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Desensitized To Warnings

From My Perspective - - -

An interesting Children’s Fable/Fairy Tale tells of Henny-Penny’s desire to give a warning to the King. The story line is: “ONE day Henny-penny was picking up corn in the corn yard when--whack!--something hit her upon the head. 'Goodness gracious me!' said Henny-penny; 'the sky's a-going to fall; I must go and tell the king.' So she went along and she went along and she went along till she met Cocky-locky. 'Where are you going, Henny-penny?' says Cocky-locky. 'Oh! I'm going to tell the king the sky's a-falling,' says Henny-penny. 'May I come with you?' says Cocky-locky. 'Certainly,' says Henny-penny. So Henny-penny and Cocky-locky went to tell the king the sky was falling. They went along, and they went along, and they went along, till they met Ducky-daddles, etc.” They keep adding to this envoy/entourage until they happen upon the opportunist – Foxy-Woxy. Foxy-woxy schemes and sets a trap by telling the others of the wrong way to go – and if they follow his directions – he will have an easy prey and meal!

On the Highway, most Warning Signs are ignored. How many people reinterpret Speed Limit Signs by their belief that 55 MPH means one can drive at 62 MPH? How many ignore No Passing Zones because they’re able to see nothing is coming in the other direction (besides – one is in a hurry, or – everyone does it)? We may have been conditioned to ignore Signs and Warnings because of Dumb Signs and Dumb Warnings, such as: (1) At entrance to jail a sign reads, ‘No weapons beyond this point.’ Message is also written in Braille underneath. Sheriff’s Dept., Warren County, IN; (2) Caution water on road during rain. Clemson, SC; (3) Warning: For indoor or outdoor use only. Christmas Lights; (4) Caution: Contents may catch fire. On Match Box; (5) Warning: Do not attempt to remove blade while lawnmower is running or plugged into an outlet. Craftsman Push Mower… The list can be much longer. The point is that we can easily become desensitized to Labels; Signs; Warnings; etc. because so many of them express the mundane or the obvious.

The activities of Government have been happening at an increased level of urgency and speed. Speed is not the friend and ally it is made out to be. Ed Feulner, President of the Heritage Foundation, in writing about the Stimulus and other Actions of this Administration and Congress reminds us: “Sin in haste, repent at leisure, the saying goes. Well, our government just acted in haste. And American taxpayers will be repenting that action for years to come.” The suggested Universal Health Care Plan with an estimated cost of $1.6 Trillion will still leave 30 Million with no Health Care Coverage. How can that be? Why the rush (before July 4th)? What is the consequence for The Nation and the enlarged Deficits? Why is it that few seem to care that we are Bankrupt and will soon be indentured to China or some other Nation? Whatever happened to the Checks and Balances within our Government? Is anyone sensitive to the times in which we live? Should there be an Iranian-Type reaction/protest-rally to a Government racing out of control with no knowledge of how to apply the brakes to either slow down and/or stop?

There is a clear Warning in II Timothy 3:1-5, “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.” We read in I Timothy 4:1-2, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron (desensitized to right and wrong)…”We seem to be living in the midst of a decadent and decaying culture. The level of indifference toward sound fiscal policy is at a high level. The momentum is moving the Nation at an accelerated rate toward impotency and insignificance. The projected deficit for the coming decade means every citizen is indebted at more than $200,000 per person. Are you going to be able to ante up your portion of this indebtedness? Will it require the Government issuing you a personal Bill for that amount to cause you to begin to Care? You need to Care! You need to be part of the Solution – not a continuing part of the Problem!
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The Mesmerized Masses

From My Perspective - - -

Years ago, a talented and funny comedian – Red Buttons – would include in his routine a character who would allow “Strange Things Are Happening…” and then go into a litany of some unusual events. If he was alive today, he would be inundated with material for his routine. Indeed – Strange Things Are Happening! As an example of the “Strange Things”, consider the Governmental Proposals for (a) A War Supplemental Bill, and (b) the 2010 Budget. When the President was campaigning, he made a great point of stating – “The day of earmarks is over!” Just a casual reading would indicate that was a forceful and resolute statement. Interestingly, the first stimulus bill that came along in this administration contained hundreds of earmarks (more than a thousand) – but – the President signed the Bill!

The War Supplemental Bill and the 2010 Budget are moving through Congress. Do you think the representatives of the people have any discipline or thrift as they review the Bills? Do you believe there is any evidence of a concern to be frugal when the nation is borrowing Trillions of Dollars so it can operate? Does anyone believe there is either a concern or remedy for the addiction to earmarks and spending in the present Congress? If you wish to be annoyed, frustrated and angry – “Under increasing pressure to reveal earmarks and their sponsors, the House Appropriations Committee made available a 76 page list of home state budget projects added on to the Commerce, State, Justice bill. You can look through it at appropriations.house.gov where you can also see the lawmakers who sponsored each project….There are almost 1,100 projects, which total approximately $368 million. And: http://wsbradio.com/blogs/jamie_dupree/2009/06/let-the-earma rks-roll.html to see who is adding the earmarks to the Bills and how much they have requested.

Yesterday, Gallup released his latest Poll titled: “Conservatives Are Single-Largest Ideological Group.” The findings state: “Thus far in 2009, 40% of Americans interviewed in national Gallup Poll surveys describe their political views as conservative, 35% as moderate, and 21% as liberal. This represents a slight increase for conservatism in the U.S. since 2008, returning it to a level last seen in 2004. The 21% calling themselves liberal is in line with findings throughout this decade, but is up from the 1990s. These annual figures are based on multiple national Gallup surveys conducted each year, in some cases encompassing more than 40,000 interviews. The 2009 data are based on 10 separate surveys conducted from January through May. Thus, the margins of error around each year's figures are quite small, and changes of only two percentage points are statistically significant. To measure political ideology, Gallup asks Americans to say whether their political views are very conservative, conservative, moderate, liberal, or very liberal. As has been the case each year since 1992, very few Americans define themselves at the extremes of the political spectrum. Just 9% call themselves "very conservative" and 5% "very liberal." The vast majority of self-described liberals and conservatives identify with the unmodified form of their chosen label… There is an important distinction in the respective ideological compositions of the Republican and Democratic Parties. While a solid majority of Republicans are on the same page -- 73% call themselves conservative -- Democrats are more of a mixture. The major division among Democrats is between self-defined moderates (40%) and liberals (38%). However, an additional 22% of Democrats consider themselves conservative, much higher than the 3% of Republicans identifying as liberal…”

The Mesmerized Masses are dismissive of the above data. To Mesmerize is: “to hypnotize; to spellbind; fascinate; to compel by fascination.” From a spiritual perspective, II Thessalonians 2:9-11 would construe it in a different manner: “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” This is the end result of irrational and undisciplined self-indulgence! Don't you be dismissive!
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Flags Unfurled

From My Perspective - - -

June 14th is officially designated as Flag Day. It is a time to display and recognize the significance of the Flag of the United States of America. The Flag consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of Red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars. The fifty stars on the Flag represent the fifty U.S. states and the thirteen stripes represent the original thirteen colonies that rebelled against the British Crown and became the first states in the Union.

