Some wonder whether humanity can ever recover the original innocence attributed to Adam and Eve — a state of unbroken trust, unmediated experience, and harmony with creation. Perhaps such innocence is still imaginable, but the modern world feels increasingly governed by an alien intelligence of our own making: artificial intelligence. A small but influential group of AI safety researchers now argue that there is a real, non‑zero chance that advanced AI systems could cause human extinction within the next decade. Their warnings do not come from science fiction, but from direct experience building frontier models. The concerns they raise center on several accelerating trends: Rapid self‑improvement: systems that can rewrite or optimize their own code may surpass human control faster than expected. Misaligned goals: even a highly capable system can pursue objectives that conflict with human survival or well‑being. Misuse of powerful technologies: AI could amplify access to biological, cyber, or autonomous weapons in ways that destabilize global security. Lack of regulation: governments are moving slowly while corporations race to build increasingly capable systems. Insider knowledge: researchers working inside major labs see how quickly capabilities are advancing, and some believe the public is not being told the full story. Most experts do not believe extinction is likely. A current Anthropic employee, Evan Hubinger, who leads the company’s work on steering and controlling future AI systems, wrote, “We really do earnestly believe AI could kill all humans!” He estimated the odds of human extinction within the next decade at above 10 percent. The AI technology is so advanced that even investigators could not understand what it was doing and had to use AI to help with their investigation. Furthermore, AI can hack almost any computer system in the world. One thing is for sure: AI is changing society’s foundations. #RandolphHarris 1 of 23

This reminds me of Sir Isaac Newton and his book Principia. Few people outside the Royal Society know that there is a large mass, estimated at one million words, of unprinted papers which Sir Isaac Newton left behind in a box at Cambridge—papers which must surely have been well known to these bewildered biographers but which have never been published out of fear of harming Mr. Newton’s reputation by the mere revelation of this interest in a subject which was for so long taboo in scientific circles. After Mr. Newton’s death, Bishop Horsley inspected the box with a view to publication, but on seeing some of the contents he slammed the lid with horror. The existence of these papers is well known to, and has been testified by, Sir Robert Robinson, President of the Royal Society, who, asking how Mr. Newton could be both a mathematician and a mystic, himself answered that it was because he “perceived a mystery beyond and did his best to penetrate it.” Also, it is well known that the late Lord Keynes, the famous economist, was moved by them to exclaim that Mr. Newton’s “deepest instincts were occult,” and that “the clue to his mind is to be found in his unusual powers of continuous concentrated introspection.” In a lecture given to a small private audience at the Royal Society Club in 1942, Lord Keynes said this about Mr. Newton: “Why do I call him a magician? Because he looked on the whole universe and all that is in it as a riddle, as a secret which could be read by applying pure thought to certain evidence, certain mystic clues which God had laid about the world to allow a sort of philosopher’s treasure hunt to the exoteric brotherhood…He believed that these clues were to be found partly in certain papers and traditions handed down by the brethren in an unbroken chain back to the original cryptic revelation in Babylonia…All would be revealed to him if only he could preserve to the end, uninterrupted, by himself…All his unpublished works on esoteric and theological matters are marked by careful learning and extreme sobriety of statement. They are just as sane as the Principia.” #RandolphHarris 2 of 23

A large section of these papers seeks to deduce secret truths of the universe from apocalyptic writings; another examines the truth of Church traditions; a third deals with alchemy, the philosopher’s stone, the elixir of life, and the transmutation of metals; a fourth consists of copies of ancient mystic manuscripts or translations of the. There, in the University Library at Cambridge, roughly half of the silent memorials of Sir Isaac Newton’s private studies still rest today. The remaining portion was sold at auction in 1936 and scattered into private collections, passing into the hands of figures such as Sarah L. Winchester and William Randolph Hearst. Mr. Newton’s library had such titles in it as De Occulta Philosophia, Fame and Confession of the Rosie Cross, Geber’s The Philosopher’s Stone, and several of Raymond Lully’s works, and four of Paracelsus’. His own personal annotations appear in most of the volumes. He studied Jacob Boehme very closely and copied long pieces from his work—even such a hard-headed scientist as Professor E.N. da C. Andrade was forced to confess, at the Tercentenary Celebration in 1946, “I feel that Newton derived his knowledge by something more like direct contact with the unknown sources that surround us, with the world of mystery, than has been vouchsafed to any other man of science. A mixture of mysticism and natural science is not unexampled—Swedenborg has important achievements in geology, physiology and engineering to his credit.” Archbishop Tenison said to Mr. Newton: “You know more divinity than all of us put together.” #RandolphHarris 3 of 23

