Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Who Can Be Trusted?

It was interesting to read the results of the exit polls after the Pennsylvania primary last night. Apparently, those who entered into the voting booths had trust issues with both Democratic candidates! I generally rely on Real Clear Politics for primary information. However, while scrolling through the latest results, I could not find the primary percentages regarding "trust" in their stats.

Fox News has them!




Which candidate do you think is honest and trustworthy? Clinton Obama
Only Hillary Clinton (20%) 99% 1%
Only Barack Obama (30%) 4% 96%
Both of them (37%) 64% 36%
Neither of them (11%) 70% 30%

Number of responses: 2096




Which candidate do you think is honest and trustworthy?
Hillary Clinton is (57%) Clinton: 76% Obama: 24%
Hillary Clinton is not (41%) Clinton: 22% Obama: 78%

Number of responses: 2096

Which candidate do you think is honest and trustworthy?
Barack Obama is (67%) Clinton: 37% Obama: 63%
Barack Obama is not (31%) Clinton: 89% Obama: 11%

Number of responses: 2096


The stats didn't copy very well here. You can go to the site for a better visual.

I thought it interesting that more people would gravitate towards John McCain if Hillary was not the nominee:


If these are the only candidates on the ballot in November, for whom would you vote? Clinton Obama
Barack Obama, the Democrat (72%) 39% 61%
John McCain, the Republican (15%) 90% 10%
Would not vote for president (10%) 98% 2%

Number of responses: 2096

If these are the only candidates on the ballot in November, for whom would you vote? Clinton Obama
Hillary Clinton, the Democrat (81%) 62% 38%
John McCain, the Republican (10%) 30% 70%
Would not vote for president (7%) 5% 95%

Number of responses: 2096


It would appear that in politics, trust about the candidates can be a difficult thing to grasp, and maintain.

Many people think the same thing about the media. Who in the media can genuinely be trusted?

While reading a portion in Newsmax Magazine called "Beltway Bits," I read the following:


When FBI agent George Piro recently described debriefing Saddam Hussein for seven months after his capture, he disclosed that the Iraqi dictator admitted planning to restart his weapons of mass destruction program within a year. That plan included developing nuclear weapons, according to Saddam.

The revelation should have been Page One news in every newspaper. It would have further justified President Bush's decision to invade Iraq. But many in the mainstream media could not bear to hear that Bush might have done something right.

When Piro's interview came out in my book, The Terrorist Watch: Inside the Desperate Race to Stop the Next Attack - written by Ronald Kessler, NBC Nightly News, Fox News, and Newsmax ran the news, but few newspapers published a story.

Two and a half months later, 60 Minutes ran the first television interview with Piro. The interview buried the reference to Saddam's nuclear planning.

The Washington Post ran a 542-word story on the interview, but omitted any mention of Saddam's new nuclear plans. The New York Times ran no story.

Today, we have press censorship similar to what existed in the old Soviet Union, except the censors are journalists, and it's in reverse: news favorable to the government is suppressed.


We all know that the WMD question has been at the heart of the anti-war crowd. There has been speculation on both sides of the political debate regarding whether or not Saddam had WMD's and if he did, where did they end up? Some have speculated that they were sent to Syria.

That small piece of big news (in Newsmax) was interesting enough for me to do some Internet research. Of course, the following will not be an exhaustive piece on the subject, but the three sources that I found bring up the subject, and question, of who can be trusted to share the truth on such matters?

I first went to Ronald Kessler's original article (dated November, 2007) and read more details about Piro and Saddam.

Next, I clicked on a website that contained a video and had more George Piro news and links. In the menu there, you can see the Piro/60 Minutes interview. At the very end, the 60 Minutes interviewer asked Piro:

"Did Saddam think that Bin Laden was a threat to his regime?"

Piro:

"Yes."

You can draw your own conclusions about that.

Next, I clicked on the American Thinker blog and read the "Suicide by Cop - Saddam and A'jad" article.

James Lewis wrote:


Well, we need to be a little skeptical about Saddam's deathbed confession. Mr. Piro wouldn't be the first to be conned by Saddam.


Lewis continues:


So we still don't have an answer that makes sense. Provoking suicide by cop is not rational for Western minds.


