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Happiness Happening

Posted by peripheral on Saturday, July 18, 2009 6:20:28 AM
From My Perspective - - -

It seems we all have the potential for making a deliberate choice to (a) Be Happy, or (b) Be Sad (or Miserable). All kinds of books written by Psychologists, Psychiatrists and Clergy discuss the subject of Being Happy and Finding Happiness. Some of the titles are: The Secret of Happiness (Billy Graham); The Be-Happy Attitudes (Robert Schuller); or Climb Your Stairway to Heaven: The 9 Habits of Maximum Happiness (David Leonhardt).

The Mayor of Durham, NC came up with a unique idea by linking with Nickelodeon as it begins a celebration today of the 10th anniversary of Sponge-Bob Square-Pants. The headline reads: Mayor Declares A Day Of Happiness. As part of Nickelodeon’s celebration, the network has proclaimed July 17th, the first Global Day of Happiness. The proclamation reads that “…a day in honor of happiness is most appropriate due to the current affairs within our nation…The day will help recognize simple pleasures, like a smile -- the more in tune with one's happiness, the more one is inspired to commit good deeds.” It adds that “mental health is a worldwide issue, and happiness increases confidence, and self-esteem -- which leads to success, and a healthy lifestyle.” So there you have it – the searched for secret of happiness – and all it took was “…that absorbent, yellow fellow who lives in a pineapple under the sea and The Ultimate Sponge-Bob Sponge-Bash Weekend." Isn’t that an easy approach?

Perhaps – too easy! All kinds of people have attempted to offer a brief statement to define what happiness is and how it can be attained or maintained. Perhaps the most brief one was by Charles Schulz: Happiness Is A Warm Puppy. A few other expressions are by - Helen Keller: True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose; Mahatma Gandhi: Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony; Hugh Downs: A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes; Mark Twain: Happiness ain't a thing in itself--it's only a contrast with something that ain't pleasant; Socrates: By all means marry: If you get a good wife, you'll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher; Steven Covey: Happiness can be defined, in part at least, as the fruit of the desire and ability to sacrifice what we want now for what we want eventually.

Declaring a Day Of Happiness is fanciful - but suppose you could have A Lifetime Of Happiness – which one would you choose or want more? On the website, Reference.com, the following is stated: “While direct measurement of happiness is difficult, tools such as The Oxford Happiness Inventory have been developed by researchers. Looking for the level of happiness as reported by people and comparing it to various elements in their lives reveals the following findings: (1) About 50% of one's sadness depends on one's genes. This is shown by studying identical twins and learning that their happiness is 50% correlated even when growing up in different houses; (2) 10% to 15% percent is a result of various measurable variables, such as socioeconomic status, marital status, health, income, and others; (3) the remaining 40% results from actions that individuals deliberately engage in for the purpose of becoming happier. However, these actions may vary between persons. For example, extroverts may benefit from placing themselves in situations involving large amounts of human interaction. Also, exercise has been shown to increase one's level of well-being significantly.”

In place of Happiness, one might fin Joy to be more beneficial. Happiness depends on Happenings (variable circumstances that can be either sad or happy), whereas Joy depends upon a Relationship. In John 15:9-11 Jesus said: “Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may overflow.” A lifetime of Joy versus occasional Happiness – the choice should be obvious. Go with Joy!  Go with Jesus!  Consider these things with me!
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Options Or Principles - The Political Calculus

Posted by peripheral on Friday, July 17, 2009 6:32:28 AM
From My Perspective - - -

In life, one’s Core Values should govern one’s actions. If one is motivated by Principle, decision-making should be fixed and clear. A Person of Principle does not allow other factors to interfere with decisions where right or wrong are at issue. A clear definition of events, circumstances and assessment should occur based upon the Core Values – and – no other calculation or consideration. One must see things clearly for what they are and not some redefined interpretation based upon imagination rather than reality.

An interesting idea in this regard is the phrase: “Tilting At Windmills” that is based on Cervantes' Don Quixote - first published in 1604, under the title The Ingenious Knight of La Mancha. A summary of this tome explains a difference between what is imagined and what is reality. “The novel recounts the exploits of would-be knight 'Don Quixote' and his loyal servant Sancho Panza who propose to fight injustice through chivalry. In the book, which also gives us the adjective quixotic (striving for visionary ideals), the hero imagines himself to be fighting giants when he attacks windmills. Just then they came in sight of thirty or forty windmills that rise from that plain. And no sooner did Don Quixote see them that he said to his squire, ‘Fortune is guiding our affairs better than we ourselves could have wished. Do you see over yonder, friend Sancho, thirty or forty hulking giants? I intend to do battle with them and slay them. With their spoils we shall begin to be rich for this is a righteous war and the removal of so foul a brood from off the face of the earth is a service God will bless.’ What giants? asked Sancho Panza. ‘Those you see over there with their long arms,’ replied his master. ‘Some of them have arms well nigh two leagues in length.’ Take care, sir, cried Sancho. Those over there are not giants but windmills. Those things that seem to be their arms are sails which, when they are whirled around by the wind, turn the millstone." And so, the phrase: “Tilting At Windmills” would soon be born.

As one looks at the debates and actions of both the US Congress and US Senate, one truism that becomes obvious is that too many are “Tilting At Windmills” in the decisions being reached that will impact a Nation for years and generations to come. Imagination is often allowed to supersede Reality! An illustration of Options Versus Principles appears in an Associated Press Release today, headlined: GOP SENATORS WEIGH OPTIONS IN SOTOMAYOR'S WAKE - By Jesse J. Holland. The crux of the issue is summed up in these words: “Sonia Sotomayor's success at her Supreme Court confirmation hearing has some Republicans in a tight spot, with conservative senators forced to weigh the political calculus of voting on the court's first Latina nominee, who also is the first liberal nominee in 15 years. With Democrats solidly behind the 55-year-old Sotomayor, three days of grueling questioning before the Senate Judiciary Committee gave Republicans no new or damaging ammunition to use against President Barack Obama's first high-court nominee…The underlying politics are dicey for Republicans. They must be careful to keep faith with constituents like National Rifle Association members who oppose her, yet avoid offending the Hispanic voters who represent the fastest-growing segment of the electorate…”