When it comes to the life-force in Nature and the mind in entities, science can reach the final truth about them only by handing the task to metaphysics and mysticism—only by calling in concepts that are no longer scientific in the orthodox sense. Science has passed through its short-lived materialistic phase and is plunged in the midst of a revision of all its twenty-first-century categories. It is no use denouncing science for the horrors of war, the miseries of industrialism, and the unbelief of materialism. Much as people once looked upon Sir Isaac Newton with awe and unease — fearing his mysterious studies, his occult experiments, and the seemingly world‑shaking power of his science — people today find themselves gripped by a similar anxiety about artificial intelligence. The same mixture of wonder and dread that surrounded Newton’s reputation now surrounds AI, as society struggles to understand a force that appears both brilliant and potentially overwhelming.  The way to conquer the evils rising from the unethical abuse of science is to go right inside its camp and win it over to philosophy. Re-educate scientists in the philosophical foundations of their own work. Modern science often forgets the questions that gave birth to it: What is truth? What is cause? What is good? To “win science over,” philosophy must restore these questions inside scientific training. The means: Teaching epistemology alongside data science, teaching ethics alongside engineering, teaching metaphysics alongside physics. You do not conquer science by opposing it. You deepen it. Place moral reasoning at the center of technological development. Philosophy must become a required part of the design process, not an afterthought. To further highlight this illustration: AI labs should have philosophers embedded in research teams; ethical constraints should be treated as engineering constraints. Every major scientific project should begin with a moral risk assessment. This is how you prevent “unethical abuse” before it happens. #RandolphHarris 4 of 23

Rebuild the idea that science serves human flourishing, not replaces it. Science becomes dangerous when it forgets its purpose. Philosophy re-anchors science in human dignity, the meaning of life, the nature of the good, the limits of human knowledge. This is not anti-science—it is science with a soul. Cultivate scientists who are also philosophers. The greatest—Dr. Newton, Dr. Pascal, Dr. Einstein, Dr. Heisenberg—were also metaphysicians. They understood that science without philosophy becomes power without wisdom. To “win the camp,” you need a new generation of scientists who can think morally, historically, and metaphysically. Reform institutions so that ethical oversight has real authority. Philosophy must be given structural power. Ethics boards with veto authority, regulatory bodies that enforce moral constraints, public institutions that evaluate long-term societal impact. This is how you prevent science from becoming a runaway force. Restore the cultural prestige of wisdom. Right now, society worships intelligence and efficiency. Philosophy must restore the idea that wisdom outranks cleverness. When culture values wisdom, science naturally aligns with it. To conquer the evils rising from the unethical abuse of science, you do not fight science from the outside. You enter its inner sanctum, reshape its assumptions, and reestablish the primacy of truth, goodness, and human meaning. This is how philosophy wins. There is this vital difference, that whereas the scientist can only observe the object into which he is investigating, the mystic can participate in the one upon which he is meditating. In the first case, there is a knowing in separation from it; in the second, a knowing in union with it. #RandolphHarris 5 of 23

Nuclear research has shown that the atom consists of energy alone. It is but an aggregation of energies. It has shown that there is nothing, no “thing” at the world’s root. However, only free minds and discerning eyes among scientists see clearly that this establishes the existence of Spirit, which is no formed thing, and overthrows the doctrine of materialism. We are moving toward the day when science, instead of negating religious faith, will actually nourish it. Man’s body is formed of chemical compounds, yet man himself—with his flights of sacred aspiration and intellectual speculation, his adventures in artistic creation and appreciation—has little resemblance to a chemical compound. We may develop the scientific intellect until its visible achievements and results astound us even more, but they will always be relative to time and place, always subject to human limitations. However, there is another line we could take for development, one that works with the metaphysical intellect. This need not set up an opposition to science, for it is not concerned with empirical work. It is a faculty of abstract thinking, seeking the large generalized archetypal ideas. When it succeeds in finding them, their verification is to get got by letting the intellect lapse and letting the pure knowing element reveal itself. In this way, consciousness moves to a higher level. The proper method of overcoming the evils of a materialistic intellectualism is not to escape back into a pre-intellectual attitude but to let it grow side by side and in proper balance with the spiritual attitude, not to refuse to look at the problems it raises but to try to solve them through such an integral endeavour. Metaphysics, starting from one end of the path, must eventually meet since when it has advanced sufficiently far to test all its hypotheses by physical experience. Science, starting from the other end of the same path with physical research, must eventually meet and hand its problems over to metaphysics when it seeks to arrive at a large general view of all its accumulated data. The metaphysical Idea, must verify itself by the scientific Thing. The scientific Thing must understand itself to be the metaphysical Idea. #RandolphHarris 6 of 23

If God is not the inner reality of this universe, then Matter is both its inner and outer reality. There will then be no room in the thinking mind for any belief other than materialism, no plea for religion, no admittance to a spiritual metaphysics. So long as they choose to look at the phenomena of the universe only within the perspective of their own limited assumptions and refuse to look at any evidence outside them, so long will those scientists who still reject everything non-material remain the victims of their own prejudiced and biased judgment. However, the others—and they are increasing—who genuinely practise the scientific method of investigation and therefore some with an open, patient, and experimental mind, are moving forward to the formulation and verification of reliable truths, laws, and principles. Philosophy does not attempt to explain what it is the business of science to explain. Hence, it does not oppose the aims of science nor does it fear the further progress of science. On the contrary, its regard for fact makes its teachings consistent with those of science. It simply leaves to science the filling-in of the details of the world’s picture, itself supplying the outlines. It is impossible for the scientists to conclude his thinking about the observation which he has made of Nature and the facts which he has amassed in the laboratory without venturing into metaphysics. If he is afraid to make such a venture, then he must leave his thinking inconclusively suspended in mid-air. We, thus, see that philosophy is the integral development of science, a continuity of the same austere point of view. However, whereas science deals with particular groups of concrete perceptions, philosophy deals with abstract genetic concepts. #RandolphHarris 7 of 23