There is a third possibility, however: Arab pride and shame. That is, after all, why Saddam's old Sunni supporters have kept fighting and dying for the last four years. There was a kind of suicidal willingness in Saddam to risk everything for his Arab warrior's honor. Maybe he really believed all those chintzy wall posters of Saddam as Saladin on his white horse. Whatever it was, in his own mind he needed to be a big hero. After the 1992 war, he required revenge, and in the Arab mindset, it was a family vendetta against the Bush dynasty.


Being a dead hero rather than a living sultan may not be rational by Western standards, but it fits the "heroic" narrative of Saddam's imagination. Remember that when thousands of Baath honchos fled the country in 2003, Saddam stayed behind, hiding in holes to evade American troops. He didn't have to do that: It was just asking for suicide by cop. In the end, we remember him looking like a homeless bum, sticking out of a hole in the ground. Death before disgrace.


That's how an honor-and-shame culture acts. It might be admirable if it were not in the cause of a bloody-minded bully.


So, it wasn't the fear of another war with Iran that caused Saddam to bluff everyone into believing that he had WMD?

Lewis:


All this is relevant today, because the mullahs next door have an even more medieval ideology than Saddam did. We may not understand why they believe it, but that doesn't change their bizarre beliefs. There are lessons to learn from Saddam Hussein.


Lewis mentions how Ahmadinejad arrested Iran's former nuclear negotiator, Mosavian, for treason. He makes the point that others, like A'jad, are willing to court suicide for their pride.

The nuclear weapons "dance" that Iran is doing with the West has a specific purpose. I think that Lewis states it more clearly than anyone else (that I have read) who has written about the subject.

Like Hitler, Saddam had the "suicide for pride" complex. Ahmadinejad is similar. Lewis cites that all one needs to do is observe:


A'jad has been drilled in the martyrdom creed by Ayatollah Khomeini himself, and passed it on to thousands of others. To understand A'jad, look at Hamas TV for children, which indoctrinates innocent toddlers into the glories of martyrdom for Allah. Chances are that A'jad is also looking for Götterdammerung, just like the Rev. Jim Jones and David Koresh, General Tojo and the Omshinrikyo sarin cult in Tokyo. He's looking for a final victory over the infidels, or magnificent personal martyrdom culminating in the coming of the Mahdi.


The cycle of indoctrination goes on through such awful "cartoons" inflicted upon children by terrorist groups like Hamas.

This is why Jimmy Carter's attempt to "talk and/or negotiate" with Hamas was so absolutely foolhardy! We already have seen what has happened. Hamas has denied that they told Carter that they would now recognize Israel's right to exist.

People...that will never happen! Period!!

The Muslim jihad against Israel has been going on far longer than its fight against the West. Carter has made himself look clueless and ignorant! He has also, perhaps inadvertently, given "legitimacy" to a terrorist group by his actions. Honestly - the man should stick to his worthy work in Habitat for Humanity and STAY OUT OF POLITICS! POLITICS DOES NOT WANT YOU, Mr. Carter! NOR, DOES IT WANT YOU TO BROADCAST YOUR NAIVE IDEOLOGY!!

Iran has no intentions of making peace with either Israel or the West. Lewis explains why:


But as part of that narrative, Tehran must be attacked by the infidels, even though it's perfectly innocent of any crime. So A'jad wants war, but he also wants it to arouse the final Muslim jihad against all the infidels. It's Armageddon, but on his terms. That is why he needs to threaten the West again and again in public. He will provoke and provoke again, and escalate his rhetoric, until he can either explode his own nuke bomb or die.

Ahmadi-Nejad is not a normal, rational politician. He lives in a different world. Call it honor, or pride, or an inverted inferiority complex. Call it a Wagnerian opera. A'jad is Saddam with a martyrdom complex. Westerners will try and try to explain him in rational terms. But it's the wrong template.