The crucial words in terms of “Options Or Principles” are: “…some Republicans (are) in a tight spot, with conservative Senators forced to weigh the political calculus…” And, “They must be careful to keep faith with constituents like National Rifle Association members who oppose her, yet avoid offending the Hispanic voters who represent the fastest-growing segment of the electorate…” The Bible states in James 5:11-12 (The Message Translation) that which should govern deliberations and actions: “God cares, cares right down to the last detail. And since you know that he cares, let your language show it. Don't add words like ‘I swear to God’ to your own words. Don't show your impatience by concocting oaths to hurry up God. Just say 'Yes' or 'No'. Just say what is true. That way, your language can't be used against you.” One’s quandary occurs when there is vacillation between right and wrong – yes or no issues. Consider these things with me!
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How Dry I Am (Or: How Am I To Dry)

Posted by peripheral on Thursday, July 16, 2009 7:33:38 AM
From My Perspective - - -

In these rapidly changing and serious times, one would think that Legislators at all levels of Government would be focused on the primary issues that impact the greatest number of citizens. In today’s Drudge Report, the lead items are: (1) “Massachusetts in Suit Over Cost of Universal Care”, The gist of the article pertains to: “A hospital that serves thousands of indigent Massachusetts residents sued the state on Wednesday, charging that its costly universal health care law is forcing the hospital to cover too much of the expense of caring for the poor. The hospital, Boston Medical Center, faces a $38 million deficit for the fiscal year ending in September, its first loss in 5 years. The hospital will lose more than $100 million next year because the state has lowered Medicaid reimbursement rates and stopped paying…‘reasonable costs’ for treating other poor patients. ‘We filed this suit more in sorrow than in anger,’ said…the hospital’s chief executive.” And, (2) “Terrifying 57% Tax Looms For Biggest Earners In NYC”. The gist of this item is: “Congressional plans to fund a massive health-care overhaul could have a job-killing effect on New York, creating a tax rate of nearly 60 percent for the state's top earners and possibly pressuring small-business owners to shed workers….The top rate in New York City, home to many of the state's wealthiest people, would be 58.68 percent, the Washington-based Tax Foundation said in a report yesterday.

One would have to admit that the above represents serious issues in those locales that could easily spread elsewhere in our nation. Therefore, it is of passing interest to note: A Blog from North Carolina – Capital Beat by Mark Binker – where the Blog’s purpose is: “What Our Local Officials Are Up To At The State Capital And How State Government Is Affecting Folks…”, the following was posted in the News-Record, Greensboro, North Carolina - Clothesline Bill Hung Out To Dry. “…a Greensboro Democrat, got a little bill (H 1353) through the House that would prohibit cities and counties from adopting blanket prohibitions on clotheslines. The idea, according to Harrison, is to allow people who want to save energy by hanging out their laundry (rather than use their dryers)…Originally, the bill started out as an effort to keep homeowners associations from adopting restrictive covenants prohibiting clotheslines…I…think we ought to let cities and counties to elect local ordinances that govern these types of things, I don’t think the state should have an umbrella ordinance for clotheslines…we just can’t legislate everything,” said Sen. Malcolm Graham.” And then it began to get frivolous: “Is there any kind of a dress code required when you’re hanging out your clothes,” asked a Senator. The question was a sideswipe at what was being whispered around the committee table: who wants to see their neighbors’ unmentionables?...After one outburst of laughter, Committee Chairman R.C. Soles said, ‘Alright, this is serious business,’ tapping his gavel on the table. That got more chuckles and prompted at least one committee member to remark, ‘Oh, yeah, this is serious business.’ The bill was voted down on a voice vote…The Bill’s sponsor said: “It’s been a real problem for folks who feel pretty adamantly they want to use clotheslines…It’s their small step that they can take toward the global warming issue.”

In Luke 6:24-26, when the Pharisees objected to the Disciples gathering grain on the Sabbath, Jesus stated a series of woes upon them: "But woe to you who are rich…Woe to you who are well fed now…Woe To You Who Laugh Now, For You Will Mourn And Weep…” Jesus did not look kindly on those given to frivolity, ridicule, judgment and oppression. In Ecclesiastes 3:1-9, there is a series of ”There is a time for…” phrases: “There is a time for everything…under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot…A Time To Weep And A Time To Laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…a time to be silent and a time to speak…a time for war and a time for peace.” We are living in serious and dreadful times. The issue is not so much partisan politics – but – whatever happened to basic and common sense. We cannot afford frivolous, reckless and meaningless debate. When there is an impending wreck, one would be wise to apply the brakes and stop! However, some might think of it as a time to discuss and fund the building of wider roads with substantial barriers in the medians. Setting as a priority: “How Dry I Am” and if or what one hangs on a clothesline. Distorted and Frivolous Priorities for sure! Consider these things with me!
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Shrub-Drubbing

Posted by peripheral on Tuesday, July 14, 2009 7:02:07 AM
From My Perspective - - -

What should one do when surrounded by the consequences of one’s own actions? Is there ever a time for reality to set and responsibility to be accepted? When trying to avoid responsibility, what is the response in terms of the calamity at hand? In the area of politics, one resorts to “Shrub-Drubbing” (or “Bush-Bashing”)! For the next four or eight years, every negative experience imaginable is not the fault of the current office holders – it is because of the ineptness and incompetence of the previous administration. This becomes an interesting rallying cry even though there is diminishing evidence to that effect – factualness matters little in the “blame-game”!