Science which first made materialism seem the most plausible explanation of life, through the careful observation of facts and close reasoning upon those facts, has since refuted itself. It is enabling philosophy to put the hidden teaching upon firm and rational foundations. The scientists as such cannot set foot in a region like that of pure Mind. They must rise above their scientific limitations and convert themselves into mystical philosophers first. We may now inquire further about the manner in which symbolic universes operate to legitimate individual biography and the institutional order. The operation is essentially the same in both cases. It is nomic, or ordering, in character. The symbolic universe provides order for the subjective apprehension of biographical experience. Experiences belonging to different spheres of reality are integrated by incorporation in the same, overarching universe of meaning. To further highlight this illustration, the symbolic universe determines the significance of dreams within the reality of everyday life, re-establishing in each instance the paramount status of the latter and mitigating the shock that accompanies the passage from one reality to another. The provinces of meaning that would otherwise remain unintelligible enclaves within the reality of everyday life are thus ordered in terms of a hierarchy of realities, ipso facto becoming intelligible and less terrifying. This integration of the realities of marginal situations within the paramount reality of everyday life is of great importance, because these situations constitute the most acute threat to taken-for-granted, routinized existence in society. If one conceives of the latter as the “daylight side” of human life, then the marginal situations constitute a “night side” that keeps lurking ominously on the periphery of everyday consciousness. Just because the “night side” has its own reality, often enough of a sinister kind, it is a constant threat to the taken-for-granted, matter-of-fact, “sane” reality of life in society. #RandolphHarris 8 of 23

The thought keeps suggesting itself (the “insane” thought par excellence) that, perhaps, the bright reality of everyday life is but an illusion, to be swallowed up at any moment by the howling nightmares of the other, the might-side reality. Such thoughts of madness and terror are contained by ordering all conceivable realities within the same symbolic universe that encompasses the reality of everyday life—to wit, ordering them in such a way that the latter reality retains its paramount, definitive (if one wishes, its “most real”) quality. This nomic function of the symbolic universe for individual experience may be described quite simply by saying that it “puts everything in its right place.” What is more, whenever one strays from the consciousness of this order (that is, when one finds oneself in the marginal situations of experience), the symbolic universe allows one “to return to reality”—namely, to the reality of everyday life. Since this is, of course, the sphere to which all forms of institutional conduct and roles belong, the symbolic universe provides the ultimate legitimation of the institutional order by bestowing upon it the primacy in the hierarchy of human experience. Apart from this crucially important integration of marginal realities, the symbolic universe provides the highest level of integration for the discrepant meanings actualized within everyday life in society. We have seen how meaningful integration of discrete sectors of institutionalized conduct takes place by means of reflection, both pretheoretically and theoretically. Such meaningful integration does not presuppose the positing of a symbolic universe ad initio. It can take place without recourse into symbolic processes, that is, without transcending the realities of everyday experience. #RandolphHarris 9 of 23

 However, once the symbolic universe is posited, discrepant sectors of everyday life can be integrated by direct reference to the symbolic universe. To further highlight this illustration, discrepancies between the meaning of playing the role of cousin and playing the role of landowner can be integrated without reference to a general mythology. However, if a general mythological Weltanschauung is operative, it can be directly applied to the discrepancy in everyday life. To throw a cousin off a plot of land may then be not only bad economics or bad morals (negative sanctions that need not be extended to cosmic dimensions); it may be understood as a violation of the divinely constituted order of the universe. In this way, the symbolic universe orders and thereby legitimates everyday roles, priorities, and operating procedures by placing them sub specie universi, that is, in the context of the most general frame of reference conceivable. Within the same context, even the most trivial transactions of everyday life may come to be imbued with profound significance. It can be readily seen how this procedure provides powerful legitimation for the institutional order as a whole as well as for particular sectors of it. The symbolic universe also makes possible the ordering of the different phases of biography. In primitive societies, the rites of passage represent this nomic function in pristine form. The periodization of biography is symbolized at each stage with reference to the totality of human meanings. To be a child, to be an adolescent, to be an adult, and so forth—each of these biographical phases is legitimated as a mode of being in the symbolic universe (most often, as a particular mode of relating to the world of the gods). We need not belabor the obvious point that such symbolization is conducive to feelings of security and belonging. It would be a mistake, however, to think here only of primitive societies. A modern psychological theory of personality development can fulfill the same function. #RandolphHarris 10 of 23

