Sunday, January 26, 2014

Down the Road

I began blogging, 9 years ago January 26.  Interestingly, all these years later, I've been blessed to make the acquaintance of many diligent writers and we are on the cusp of the anniversary of the Goshen Gazette, as well.   I had forgotten what the first blog topic was, but it continues to contain timely material.  There is a profound truth, we simply must realize.  American politics is theatrical diversion, and nothing more.  The agenda to keep the citizens divided has become 9 years stronger than when I first began writing, and sadly, the Bible continues to be treated with less respect by our society.  Life is simply not valued politically, and only argued religiously.

I watched a video of a man, probably in his late thirties or early forties, father of two daughters, expressing his view of the "morality of abortion," and how immoral it would be to rescind Roe v Wade.   Roe v. Wade is not a liberal/conservative political issue.  The issue of abortion has served to prove how little our society does value life and morality.  I am not advocating for abortion at all in this next statement, as the Bible clearly says, "thou shalt not kill," but the Bible also says we are to care for the fatherless.  It's easy to be anti-abortion in words, and again, I'm not advocating genocide or infanticide, but we need to have a viable plan for things to actually change.  For those who are pro-life, just how would we care for these estimated 50 million fatherless children?

What are we doing for the children who are born?  The court system is filled with family service issues and support enforcement mandates.  It would take hours and hours of research to account for all the children who were born, and have been institutionalized by the system that claims to be "pro-life and freedom!"

Here is the historical fact about Roe v. Wade.  It was a 7-2 majority of the Supreme Court, handed down January of 1973.  Here are the last names of the justices and the presidents who appointed the men that made this decision.  Making this a partisan political issue is about dividing the people, and controlling the population.

Justice Douglas appointed by FDR                        (D)
Justice Stewart                  President Eisenhower   (R)
Justice Brennan                                    "               (R)
Justice White                     President Kennedy      (D)            - dissent
Justice Marshall                 President Johnson       (D)
Justice Burger                    President Nixon          (R)
Justice Blackmun                                 "               (R)
Justice Powell                                      "               (R)
Justice Rehnquist                                 "               (R)              - dissent  

One democrat appointed justice and one republican appointed justice dissented on this case.  That is all and that was the morality 40+ years ago.  Our society has now spent over 40 years arguing about life in the womb, while life outside the womb has denigrated beyond and beneath our Creator's standard.

 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;  Torah of Holy Scripture


In posterity . . . the first blog entry
When Religion and Politics Unite
We realize there have been many examples; horrific examples, throughout history of the disastrous union of religious devotion and political agenda, but one particularly stands out. When the political power of the day: Rome, conferred with the religious power of the time: the Sanhedrin; the Son of G~d was crucified. What if the politically incorrect and the religiously unacceptable are right? What if [and I believe it is] the Bible is absolutely perfect and without contradictory and the interpretations of man are fraught with error? Then the narrow road would not be 3-15% wider in the polls than the road to perdition. Therefore, according to Scripture, a true man of G~d could not possibly have the mandate of the people. 

Sunday, January 19, 2014

What Have We Become?

Murder is now acceptable.  We cannot just blame "dirty cops" when juries are giving the verdict.  How would a juror feel if down the road it was their child or grandchild?

A number of news feeds this week are simply unfathomable and inexcusable!  Too many people are being maimed and killed by those who are supposed to serve and protect.  I'm not saying all cops are bad, but this is happening with entirely too much frequency.  Not only are citizens being harmed, and justice aborted, but as the trust devolves and the animosity increases, this will place the good cops in a terrible position.

I remember, as a minister, years ago, serving the police department in a voluntary chaplain capacity, as I did in many places throughout the community.  The chief talked to me at length about the trust issues cops had with "civilians," even clergy.  He referred to the blue line.  Well, I'm here to tell you, if they were that paranoid and that untrusting before 9/11, they needed to get out of the cop business then.  Sadly, since 9/11, we've become almost terroristic in our rule of law . . . Which is really becoming dangerously close to anarchical authority.  Many of our laws lack logic, and some of those who are enforcing the law, lack logic and critical thinking skills.



My neighboring state has had some frightening reports of police brutality, and I just read today that three officers are "on administrative leave" pending an investigation.  Interestingly, they are not named and the reason for the investigation has been withheld.  You can bet your bottom dollar, if this was anyone but a cop, the "person of interest" would be named, the allegations would be known, and I'm guessing there'd be no privacy protection, much less leave with pay.

When I saw the headlines and images of a 64 year old deaf man who had been beaten for not responding properly, disgusted, is not a strong enough word.  The man could not hear them.  His son and son-in-law are in law enforcement, so you know he would have been more cooperative than the average person.  He showed respect, his vehicle was marked with a sign that stated the driver was hearing impaired, as well as it being on his license, yet those who take an oath to protect and serve, caused that man to need medical treatment.  The Chief of Patrol has directed the investigation to be expanded to see if any state laws were violated.  Seriously?   The Chief of the Highway Patrol doesn't know if it's against the law to beat up an elderly man who is deaf.