Mortimer Zuckerman, chairman and editor in chief of U.S. News & World Report has an article in the Wall Street Journal today. In it, he allows: “The recent unemployment numbers have undermined confidence that we might be nearing the bottom of the recession. What we can see on the surface is disconcerting enough, but the inside numbers are just as bad. The Bureau of Labor Statistics preliminary estimate for job losses for June is 467,000, which means 7.2 million people have lost their jobs since the start of the recession. The cumulative job losses over the last six months have been greater than for any other half year period since World War II, including the military demobilization after the war… Here are 10 reasons we are in even more trouble than the 9.5% unemployment rate indicates: (1) June's total assumed 185,000 people at work who probably were not. The government could not identify them; it made an assumption about trends…(2) More companies are asking employees to take unpaid leave. These people don't count on the unemployment roll. (3) No fewer than 1.4 million people wanted or were available for work in the last 12 months but were not counted. Why? Because they hadn't searched for work in the four weeks preceding the survey. (4) The number of workers taking part-time jobs due to the slack economy, a kind of stealth underemployment, has doubled in this recession to about nine million…Add those whose hours have been cut to those who cannot find a full-time job and the total unemployed rises to 16.5%, putting the number of involuntarily idle in the range of 25 million. (5) The average work week for rank-and-file employees in the private sector, roughly 80% of the work force, slipped to 33 hours…and factories are operating at only 65% of capacity. (6) The average length of official unemployment increased to 24.5 weeks…(7) The average worker saw no wage gains in June, with average compensation running flat at $18.53 an hour. (8) The goods producing sector is losing the most jobs…(9) The prospects for job creation are equally distressing. The likelihood is that when economic activity picks up, employers will first choose to increase hours for existing workers and bring part-time workers back to full time. Many unemployed workers looking for jobs once the recovery begins will discover that jobs as good as the ones they lost are almost impossible to find because many layoffs have been permanent. (10) Job losses may last well into 2010 to hit an unemployment peak close to 11%. That unemployment rate may be sustained for an extended period. No wonder poll after poll shows a steady erosion of confidence in the stimulus. So what kind of second-act stimulus should we look for? Something that might have a real multiplier effect, not a congressional wish list of pet programs. It is critical that the Obama administration not play politics with the issue. The time to get ready for a serious infrastructure program is now. It's a shame Washington didn't get it right the first time…”

In Matthew 7:24-29, Jesus addresses the subject of “Foundations” – the difference it makes if one wisely builds on rock versus the one who persists and foolishly chooses to build on sand. Regrettably, as our nation’s infra-structure continues to erode and crumble, we have those who choosing sand foundations rather than rock. In Psalm 11:3, a question is posed: “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?" In the political arena, it is blame, bash and spend some more! In the spiritual arena, it is to pray, encourage and to be as charitable as possible. Some can choose to ignore and disbelieve that in the midst of our inadequacy, we can seek the Lord and bask in His all-sufficiency! Consider these things with me!
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Malady and Malaise

Posted by peripheral on Friday, July 10, 2009 7:11:33 AM
From My Perspective - - - 

In several areas of our culture, there appears to be a departure from a sense of appreciation for others and their achievements; a readiness to embrace ridicule and demeaning of fellow human beings; a willingness to caricature certain strata of our society (ethnic and gender groups, occupations, nations, etc.). It’s easy to detect in current examples when news reports speak of the adulation of and for Michael Jackson on the one hand, and the ridicule and demeaning of Sarah Palin (and her children) on the other hand. Somewhere along the way, misdirection has allowed for the diminution of respect, fairness and acceptance of each other. There may be merit – if understood and applied appropriately - in the adage “live and let live” that would be helpful in our world today.

There’s a story of the old preacher who announced to his parish overseers that he would have to leave his congregation due to a widespread Malady and Malaise. When pressed to amplify, he was forced to admit and state – actually – they were Sick and Tired of him and no longer wanted him to continue. While that is meant as humor, in the area of spiritual impact in our culture, the overall Malady and Malaise prevails. The role and place of religion is diminishing more and more in our nation and culture. Several examples come to mind from recent days: (1) The President of the United States serves, in a sense, as a role model. However, he cannot find a church where he and his family can attend for regular worship; (2) The National Day of Prayer came and went with very little attention given to it by our political leaders; (3) The God and Country Family Festival in Nampa, Idaho, applied to the Pentagon for the flyover but was denied because the Pentagon prohibited support of special interest groups. The official statement was: “it violates a Pentagon policy against supporting any event that provides a selective benefit to any individual, group, or organization, including any religious or sectarian organization, ideological movement, political campaign or organization, or commercial enterprise, to include a shopping mall or motion picture promotion." However, the Flyovers have taken place at this festival for the past 42 years.

In thinking about spiritual impact, the drift away from the foundations and moorings of national focus on The Eternal God is no recent phenomenon. There is an interesting observation in Jeremiah 5:30-31, “A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?” There are three observations being made: (1) there is Deception; (2) there is usurpation of authority; (3) the people demonstrate naiveté and/or gullibility and embrace this departure wholeheartedly. Proper Assessment and drastic action are called for in Deuteronomy 13:1-5, “Suppose there are prophets among you, or those who have dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles, and the predicted signs or miracles take place. If the prophets then say, Come, let us worship the gods of foreign nations, do not listen to them. The LORD your God is testing you to see if you love him with all your heart and soul. Serve only the LORD your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him. The false prophets or dreamers who try to lead you astray must be put to death, for they encourage rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of slavery in the land of Egypt. Since they try to keep you from following the LORD your God, you must execute them to remove the evil from among you.” Execution is not the suggestion for today, but realistic assessment should be our national concern.

Many people suggest their sense of a national Malady and Malaise. They are becoming sick and tired in terms of the culture and national direction. The point is – What Will YOU Do About It? Will you remain silent, or merely complain to your peer group – or – will you become engaged and involved in helping this nation and culture become re-focused? Or, have you become lulled like the people of Jeremiah’s day allowing yourself to become numbered with - “…my people love it this way…”? Consider these things with me!
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Dollars Making No-Cents/Some-Cents

Posted by peripheral on Thursday, July 09, 2009 6:23:00 AM

From My Perspective - - -

Stimulus #1: $787 Billion. Needed – Stimulus #2 (the President hasn’t said how much it should be – just that we need more spending)! Problem – Senator Harry Reed stated we have yet to spend almost 90% of Stimulus #1. Stimulus #1 was supposed to fund “shovel-ready” infra-structure projects. This sounded logical and workable – but – it really hasn’t happened. Texas congressman Louis Gohmert (R 1st Dist.) offered a novel approach last year. He floated an idea of allowing the American people to go one full month without paying any federal income or payroll taxes. The idea was that they would then spend this money and stimulate the economy. When President Obama started talking about the $787 billion dollar stimulus the following could’ve been factored in. It seems that $787 billion is almost exactly equal to the amount of federal income, Social Security and Medicare taxes withheld from American paychecks over a six-month period. What if we had not a one-month tax holiday, but a six month tax holiday? How about letting people keep almost their entire paychecks for one-half of a year?