There are fixed and particular days when the Flag should be proudly displayed: “The flag should especially be displayed at full staff on the following days: January 1st (New Year's Day) and 20th (Inauguration Day); February 12th (Lincoln's birthday) and the third Monday (Presidents' Day, originally Washington's birthday); May - Third Saturday (Armed Forces Day) and last Monday (Memorial Day - half-staff until noon); June 14th (Flag Day); July 4th (Independence Day); September - First Monday (Labor Day),11th (Patriot Day), and 17th (Constitution Day); October - Second Monday (Columbus Day) and 28th (Navy Day); November 11th (Veterans Day) and fourth Thursday (Thanksgiving Day); and such other days as may be proclaimed by the President of the United States (the birthdays of states, date of admission, and on state holidays).” It is always to be displayed with respect, dignity and appreciation. Reasons attached to what The Flag represents are as several and varied as the sources consulted. Quite simply, the Flag of the United States of America symbolizes Liberty, Freedom, Justice for all.

There is a website that states both the etiquette and protocol for the display of the Flag: http://www.usa-flag-site.org/etiquette-display.shtml. Church Display - From a Staff in a Church or Public Auditorium on a Podium: The flag of the United States of America should hold the position of superior prominence, in advance of the audience, and in the position of honor at the clergyman's or speaker's right as he faces the audience. Any other flag so displayed should be placed on the left of the clergyman or speaker (to the right of the audience); From a Staff in a Church or Public Auditorium off the Podium: Custom and not the flag code hold that the flag of the United States of America should hold the position of superior prominence as part of the audience, in the position of honor at the audience's right.

There must be great care exercised lest the Flag become a symbol of worship rather than a symbol of our being one nation under God with certain inalienable rights…When and Where the United States Flag is displayed in a Church, usually The Christian Flag is also displayed. The history of The Christian Flag is scant: “It is one of the oldest unchanged flags in the world. It was conceived at Brighton Chapel, Coney Island, New York, Sunday, September 26, 1897, and was presented in its present form the following Sunday by its originator. Call it chance, or providence, serendipity, or the plan of God, on that day, the Christian flag was born. The white on the flag represents purity and peace. The blue stands for faithfulness, truth, and sincerity. Red is the color of sacrifice, in this case calling to mind the blood shed by Christ on Calvary, represented by the cross. The first pledge to the Christian flag was written by Methodist pastor Lynn Harold Hough in 1908: "I pledge allegiance to the Christian Flag and to the Savior for whose kingdom it stands. One brotherhood, uniting all mankind, in service and love." The current and most-used version of the pledge is: “I pledge allegiance to the Christian Flag, and to the Savior, for whose kingdom it stands. One Savior, crucified, risen and coming again, with life and liberty for all who believe.” A Scriptural idea for a flag is suggested in Psalm 60:1-4, “O God…restore us…You have set up a banner for those who fear You, that they may flee to it from the bow.” The idea is deliverance and refuge provided by Almighty God - JEHOVAH-NISSI - THE LORD OUR BANNER! Whereas, The American Flag symbolizes freedom from all oppression allowing us to worship openly and without fear, The Christian Flag symbolizes deliverance from the bondage to sin, and the reality of liberty in Christ as His redeemed children! In this country, true believers should deem it a great privilege to be the beneficiaries of what both Symbols represent.
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When God Is Gone

From My Perspective - - -

Is “religion” vital and essential for the well being of a nation and its citizens? Is it merely a psychological and emotional “crutch” that gives people a sense of enablement and empowerment? Does it serve any useful purpose to (a) believe there is a God, and to (b) think that he has a concern and ability to make any real difference of any sort in world or personal matters? Have we become pluralistic regarding the “God-Factor” and succumbed to a conglomeration of what different ones identify as “God” to and for them?

The Philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) dealt with this question when he spoke and wrote about “God Is Dead”! The idea is stated in "The Madman" as follows: “God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it?”

This view was later picked up and popularized once again by Bishop John A.T. Robinson (1919-1983) and stated in his book, Honest To God. Reviews about his approach include: “The overwhelming theory of Honest to God is the idea that having rejected the idea of 'God up there', modern secular man also needs to recognize that the idea of God out there is also an outdated simplification of the nature of divinity…He claims that secular man requires a secular theology. That is, that God's continuing revelation to humanity is one brought about in culture at large, not merely within the confines of ‘religion’ or ‘church’, so called.” The book also introduced the idea of situational ethics to an English speaking audience. This was a form of relativism, based on the idea that moral codes are not set in stone, but may be subject to circumstances.

Interestingly, the Media has attributed a form of ‘divinity’ to President Obama. The belief is he is the one who can affect and effect change for the good of this nation and the world. As a matter of fact, on June 5, 2009, Newsweek editor Evan Thomas brought adulation over President Obama’s Cairo speech to a whole new level…declaring on MSNBC: "I mean in a way Obama’s standing above the country, above the world, he’s sort of God." And to think, this adulation is bestowed on one who has declared to the world that the USA is no longer a “Christian Nation” (even though our foundational documents declare otherwise), and then this past week when speaking in Cairo, Egypt to a largely Muslim audience he stated, the USA is one of the largest Muslim Nations in the world (there are 1,500,000,000 Billion Muslims in the world – there are less than 2 million in the USA). However, if President Obama is a “sort of god”, one would suppose in his omniscience this must be true.