Likewise, Carter trying to rationalize with Hamas is a complete waste of time. When will liberals like him ever learn that fact? The following conclusion by Lewis could just as well be applied to the Hamas terrorists:


When you see A'jad, think Jim Jones or David Koresh. Think Tojo or Hitler, or Ayatollah Khomeini. Here is a man who is ready to die and kill for his creed, as mad as it is. He doesn't go for carrots and sticks. His provocations are designed primarily to maneuver the West into his own psychodrama. If he were standing on a ledge on the Empire State Building we could let him jump. But he's clever enough to realize that we cannot ignore nukes in the hands of a martyrdom fanatic. Like Saddam, he has a kind of suicidal streak. He's willing to go if he takes others with him. It's his lack of rationality (by our standards) that makes him so dangerous.



Back to this election.

Both Hillary and Obama want to withdraw our troops before success in Iraq is assured. That would be DISASTROUS for Iraq, DISASTROUS FOR the security that has been built up there, and DISASTROUS FOR the safety and security of America!!

I do not trust either one of them to lead this great nation. They may be considered "nice people" by many Americans. They may be good at preaching their "hope" and "change" and "we will" mantras to the masses at their rallies. The MSM may be giddily backing one over the other.

But I ask you. What kind of "change" would either one of them bring?

Is it the kind of change that would make us safe from fanatical radical Islamo-fascists that hunt for new ways to destroy us each and every day?

Where's the "hope" in that?

Protecting our nation and keeping our freedom are the first responsibilities of our president and government officials. Obama is too green, and hopelessly naive about national security and foreign policy to ever responsibly lead us in that regard. The Clintons had their chance to protect this nation in the 90's. Bill's distraction and inaction led to the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil - ever - in the history of our nation! Why in the world would we want them back?

I certainly don't.

There is one candidate left standing.

John McCain.

Although he wasn't my first choice for the Republican presidential ticket, his knowledge, expertise, and experience is light-years ahead of either Hillary's or Obama's.

Who can genuinely be trusted during this time of global terrorism and jihad being directed at the West, Israel, and around the world?

I think that man is John McCain.

I also have come to the realization that he is the candidate of destiny. He survived imprisonment and torture at the hands of his captors during the Vietnam war. Upon his release, he immediately pledged to continue to serve our country. He has served many years in the Senate. He has done so, faithfully. Even though I have disagreed with some of his bills (like the illegal immigration amnesty bill - but he has, admittedly, since seen the light on that) and some of the domestic policies of the past that he had (or had not) supported, the bottom line is that he continues to demonstrate genuine love, respect, desire to protect, and honor for our nation.

Unlike John Kerry, McCain doesn't "brag" about "purple hearts" received for military service for our country. Nor, did he ever become an anti-war protester who disparaged fellow military buddies like Kerry did after Vietnam. McCain doesn't tout his service accomplishments. He speaks little about his own, terrible, POW experience.

Instead, he shares a story about a Vietnam POW who was beaten for sewing an American flag into his shirt.

Just think about the difference between that POW, Mike Christian, and Barack Obama. Obama, living in freedom and comfort here in the United States won't even wear a flag lapel pin on his jacket. Christian, despite being beaten for it, has such regard, honor, love, and respect for this nation that he would sew a flag in his shirt during imprisonment. He did such a brave thing despite the fact that he was imprisoned and tortured because of his duty and call to serve this nation.

Such a contrast speaks volumes...doesn't it?

Despite all that McCain has gone through, the Lord of heaven and earth has preserved this man for a most important reason. I truly believe that all that has happened in McCain's life has culminated for such a time as this - our need for him to be the next President of the United States.

Hat tips:

Real Clear Politics
Fox News
Newsmax
Mahalo.com
American Thinker
Snopes.com

*******


Update @ 10:46 a.m.

Please read these posts from Joel C. Rosenberg's blog!

Jimmy Carter - America's Worst Ex-President: What is it about evil he doesn't understand?

GLENN BECK ASKS IF CARTER/HAMAS MEETING HAS PROPHETIC IMPLICATIONS: Calls Dead Heat "fantastic, phenomenal"

ATTENTION, MRS. CLINTON: AHMADINEJAD CANNOT BE DETERRED: Rush Limbaugh cites Epicenter analysis on today's show

HT: Joel C. Rosenberg blogspot.com

11 comments:

Christinewjc said...

Update @ 10:46 a.m.

Please read these posts from Joel C. Rosenberg's blog!

Jimmy Carter - America's Worst Ex-President: What is it about evil he doesn't understand?