A co-author of the book on: Fair Tax suggests “…two possible scenarios our politicians had to work with: (1) Borrow the $787 billion and let the politicians decide how it is going to be spent to stimulate our economy, or (2) Give the producers (tax-payers) a six month period in which they owe no federal income or payroll taxes. For these six months they get to keep their checks. This puts $787 billion into the hands of American workers - American producers - to spend and invest. There is one huge difference between the two plans. Under the government spending scenario the politicians get to decide how the money is spent. In other words, they get the power. Remember…power is the goal. Politicians want to decide which road is built, which park is refurbished, and which research project gets additional funding. Every one of these decisions would be made based on the political capital it will generate. Under the tax holiday plan the people, not the politicians, get to cast the ballots/dollars. Spending choices would not be made on the basis of political expediency, but on the free choices of the people. Businesses that delivered a good product and good customer service would get the votes, not politicians who delivered a pork project to their districts…”

The choices for our Congress and nation should be obvious: (1) Fiscal Discipline even when Restraints have been removed; (2) Stability even when Recklessness is the order of the day; (3) Frugalness even when the Vault is left open and the Treasury Printing Presses are running 24/7. The last six months of the previous administration and the first six months of the present administration has moved us to being a debtor nation. We are moving from strength to weakness. We are moving from being a respected nation to one that is being ridiculed. Dr. Anne Wortham is the black author of "The Other Side of Racism: A Philosophical Study of Black Race Consciousness". She is Associate Professor of Sociology at Illinois State University and continuing Visiting Scholar at Stanford University 's Hoover Institution. On November 6, 2008 she wrote: “…So you have made history, Americans. You and your children have elected a black man to the office of the president of the United States, the wounded giant of the world…The self-righteous welfare statists in the suburbs can feel warm moments of satisfaction for having elected a black person. So, toast yourselves: 60s countercultural radicals, 80s yuppies and 90s bourgeois bohemians. Toast yourselves, Black America. Shout your glee Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Duke, Stanford, and Berkeley. You have elected not an individual who is qualified to be president, but a black man who, like the pragmatist Franklin Roosevelt, promises to - Do Something! You now have someone who has picked up the baton of Lyndon Johnson's Great Society. But you have also foolishly traded your freedom and mine - what little there is left - for the chance to feel good. There is nothing in me that can share your happy obliviousness…”

All of this reminds one of the indicting words to a Church in Revelation 3:17,22 - “You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” The appeal is: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." The Nation needs to listen and hear as well. Consider these things with me!

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Leadership Lunacy

Posted by peripheral on Tuesday, July 07, 2009 8:11:24 AM
From My Perspective - - -

Royalty always presents one with considerable intrigue and many more questions than there are answers. A case in point is King Ludwig II of Bavaria. It was said, “King Ludwig II (1845-86) lived a mysterious life and died young, tragically and misunderstood. He loved beauty in all its forms, especially, nature, art and music. Ludwig, a pacifist, was forced to declare war on Prussia and soon after became a recluse in his dream world and used the royal fortune to build one castle after another and indulged his favorite composer, Wagner, with a huge allowance, until he was declared insane by his own family and ministers. He was taken away in a straitjacket in the middle of the night from his greatest achievement, Neuschwanstein castle, and locked up in Berg castle on Lake Starnberg. Soon after, he was found dead, supposedly drowned in knee-deep water together with his doctor. The real cause of King Ludwig's death has been a mystery ever since his body, together with that of his psychiatrist, was dragged from Lake Starnberg on 13 June, 1886.”

Part of the frustration with the King was his propensity to spend huge sums of money (that Bavaria did not have) on projects that were impractical or not needed. “The official version holds that the Bavarian government was driven to depose the reclusive Ludwig because he was squandering vast sums of money on bizarre building projects that were driving his kingdom to ruin.” Bernhard von Gudden, his psychiatrist, diagnosed him as suffering from paranoia, a condition which today would be classified as schizophrenia. Ludwig was deprived of his crown and, according to the official version, he reacted by drowning himself in Lake Starnberg in a fit of paranoid pique (a state of vexation caused by a perceived slight or indignity; a feeling of wounded pride).” “Murder theorists counter with recent medical evidence which suggests that the king was, in fact, suffering from a form of meningitis and was far from insane. They say fishermen reported hearing shots at the time of Ludwig's death and claim that his opponents in the Bavarian government hired assassins to kill him as he was trying to flee across the lake. They say that Von Gudden, who was also found dead in the lake, was shot because he was a witness. To date, the Wittelsbach family has dismissed all murder theories and refused point blank to have the king's body exhumed. The latest attempt to persuade them to change their minds comes from the Berlin historian and author, Peter Glowasz, who wants to employ Swiss scientists to examine the corpse by giving it a computer tomography. He insists that while the procedure would not touch the body, it would show up any gunshot wounds.” Ah, the intrigue!

This can cause one to wonder whether or not the Congress of the United States is of sound mind when they recklessly approve (without reading the proposed legislation) expenditures on things we cannot afford and do not need. This is not to suggest that politicians need to be removed from office in a straightjacket – but – there is room for pause regarding the soundness of their acumen (quickness, accuracy, and keenness of judgment or insight) based on their recent actions and majority vote! One inwardly wishes there was an adult somewhere in our government that would effect restraint. The populace was mesmerized by rhetoric and promise for change. However, few considered the ramifications of lofty rhetoric or the inexperienced making the changes. The idea of the Chief of Staff and his: “Never let a good crisis go to waste!” is impulse at best and irresponsible at worst. The Vice-President, in an idle moment of an interview, allowed they had miscalculated in terms of the financial plight of the nation!

A Biblical Principle is given in Luke 14:28-30, "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.” Bloviating and bluffing with rhetoric won’t get the job done. It’s time to begin praying towards the deposing of the current crew of nabobs in the next election and find people of sound mind and judgment who may be able to lead us out of the present morass – people less interested in themselves and their vested interests and more concerned for their constituents. Consider these things with me.
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Independent Of Independence?

Posted by peripheral on Saturday, July 04, 2009 6:49:48 AM
From My Perspective - - -

The Patriot Post shares with us: Independence Day 2009: We still hold these truths...and begins with a Prayer by Patrick Henry: "Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" With that foundation, core value, inspiration, courage and commitment, our nation was born!