This whole idea and notion of denying the One True and Eternal God has been around since time began. Romans 1:18 through 32 is a very clear description of where we have arrived as a nation and how we got to this point. If Evan Thomas is correct about the “sort of God” that we now embrace, the Apostle Paul is even more correct in Romans 1:24-25 - and this apt and accurate summary: “…God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator…” A frightening truth is shared in Hosea 5:4-7, “Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. For the spirit of whoredom is within them, and they know not the Lord. The pride of Israel testifies to his face; Israel and Ephraim shall stumble in his guilt; Judah also shall stumble with them. With their flocks and herds they shall go to seek the Lord, but they will not find him; he has withdrawn from them. They have dealt faithlessly with the Lord; for they have borne alien children. Now the new moon shall devour them with their fields.” Is this where we are today? Is this the stubborn and foolish choice we insist upon? Are we willing to “bend” or must we become “broken” first? Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is still near!
Tags: Divine-AWOL  
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Polls Can Be Polarizing

From My Perspective - - -

Polls and Surveys have become a way of life in our nation, as well as having an influence in areas of politics, religion, trends, etc. For years, we have grown accustomed to the Gallup Poll; Rasmussen Polls; Zogby Poll - in the primary area of politics. We have the Nielsen Ratings for Television Programming Preferences; and the Barna Report for religious trends and direction. Regrettably, the Polls can vary greatly depending on (a) the Sample Group used, and (b) the manner in which the Poll Question was framed.

The Polls Published today demonstrate the variance. On Presidential Approval, Rasmussen has the Approval at 53%, whereas Gallup is 62% and Associated Press is 64%. In terms of Congressional Approval, The Associated Press is at 38% and Fox News is at 41%. In terms of the Direction of the Country, the Real Clear Politics Average shows 45% think it is heading in the Right Direction, whereas 48.7% believe it is moving in the wrong direction. When we get into the area of Religion, people have so many differing affiliations and preferences, that Sampling is extremely difficult. The size of the Sample Group is also significant: Gallup uses 1547, Associated Press 1000, Barna 1004.

Barna begins with the premise, AMERICANS ARE EXPLORING NEW WAYS OF EXPERIENCING GOD and summarizes: Americans are in a new age of exploration, deploying new approaches to marriage, communications, sexuality, education, and more. According the results from a new nationwide survey, the “and more” includes how people pursue their faith and how they choose to relate to God and other people of faith. Barna concludes and shares his findings: 88% of American adults say that “my religious faith is very important in my life…”; 75% say they sense that “God is motivating people to stay connected with Him, but in different ways and through different types of experiences than in the past.” There is a growing sense of release from traditional religious practices in this country. People are suggesting that they want more of God and less of the stuff that gets between them and their relationship with God. This mindset is equally common among Catholics and Protestants; 45% say they are “willing to try a new church.” Almost half of the nation’s 230 million adults – are open to changing their church home…; 64% say they are “completely open to carrying out and pursuing your faith in an environment or structure that differs from that of a typical church.” ; 50% say “a growing number of people I know are tired of the usual type of church experience.” Half of all adults said they are aware of such a willingness to experiment on the part of people they know because those individuals are tired of the common church experience. This awareness was especially acute among blacks (59%) and Hispanics (58%); 71% say they are “more likely to develop my religious beliefs on my own, rather than to accept an entire set of beliefs that a particular church teaches.” Across the board, the research showed that women are driving these changes…”

The organized Church has allowed itself to become a political entity. A small group of “insiders” have gained and maintain control. Any newcomer has difficulty “fitting in” to the internal “power structure”! A tiny minority tends to dominate all church activities, and some people just move on to something different or to nothing at all. The Church knows the teaching of I Corinthians 12:18-26, “God has arranged the parts in the body…just as he wanted them to be…The eye cannot say to the hand, I don't need you! And the head cannot say to the feet, I don't need you! On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor…God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” In Romans 15:7 we are told: “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” There is always “lip service” given to these things but people have a way of claiming ownership of the local church and continue to run “their Church their way”! Other people (newer attendees) tend to move on to other things, and the people in “their church” don’t have a clue. They just never get around to looking in a mirror!
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Liberty's Fragility

From My Perspective - - -

Historical Reflection - Adolph Hitler decided to seize power constitutionally rather than by force of arms. Using demagogic oratory, Hitler spoke to scores of mass audiences, calling for the German people to resist the yoke of Jews and Communists, and to create a new empire which would rule the world for 1,000 years. Hitler’s rise to power promised “change” and “hope” for the German people. Hitler's Nazi party captured 18% of the popular vote in the 1930 elections. In 1932, Hitler ran for President and won 30% of the vote, forcing the eventual victor, Paul von Hindenburg, into a runoff election. A political deal was made to make Hitler chancellor in exchange for his political support. He was appointed to that office in January 1933. Upon the death of Hindenburg in August 1934, Hitler was the consensus successor. With an improving economy, Hitler claimed credit and consolidated his position as a dictator, having succeeded in eliminating challenges from other political parties and government institutions. The German industrial machine was built up in preparation for war. By 1937, he was comfortable enough to put his master plan, as outlined in Mein Kampf, into effect. Calling his top military aides together at the "FÅhrer Conference" in November 1937, he outlined his plans for world domination. Those who objected to the plan were dismissed. Hitler ordered the annexation of Austria and the Sudetenland in 1938. Hitler's army invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, sparking France and England to declare war on Germany. A Blitzkrieg (lightning war) of German tanks and infantry swept through most of Western Europe as nation after nation fell to the German war machine.

Today represents the 65th Anniversary of the D-Day Invasion of Normandy, France by Allied Forces. A great invasion force stood off the Normandy coast of France as dawn broke on 6 June 1944: 9 Battleships; 23 cruisers; 104 destroyers, and 71 large landing craft of various descriptions as well as troop transports, and mine sweepers, the largest Armada ever assembled. 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which ‘we will accept nothing less than full victory.’ More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end on June 6, the Allies gained a foot-hold in Normandy. The operation brought together the land, air and sea forces of the allied armies in what became known as the largest invasion force in human history. It was given the codename OVERLORD, delivering five naval assault divisions to the beaches of Normandy, France -Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno And Sword.