GLENN BECK ASKS IF CARTER/HAMAS MEETING HAS PROPHETIC IMPLICATIONS: Calls Dead Heat "fantastic, phenomenal"

[Additional note - recall the blogpost (scroll down) where I wrote about and linked to Understanding Taqiyya ― Islamic Principle of Lying for the Sake of Allah

“Like many Islamic practices, taqiyya was formed within the context of the culture of Arab tribalism, expansionary warfare, Bedouin raiding and inter-tribal conflict. Taqiyya has been used by Muslims since the 7th century to confuse, confound and divide ‘the enemy’.”

What's worse is finding out that Obama's campaign Hosts Anti-Israel Blog

Still think it is just a coincidence that Obama's pastor, Jeremiah Wright: is a Former Muslim?

Recall what was said in Storm-Rider's comment:
April 7th, 2008 6:37 pm
Here is an interesting resource in regards to taqiyya - deception by Muslims. Pretending to be a Christian can be an act of taqiyya.

“Falsehoods told to prevent the denigration of Islam, to protect oneself, or to promote the cause of Islam are sanctioned in the Qur’an and Sunna, including lying under oath in testimony before a court, deceiving by making distorted statements to the media such as the claim that Islam is a “religion of peace”. A Muslim is even permitted to deny or denounce his faith if, in so doing, he protects or furthers the interests of Islam, so long as he remains faithful to Islam in his heart.”


Are the puzzle pieces fitting together or what??!!!

Hillary is just as scary:



ATTENTION, MRS. CLINTON: AHMADINEJAD CANNOT BE DETERRED: Rush Limbaugh cites Epicenter analysis on today's show

spud tooley said...

i keep getting more and more worried when you - and others - see prophecy being fulfilled.

or being certain that we can never have even tentative peace in the mideast.

or that you honestly think there's something Christian about your Guns n' Jesus policies.

or that one side of all of these arguments and issues is 100% correct, and you will be the one who grades the papers.

i've decided to vote for obama, since sam nunn and david boren decided to become advisers to his campaign. i really wish the two of them were the democratic ticket (actually, i think the nunn/rucker ticket would have been the best, but two guys from perry, ga, might be a bit much, and i could never play second banana anyway...). boren's recent book, "a letter to America," is worth your time - a wise man saying some wise things.

which, of course, means nobody will listen to him...

and christine, please keep this in mind: all of the radio folks you love to quote may occasionally say something of import. but, in the end, they are first and foremost entertainers in an entertainment medium. having a microphone and preaching to their million-voice choir doesn't make them great statesmen or leaders. and if your sole raison d'etre every day that ends in 'y' is to try and tear down your opponent, i can't see how that can be a very fulfilling life.

mike rucker
fairburn, georgia, usa
mikerucker.wordpress.com

Christinewjc said...

Mike wrote:

"i keep getting more and more worried when you - and others - see prophecy being fulfilled."

What exactly is it about mentioning fulfillment of prophecy that bothers you Mike? Do you worry that you are not personally prepared for Jesus' return?

Mike, do you deny that much prophecy from the Bible has already been fulfilled? Have you read the passages where Jesus himself had stated that his followers are to watch, wait and work as we look for the "Signs of the Times?" It is our duty, as Christians to pay attention!

One of the most astonishing (to the public, but not to the Biblically literate) prophecies that was fulfilled was when the Jewish state of Israel was formed in 1948! At midnight on May 14, 1948, the Provisional Government of Israel proclaimed the new State of Israel. Did you know that the date of declaration for the state of Israel was exactly prophesied in Scripture? See 100 Bible prophecies explained:
10 fulfilled in 1948


I have done previous posts about some of the Bible prophecies that have already been fulfilled. Just type it into the "search blog" in the upper left-hand corner.


Mike wrote:

"or being certain that we can never have even tentative peace in the mideast."

Why did you say "tentative?" Freudian slip?

As Joel Rosenberg pointed out, in the end times, the Bible tells us that there will be a peace agreement reached with Israel. It is supposed to last for 7 years. Trouble is, after 3 1/2 years, the "leader" of the opposition will renege on the promised deal and launch into a war called Armaggedon.