The Patriot Post includes Background History: On July 4th, 1776, our Founders, assembled as representatives to the Second Continental Congress, issued a declaration stating most notably: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government…" In other words, our Founders affirmed that our rights, which are inherent by Natural Law as provided by our Creator, can't be arbitrarily alienated by men like England's King George III, who believed that the rights of men are the gifts of government. Our Founders publicly declared their intentions to defend these rights by attaching their signatures between July 4th and August 2nd of 1776 to the Declaration. They and their fellow Patriots pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor as they set about to defend the Natural Rights of man. At the conclusion of the American War for Independence in 1783, our Founders determined the new nation needed a more suitable alliance among the states than the Articles of Confederation. After much deliberation, they proposed the U.S. Constitution, adopted in 1787, ratified in 1788 and implemented in 1789 as subordinate guidance to our Declaration of Independence. Since that time, generations of American Patriots have laid down their lives "to support and defend" our Constitution…

Some lessons are difficult to remember, and many benefits of freedom suffer from neglect or disregard. The Founding Fathers knew this all too well and anticipated such behavior, movement and acceptance of loss of freedom. Our Declaration's author, Thomas Jefferson, understood the odds. He wrote, "The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground," and he concluded, "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Accordingly, George Washington advised, "We should never despair, our Situation before has been unpromising and has changed for the better, so I trust, it will again. If new difficulties arise, we must only put forth new Exertions and proportion our Efforts to the exigency of the times." A focus and prayer on this Independence Day might well be from two of the stanzas in America, The Beautiful:
O beautiful for pilgrim feet Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat Across the wilderness!
America! America! God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control, Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved And mercy more than life!
America! America! May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness And every gain divine!

An outstanding King of Israel prayed – I Chronicles 29:10-12, “David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, Praise be to you, O Lord, God of our fathers, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all." We would do well to remember these truths. Consider these things with me!
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Language Weaponry

Posted by peripheral on Friday, July 03, 2009 6:50:01 AM
From My Perspective - - -

Language serves a very useful purpose. How it is used can either clarify or obscure; compliment or insult; amplify or cause ambiguity. Google News has a lead article today by Christopher Hawthorne, Architecture Critic who is commenting about Michael Jackson and Neverland. It is clever and skillful writing but not without the caustic and biting comment. He writes: “It was while I was bumpily making my way across a rope bridge in a quiet corner of Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch on Thursday morning, next to an elaborate tree-house crowned with a ship's wheel, and overlooking a bronze sculpture of smiling children, that I finally figured out what the late entertainer's compound represents from an architectural point of view. Jackson didn't commission Neverland's Tudor-style main house…But the changes Jackson made to the 2,600-acre property over the years, notably adding a slew of kid-friendly attractions, markedly changed the place,…At the height of his popularity, Jackson bent the music industry toward an androgynous, perpetually childlike model of superstardom. He managed a similar trick in transforming the architecture of this classic Santa Barbara County ranch property…” Key to this paragraph is the use of the word “androgynous”! Is it a compliment or an insult? Does it define the person and place or accuse? “ANDROGYNOUS” means: “Biology: Having both female and male characteristics; Being neither distinguishably masculine nor feminine, as in dress, appearance, or behavior.”

Herman Cain, WSB Radio in Atlanta, GA is attempting to either excite or incite the citizenry of this country to become part of the “INTELLIGENT THINKERS MOVEMENT”! The summary objective is: "When They Feel the Heat, They Will See the Light"! His purpose is stated as: “The voice of ‘we the people’ has been hijacked by partisan politics, government bureaucrats, and the influence of money on elections and legislation. To take back our government, we must be able to un-elect members of Congress on a timely basis, and dramatically influence their decisions while they are in office. Because of the proliferation of biased media reporting, gullible voters, and too many in Congress who willingly and intentionally make deceptive and misleading statements about proposed legislation, “we the people” must be able to provide succinct and intelligent feedback to Congress frequently and persistently. We can then hold them accountable intelligently at election time, which is our only leverage for holding their feet to the fire. We don’t need all 306 million citizens to be successful. We only need 100,000 voters per Congressional district for them to ‘see the light’. ‘We The People’ can and will take back our government and the strategic direction of this Nation. It is our right and responsibility. This is NOT a republican, democrat, libertarian, conservative, liberal, or progressives movement. This is a ‘We The People’ movement.”

Tomorrow, we celebrate the 233rd Anniversary of the Birth of this nation. Many believe the nation is in rapid decline and is being euthanized by socialist-minded politicians and organizations. To say our liberties are being rapidly eroded is an understatement. The “change” people thought they were voting for has become an onslaught on the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness that was part of the genius at the birth of this nation. Someone has described it like watching in slow-motion a tsunami approaching; a nuclear bomb in descent and timed to detonate; a volcano erupting; a tornado approaching… There can be little room to doubt that we are standing on a precipice and the ground beneath our feet is starting to crumble. A Preacher from another day stated: “My subject deals with time and eternity, and the preparation we must make in time for eternity – based on a text in Amos 4:12: "Prepare to meet thy God." The Patriots of old championed Liberty for all! The Civil Rights Movement championed Freedom for all! The current wars in which we are engaged champions Democracy for all. Galatians 5:1 states the spiritual heart-cry for us as we approach our “independence Day”, namely: “It is for freedom/liberty that Christ has set us free. Stand firm…and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Consider these things with me!
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Mindless or Brain Dead

Posted by peripheral on Thursday, July 02, 2009 7:02:05 AM
From My Perspective - - -
At a time when the world is barraged with data and a variety of information, it seems as though few are able to comprehend and/or absorb all that is being communicated. This may be a reason why many in Congress do not bother to read the mammoth amount of legislative proposals for which they vote. It has a way of producing those who can be categorized as (a) Mindless, or (b) Brain Dead. The Mindless Person is: “Not endued with mind or intellectual powers; stupid; unthinking; inattentive; heedless; careless.” It is a mental indifference based upon either gullibility or lack of concern. To designate one as being “Brain Dead” is both cynical and caustic. Such a one is viewed with: “complete cessation of brain function as evidenced by absence of brain-wave activity…”