In both cases, the individual passing from one biographical phase to another can view himself as repeating a sequence that is given in the “nature of things,” or in his own “nature.” That is, he can reassure himself that he is living “correctly.” The “correctness” of his life program is thus legitimated on the highest level of generality. As the individual looks back upon his past life, his biography is intelligible to him in these terms. As he projects himself into the future, he may conceive of his biography as unfolding within a universe whose ultimate co-ordinate are known. The same legitimating function pertains to the “correctness” of the individual’s subjective identity. By the very nature of socialization, subjective identity is a precarious entity. It is dependent upon the individual’s relations with significant others, who may change or disappear. The precariousness is further increased by the self-experiences in the aforementioned marginal situations. The “sane” apprehension of oneself as possessor of a definite, stable, and socially recognized identity is continually threatened by the “surrealistic” metamorphoses of dreams and fantasies, even if it remains relatively consistent in everyday social interaction. Identity is ultimately legitimated by placing it within the context of a symbolic universe. Mythologically speaking, the individual’s “real” name is the one given to him by his god. The individual may thus “know who he is” by anchoring his identity in a cosmic reality protected from both the contingencies of socialization and the malevolent self-transformations of marginal experience. Even if his neighbors do not know who he is, he can reassure himself that his “true self” is an ultimately real entity in an ultimately real universe. The gods know—or psychiatric science—or the party. #RandolphHarris 11 of 23

In other words, the realissimum of identity need not be legitimated by being known at all times by the individual; it is enough, for purposes of legitimation, that it is knowable. Since the identity that is known of knowable by the gods, by psychiatry, or by the party is at the same time the identity that is assigned the status of paramount reality, legitimation again integrates all conceivable transformations of identity with the identity whose reality is grounded in everyday life in society. Once more, the symbolic universe establishes a hierarchy, from the “most real” to the most fugitive self-apprehensions of identity. This means that the individual can live in society with some assurance that he really is what he considers himself to be as he plays his routine social roles, in broad daylight and under the eyes of significant others. Ecce homo!—Behold the man sentenced by God, the figure of grief and pain. That is how the Reconciler of the world appears. The guilt of mankind has fallen upon Him. It casts Him into shame and death before God’s judgment seat. This is the great price which God pays for reconciliation with the world. Only by God’s executing judgment upon Himself can there be peace between Him and the world and between man and man. However, the secret of this judgment, of this passion and death, is the love of God for the world and for the man. What befell Christ befalls every man in Him. It is only as one who is sentenced by God that man can live before God. Only the crucified man is at peace with God. It is in the figure of the Crucified that man recognizes and discovers himself. To be taken up by God, to be executed on the cross and reconciled, that is the reality of manhood. #RandolphHarris 12 of 23

In a world where success is the measure and justification of all things the figure of Him who was sentenced and crucified remains a stranger and is at best the object of pity. The world will allow itself to be subdued only by success. It is not ideas or opinions which decide, but deeds. Success alone justified wrongs done. Success heals the wounds of guilt. There is no sense in reproaching the successful man for his unvirtuous behavior, for this would be to remain in the past while the successful man strides forward from one deed to the next, conquering the future and securing the irrevocability of what has been done. The successful man presents us with accomplished facts which can never again be reversed. What he destroys cannot be restored. What he constructs will acquire at least a prescriptive right in the next generation. No indictment can make good the guilt which the successful man has left behind him. The indictment falls silent with the passage of time, but the success remains and determines the course of history. The judges of history play a sad role in comparison with its protagonists. History rides roughshod over their heads. With a frankness and off-handedness which no other earthly power could permit itself, history appeals in its own cause to the dictum that the end justifies the means. When a successful figure becomes especially prominent and conspicuous, the majority give way to the idolization of success. They become blind to right and wrong, truth and untruth, fair play and foul play have eyes only for the deed, for the successful result. The moral and intellectual critical faculty is blunted. It is dazzled by the brilliance of the successful man and by the longing, in some way, to share in his success. It is not even seen that success is healing the wounds of guilt, for the guilt itself is no longer recognized. #RandolphHarris 13 of 23

Success is simply identified with good. This attitude is genuine and pardonable only in a state of intoxication. When sobriety returns, it can be achieved only at the price of a deep inner untruthfulness and conscious self-deception. This brings with it an inward rottenness from which there is scarcely a possibility of recovery. The proposition that success is identical with good is followed by another which aims to establish the conditions for the continuance of success. This is the proposition that only good is successful. The competence of the critical faculty to judge success is reaffirmed. Now right remains right and wrong remains wrong. Now, one no longer closes one’s eye at the crucial moment and opens it only when the deed is done. And now, there is a conscious or unconscious recognition of a law of the world, a law which makes right, truth and order more stable in the long run than violence, falsehood and self-will. And yet, this optimistic thesis is in the end misleading. Either the historical facts have to be falsified in order to prove that evil has not been successful, which very soon brings one back to the converse proposition that success is identical with goodness, or else one’s optimism breaks down in the face of the facts and one ends by finding fault with all historical success. That is why the arraigners of history never cease to complain that all success comes of wickedness. If one is engaged in fruitless and Pharisaical criticism of what is past, one can oneself never find one’s way to the present, to action and to success, and precisely in this one sees yet another proof of the wickedness of the successful man. And, if only in a negative sense, even in this one quite involuntarily makes success the measure of all things. And if success is the measure of all things, it makes no essential difference whether it is so in a positive or in a negative sense. #RandolphHarris 14 of