Briefly:

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Armageddon

occurs only in Rev. 16:16 (R.V., "Har-Magedon"), as symbolically designating the place where the "battle of that great day of God Almighty" (ver. 14) shall be fought. The word properly means the "mount of Megiddo." It is the scene of the final conflict between Christ and Antichrist. The idea of such a scene was suggested by the Old Testament great battle-field, the plain of Esdraelon (q.v.).

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary


Mike wrote:

"or that you honestly think there's something Christian about your Guns n' Jesus policies."

Just where did I speak of "guns and Jesus?"

Mike wrote:

"or that one side of all of these arguments and issues is 100% correct, and you will be the one who grades the papers."

You have not been paying close attention to what I write, Mike. Making a comment like that shows this to me.

You can vote for whomever you want. It's a free country (so far). Things might change under Obama rule - but hopefully that won't happen.

Mike, you make it sound like I'm a blithering idiot. Perhaps you genuinely think that way about me. One or two "radio talk show hosts" do not form my opinions - and certainly do not shape my worldview. I lean on a much Higher Power and His Words for such things. If they bother you - then so be it.

I can't see how running lock-step with the socialistic, Marxist red carpet sham that is being rolled out by the lying, corrupt Obamanation spin machine could possibly be a very fulfilling life for YOU! But that's your choice...of course.

Anonymous said...

Christine,
You’re absolutely right about Obama. Once you make it past the vapid “Hope & Change®” speeches, and really get a glimpse of what he wants to do to this country, the prospect is truly frightening. From wrecking our healthcare system under the guise of “helping” everyone -You think he’s going to wait in line for four months until he can get an appointment for an MRI? – to his plans to raise taxes in order to deincentivize businesses to grow, create jobs and be profitable, the man reveals himself to be a socialist in every sense of the word.

Plus, the fact that he’s surrounded himself with outright racists and America-haters-including his wife- should tell you about his mindset. He and his wife talk about America being a “downright mean” country, and America being “unfair” which has caused our “souls to be broken,” but the Obamas are utterly privileged people. They are so much more privileged than you and I. They are wealthy beyond belief, and they went to the best and most expensive universities in this country. They’ve had so many more opportunities than almost anyone else in this nation.

It makes you wonder why they’re so angry, hate-filled, and why they want to play on the class envy of others and manipulate their behavior. Scary, scary people.

And unfortunately, there are too many people like Mike who vote for style rather than substance. Getting into substantive issues is hard for many people. Judging via the superficial is easy. Hey, who doesn’t want it easy, right? Um, I guess only the people who are concerned about our country’s future.

As for Jimmy Carter, we elected that moron 32 years ago. And we’re still paying for it. On a lighter Carter/Hamas note: I heard he was really excited about being fitted for his suicide bomb-belt next week.

spud tooley said...

excuse me, but all of your name calling is just showing your colors, not mine.

if you can find two - TWO - people in McCain's camp who are of the caliber of Sam Nunn and David Boren, you might have a leg to stand on. as it is, you're just parroting other people who sing their one note song.

and christine, i found a great blog post title for you today; see it here.

no, i don't demean your intelligence; but if you don't think people have said "this is the end times!" ever since Jesus went back to heaven, you're kidding yourself. not to mention the fact that Paul expected it in his lifetime, and Jesus told the people around Him that some of those there would see it in theirs.

so if Jesus and Paul themselves failed to deliver on the hype, i expect you will, too.

mike rucker
fairburn, georgia, usa
mikerucker.wordpress.com

Christinewjc said...

Thank you, anonymous! I was wondering whether or not anyone else out there would support what was written!

The truth is, no candidate for president is perfect. I doubt that we will see another president - with the worldview and caliber of strength and leading that Ronald Reagan had - ever again emerge from the current liberal & chaotic culture.

However, the differences that I do see between McCain (in whom I still have certain disagreeable issues with) and either Hillary or Obama is the fact that McCain is running for president for all of the right reasons - namely - because he loves this country and has the desire to lead, protect, and help our nation.

Hillary and Obama seem to want it only for pride and power.

They each may talk a great game, but if either of them gets on the field of play I see chaos and damage ahead for our nation.

If the Jimmy Carter/Hamas episode doesn't wake Americans up about how liberal Democrats just don't know what they are doing when it comes to foreign policy, then I don't know what would.