In terms of the “Mindless”, Thomas Sowell - Syndicated Columnist, under the byline: “Equality On Trial” wrote on July 1, 2009 the following thoughts: “For the fourth time in six cases, the Supreme Court of the United States has reversed a decision for which Judge Sonia Sotomayor voted on the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals. If this nominee were a white male, would this not raise questions about whether he should be elevated to a court that has found his previous decisions wrong two-thirds of the times when those decisions have been reviewed? Is no one supposed to ask questions about qualifications, simply because this nominee is Hispanic and a woman? Have we become that mindless? Qualifications are not simply a question of how long you have been doing something, but how well you have done it. Judge Sotomayor has certainly been on the federal bench long enough, but is being reversed four out of six times a sign of a job well done? Would longevity be equated with qualifications anywhere else? Some sergeants have been in the army longer than some generals -- but nobody thinks that is a reason to make those sergeants generals. Performance matters. And Judge Sotomayor's performance provides no reason for putting her on the Supreme Court. Although the case of the Connecticut firefighters is the latest and best-known of Judge Sotomayor's reversals by the Supreme Court, an even more revealing case was Didden v. Village of Port Chester, where the Supreme Court openly rebuked the unanimous three-judge panel that included Judge Sotomayor for "an evident denial of the most elementary forms of procedural due process…"

His point suggests the absence of thought and sound judgment in terms of the pending appointment, approval, and elevation to the highest court in the nation. To suggest either racial or gender discrimination only magnifies how easily such choices and decisions can fall into the “Mindless” category. A person should be measured by his or her Constitutional interpretation and adherence in terms of the Law, as well as rationality, equity and fairness in the administration and application of the Constitution free from anything external – racial, gender, social engineering issues. It is good to have a Statue Lady Justice – and her blindfold that suggests and represents equal justice under the law. An interesting statement is made in Wikipedia: “Blind Justice is the theory that law should be viewed objectively with the determination of innocence or guilt made without bias or prejudice. It is the idea behind the United States Supreme Court motto - Equal Justice Under Law - and is symbolized by the blindfolded statue of Lady Justice which is the symbol of the judiciary…Lady Justice is well-known for her clear sightedness. She typically holds a sword in one hand and scales in the other. The scales that she holds represent the impartiality with which justice is served and the sword signifies the power that is held by those making the decision…”

A Christian Worldview embraces that the follower of Christ should be neither mindless or brain-dead. Two significant thoughts in this regard: (1) Philippians 2:5-8, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…He made Himself of no reputation…He humbled Himself…”, and (b) Romans 8:5-7, “… those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit…” The one who is neither mindless or brain-dead is the one who is Christ Centered, and Spirit Conscious. While some would mock and ridicule these truths, they cannot disapprove or disavow them. As a nation, we’ve tried! We are long past due to return to the Lord! Consider these things with me!
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Hiss! Boo! Phooey!

Posted by peripheral on Monday, June 29, 2009 7:17:03 AM
From My Perspective - - -
At a different time and a less “politically correct” day, there was a host of characters who were part of the folklore of the South. “The name Joel Chandler Harris may not be as familiar to some as the characters he immortalized. For over a century, Brer Fox, Brer Rabbit, Brer Bear and the Tar Baby have played tricks on each other, visited the Laughing Place and generally cut up and carried on as told by Uncle Remus. The stories appeared in newspapers, storybooks, a Disney film and in oral tradition. Though the stories about this cast of characters originated on Southern plantations and were the stories slaves told their children, Harris, then an associate editor at the Atlanta Constitution, began writing the stories down and publishing them…” One of the instincts and characteristics of Brer Rabbit was his ability to “lay-low” when that would serve his purposes best. Governor Mark Sanford needs to learn a lesson or two from Brer Rabbit. 

Mark Sanford erred! How? Governor Sanford told members of his cabinet in a session called so he could apologize to them in person and tell them the business of government must continue. The Associated Press reports: “…he brushed aside any suggestion he might immediately resign, citing the Bible and the story of King David — who continued to lead after sleeping with another man's wife, Bathsheba, having the husband slain, then marrying the widow.” He reportedly said: “What I find interesting is the story of David, and the way in which he fell mightily — fell in very, very significant ways, but then picked up the pieces and built from there…” That is a convenient reference and re-write of what happened with King David. 

God was displeased with David and sent the Prophet Nathan to David. "Why have you despised the word of God, to do what is evil in his sight? You have smitten Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife…” The prophet addresses the Lust, Adultery, Scheming, and Plot to Murder which had occurred! David had to be brought very low. PSALM 32 and PSALM 51 are some of the commentary about this incident in David’s life. If Governor Sanford wants to base his life on that of David, where is the evidence of Psalm 32 and Psalm 51 in his life? Where is the genuine repentance? Note some of King David’s turmoil of soul as he processed his sins before his God - - 
PSALM 32 - -
1 A psalm of David. “Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! 2 Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of sin, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! 3 When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable, and I groaned all day long. 4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. 5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the LORD." And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. 6 Therefore, let all the godly confess their rebellion to you while there is time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment…”
PSALM 51 - -
“…Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. 2 Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. 3 For I recognize my shameful deeds – they haunt me day and night. 4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight… 7 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me – now let me rejoice. 9 Don't keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt.10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. 11 Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me.12 Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you…”

One thing Governor Sanford has right is a comment he made about his betrayed wife, Jenny: “I'd simply say that Jenny has been absolutely magnanimous and gracious as a wonderful Christian woman in this process." To her credit, Jenny is focused on the “character of her four sons”, not the continuance of her husband in his elected office. Hooray for Jenny! Pray for Jenny and her boys! Pray for Governor Sanford that he may deal with his sin and repent of it! Consider these things with me!
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Argentina Acquiescence

Posted by peripheral on Thursday, June 25, 2009 6:08:41 AM
From My Perspective - - -

To acquiesce means: “A silent or passive assent or submission, or a submission with apparent content; distinguished from avowed consent on the one hand, and on the other, from opposition or open discontent; quiet satisfaction.” South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford conducted an agonizing Press Conference yesterday afternoon. It was his Moment For Truth! A brief summary states: “After going AWOL for seven days, Gov. Mark Sanford admitted Wednesday that he had secretly flown to Argentina to visit a woman with whom he was having an affair. Wiping away tears, he apologized to his family and gave up a national Republican Party post, but was silent on whether he would resign as Governor. ‘I've been unfaithful to my wife,’ he said in a news conference in which the 49-year-old governor ruminated on God's law, moral absolutes and following one's heart. He said he spent the last five days crying in Argentina.”