The figure of the Crucified invalidates all thought which takes success for its standards. Such thought is a denial of eternal justice. Neither the triumph of the successful nor the bitter hatred which the successful arouse in the hearts of the unsuccessful can ultimately overcome the world. Jesus is certainly no apologist for the successful men in history, but neither does He head the insurrection of shipwrecked existence against their successful rivals. He is not concerned with success or failure but with the willing acceptance of God’s judgment. Only in this judgment is there reconciliation with God and among men. Christ confronts all thinking in terms of success and failure with the man who is under God’s sentence, no matter whether he be successful or unsuccessful. It is out of pure love that God is willing to let man stand before Him, and that is why He sentences man. It is a sentence of mercy that God pronounces on mankind in Christ. In the cross of Christ, God confronts the successful man with the sanctification of pain, sorrow, humility, failure, poverty, loneliness, and despair. That does not mean that all this has a value in itself, but it receives its sanctification from the love of God, the love which takes all this upon itself as its just reward. God’s acceptance of the cross is His judgement upon the successful man. However, the unsuccessful man must recognize that what enables him to stand before God is not his lack of success as such, not his position as a parish, but solely the willing acceptance of the sentence passed on him by the divine love. It was precisely the cross of Christ, the failure of Christ in the world, which led to His success in history, but this is a mystery of the divine cosmic order and cannot be regarded as a general rule, even though it is repeated from time to time in the sufferings of His Church. Only in the cross of Christ, that is, as those upon whom sentence has been executed, do men achieve their true form. #RandolphHarris 15 of 23

Christ Himself emphasized that human relationships and connections with each other are equal in value to our relationship with Him, saying, “Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me,” reports Matthew 25.45. On another occasion He taught, “Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn, and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up,” reports James 4.8-10. These correlations between our relationships to others and our relationship with our Lord are direct ones. The better we are connecting with others in Christlike ways, the better we will be at connecting with Christ, and the better we are at connecting with Christ, the better we will be at connecting with others. One reason this is true is that it is through experiencing loving relationships with each other that we are able to understand His love for us. Christ was and is aware that we cannot have a connection with Him while we conflict with our fellow man. If enmity exists between people, it is not only contrary to the gospel He taught, but it also makes it impossible to build the Kingdom of God on Earth. Christ makes it very clear, “If you are not one, you are not mine,” reports Doctrine and Covenants 38.27. There is only one way for people to come to know one another, and that is through mutual self-disclosure. That is what differentiates personal relationships of love and friendship from formal role relations—the participants seek to make their subjective worlds known to one another, in an ongoing dialogue. Much like prayer is our ongoing dialogue with Jesus Christ and God. #RandolphHarris 16 of 23

However, I do have to caution: be careful what your mind is tuned into and what you want, because you just might get it all and some you do not want. And it will leave you wondering, “Why am I having these experiences?” The mind is very powerful, and even if you are unconscious of it, there is something you need to learn from the people around you. It could be some past harm in you that you have not expressed is manifesting in your reality for some reason, and it will not stop until you learn your lesson or something is healed. Learning your lesson is not always about experiencing something painful. There could just be something God needs you to recognize so that you will avoid some hardship or irreversible harm. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways, submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight,” Proverbs 3.5-6. Also, keep in mind, “Do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent His rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those He loves,” reports Proverbs 3.11-12. There could be something or someone in your path that God wants you to avoid. And if he grants your prayers at the time, you may become afflicted by this negative entity or adversary. While you may think you know what is best, God is probably protecting you. If God granted your prayer at a time when you were not ready for it, you could be one of those people who find themselves crying, “God! Why did this have to happen to me?” So, that sense of disappointment, anger, or sadness you hide inside due to unfulfilled dreams could be a blessing in disguise. The experience of freedom to tell another person of one’s hopes and fears, joys and sorrows, plans for the future, and memories of the past is the essence of relief from loneliness. However, such freedom appears to be rare. More common is the fear of disclosure, limiting self-revelation to topics that are “safe” and superficial. When you are making a new friend or dating, it is best to keep things light. Never talk about your former spouse or your problems. Focus on your hobbies and interests. Your likes and dislikes in food and drink. Your dream vacation or career aspirations. People sometimes feel awkward at the artificiality of beginning a conversation in such a structured way, but once the partners begin actually to disclose themselves, they find the experience rewarding. #RandolphHarris 17 of 23

Under what conditions will persons disclose themselves fully and authentically to others? One factor is the perception of the other person as trustworthy. This places the onus upon the other individual to be trustworthy. Another factor seems to be a considerable measure of security and self-esteem. Individuals who are relatively unafraid of others and who regard themselves as acceptable will be readier to let themselves be known than will insecure, dependent individuals. Curiously enough, some individuals feel freest to disclose themselves to strangers, such as a casual companion on a plane, a hairdresser, or a bartender. This freedom to disclose the self to strangers probably stems from the conviction that it does not matter what the other person thinks, because one is unlikely to encounter that person in one’s everyday life. One of the most powerful factors in self-disclosure is the willingness of the other person to disclose themselves to another at a mutually regulated pace and depth. If one person volunteers a great deal of intimate disclosure, the other person is a “low discloser,” and one is less likely to confide in that person because there is no reward for disclosure of comparable intimacy. Other later studies have corroborated this relationship between two persons—we tend to disclose to people who disclose to us. Sometimes, one person or the other takes the initiative in disclosure, but the other person generally reciprocates. Think about all the ways our Father in Heaven organizes His work on earth. We are set up in wards and stakes and assigned to minister to each other. We are commanded to gather together every seven days to worship and, at least once a month, share our deepest convictions and experiences. We learn over and over that the most basic unit of Heaven is the family. Everywhere you look, Father is compelling us to use great discernment and connect with the people around us whom we feel safe around. #RandolphHarris 18 of 23