Christinewjc said...

Mike,

Neither Nunn or Boren are running for president, so what's your point?

As far as blog posts go, I post what interests me and relate it to the Christian worldview. In fact, the post entitled "The First Rule of Blogging" at that link you shared had this to say:

Tim - "Just remember: you don’t HAVE TO do anything. Set the rules of the game so that you can win and have a life at the same time. If you set the expectation that you’ll post 12 times a day, it’s going to overwhelm you. Focus on quality over quantity and the critical few vs. the trivial many. How do you do that? You first define precisely what you want yourself and others to get out of the blog — why are you doing it, and what are you doing it for?

The end times discussion will go on among Christian believers (who like to discuss it) until Jesus returns...whether it's 3 or 3,000 years from now.

Your comment...

"and Jesus told the people around Him that some of those there would see it in theirs."

...is an improper interpretation of that Scripture. Go to Blue Letter Bible and research it.

Mat 16:3 And in the morning, [It will be] foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O [ye] hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not [discern] the signs of the times?

You wrote:

"so if Jesus and Paul themselves failed to deliver on the hype, i expect you will, too."

Well. That's quite a brazen and disrespectful statement to make against our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I'll stick to the promises of God's Word. The previously fulfilled prophecies about Jesus are proof enough for me to had steadfast faith that the end times ones will also come to fruition.

Act 2:1 WHEN the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord[fn1] in one place.
Act 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
Act 2:3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Act 2:5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.
Act 2:6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.
Act 2:7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?
Act 2:8 "And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?
Act 2:9 "Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
Act 2:10 "Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
Act 2:11 "Cretans and Arabs--we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God."
Act 2:12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "Whatever could this mean?"
Act 2:13 Others mocking said, "They are full of new wine."
Act 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.
Act 2:15 "For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.
Act 2:16 "But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

Act 2:17 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
Act 2:18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.
Act 2:19 I will show wonders in heaven above
And signs in the earth beneath:
Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
Act 2:20 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.
Act 2:21 And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the LORD
Shall be saved.'[fn2]

Act 2:22 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know--
Act 2:23 "Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken[fn3] by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;
Act 2:24 "whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.
Act 2:25 "For David says concerning Him:


'I foresaw the LORD always before my face,
For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.
Act 2:26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad;
Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.
Act 2:27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
Act 2:28 You have made known to me the ways of life;
You will make me full of joy in Your presence.'[fn4]

Act 2:29 "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
Act 2:30 "Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne,[fn5]
Act 2:31 "he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.
Act 2:32 "This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.
Act 2:33 "Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.
Act 2:34 "For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:


'The LORD said to my Lord,
"Sit at My right hand,
Act 2:35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'[fn6]

Act 2:36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
Act 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"
Act 2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Act 2:39 "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."
Act 2:40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation."
Act 2:41 Then those who gladly[fn7] received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
Act 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Act 2:43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
Act 2:44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,
Act 2:45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
Act 2:46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
Act 2:47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church[fn8] daily those who were being saved.


Footnotes:
2:1 NU-Text reads together.
2:21 Joel 2:28-32
2:23 NU-Text omits have taken.
2:28 Psalm 16:8-11
2:30 NU-Text omits according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ and completes the verse with He would seat one on his throne.
2:35 Psalm 110:1
2:41 NU-Text omits gladly.
2:47 NU-Text omits to the church.

spud tooley said...

Neither Nunn or Boren are running for president, so what's your point?

my point, since you chose to ignore it, was that obama has some heavy hitters and knowledgeable STATESMEN in his camp. mccain has ... rush limbaugh ... john hagee ... pres. bush ... anonymous ... you ... etc. i asked you to name only TWO people of worth who had endorsed mccain. you didn't. and can't.

As far as blog posts go, I post what interests me and relate it to the Christian worldview.

i never said you didn't. but to even hint that you don't talk AT people is ludicrous - everything i've ever read here always suggests that any opposing position is preposterous; that is arrogant and narrow-minded.

The end times discussion will go on among Christian believers (who like to discuss it) until Jesus returns...whether it's 3 or 3,000 years from now.

exactly. but i can argue my own side by myself, thank you very much...