War Is Costly - People Get Wounded; Maimed; and Killed; Things Get Broken and Destroyed. At Normandy, stands a wind-swept cemetery with rows of white marble crosses on a bluff overlooking the Omaha landing beach. It's an place that holds the remains of 9,387 Americans. Over 425,000 Allied and German troops were killed, wounded or went missing during the Battle of Normandy. There are the countless thousands and millions who suffered and died horribly in German Concentration Camps. The Holocaust is a grim reminder to be remembered. War also causes some sacrifice and infringement on the Liberty of all. World War II required rationing (food; gasoline; etc.) and restriction; Blackouts and Air Raid Wardens; Identification Tags for children in large city schools… War Bonds were sold to raise finances for this nation.

In our own nation, “change” and “hope” has been proclaimed by a very gifted orator. One change now is the appointment of Czars (15 so far) to oversee the nation’s business, with authority to regulate how money is distributed and how it will be used. A Czar is: “an autocratic ruler or leader; any person exercising great authority or power in a particular field.” Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) became concerned enough to send a cautionary letter to Obama: “...The rapid and easy accumulation of power by White House staff can threaten the constitutional system of checks and balances…” Psalm 11:3 asks: “When the foundations are destroyed (crumbling), what can the righteous do?" The answer: Psalm 11:1 - “In the Lord I take refuge…” Psalm 11:4-7 states: “…The Lord is in His holy temple…the wicked and those who love violence His soul hates…For the Lord is righteous, He loves justice; upright men will see His face.” This is Real Hope!
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As The World Scoffs

From My Perspective - - -

The world has become a comparatively small place since the advent of satellites and internet, etc. Almost instantly, events unfold at a rapid pace. The affairs of our nation are universally known, and the world is disinterested in what our diplomats state or the talking points they attempt to share. The world sees and knows! In terms of our nation, an old phrase – from the sublime to the ridiculous – is no longer apropos! It is more like moving from the ridiculous to the absurd. This week there have been some instances that indicate the world’s thoughts regarding the United States – its trends and behavior...

On Monday, June 1st, PRAVDA published an item: "AMERICAN CAPITALISM GONE WITH A WHIMPER". The article states: "It must be said, that like the breaking of a great dam, the American decent into Marxism is happening with breath taking speed, against the back drop of a passive, hapless sheeple…" Cleverly using the word “sheeple” PRAVDA masks their scoffing and derision of the USA. The intent and meaning is: “Sheeple is a term of disparagement, a portmanteau (a blend of two (or more) words) created by combining the words "sheep" and "people." It is often used to denote persons who acquiesce to authority, and thus undermine their own human individuality. The implication of sheeple is that as a collective, people believe whatever they are told, especially if told so by authority figures, without processing it to be sure that it is an accurate representation of the real world around them. The term is generally used in a political or religious sense. (the singular form of the term is sherson).”

Also on Monday, June 1st, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was in China to reassure the Chinese government that its huge holdings of dollar assets are safe and reaffirmed his faith in a strong U.S. currency…”Chinese assets are very safe, Geithner said in response to a question after a speech at Peking University…His answer drew loud laughter from his student audience, reflecting skepticism in China about the wisdom of a developing country accumulating a vast stockpile of foreign reserves instead of spending the money to raise living standards at home.” Laughter and Derision is the response of a discerning world regarding the USA that has chosen a pathway of bankruptcy in areas of financial responsibility and credibility, as well as the overall approach and lifestyle in terms of ethics, mores and morals.

The Washington Post reported yesterday, June 3rd: “The nation needs to begin planning now to reduce the budget deficit, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Wednesday, arguing that even as the government acts to bolster the economy in the short run it must ensure that spending and revenue will come into line in the longer term. Congress and the administration face formidable near-term challenges that must be addressed…But he warned that the economy will suffer “unless we demonstrate a strong commitment to fiscal sustainability in the longer term…he even connected recent swings in the market for U.S. Treasury bonds to worries about the nation’s long-term deficits. The interest rate that government must pay to borrow money for 10 years or more has risen sharply in the past two weeks as investors in the United States and around the world have become more wary of the nation’s growing debt load.”

If PRAVDA is correct – that we are a “sheeple” nation – laughter, ridicule and scoffing are among the least of our concerns. The descriptive words in Isaiah 59:1-2, 9-11: “The Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear… justice is far from us, righteousness does not overtake us; we hope for light, and behold, darkness, and for brightness, but we walk in gloom. We grope…we hope for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us.” Also, Matthew 9:35-38, “Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages…proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom…When He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd…” The solution is not seeking appeasement with Muslim nations. This nation must return to the Lord, and seek Him, and obey Him! Think about these things with me…
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Hoisting Or Foisting

From My Perspective - - -

As our nation is represented in foreign countries, we have heard our national leader offer an apology for the attitude and arrogance of the USA toward other nations. One wonders if this is an attempt at amelioration, or a reintroduction of a proven failed approach 70 years ago of attempted appeasement by then Prime Minister of England, Neville Chamberlain. He returned to England in 1938 and waved a Document and “,,,delivered his famous ‘peace for our time’ speech to delighted crowds in London.” This was on the eve of World War II.

Currently our leadership is going to the Middle East and the BBC reports: “US President Barack Obama said Monday that the United States cannot impose its values on other countries, but argued that principles such as democracy and the rule of law were universal… the United States must lead by example…The danger I think is when the United States or any country thinks that we can simply impose these values on another country with a different history and a different culture…Democracy, rule of law, freedom of speech, freedom of religion - those are not simply principles of the West to be hoisted on these countries, but rather what I believe to be universal principles that they can embrace and affirm as part of their national identity…I think the thing that we can do most importantly is serve as a good role model. And that's why closing Guantanamo, from my perspective, as difficult as it is, is important. Because part of what we want to affirm to the world is that these are values that are important even when it's hard, even especially when it's hard, and not just when it's easy (Obama has vowed to close the camp by January 22, 2010).”

