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Posted by /u/Playergh

Did Italian soldiers in the Second World War consume more water than other armies because they had to boil pasta?

The notorious board/war game The Campaign for North Africa has, among its numerous small details, the rule that the Italians consume more water than the others because they use it to boil pasta. Is this increased water consumption supported by sources, and did the Italians even…

Posted by /u/Arthur-reborn

How common was it in Vietnam to avoid being drafted by the Army by joining the Navy/Air force first?

My dad came from a poor family and turned 18 right at the height of the Vietnam era drafts. He knew he was most likely going to be drafted and there wasn't much he could do about it. So him and his brother both signed onto the Navy before he could get a draft notice. He ended up…

Posted by /u/Wild0TT3R

How comfortable were people with nudity and mixed-gender settings in medieval Europe (14th–15th centuries) (Bath)?

Hi, And more specifically, during bathing time? Of course, in an era when religion and its precepts held great sway, I can easily imagine that public nudity was not well tolerated. But what about when people went to the public bathhouse, or any other place for washing the body?…

Posted by /u/optiplex9000

My father grew up in a small town in the US in the 70s. He told me a story where he was able to call home from his school by dialing just 4 numbers. When did phone calls start requiring 7 numbers like 555-5555 instead of just 5555?

Posted by /u/CatsDoingCrime

What is the current consensus on the historicity of the Trojan War?

In honor of a... certain movie that recently came out, I started to wonder: what actually is the current historical consensus on the Trojan war? I know for a while historians thought it was largely mythical, but then the actual city of Troy was found (and the guy who found it da…

Posted by /u/Sea_Offer_5854

Will my cat go straight to Heaven?

My cat just died. I think he got hit by a car because he had so much blood coming out of his mouth. I can't stop crying. He came and took his last breath right outside my door.

Posted by /u/Economy_Mobile_6160

Catholic dad joke alert

My wife just said “Protestants want to be Sola Scriptura, but they can’t even be Whola Scriptura” And I cackled.

Posted by /u/Courcheval_Royale

"In World War 2, city of Pittsburgh produced more steel than all of Germany/Axis" Is it a claim based on actual research,or is it another example of anecdotal evidence becoming popularized?

Posted by /u/faithhopeandbread

Did most Europeans really think war was exciting and heroic before World War 1?

This is something I hear all the time regarding the first World War: Up until then wars were quick, heroic and romantic ways to earn prestige and bolster your nation's standing on the world stage; only once the horrors of trench warfare &c. were fully realized did that perceptio…

Posted by /u/Mr_Emperor

Was there a domestic ornamental rug making tradition in Medieval Europe? What types of patterns were common and who would have access to them?

Central Asia is famous for its luxurious "Persian" rugs that are in high demand even today with cultures from Afghanistan, to Northern Africa and beyond having ornamental rugs in regular people's homes, often as replacements for furniture. And I think about Spanish New Mexico wh…

Posted by /u/haevow

Did the average slave see slavery as an inevitability?

From what I know, most slaves generally did not buy into the narrative that slavery was natural, just or “the only system that works”, unlike the many ways capitalist ideology works today. But that leads me to wonder, even if slaves did not belive that the practice of slavery wa…

Posted by /u/HonkyTonkBluesYEAH

What are the best Catholic films?

For books I know The Bible and The Lord of the Rings (Dostoevsky on the other hand is Orthodox). For films I am not sure. I know The Passion of the Christ but Mel Gibson is kind of outside the Church, even if he likes old Catholicism.

Posted by /u/peenaculada

When George Washington said ‘banditti,’ who exactly was he picturing?

Reading a book about Washington and he uses the word a lot, usually in reference to frontier warfare and Indians but it strikes me that the loan word had its own associations rooted in Italian history and geography. Wikipedia says the word bandit entered English from Italian cir…

Posted by /u/firenance

My wife wants to pick godparents I know aren’t valid, but due to confidential info

WWYD? I feel like the whole situation is going to be difficult and harm either my marriage or friendship. Prob more relationship question but related to our kid’s sacraments. Next baby is due in a few months. Wife suggested a couple friend to be godparents. At first I said let’s…

Posted by /u/bileelthorkva

What was Canada's response to the AIDS crisis?

As a Canadian who's also queer, I've only ever learned about the response to the AIDS crisis that the US made, never the response my own country made. What did the Canadian government and healthcare system do? What was the response by queer people and other victims of AIDS at th…

Posted by /u/Imperator-ad-plagam

Which church teachings do you think could be declared dogma within our lifetime?

Posted by /u/Owl_And_Bunny

Why do Orthodox Christians emphasize their Orthodox identity?

Hello, Sometimes, while browsing the internet, I come across conversations between people from different ethnic and religious backgrounds. There is something I have noticed. Orthodox Christians do not simply say that they are Christian; they often make a point of emphasizing tha…

Posted by /u/zjordyyy

First Eucharist Experience

I was baptized Catholic as a baby, but after my family stopped practicing I spent the next 14 years as an agnostic. Everything changed in 2024 when I sat beside my uncle as he slowly died of cancer. He wasn't afraid he knew he was going home to Christ. That moment started a jour…

Posted by /u/GingerPrincess666

Scared for the Church

I know our Church is the largest and greatest out of all Christian churches, but I'm still scared for its future. I attend a parish close to home and it's only older believers in attendance... Will the coming youth still frequent the Catholic Church as often as God expects them…