterlife but many seem to indicate that we go to a better place, if we do the right things in this life. What do you personally believe about the afterlife and what do you think we need to do in this life in order to get to this better place in the next life?

“Hmm. . . Well I think my thoughts on the afterlife has changed recently. Um. . . I have tried to back away from. . . I tend to. . . I was recently diagnosed with ADD along with the PTSD, apparently, they go together often. I tend to grasp onto details that may not go with the entire large picture and really have a hard time unhooking from that.

So, streets paved with gold was always my hook. It was always this place or this place in the clouds. But recently I have changed and back up a bit and I like to think that it could be as simple as just. . . maybe it is not a place. . . maybe my spirit does not literally fly out of my body. . . maybe it is just this peaceful, true, 100% peace. There was no wishes that I would do something different, just 100% peace.”

Follow up question asked: “So are you saying that some aspect of you lives on after you die?”

Response: “Well that would. . . yeah. . . I do believe we all have souls but I guess for me it would be maybe there is not this actual place where we have a consciousness and we walk the streets and we have all the wealth and all the worldly things we never felt like we had or could get to as humans. Maybe it is something that is much less. . . I don’t know. I think I am willing to accept that it could be something that I am not able to describe or explain because it might not even be. . . I don’t know. . . I think it could even might be. . . at the end of the day. . . this is another tough one for me because I don’t know. . . I don’t know. . . maybe it is embracing our purpose, going back to your other question, and expecting that life may not be perfect. Another thing I always do is pray for ‘x’ instead of praying for whatever situation for it to be used the way it should be used. ‘Hey, I want you to heal me or I want you to give me this’ instead of ‘Hey you are not giving me this.’ So, I pray for the wisdom to know what the path should be or how should I use this.”

Follow up question asked: “Do you think that peace, what you described, is it available to all regardless of how they live their life now? So, for instance, would a Hitler experience that peace?”

Response: “I don’t think anybody, at least the God I read about in the Bible, I have studied some, not extensively, Islam and Judaism, in college in comparative religious courses. . . and nothing about the Bible and the God I read indicates that He is the kind of God that would pick and choose people. To me, the one overall message is that He is a God of love, pure love, and pure love isn’t ‘clickish’, right? It doesn’t say, ‘Sorry, but everybody on that side of the world, who never heard of Me, too bad for them.’ So, I just do not know. It is more complicated. I have not been to theology school.”

Follow up question: “Where do you think true or love or beauty or goodness came from?”

Response: “I don’t think that they are human derived, or human derived at all. I think they are the very qualities that cause me to say, that definitely cause me to say that God exists. Because He has to because you look on the flip coin, there is evil. I have seen it. I am intimately aware of evil. There is bad. There is ugly. I am just not sure about all of the details in between.”

If you do not believe there is life after this life is over, where do you think we came from?

See above answer.

If you do not believe there is life after this life is over, why is it difficult for us to avoid believing in non-material things like truth, love, beauty, goodness, etc…?

See above answer.

 

Alissa from Hillsboro, Oregon, United States

    • I’m Between 33 – 55
    • My religious preference: No religious preference and I am not interested in exploring
Mom’s: Protestant Christianity

Dad’s: Protestant Christianity

    • Growing up, I primarily lived with: Both mom and dad
  • I attend religious services generally at least once every: I do not attend
Question Answer
If you could travel back in time to any period, and meet any person who is historically significant, who would you want to meet and why?

“Albert Einstein. I would want to meet him because he was so important and so smart, and he thought of things outside the box that most people do not think of. I would like to learn from him about how to think and grow and solve problems. He did so many things that modernized the world. I would like to know how he problem-solved things.”

Out of all the problems that we are facing in our world today, what do you consider is our biggest problem and how do you think we can solve this problem?

“The biggest problem in the world today is the hatred. People are so negative. A lot has contributed to that such as the media and political parties, in a general sense. I also believe that more specifically, COVID-19 has increased the tension and the hate in our world.

I think, personally, new leadership in our country would fix the problem. More people coming together to unite would help, find more traditional ways like coming together. It does happen in some small areas, but we need it on a larger level; big and small groups that can come together. Moms groups and community groups and villages where people can come together.

After 9-11 there was more love, and everyone came together. There was hate, internationally, but the leadership brought people together. The country and companies and communities came together. It was a reminder to come together and promote positivity.

Follow-up question asked: “What do you think drives or motivates the hate?”

“I think there a lot of components to it. Media is number one influence towards hate. Leadership not presenting the country with a positive way for loving each another, like guilt. People need to be more open to stop judging each other and helping each other. I think the media is a large part of it, their agenda comes from above, to make money. When you dig even deeper, I think the greed in the world creates another layer.”

Do you think it is possible that you and I were put here on this earth for some kind of purpose? If so, what do you think that was? If not, why do you think so?

“Yes. I believe in the “do unto other what you have them do to you.” I believe we were put on this earth for many reasons, putting aside the religious side of things. I believe we were put on earth to do good and create good and to make earth a better place. Unfortunately, it has fallen by the weigh-side by bigger topics such as global warming where people just do not live that way. The people need to make the world a better place by enjoying nature and one another and by growing as humans so that our children are put in a world that is positive and a better place.