Appease the Liberal Base; appease Europe; appease the Middle East; don’t HOIST our values on others; etc. It’s almost as though our Leader is suggesting we are trying to FOIST (To impose something or someone unwanted upon another by coercion or trickery; insert fraudulently or deceitfully) such as the appeasement act of 1938, rather than HOIST (to become raised or lifted) and champion democracy in its most pure form. This week we commemorate D-Day. “The D-Day operation of June 6, 1944 brought together the land, air and sea forces of the allied armies in what became known as the largest invasion force in human history. The operation, given the code-name OVERLORD, delivered five naval assault divisions to the beaches of Normandy, France…The invasion force included 7,000 ships and landing craft manned by over 195,000 naval personnel from eight allied countries. Almost 133,000 troops from England, Canada and the United States landed on D-Day. Casualties from the three countries during the landing numbered 10,300. By June 30th, over 850,000 men, 148,000 vehicles, and 570,000 tons of supplies had landed on the Normandy shores.” Shall we apologize to the thousands of the brave Americans who are buried in France as we “Hoisted” liberty upon them? Shall we apologize to Saudi Arabia for “Hoisting” our commitment to right and defending that kingdom from the attempts of Saddam Hussein? Shall we apologize to Kuwait for “Hoisting” our sense of integrity by the removal of Iraq from their small kingdom and Iraq’s seizure of the oil wells there? Shall we apologize for the young men and women who are maimed or who have died as we “Hoisted” a standard of values and rights in a war against terrorism and terrorists (even if we change the name, the war is still the same)?

The Lord Jesus Christ left His followers an Imperative (a Command and Mandate) in Matthew 28:18-20, “…All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” In many ways, we fail to do this adequately in our own neighborhoods and communities, and have allowed other things to dim the vision for reaching our world for The One Who has ordered us to Go…Make…Teach – Hoist all of what Jesus has taught and commanded… Shall we apologize to our Master for failing to adequately obey His Command? Shall we apologize to the nations for our fear or failure to share this Teaching and these Commandments with them? Will we one day stand in shame before our Master for our lack of follow-through to His Mandates? Think about this with me…
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Whatever Happened To Charlie Brown

From My Perspective - - -

In January 2009, The Harris Poll conducted its regular Hero Survey of a cross-section of Americans regarding Our Top Heroes. Asked whom they admire enough to call their heroes (up to three names), those mentioned most included: 1. Barack Obama; 2. Jesus Christ; 3. Martin Luther King; 4. Ronald Reagan; 5. George W. Bush; 6. Abraham Lincoln; 7. John McCain; 8. John F. Kennedy; 9. Chelsey Sullenberger; 10. Mother Teresa; 11. God; 12. Hillary Clinton; 13. Billy Graham; 14. Franklin D. Roosevelt; 15. Mahatma Gandhi; 16. Colin Powell; 17. George Washington; 18. Bill Clinton; 19. Condoleeza Rice; 20. Oprah Winfrey; 21. Sarah Palin; 22. George S. Patton; 23. Bill Gates…In another question, responders were asked to select from a list of choices what made someone a hero. The top definitions given were: (1) Doing what's right regardless of personal consequences (89%); (2) Not giving up until the goal is accomplished (83%); (3) Doing more than what other people expect of them (82%); (4) Overcoming adversity (81%); Staying level-headed in a crisis (81%).

Some might ponder why the one with whom many can identify - Charlie Brown - did not make the list. Charlie Brown tried to achieve and succeed – but – was most often frustrated and seen as a loser. An apt and brief biography of him is: “Charlie Brown is a loveable loser, a child possessed of endless determination and hope, but who is ultimately dominated by his insecurities and a permanent case of bad luck, and often taken advantage of by his peers.” Charlie had no lack of desire and was motivated to give many situations his best effort – but all in vain. He can be viewed as a hero because he (a) tried his best; (b) he was trusting of others; (c) he was wistful and wanting to believe the best about his peers and others; (d) he never responded in anger; (e) he demonstrated perseverance; etc. Charlie was not caught up in the webs of intrigue, nor the possible manipulation of others. He was who he was and tried to do what was right and best – with principle, ethics and a sound moral base.

This nation seems to be roaring into a new age. Individual rights are being marginalized; Business Protocols are being usurped; National Focus and Resolve are being diminished; Indebtedness has reached proportions heretofore unimagined; and Expenditures are only limited by the speed of the Printing Presses to generate more Currency to saturate the nation and world (is it any wonder that China and Brazil no longer want to have the American Dollar as the Monetary Standard for International transactions?). The Pundits add to the confusion and absurdity of our time by speaking of Capitalism fading into Socialism, while same allow that the Republic is rapidly becoming Fascist or Marxist. While there remains some subtlety to the all of this, the rapidity at which things are transpiring may get the nation to an unseemly destination so rapidly that there will be little or no possibility of averting the impending disaster. An illustration is a news item from yesterday headlined - FEDERAL RESERVE PUZZLED BY YIELD CURVE STEEPENING: “The Federal Reserve is studying significant moves in the U.S. government bond market last week that could have big implications for the central bank's strategy to combat the country's recession. But the Fed is not really sure what is driving the sharp rise in long-dated bond yields, and especially a widening gap between short and long term yields…”

Lurking in the background is the Harris Poll that (a) makes a distinction between Jesus Christ and God in the first place, and (b) relegates Jesus Christ to second place, and God to eleventh. Although a man may pronounce that “we are no longer a Christian nation”, does not and will not be able to alter or deny Psalm 47:6-8, “Sing praises to God, sing praises…For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm! God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne…” In Psalm 59:5-8, “You, Lord God of hosts, are God…Rouse Yourself to punish all the nations; spare none of those who treacherously plot evil…There they are, bellowing with their mouths with swords in their lips for ‘Who, they think, will hear us?’ But You, O Lord, laugh at them; You hold all the nations in derision. O my Strength, I will watch for You, for You, O God, are my fortress…” Whether Polls rank God second, eleventh, or not at all – the fact remains - He Is Lord - and one day will cause all nations to bow down and acknowledge that He Is Lord to the Glory of God the Father!
Tags: Subterfuge  
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CORRUPTION IS BEING CORRUPTED

From My Perspective - - -

The genius of the Founding Fathers was to establish a nation and government that would be as free as possible from Corruption and Corrupting Influences. On May 24th, 2009, syndicated columnist George Will wrote concerning, “END RUN ON FREE SPEECH.” His opening paragraphs state: “For several decades, most of the ingenuity that liberal academics have invested in First Amendment analysis has aimed to justify limiting the core activity that the amendment was written to protect — political speech. These analyses treat free speech as not an inherent good but as a merely instrumental good, something justified by serving other ends — therefore something to be balanced against, and abridged to advance, other goods. The good for which Zephyr Teachout would regulate speech is combating corruption, which, as she understands it, encompasses most of contemporary politics. A visiting law professor at Duke, writing in the Cornell Law Review ("The Anti-Corruption Principle"), she makes an astonishingly far-reaching argument for emancipating government from First Amendment restrictions on its powers to regulate political speech — speech about the government's composition and conduct.”