One evening, Sacramento’s night sky turned apocalyptic as flames devoured the 22‑story Harrington Crest Tower, a residential high‑rise that had become a vertical inferno. Flammable cladding ignited like gasoline, sending sheets of fire racing upward faster than any crew had ever witnessed. Within minutes, hundreds were trapped. Some called from balconies, others from smoke‑choked hallways, and many more simply vanished into the chaos. Casualties were confirmed early—too many, too fast—and every firefighter on scene felt the weight of that reality pressing against their ribs. Captain Lukas Reinhardt, a veteran German firefighter visiting Sacramento for a joint training program, had never imagined he would be thrown into the city’s worst high‑rise disaster in decades. Yet when the alarms sounded, he did not hesitate. He joined the Sacramento Fire Department—an award‑winning force known nationally for its rescue operations—and stepped into the nightmare beside them. Standard high‑rise procedures collapsed almost immediately. One of the building’s stairwells had become a chimney of toxic smoke, and the elevators were dead. The fire was climbing faster than the crews could. Still, wave after wave of firefighters made the conscious decision to enter what many later described as a “death trap.” Captain Reinhardt saw it in their eyes: fear, yes—but also resolve. The kind that only comes from years of service, from knowing that people were still alive inside. On the fifteenth floor, a call crackled through the radio—an infant trapped in a corner unit, the parents unconscious from smoke inhalation. The EMTs on scene, also part of Sacramento’s award‑winning emergency response teams, prepared for immediate medical intervention, but someone had to reach the baby first. The stairwell was nearly impassable, temperatures soaring past survivable limits. Captain Reinhardt did not wait for orders. He grabbed his mask, tightened his gloves, and started climbing. #RandolphHarris 19 of 23

Every step felt like wading through molten air. The smoke was so thick it seemed to have weight, pressing against his helmet, clawing at his lungs even through the respirator. Twice he had to stop to help disoriented residents down the stairs, guiding them toward crews waiting below. By the time he reached the fifteenth-floor landing, his legs trembled from heat exhaustion. The hallway was a tunnel of fire. Captain Reinhardt dropped low, crawling beneath the worst of it, following the faint sound of a baby’s cry. When he reached the unit, the door was warped and half‑melted. He forced it open with a Halligan bar, stumbling into a room glowing orange with reflected flame. The parents lay unconscious near the doorway, but the baby—miraculously—was still crying from a crib pushed against the far wall. Reinhardt scooped the child into his arms and wrapped it in his turnout coat. The descent was even harder. Twice he thought he might collapse. But when he emerged from the stairwell, soot‑covered and shaking, the EMTs rushed forward, taking the baby and beginning treatment immediately. Behind them, Harrington Crest Tower continued to burn, its casualties a grim reminder of the night’s brutality. But in the midst of devastation, one small life had been saved—because men like Captain Lukas Reinhardt chose to climb into the fire when others could not. The seventy‑five lives lost at Harrington Crest Tower were a devastating toll, a number that will forever mark the night Sacramento burned. Yet even in that tragedy, the actions of the firefighters stand as the reason the disaster did not become immeasurably worse. Their courage prevented what could have been hundreds more casualties. Again and again, they climbed into a structure they knew might collapse around them, choosing duty over fear. It was not reckless—it was disciplined bravery, the ultimate expression of the firefighter’s creed: risk everything to save just one more life. And on that night, they did exactly that. They did a great job, not because the outcome was perfect, but because they fought for every life they could reach. #RandolphHarris 20 of 23

When it comes to firefighting, every incident carries the potential for injury—no matter how small the fire appears or how routine the call may seem. If you see a fire engine stopped in the street without its lights on, use extreme caution. Crews may be working nearby, and passing the apparatus can put them in danger. It is often safer to turn around and take another route; if you strike a firefighter or civilian and cause a fatality, you could face charges such as manslaughter. Firefighters frequently move around their vehicle on foot, loading equipment or preparing to leave the scene. Attempting to pass the apparatus can result in a collision with someone you cannot see. Pay close attention to their hand signals as well—emergency vehicles sometimes move slowly or reposition, and impatient drivers trying to slip around them create hazardous situations. If you are already in an intersection when you notice an emergency vehicle approaching, continue through it, then pull to the right and stop as soon as it is safe. Always obey directions from law enforcement officers or firefighters, even if those instructions conflict with posted signs or traffic laws. When sirens or flashing lights are activated, it is illegal to follow within 300 feet of a fire engine, ambulance, or police vehicle. Driving to the scene of a fire, collision, or disaster can also result in arrest, as doing so interferes with firefighters, paramedics, and other emergency personnel. Professional courage is not limited to physical toughness. It includes listening to others, advocating for them in difficult situations, understanding personal limits, and having the integrity to tell a superior when they are wrong. The deeper truth is that public safety depends not only on the bravery of first responders but on the discipline and judgment of the community around them. Every driver’s decision—whether cautious or careless—can either protect or endanger the people risking their lives to protect everyone else. #RandolphHarris 21 of 23