Follow up question asked: “Where do you think that purpose came from?”

“Yay, I think that is a really good question and I do not know the answer.

Follow up question asked: “Or who is the purpose if there is a purpose behind the purpose?” (Note: I interrupted too quickly)

I think the purpose is driven through human connection. If we go back millions of years, however you want to view life, like my ancestors, they came here to make a better life. . . their main goal was to make better of this country. Before them was the people before them. I do not know what started it all for us. I have a hard time believing in the, like, the Adam and Eve type of thing but the reality that our ancestors brought forth a vision to make the world a better place and to find the best place for them to the best people they can be.”

We live in a world that tends to believe, now more than ever, that all religions are equal and no one religion is better than another. In your opinion does it matter what someone believes? If not, why not, if so, why so?

“I think in a good world, yes. Like no matter who you are or what you are or what religion you have, it should not matter what you believe. There should not be that stereotyping or stigmatism for what you believe. I feel like there is in the world we live in, that stereotyping between specific religions. I think a lot of things play into that. There is the people. . . the news media plays into that. And I think it is going off of the people you know, or you don’t know in your population. For instance, for me, I may have been told that Mormon people are supper nice but I may know Mormons who have not been nice to me and that may influence my view of Mormons negatively, you stereotype what you know, and that affects religion negatively.

For me personally, I was raised Baptist and that was not a good thing for me because I felt judged 24/7 by my Baptist community and that is one of the reasons one I am 100% against that type of situation. But I do think it has a lot to do with how you personally perceive someone or something based on who they are how the media portrays it, the popes and the priests and the whoever who are getting seen negatively in the media. But perhaps it is just the presentation of it in another country or the world; it is just how the media portrays it.

Follow up question asked: “So if you would not have been judged as you were, do you feel like you would have stayed in the Baptist tradition or not?”

“I think there were a lot of components to it. The biggest thing that I dealt with in the Baptist religion was the hypocritical, if someone had a glass of wine, of if someone had a different view of life, there was just a negative feeling. My dad would ask what me, “What will people think of you? They will think you are some kind of devil woman.” It was just a visual that took me further away from religion. And unfortunately, through my years afterwards, after removing myself from the church, I had a lot of other experiences with other religions that put me further away.

If I was part of a religion that was what I think it should be, it would be where people come together and do not harp on one another or jump down people’s throats but just tries to be better and tries to help one another, and like constantly being there like a village, which is what I have now without it being religious, like, that is what I would want in a church. But that is not what I have seen or heard in any churches. And I think what I have experienced in church has pulled me very far away from the ability to even want to be involved. I almost feel that in my own way I have made my own church, my own beliefs, and my own village, and my own like meaning.”

Follow up question asked: “So, at the end of the day, do you think it does or does not matter what someone believes?”

“I do not necessary think for one specific person, but I think groupings of people are affected by what someone believes. It depends on personal experiences. I do not think everyone has the same experience. Personally, my past has affected me. My ability to trust and to feel comfortable in a lot of ways was impacted by my experience during my childhood. But if I get that feeling like I am going to be judged it is when I feel very uncomfortable and I may not want to be around them again.”

All religions have different beliefs about the afterlife but many seem to indicate that we go to a better place, if we do the right things in this life. What do you personally believe about the afterlife and what do you think we need to do in this life in order to get to this better place in the next life?

My personal beliefs are just spiritual. I think that our body is decayed and that our spirit lives on in however that vision may be. It can be, my personal belief, is that it could be in the sky, or it could be heaven, it can be an animal, it can be. . . there are a lot of varieties. Some people could potentially come back, if they worked hard, they could come back in a different form, in a spirit, right?

Follow up question asked: “Are you talking about reincarnation, so that you come back as something different in the next life?”

“Yes. Like I feel like it is not your full spirit, but I feel like there is parts of you elsewhere. Like there is parts of you and your spirit that live on in different ways. Like, when I know of people who have passed on, I feel like things have come back from there. There is something spiritual that happens.

I just really try to promote the best you can be in this life; you try to live the best you can be. If that means feeding the homeless, great. If it means getting through a day and feeding your kids, great. However is the best way you can live. Everyone makes mistakes but you just have to learn from them and be a better person. That is how you get yourself back to, maybe it is a heaven. We tell our kids, “See that star up there? That is grandpa!” That is how we present it to our kids and that’s how we think about it. But in my personal opinion, I think our body just decays. So, our spirit is still around, however that may be, but our body decays.

Follow up question asked: “Do you think God exists or does not exist? If not, then how do we get here and what is our purpose?”

“I do not know. I would not call it God based on how I was raised as a kid. I would call it a higher being. I think there is a higher being and a higher spirituality. We are living our best life and our internal spirits are being better depending on how we live this life. Whoever this higher spirit is, it could be internally or externally, the only thing that matters is being a good person and caring about others and living the best life you can on this earth.”

If you do not believe there is life after this life is over, where do you think we came from?

See above answer.

If you do not believe there is life after this life is over, why is it difficult for us to avoid believing in non-material things like truth, love, beauty, goodness, etc…?

See above answer.

 

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