Will goes on to note, “Teachout's capacious definition of corruption includes even an unseemly "attitude" of citizens as well as officeholders "toward public service." She says that the Framers thought limiting corruption was their "primary task." Therefore the "anti-corruption principle" should have "as much weight" as the First Amendment, giving Congress considerable "leeway" to regulate the political "process," which is mostly speech….The word "corruption" or some permutation of it occurs 58 times in the 85 essays that are the FEDERALIST PAPERS. James Madison wrote not only many of the papers but also this: "Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech." He saw no conflict between that proscription and efforts to minimize corruption. He and other Framers considered corruption a vice requiring constant vigilance precisely because it is inextricably entwined with a virtue, America's vast scope — constitutionally protected scope — for self-interested behavior, including political speech.” Meanwhile, the following news item appeared in the San Diego News on May 25th, 2009: “COUPLE: COUNTY TRYING TO STOP HOME BIBLE STUDIES.” The article states: ”…A local pastor and his wife claim they were interrogated by a San Diego County official, who then threatened them with escalating fines if they continued to hold Bible studies in their home…The county employee notified the couple that the small Bible study, with an average of 15 people attending, was in violation of County regulations…a few days later the couple received a written warning that listed "unlawful use of land" and told them to "stop religious assembly or apply for a major use permit" -- a process that could cost tens of thousands of dollars…”

Is the US Constitution being abridged and altered today? Is the Freedom of Speech and Right to Assemble being violated? If so, wherein is the feared “corruption” taking place – in the citizenry or the government? Corruption is defined as: “The act of corrupting or of impairing integrity, virtue, or moral principle…the loss of purity or integrity; The act of changing, or of being changed, for the worse; departure from what is pure, simple, or correct…” In II PETER 2:12-19, “…these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant…They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions...They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed…Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray…For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice…those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption…” Are we observing “corruption” unfolding to a greater degree than ever before as Government over-reaches into businesses and lives? Are we witnessing the transition from free enterprise into socialism? Is REVELATION 13:16-17 emerging as a reality: “it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark…the name of the beast or the number of its name.”? Freedom from secular tyranny and/or spiritual enslavement is a right that should not be easily revoked or removed from any individual. Think about these things with me.
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GETTING OLDER - or - GETTING BETTER

From My Perspective - - -

Are you getting “older” or getting “better”? What is your outlook for your life? The Demographic Projections for the Aging of Americans are: “The number of Americans age 55 and older will almost double between now and 2030 – from 60 million today (21 percent of the total US population) to 107.6 million (31 percent of the population) – as the Baby Boomers reach retirement age. During that same period of time, the number of Americans over 65 will more than double, from 34.8 million in 2000 (12 percent of the population) to 70.3 million in 2030 (20 percent of the total population). The next generation of retirees will be the healthiest, longest lived, best educated, most affluent in history. Americans reaching age 65 today have an average life expectancy of an additional 17.9 years (19.2 years for females and 16.3 years for males). The likelihood that an American who reaches the age of 65 will survive to the age of 90 has nearly doubled over the past 40 years – from just 14 percent of 65-year-olds in 1960 to 25 percent at present. By 2050, 40 percent of 65-year-olds are likely to reach age 90…”

One reality that has taken place recently has been the Economic Trends in our nation and world. Retirement income has been greatly impacted and retirees have an unexpected and dramatic dilemma, namely, will it be possible to survive and maintain a reasonable lifestyle. One would be wise not to panic in such trying times. It is also essential that compassion and benevolence be an ongoing behavior. Some have found it necessary to return to employment so they can manage financial needs and obligations. A much broader question is – What kind of employment is available to the older adult (post-retirement age)? Does one have choices and alternatives? Will the market-place and society have room – make room - for an older adult re-entering gainful employment?

It is interesting to observe the accomplishments of a few who became engaged in important tasks in the latter years of life-expectancy: “John Wesley preached over 40,000 sermons and traveled 225,000 miles - these figures belong only to the latter part of his life, from age 36 to 88. George Muller is said to have traveled 200,000 miles, using his linguistic ability to preach in several languages to an estimated three million people. Muller’s statistics only began after his 70th birthday and continued for the next 17 years. Dr. Robert Lowry, renowned for many accomplishments as a Christian musician, first undertook the serious study of music after turning 40. Fanny Crosby was 43 when she found her life’s work – writing Gospel songs. Francis Schaeffer was little known until he was published in his fifties. Child Evangelism Fellowship was founded by J. Irvin Overholtzer, at age 62, and who remained at its helm for the next 15 years. Cam Townsend at age 72, founder of the Wycliffe Bible Translators, flew to Moscow (while it was under the rule of Communism) and began learning Russian to assist in Bible translation…

Other people and their achievement in the later years of life include: The Earl of Halsburg was 90 when he began a 20-Volume revision of English Law; Goethe wrote Faust at 82; Galileo made his greatest discovery at 73; at 65, Winston Churchill became Prime Minister for the first time during World War II; at 72, Golda Meir became Prime Minister of Israel; at 80, Grandma Moses (who began painting in her 70s) had her first one-woman exhibit; at 81, Benjamin Franklin mediated and moderated the US Constitutional Convention; at 80, Winston Churchill returned to the House of Commons as a Member of Parliament, and would also exhibit 62 of his paintings; and we’ve heard of Colonel Sanders, at age 65, founding his Chicken Franchises by using his $105.00 Social Security Check; at age 88, S. Truett Cathy was involved in overseeing the Chic-fil-A business, and teaching a Sunday School Class.

For those who embrace the Christian Faith and practice, consider: (a) "As thy days, so shall thy strength be..." [Deuteronomy 33:25]; (b) Moses began his task to lead God’s people out of Egypt after he was 80 years of age; (c) the words of Psalm 37:23-26, “The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast head-long, for the Lord upholds his hand. I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.” and (d) remember Isaiah 40:31.  God is Faithful and Good! He will renew your strength too!
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LEST WE FORGET

From My Perspective - - -

An old Ballad from an Off-Broadway Show in the 1960s – The Fantasticks – repeats a phrase: “Try To Remember When Life Was So Tender…Our hearts should Remember...Try To Remember, And If You Remember…” An oft-repeated Statement: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." is an appropriate one for our day and time. Today (May 25th) is designated Memorial Day – a time to Remember those who died in the military when they had been called into war to preserve freedom. Sadly, the clutter of ones activities can blur and cloud the meaning and purpose of pausing to Remember.