To help prevent disasters, we must plan well in advance. Efforts to preserve farmland and maintain buildable land for future generations often lead to discussions about population growth and long‑term planning. Some people argue that immigration levels should be managed carefully to ensure that infrastructure, housing, and land use remain sustainable. Others suggest that, when immigration does occur, programs that encourage broad representation can help communities reflect the diversity of the wider world. When Americans purchase goods made in the United States, it strengthens local businesses and signals to investors that these products are in demand. Strong sales give investors confidence to reinvest in domestic companies, helping keep jobs, production, and wages within the country. As businesses grow, they contribute more to the tax base, which can reduce the burden on taxpayers over time. Supporting American businesses also keeps more money circulating within the national economy. The government increases the national debt when it spends more than it collects in tax revenue or borrows from private or foreign lenders. When people shop locally, more tax revenue stays in the community and supports public services. This helps keep jobs in the United States and increases the tax contributions that fund government operations. Purchasing foreign-made goods, by contrast, often sends money overseas and may benefit companies that operate under lighter tax or environmental regulations. Buying American-made products can also reduce environmental impact because they travel shorter distances and are produced under stricter standards for air, land, and water protection. In this way, consumer choices influence not only the economy but also environmental stewardship and long-term national sustainability. #RandolphHarris 22 of 23

Under President Trump’s administration, he has made America a priority. President Trump has hermetically sealed the southern border, illegal crossings have been terminated, and are 90 percent lower than under the previous administration. Since President Trump’s crack down on crime, violent crimes in Washington D.C. have dropped by approximately 80 percent. He has stopped thousands of pounds of drugs from entering America and killing citizens. And since President Trump took office, investments in America have increased by trillions of dollars in U.S.A. manufacturing, production, and innovation. As you can see, President Donald Trump and his pledge to “Make America Great Again” is exactly what America needs to save the country and the American people. And yes, diversity is important, so you can see why it is also important to preserve blonde hair and blue eyes, as the people with these characteristics are becoming a minority in America. As a reminder, parents, please teach your children to love America and be patriotic citizens, and to buy goods and services made in America. It is also important to respect law and order and treat your elders with respect. It is inborn in the human mind to wish to know. If this begins with the endless surface questions of a child’s curiosity, if it continues into deeper questions of a scientist’s probing investigation, it cannot and does not stop there. For the higher part of the mind will eventually come into unfoldment, that union of abstract reflective thought with mystical intuition, which is true intelligence, which needs and sees a view of the whole of things. And so, the knowing faculty enters the realm of philosophy. A lot of children are having problems in school and cannot even write a paragraph because they are not reading their books. When you actually read books, you get an example of how to write and will become a better student. Therefore, remember to take your education seriously so that you will be successful in life and make your family proud. Also, to make sure they have all the resources required, please donate to the Sacramento Fire Department to help improve our national security. “Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand between their loved home and the war’s desolation! Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause is just, and this be our motto: ‘In God is our trust.’ And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” Thank you for your attention to this matter. PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP. #RandolphHarris 23 of 23

Winchester Mystery House

The Winchester Mystery House is the former home of Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester Repeating Arms fortune. Built over nearly four decades beginning in 1886, the Victorian mansion is known for its remarkable craftsmanship, maze-like architecture, and the stories that have surrounded it for more than a century. Today, the home stands as one of America’s most celebrated historic landmarks, cared for through ongoing preservation and restoration efforts. We invite you to step inside, explore its fascinating history and experience the beautiful and bizarre home of Sarah Winchester firsthand.

The police had searched the Winchester house thoroughly—too thoroughly, some said. They tore up floorboards, ripped open closets, even hacked through sections of the mahogany parlor floor until the once‑elegant mansion looked like a gutted carcass. Yet despite all their efforts, they found nothing. No bodies. No blood. No sign of struggle. Mrs. Sarah L. Winchester, her niece Daisy, and her nephew had simply vanished. The official explanation was mundane: they must have moved away quietly in the night, slipping off the property when no one noticed. But Sacramento whispered a different story. People said the house had swallowed them. In the winter of 1922, the furniture was sold at auction. The house was boarded up, left to rot, and eventually put on the market. No one wanted it. Not even the bravest real estate men would step inside after sunset. It wasn’t until 1923 that the mansion reopened for tours, and by then the damage from the police search remained untouched. Lath and plaster hung like peeling skin from the walls. Broken floorboards gaped like open mouths. One of the basements had become an obstacle course of shattered concrete and shallow pits, as if something beneath had tried to claw its way out. Only the attic remained untouched. Its exposed rafters offered no shadows deep enough to hide anything. Guides liked to say it was the safest room in the house. They were wrong.