As if that isn't bad enough, we now have juries who render decisions based upon everything but evidence, it would appear.  As I read about the homeless man who was beaten to death by three cops, a jury returned with an acquittal on two.  The charges against the other cop were simply dismissed.  Those jurors better remember the whole reaping and sowing principle, a.k.a. karma.  It's truly getting frightening.

The earth also was corrupt before G-d, and the earth was filled with violence.  Torah of Holy Scripture

Sunday, January 12, 2014

What If The Rise of Power is Not Political?

While we are watching the government make a power grab, in health care and taxes, not to mention the Bill of Rights, what if it's only a diversion?  We see diversions all the time.  NDAA passed through the big Duck Dynasty flap, not to mention big sales for the three companies involved, plus a new line of guns . . . Keep in mind, gun sales are monitored, background checks enter the database.

What if the big power that causes all to bow down and take a mark isn't political power, as we know it?  What if the big power is something the majority wants?  What if the big power seems like a good thing?  Isn't that really the only way, "the very elect" would be deceived?

What if the foundation of the beast is say, the internet?  What if it's the power grid?  What if it's the food supply?  What if it's health care?  What if it's just where we want to get our stuff?  What if it starts as our source of entertainment?  I mean, we all need to de-stress, right?  Keep in mind, this beast will ultimately have power over everything, so it doesn't necessarily need to have a political base to gain power.  The real power is to get the people dependent and wanting more . . .

I've had various theories through the years.  Obviously, the ones of the 70's and 80's have come and gone, at least for me.  I remember very clearly, in 1995, knowing, just receiving "the knowing," the mark of the beast would be presented as a good thing, not a threat.  That's when I began to see things differently.  As technology, health care, government, and provision all converge on we the people, I think more of us are going to sit up and take notice.  I'm in the middle of nowhere and suddenly, I have internet service options . . .

I'm not suggesting that the internet is the beast, although there are folks who insist upon that.  Whatever system of communication that connects the entire world at the time of the coming together of the One World Order will definitely be a part of the power of the beast, and the internet may definitely be what is in place.  But the government beast will be so much more . . .

Consider the food supply, and how few people even know where food comes from before it arrives on the grocer's shelves.  How many people are already financially dependent for their food supply.  That number has increased in this country exponentially just in the past 5 years.

Now, we add health care and mandatory health insurance to the mix, at the hands of the government.  I read that Wal-Mart is offering it's employees a better plan than ACA, but it's for the full time employees . . . Wal-Mart also offers great prices on generic drugs, and well that's a place you can get just about everything, anyone could need or want.

For those who do not meet the criteria for subsidies in their mandated health insurance, but still have faith in the system, there is Medicaid.  Read the fine print, though, before you sign.  Medicaid has some interesting regulations regarding your estate.  Seems it would be a conflict of interest for Medicaid to make health decisions, health care payments, and be the main beneficiary of what might be left of one's estate.

Then there's America's political religion and Islam, both of which believe themselves to be favored for special dispensation to kill and start wars.  The beast of the New World Order could rise from so many possibilities, it's really time to stop allowing ourselves to be distracted with political partisanship, religious rhetoric, misleading media, and artificial reality entertainment.

And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.  words of Messiah






Saturday, January 04, 2014

Context Please!

I still, well remember the visceral reaction I had to talk radio when I heard a subject just mauled repeatedly, while lacking the true context.   I could hear the mesmerizing programming attempt, and was truly disgusted by the number of listeners who succumbed.  This offense is not limited to conservative talk radio hosts, but there are just so many of them, it seems to be more frequent than the liberal hosts.  It also seems that political conservatives are bit more "lock-steppy" than the image of the progressive liberal, or at least; that's how it used to be.

In all the feather ruffling and flap of the Duck Dynasty star's interview, it became obvious that the progressive liberal side of the political spectrum can be just as lock-steppy and out of context as any of Rush Limbaugh's fans.  Phil Robertson is a character, he simply is.  His style is a bit abrupt, but I don't believe he would ever intentionally mislead someone.

In one of his many comments that have been dissected, he had quipped something about marrying young.  His reference was that young women, 15 or 16, were preferable to those over the age of 20.  Some of the headlines were just appalling.  There were "progressives" that made it sound like he was advocating dirty old men hanging out at the elementary school playground, and he had said nothing of that nature!

Phil and Kay Robertson did marry young and there is a four year gap in their ages.  Just to maintain reality here in this "trial by public opinion," Phil Robertson was the father of three and a business owner before the age of 30.  Now, at the age of 67, he's got fame, fortune, and successful marriage of forty some years, to a woman who is also in her 60's.   Phil Robertson doesn't appear to present himself to be anything but what he is.

Taking an anecdotal comment out of context seems very intentionally dishonest, quite misleading, and very poor journalism.  I would have expected more creativity out of those of the progressive leaning, than to copy the tactics of conservative pundits.
 
http://www.hlntv.com/article/2013/12/31/phil-robertson-marry-girls-15-duck-dynasty?hpt=hln10_5&hpt=hp_t2

The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.  a Proverb of Holy Scripture

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