Ironically, the confession by the Governor can easily be linked to: "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" the best-known song from the 1978 musical Evita with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. It appears early in the second act as Evita addresses the crowd from the balcony of the Casa Rosada and features a sweeping melody tied to broad emotional themes of regret and defiance…” Some of the Lyrics parallel the recent events in the Governor’s life and journey:
“It won't be easy, you'll think it strange; When I try to explain how I feel; that I still need your love after all that I've done. Don't cry for me Argentina; The truth is I never left you; All through my wild days; My mad existence; I kept my promise; Don't keep your distance.
And as for fortune, and as for fame; I never invited them in; Though it seemed to the world they were all I desired; They are illusions; They are not the solutions they promised to be; The answer was here all the time; I love you and hope you love me.
Don't cry for me Argentina! Have I said too much? There's nothing more I can think of to say to you. But all you have to do is look at me to know - That every word is true!”

Some of the email between the Governor and Maria border on the erotic. Parts of two emails indicate the intricacy and extent of the involvement of an “innocent” friendship. From the Governor: “In the meantime please sleep soundly knowing that despite the best efforts of my head my heart cries out for you, your voice, your body, the touch of your lips, the touch of your finger tips and an even deeper connection to your soul…” From Maria, described as the mother of two sons, she wrote in an email on June 9, 2008: "You are my love…Something hard to believe even for myself as it's also a kind of impossible love, not only because of distance but situation. Sometimes you don't choose things, they just happen…I can't redirect my feelings and I am very happy with mine towards you."

Once again, truth and moral values get squeezed out of a person’s life for a passing pleasure. One is reminded of the words in JEREMIAH 5:1-5, “Run up and down every street in Jerusalem, says the LORD. Look high and low; search throughout the city! If you can find even one person who is just and honest, I will not destroy the city. Even when they are under oath, saying, As surely as the LORD lives, they all tell lies! LORD, you are searching for honesty. You struck your people, but they paid no attention. You crushed them, but they refused to turn from sin. They are determined, with faces set like stone; they have refused to repent. Then I said, But what can we expect from the poor and ignorant? They don't know the ways of the LORD. They don't understand what God expects of them. I will go and speak to their leaders. Surely they will know the LORD'S ways and what God requires of them. But the leaders, too, had utterly rejected their God.” Crying in Argentina for five days because the truth will be disclosed is one thing! Weeping in repentance because of Moral Failure, violating his Marriage Covenant, ignoring his duty to his four sons, and disobeying God’s Word and standard is another. Some would judge this man severely and harshly – but all should be reminded – but for the Grace of God, go I! Consider these things with me!
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Butchers For Hire

Posted by peripheral on Wednesday, June 24, 2009 7:31:06 AM
From My Perspective - - -

The news was terse and shocking: “George Tiller a Kansas doctor was shot and killed on Sunday as he entered his church congregation. Tiller has been one of four U.S. physicians who performed late-term abortions, making him a target of anti-abortion protesters. He testified that he and his family have suffered years of harassment and threats. His clinic was the site of protests in 1991 which were marked by mass demonstration and arrests. The clinic has been bombed in 1985, and an abortion opponent shot him in both arms in 1993…”

Equally shocking is a report contained in an article by Charles Colson entitled: “WHERE’S THE CHOICE IN THIS?” While the attention of the nation is diverted by Trillion Dollar Deficits, the following was unfolding: “…a young Chinese woman ran afoul of the Chinese government. She had become ‘illegally pregnant.’ By the time the authorities found out, she was seven months along. Family planning officials tied her to a bed, induced labor, and, when the baby was born, killed the baby. What happened is an abomination - one, however, that tragically takes place regularly in China. But now, thanks to the U.S. Congress, you and I will be paying for it. Last March, Congress passed a bill providing $50 million for the United Nations Population Fund. This organization promotes abortion around the globe - including China…This blows the lid off the argument that abortion is all about giving a woman choice. If Congress really stands for choice, as they claim, why did they vote for coercion? If feminists are really for choice, why aren't they fighting this law? Why isn't our pro-choice President demanding that this brutalization of women be stopped? Abortion is a glaring example of the difference worldview makes. Are all children, Chinese babies or inner-city African American babies - worthy of protection? Are babies just mouths to feed, and a strain on the environment - or are they potential producers and contributors? Do parents have the right under God to have as many children as they desire? Or should governments dictate this decision? Let's be clear: Coercive family planning is a humanitarian disaster…”

Between the years 1920 and 1940, Murder Incorporated thrived. “In Brownsville, Brooklyn, NY…stood a small 24-hour candy store named Midnight Rose’s. This wasn’t any ordinary candy store. It housed some of the most lethal for-hire contract killers, consisting mainly of Jews and Italians, that this country has ever known. These men, dubiously named Murder Incorporated by the press, carried out over eight hundred contract murders… Murder Inc. supplied its members with lawyers when they needed one and bought their own police protection and politicians. Anastasia was one of the most brutal men ever to walk the streets of New York. When the Syndicate approved a hit it would be sent down to Anastasia and he would make sure it was carried out with the utmost of care. Mistakes, such as killing an innocent bystander, would not be tolerated. Many of their victims ended up murdered, missing, or never to be heard from again. At one point, Anastasia had over one hundred contract killers on the payroll for as little as two hundred dollars a week…”

How did we arrive at the place where politicians or criminal organizations can dictate who lives and who dies. When did it become acceptable and legal to pay to end a life? While Abortions are near 45 million in the USA, they are 10 times that number in China (over 400 million with their one child per family law). There was more of an outcry regarding the murder of Dr. Tiller than there ever was about the more than 60,000 third-trimester abortions performed by him. Why? What happened to the sensibility and sensitivity realities in this nation? Both conception and development of the fetus is stated in Psalm 139:13-19 (NLT): “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous – and how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." Consider these things with me and let your voice be legally and appropriately heard. Men and Women are needed to stand in the gap and to defend the defenseless, and to protect the innocents!
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Roosting Chickens

Posted by peripheral on Tuesday, June 23, 2009 6:01:49 AM
From My Perspective - - -