From Wikipedia: “Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings…While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day…Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic…and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery…It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May…

There have been rallying cries over the years from “Remember The Alamo” to “Remember Pearl Harbor” to “Remember 9/11”… General Douglas MacArthur eloquently shared some meaningful words on May 12, 1962 at West Point: “…Duty, Honor, Country: Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying points: to build courage when courage seems to fail; to regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith; to create hope when hope becomes forlorn…Unhappily, I possess neither that eloquence of diction, that poetry of imagination, nor that brilliance of metaphor to tell you all that they mean. The unbelievers will say they are but words, but a slogan, but a flamboyant phrase. Every pedant, every demagogue, every cynic, every hypocrite, every troublemaker, and I am sorry to say, some others of an entirely different character, will try to downgrade them even to the extent of mockery and ridicule. As I listened to those songs of the glee club, in memory's eye I could see those staggering columns of the First World War, bending under soggy packs, on many a weary march from dripping dusk to drizzling dawn, slogging ankle-deep through the mire of shell-shocked roads, to form grimly for the attack, blue-lipped, covered with sludge and mud, chilled by the wind and rain, driving home to their objective, and for many, to the judgment seat of God. I do not know the dignity of their birth, but I do know the glory of their death. They died unquestioning, uncomplaining, with faith in their hearts, and on their lips the hope that we would go on to victory. Always, for them: Duty, Honor, Country; always their blood and sweat and tears, as we sought the way and the light and the truth…”

War is a blight and tragedy upon our planet! Things get broken and destroyed; people get wounded, or captured, or tortured, or killed; families get separated; etc. A core value shared by Abraham Lincoln and later emblazoned on a US Army Poster during World War II was: “Right Is Might.” It is the commitment to that which is “Right” that needs to be Remembered and serve as our motivation. Righteousness exalts a nation… The prayers of a Righteous man avail much… As Joshua prepared the nation for his departure, he shares a basic premise for them to remember (Joshua 24:13-17): “…fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord…” The Nation of Israel had fought many battles and the Lord granted them victory and gave them The Promised Land as their possession. They needed to Remember that it was the Lord Who delivered them and granted them victory. As we pause to Remember those who were killed while protecting and defending our nation against all enemies – foreign and domestic – we need to also Remember that The Lord is our Fortress, Strength and Shield! Try To Remember…!!
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LIFE AS WE KNOW IT

From My Perspective - - -

The Headlines on News Websites paint an interesting picture. For instance, DRUDGE REPORT has: (1) Dollar Plunge; Fear Over Debt; (2) GM revamp under attack; Feds to cancel debts, inject aid; (3) FIAT already concerned for deteriorating Chrysler; (4) California faces its day of fiscal reckoning; (5) Florida's BANKUNITED Goes Bust; Year's Biggest; (6) Recession Turns Malls Into Ghost Towns; (7) Fed President Says Inflation to Increase.

There’s the news account from China that conveys a negative truism that sometimes one is better off without a "helping hand”: “Chen Fuchao, a man heavily in debt, had been contemplating suicide on a bridge in southern China for hours when a passer-by came up, shook his hand — and pushed him off the ledge. Chen fell 26 feet onto a partially inflated emergency air cushion laid out by authorities and survived, suffering spine and elbow injuries, the official Xinhua News Agency said Saturday. The passer-by, 66-year-old Lai Jiansheng, had been fed up with what he called Chen's "selfish activity," Xinhua said. Traffic around the Haizhu bridge in the city of Guangzhou had been backed up for five hours and police had cordoned off the area. I pushed him off because jumpers like Chen are very selfish. Their action violates a lot of public interest…They do not really dare to kill themselves. Instead, they just want to raise the relevant government authorities' attention to their appeals...According to Xinhua, Chen wanted to kill himself because he had accrued $290,000 in debt from a failed construction project.”

In addition to the Financial and Economic issues, Pew Research indicates the general electorate is shifting in its focus. The Report states, as of May 21, 2009: “While the Democrats gained a sizable advantage in partisan affiliation during George Bush’s presidency, their numbers slipped between December 2008 and April 2009, from 39% to 33%. Republican losses have been a little more modest, from 26% to 22%, but this represents the lowest level of professed affiliation with the GOP in at least a quarter century. Moreover, on nearly every dimension the Republican Party is at a low ebb – from image, to morale, to demographic vitality. By contrast, the percentage of self-described political independents has steadily climbed, on a monthly basis, from 30% last December to 39% in April. Taking an average of surveys conducted this year, 36% say they are independents, 35% are Democrats, while 23% are Republicans. On an annual basis, the only previous year when independent identification has been this high was in 1992 when Ross Perot ran a popular independent candidacy. As has been the case in recent years, more independents lean Democratic than Republican (17% versus 12%). Yet an increasing share of independents describe their views as conservative; in surveys conducted this year, 33% of independents say they are conservatives, up from 28% in 2007 and 26% in 2005. Again, this ideological change is at least in part a consequence of former Republicans moving into the ranks of independents.”

Consider these things with me - - The Pew Research also notes: “…independents are more skittish than they were two years ago about expanding the social safety net and are reluctant backers of greater government involvement in the private sector. Yet at the same time, they continue to more closely parallel the views of Democrats rather than Republicans on the most divisive core beliefs on social values, religion and national security.” The orientation to “Core Values” is interesting. In desperate times, a gradual reality comes into play, namely, government is not and cannot be the answer. Government is part of the problem – not part of the solution. Somehow, we need to return to the fundamentals and basics – God Is More Than Sufficient To Meet Ones Needs. The starting point would be to implement Luke 17:6, and cultivate “If you have FAITH as a grain of mustard seed…” Surely, you can exercise at least that much faith! Otherwise, you may need to seek a helping hand in China to assist you off of the bridge! You would be wise to reach out to the Hand of God and be assisted by Him. He’s faithful and He never fails!
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CALCULATED VERBALIZATION

From My Perspective - - -

It is noteworthy that a distinction should be made between eloquence in public speaking and pontification. One is a self-confidence and ease in communication, whereas the other is an air of indifference, arrogance and calculated verbalization. It is next to impossible to receive a rational response to a practical matter from almost all of the elected representatives in our nation. This has allowed for the caustic comedy to speak of some politicians that “you can tell when they are lying - if their lips are moving.” It has also given occasion to a biting definition of Political Correctness. A report states: Every year at Texas A&M they do a contest to come up with the most appropriate definition of a contemporary term. This year's term was: “Political Correctness”. Here is the winning definition… "Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up excrement by the clean end."