"and Jesus told the people around Him that some of those there would see it in theirs." ... is an improper interpretation of that Scripture. Go to Blue Letter Bible and research it.

what?! people actually have different views on interpreting the Bible?! say it ain't so, christine! positions like the BLB were invented simply because they saw that what Jesus said didn't happen, and they couldn't realize that even He said He didn't know God's timeline..

but can ye not [discern] the signs of the times?

and when was this written? just how long do these "times" last exactly?

... quite a brazen and disrespectful statement to make against Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

not at all. see my comment above. He was very humble in saying it was the Father's timetable, not his, and you'd be wise to do the same.

The previously fulfilled prophecies about Jesus ...

and then you quote:

Act 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

this is a prophecy about the Holy Spirit.

Act 2:17 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy... etc.


a) this is a prophecy from Joel.
b) again i ask you, just how long are "the last days"?

Act 2:20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.

this must have happened on the west coast; we didn't see it here.

plus: notice that it says "before" - if we've waited 2,000 years already, how many millenium will be between "before" and the day of the Lord?

more verses ... yada yada yada

one certainly can't deny that, if nothing else, you're certainly verbose...

mike rucker
fairburn, georgia, usa
mikerucker.wordpress.com

Anonymous said...

Christine, it’s quite obvious that Mike is, like most people in this country (even many Christians), biblically illiterate.

Mike, you really should work harder on constructing defensible arguments based on proper biblical interpretation rather than making “arguments from ignorance.” Your attempts at taking texts out of contexts in order to create pretexts for your worldview would be laughable if they weren’t so tragic.

You wrote: ”ever since Jesus went back to heaven, you're kidding yourself. not to mention the fact that Paul expected it in his lifetime, and Jesus told the people around Him that some of those there would see it in theirs.

It’s obvious I’ll need to explain this part to you. When Jesus talks about the “abomination of desolation" in Mat 24:15, he was referring to the destruction of the Jewish Temple and the Great Tribulation of the Jews under Nero Ceasar. Jesus was plainly warning HIS first century audience about events that would occur in their lifetimes. In fact, some of his hearers were still alive when this occurred in 70 AD, just as Jesus correctly stated.

In no way was he, as you ridiculously believe, claiming the “end times” would be during the lifetime of some of those present around him. Neither did Paul predict the “end of the world” during his lifetime. I’m kind of embarrassed for you in your attempts to impose upon Scripture your relativist worldview.

Crack open a history book now and then, Mike. It’ll at least make you sound intelligent. And no, I’m not name-calling. I’m simply stating the fact that you’re biblically illiterate and don’t have the tools to understand what you’re talking about.
Sorry.
*Shrug*

-Bill Sikes

spud tooley said...

anonymous, i'll put my biblical knowledge against yours any day. i have an m. div. with studies of both greek and hebrew, and have probably exegeted more scripture than you've ever read.

but since all you do is resort to smart-a-- comments about me, go back to the other people in your 5th grade class and swap insults, ok? maybe shoot some spitballs, too. but watch out for the girls - you'll get cooties...

sheesh. the fact that you probably really think you were impressive in your last comment is what makes you so sad.

adios, anonymous.

mike rucker
fairburn, georgia, usa

Anonymous said...

anonymous, i'll put my biblical knowledge against yours any day. i have an m. div. with studies of both greek and hebrew...
Um, wow, internet "degrees" have really come a long way, Mike! You must be so proud! By the way, your fundamental lack of biblical understanding tells me that you were asleep at your computer much of the time you were supposed to be "earning" your "degree."

...and have probably exegeted more scripture than you've ever read.
Er, you must be confused, Mike. You meant to put "eisegeted," not "exegeted." You clearly impose upon Scripture the meaning you want it to have in order to validate your opinion.

...go back to the other people in your 5th grade class and swap insults, ok?
Hey, that's not fair, Mike! I'm in the 7th grade! (That's why you never seem to be able to refute my factual points; you're not smart enough.)

adios, anonymous.
Adios, Mike! If you were a Christian, I'd say "God bless you." As it is, I'll just say, "Have a great day!"
-Bill Sikes

PS. Obama has still been exposed as a liar and a corrupt politician! Rev. Wright? Mr. Rezco, anyone?