“America’s Chickens Are Coming Home To Roost” is a phrase lifted from a sermon delivered by the Pastor of our current President. The Rev. Jeremiah Wright served as Barack Obama’s Pastor for more than 20 years at Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago’s south side. His comments were based on what he described as his reading of the Gospels and the treatment of black Americans: "The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing God Bless America…the United States had brought on al Qaeda's attacks because of its own terrorism. We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye…We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards. America's chickens are coming home to roost…”

Are these “chickens coming home to roost” now for President Obama. Wikipedia states: The idea of an “Axis Of Evil” is a term coined by United States President George W. Bush in his State of the Union Address on January 29, 2002 in order to describe governments that he accused of helping terrorism and seeking weapons of mass destruction. President Bush named Iran, Iraq and North Korea in his speech.” This notion was decried by the Candidate Obama and the minions of his loyalists. Regardless of ones wishes and thoughts now about Iraq and Afghanistan, the swagger and boasts of Saddam Hussein would lead one to believe his thoughts were on Weapons of Mass Destruction and how they could be used. Our current news cycles are saturated by reports from and about North Korea – ships possibly delivering weaponry to rogue nations; a missile aimed at the United States (Hawaii) with a target date for launch on July 4th; Announcing the Truce between South Korea/United States with North Korea is now vacated; etc. Reports from Iran area about demonstrators and blood on the streets of Tehran because of a suspected “stolen” election.

There is an interesting Column penned by Michael Barone from June 20th and posted on The Washington Examioner.Com entitled: DODGE FACTS, SKIP DETAILS, GOVERN CHICAGO-STYLE. “…let me offer my Three Rules of Obama. FIRST, he likes to execute long-range strategies but suffers from cognitive dissonance (a harsh, disagreeable combination of sounds; Lack of agreement, consistency, or harmony; conflict) when new facts render them inappropriate. His long-range strategy of propitiating America’s enemies has been undercut by North Korea’s missile launches and demonstrations in Iran against the mullah regime’s apparent election fraud. His assumption that friendly words could melt the hearts of Kim Jong Il and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have been refuted by events. SECOND, he does not seem to care much about the details of policy. He subcontracted the stimulus package to congressional appropriators, the cap-and-trade legislation to Henry Waxman and Edward Markey, and his health care program to Max Baucus. The result is incoherent public policy: indefensible pork barrel projects, a carbon emissions bill that doesn’t limit carbon emissions from politically connected industries, and a health care program priced by the Congressional Budget Office at a fiscally unfeasible $1.6 trillion. THIRD, he does business Chicago-style. His first political ambition was to be mayor of Chicago…From Chicago he brings the assumption that there will always be a bounteous private sector that can be plundered endlessly on behalf of political favorites. Hence the government takeover of General Motors and Chrysler to bail out the United Auto Workers, the proposal for channeling money from the private nonprofits to the government by limiting the charitable deduction for high earners,

We may be living closer to The Last Days than some care to admit. Ponder Revelation 11:17-18, “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great-- and for destroying those who destroy the earth.” Roosting Chickens – think about it!
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Mumbo-Jumbo Time (Chameleon Logic)

Posted by peripheral on Friday, June 19, 2009 6:49:20 AM
From My Perspective - - -

Language is a vital tool for communicating accurately and clearly with one another. However, it does seem as though some use language to either blur or obfuscate (to make so confused or opaque as to be difficult to perceive or understand; to render indistinct or dim; darken). This can be illustrated by the “mice print” in contracts. It takes considerable magnification to be discernible and/or readable. The reality is that most do not take the time, or have the patience to try and read all the “fine print” terms and conditions. If there is an ultimate lawsuit, it’s amazing how a defendant can suddenly produce a legible version of the “mice print” that had been previously used to confuse and/or befuddle the signer of the contract.

We find parallels to the crafted use or misuse of language in the Government pronouncements and posture on various matters. This is where the “Mumbo-Jumbo” enters: “Unintelligible or incomprehensible language; gibberish; language or ritualistic activity intended to confuse; a complicated or obscure ritual…” Real Clear Politics published an article yesterday (June 18, 2009) entitled: UNDERSTANDING THE AGE OF OBAMA by Victor Davis Hanson. The question and premise posed: “Are you confused by all that has changed since President Barack Obama took office in January? If so, you're not alone. Perhaps, though, this handy guide to Age of Obama "logic" might be of some assistance.” He then proceeds to share at least ten (10) areas of Obama Logic. Some of them are: (1) THE BUDGET: Wanting to cut $17 billion from the budget is proof of financial responsibility. Borrowing $1.84 trillion this year for new programs is "stimulus." The old phrase "out-of-control spending" is inoperative. (2) TERRORISM: Acts of terror disappeared about six months ago. Thankfully, we live now in an age where there will be…only occasional "overseas contingency operations" in which we may be forced to hold a few "detainees." At the same time, ongoing military tribunals, renditions, wiretaps, phone intercepts and predator-drone assassinations are no longer threats to the Constitution. And just saying you're going to close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay is proof that it is almost closed. (3) THE WEST: Western values and history aren't apparently that special or unique. As President Obama told the world during his recent speech in Cairo, the Renaissance and Enlightenment were, in fact, fueled by a brilliant Islamic culture, responsible for landmark discoveries in mathematics, science and medicine. Slavery in America ended without violence. Mistreatment of women and religious intolerance in the Middle East have comparable parallels in America. Read the rest of the article at: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/06/18/obamawo rld_97044.html.

Chameleon Logic is not just limited to politics and contracts (and other legal matters). Regrettably, Mumbo-Jumbo has infiltrated into many pulpits, as well as featured Media presentations. In I CORINTHIANS 14:6-14, the Apostle Paul makes a very compelling point regarding clear and precise communication: “…in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning…” In the Sermon on the Mount, MATTHEW 5:33-37, Jesus states regarding Oaths: “Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” These words are repeated in JAMES 5:12, “Above all, my brothers, do not swear--not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned.” A Directive in ZECHARIAH 8:14-17 underscores how we should communicate: “This is what the Lord Almighty says: “…These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this, declares the Lord.” You can make a difference by clearly communicating truth. Rather than Chameleon Logic and/or Mumbo-Jumbo, you can be the trumpet that sounds a clear call. Rather than obfuscation, you can be a champion of openness and clarity. While your Freedom of Speech remains as one of your Rights, use it wisely and frequently!
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