The first strange incident happened on a cold January evening. A tour guide named Marjorie heard footsteps pacing above her while she spoke to a group in the second‑floor hallway. Heavy, deliberate steps. But the attic was locked, and she had the only key. When she climbed the narrow staircase to investigate, she found the attic door standing wide open, the padlock snapped clean in half on the floor. The rafters were empty. But the footsteps continued behind her. After that, the mansion changed. Visitors reported seeing a woman in black drifting through the ruined hallways, her face hidden behind a mourning veil. Children claimed a pale girl watched them from the broken pits in the basement. A man swore he saw a boy crouched inside a closet with no back, staring at him through the splintered wood. When he opened the door, the closet was empty. The police were called again. They searched again. And again, they found nothing. But the house was no longer silent.

Late at night, neighbors heard hammering—furious, frantic hammering—echoing from inside the boarded‑up mansion. Sometimes it sounded like someone was building. Other times, like someone was trying to escape. Lights flickered in windows where no electricity remained. Shadows moved across rooms stripped bare. And always, always, the attic door stood open. Some say Mrs. Winchester never left. Some say Daisy and her brother never had the chance. And some say the house, wounded by the search, now hungers for replacements. Whatever the truth is, the mansion waits. It listens. And if you enter after dark, it remembers you.

The United States is filled with haunted locations, each with its own ghost stories, strange architecture, and unexplained phenomena—but none of them carry the legend, the lore, or the sheer architectural madness of the Winchester Mystery House. For more than a century, visitors have wandered its endless hallways, climbed staircases that lead nowhere, and stood in rooms where people swear they’ve felt cold hands brush their shoulders or heard footsteps pacing behind them when no one was there.

Across the country, paranormal experts have nominated twenty of the most extraordinary haunted destinations for their intense reports of ghostly encounters. But the Winchester Mystery House stands apart. It isn’t just haunted—it’s alive with unanswered questions. Why did Sarah Winchester build doors that open into walls? Why do some rooms seem to shift in temperature without explanation? And why do so many guests report seeing a woman in black drifting through the corridors long after closing hours?

Now it’s your turn to decide which haunted destination deserves the title of America’s most extraordinary paranormal hotspot. You can vote once per day for your top pick until Monday, September 21 at noon ET. The winning haunted location will be announced on Wednesday, September 30.

Whether you believe the Winchester Mystery House is a labyrinth designed to confuse spirits, a monument to grief, or a place where the past still walks the halls, one thing is certain: no other haunted site in America leaves visitors with stories they can’t explain—and memories they can’t forget. Please click here to vote: #WinchesterMysteryHouse

Welcome to Cresleigh Homes

Within every Cresleigh neighborhood, you’ll discover homes that feel instantly welcoming—beautiful, spacious retreats crafted with care for every generation and every lifestyle. These are not just houses; they are thoughtfully designed living spaces where natural light pours through generous windows, open floor plans create effortless flow, and every detail reflects Cresleigh’s commitment to comfort, efficiency, and long‑term reliability.

Each home is built to support what matters most: gathering with loved ones, celebrating milestones, and creating memories that last a lifetime. This is where life feels grounded, warm, and truly yours. Welcome to the neighborhood.

Welcome to Cresleigh Bluffs, the newest and most exciting home community in Plumas Ranch. Nestled in the heart of Plumas Lake, this community offers a collection of beautifully designed homes that blend modern elegance with everyday practicality.

With four spacious floor plans to choose from, Cresleigh Bluffs gives homeowners room to breathe, grow, and live fully. Expansive primary suites, wide-open living areas, and thoughtfully arranged layouts make each home feel both luxurious and livable.

Every residence comes equipped with premium standard features: engineered roof construction for lasting durability, full front and rear yard fencing for privacy, and a suite of smart‑home technologies that bring convenience to your fingertips. From the central automation hub and smart thermostat to digital entry, video doorbell, Wi‑Fi extender, and remote garage access, your home is designed to be as intelligent as it is beautiful.

Inside, you’ll find elevated finishes that set Cresleigh Bluffs apart—engineered stone showers, dual sinks in select baths, ceramic tile flooring, upgraded interior materials, and center‑island kitchens with gleaming stainless steel appliances. These kitchens aren’t just functional; they’re stunning gathering spaces where cooking, conversation, and connection come naturally.

To make the design process effortless, Cresleigh Bluffs offers exclusive curated design packages. Whether your style leans modern, classic, or somewhere in between, you can choose a package that fits your taste and your budget—ensuring your home feels uniquely yours from day one.

The community itself is just as inviting. Beautifully landscaped open spaces, nearby parks, and access to quality schools create an environment perfect for families, professionals, and anyone seeking a peaceful place to call home.

With direct routes to Sacramento, Roseville, and other regional destinations, Cresleigh Bluffs offers the ideal balance of serene neighborhood living and convenient urban access.

Contact our dedicated sales associates to learn more, and sign up for our interest list to stay informed about availability and community updates. Cresleigh Bluffs isn’t just a place to live—it’s a place to thrive. https://www.cresleigh.com/communities/california/plumas-lake-ca/bluffs-at-plumas-ranch