On Thursday, May 21st we heard the President state the following: “The courts have spoken. They have found there is no legitimate reason to hold 21 of the people confined at Guantanamo….I cannot ignore these rulings.” However, according to POLITICO the following represents the facts: “…only one judge has ordered the release of Guantanamo detainees into the United States. That ruling, involving 17 Uighur men, was stayed and later overturned by a federal appeals court. It’s true about two dozen detainees have been ordered released by federal judges. But at the moment those orders are largely unenforceable due to a D.C. Circuit Court ruling denying judges the authority to bring detainees to the United States.” The conclusion drawn by POLITICO is: “While President Obama cannot ignore the rulings, he certainly doesn’t have to do much right now to comply with them. But making it sound like he’s under pressure from the courts makes it sound like he has no choice but to close Gitmo.” And so, the pontification and game goes on and on and on.

Chuck Colson is one of the more prolific writers and in his Breakpoint Commentary for May 18th he writes: “From the outside looking in, an intelligent observer can see the signs of a once-great civilization in decline: rising corruption, sexual licentiousness, and the abandonment of once-cherished moral principles. The once-great civilization is Western Christendom. And the outside observer is Indian scholar Vishal Mangalwadi. His new book, Truth and Transformation: A Manifesto for Ailing Nations shows how dearly the West is paying for abandoning the Christian worldview—the very worldview that made its greatness and prosperity possible. It is no coincidence, Mangalwadi argues, that reason, science, and advanced technology developed and thrived in the West. That’s because Western man believed that God created an orderly universe that could be explored and understood—and whose resources could be harnessed to benefit mankind…Mangalwadi wonders why the West, rich in material and political blessings, would turn away from the source of its success—the Christian worldview anchored in the Scriptures.”

Consider these things with me - - - Some of us grew up with an adage echoing in our minds: “What you are speaks so loud, I can’t hear what you say.” Someone wrote a Gospel song that contained these thoughts as well: “What you are speaks so loud the world can't hear what you say! They're looking at your walk, not listening to your talk…They'll judge you by your actions every day! Don’t believe, you’ll deceive, by claiming what you’ve never known…” We move along in life as though there is no consequence for the hollowness of speech and the emptiness of credible action. In Jeremiah 16:10-12, “And when you tell this people all these words, and they say to you, Why has the Lord pronounced all this great evil against us? What is our iniquity? What is the sin that we have committed against the Lord our God? then you shall say to them: Because your fathers have forsaken me…and have gone after other gods and have served and worshiped them, and have forsaken me and have not kept my law, and because you have done worse…for every one of you follows his stubborn, evil will, refusing to listen to me…” Pontification and Articulation makes an impression and can sound good, but in the words of an old Wendy’s Advertisement: “Where’s the beef?” We are called to be witnesses (Acts 1:8). Are we proactive or inactive in that assignment?
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CANDOR, RANCOR or STUPIDITY

From My Perspective - - -

Unguarded moments and being dismissive of forethought can reveal many inner feelings and sentiments. In some instances, it would be an experience similar to riding with a square wheel, namely, anything but smooth and comfortable. An old and pithy reminder was: “Always remember to engage your brain before you operate your mouth.” The picture is drawn from older model cars that had a manual transmission and a clutch to engage the gears. If one did not depress the clutch, he would either strip the gears or remain motionless. If the clutch was released too quickly, the vehicle would hop (like a rabbit) rather than roll smoothly. This is the same truism with rhetoric. Another adage states: “Think before you speak!” There are illustrations where these principles seem to have been ignored and/or avoided - - -

An interesting entertainment news headline yesterday stated: “JIMMY KIMMEL DEMOLISHES ABC’S UPFRONTS…” The report goes on to say: At Tuesday afternoon’s upfront presentation in New York, Mr. Kimmel, the host of ABC’s late night talk show “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” delivered a withering, blistering monologue that took direct aim at ABC, its potential advertisers and his NBC late-night rival, Jay Leno… “Everything you’re going to hear this week is” nonsense. “Let’s get real here…These new fall shows? We’re going to cancel about 90 percent of them. Maybe more.” If ABC is so confident in its new fall shows, he asked, why is it announcing them at the same time it announces the midseason shows that will replace those fall shows? To the ABC advertisers…“Every year we lie to you and every year you come back for more. You don’t need an Upfront…“I think all our shows are going to work this year. I really do.” He paused. “I don’t, really. ”Before departing the stage, he said: The important thing to remember is: who cares, it’s not your money.”

In another article headlined, “REID JOINS BIDEN, PELOSI IN MISSTATEMENTS”, we read: “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid became the latest Democrat to stray into rhetorical trouble Tuesday, botching statements on three subjects in one news conference…about… Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass; Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W. VA; and “Reid also mangled his party's position on the congressional news of the day, that Senate Democrats would join their House counterparts in withholding the money President Barack Obama needs to close the Guantanamo Bay prison until Obama comes up with a plan for relocating its prisoners…Reid went further…"We will never allow terrorists to be released into the United States…Part of what we don't want is them be put in prisons in the United States…We don't want them around the United States." Is this candor, rancor, or stupidity?

Consider these things with me - - - A very succinct statement of an opportunity and obligation for a wise person is stated in COLOSSIANS 4:5-6, “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” Gracious and Tasteful Speech is so important and vital. There is too much that comes across as crude, profane, belligerent, obnoxious and humorless. What is need is serious and constructive speech – not political rhetoric or other meaningless platitudes. There is a good rule given in JAMES 1:19-22, “Know this…let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” There is one last observation on this subject in MATTHEW 12:34-37 where Jesus observes: “You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." Words have meanings, and meanings convey thoughts and inner feelings. Let us set a personal goal that our words will always be Gracious, Tasteful, and Effective as we live out and proclaim the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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