Friday, February 29, 2008

Problems of Uncertainty and Apathy about Truth

A blog named Reformation Nation has a post which was up back in December, 2007, that I thought was very interesting.

It is a video clip group comparison between John MacArthur, a Catholic Priest, Joel Osteen and Billy Graham.

The comment section is highly informative, as well.

After viewing those videos, perhaps readers here might like to share their thoughts.

Speaking of thoughts, I can really appreciate the following quote that I found at the same blog:



Many self-styled evangelicals today are openly questioning whether such a thing as truth even exists. Others suppose that even if truth does exist, we can’t be sure what it is, so it can’t really matter much. The twin problems of uncertainty and apathy about the truth are epidemic, even among some of the evangelical movement’s most popular authors and spokespersons. Some flatly refuse to stand for anything because they have decided that even Scripture isn’t really clear enough to argue about. Except for the massive scale on which such thinking has attained popularity today, and the way it is seeping into the church, such ideas themselves are really nothing new or particularly shocking. It is exactly the same attitude with which Pilate summarily dismissed Christ: “What is truth?” (John 18:38)

- John MacArthur




John MacArthur on The Battle for Truth

John MacArthur on the error of "wider-mercy" salvation.



P.S. If you double click on either video, you will go to the youtube site and see a menu that includes many of John MacArthur's excellent, biblical interpretations and explanations on various Christian topics. The one on the meaning of justification is short, but really good!

Also, click on the Menu button at right of video, search for "John MacArthur on the Emergent Church pt. 1" and hear MacArthur's biblical responses to Brian McLaren's heresy. Don't miss this one...truly one of the best I have ever heard for countering the heresy of the emergent church movement!!

HT: Reformation Nation

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Planned Parenthood: Wanting fewer blacks 'understandable'

Abortion provider says 'yes' when 'donor' wants to reduce minorities.

A student-run magazine at UCLA has revealed an undercover investigation in which representatives of Planned Parenthood, the nation's abortion industry leader, admitted willingness to accepting a financial donation targeting the destruction of an unborn black baby.

read more digg story

This is absolutely despicable beyond words!!!

Be sure to go to WorldNetDaily, view, and listen to the proof of Planned Parenthood's racist legacy via that Youtube video.

One commenter named Grahamjj over at Digg sums it up:


Margaret Sanger (founder of planned parenthood) spoke of blacks, immigrants,and indigents as " human weeds, reckless breeders, spawning ... human beings who never should have been born. "More children from the fit, less from the unfit". " We do not want the word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population" This has always been the aim of P.P. and its new approach to racial cleansing since the 1920's.


Several months ago, I viewed a video called A Nation Adrift. The exact points contained in the above comment were discussed at length.

Open your eyes people!! Can't you see what is happening here??

The awful and evil legacy of Margaret Sanger is being promoted and upheld...even by someone whom the public is IGNORANTLY revering as a type of "savior" - Barack Obama!!

Awful!! Disgustingly AWFUL!!!

PEOPLE...WAKE UP AND SEE THAT AT THIS TIME IN OUR HISTORY, WE ARE STANDING AT THE CROSSROADS OF AMERICA'S DESTINY!

OUR DESTINY SHOULD NOT INCLUDE ELEVATING A MAN TO THE POSITION OF THE PRESIDENCY OF THE UNITED STATES WHO EVEN BELIEVES THAT BORN ALIVE INFANTS (DUE TO A BOTCHED ABORTION) SHOULD BE LEFT TO DIE ON A COLD, STEEL EXAMINATION TABLE IN AN ABORTION CLINIC...JUST BECAUSE THE BABY WAS ORIGINALLY EARMARKED FOR ABORTION!!


Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly implore His protection and favor.

- George Washington


*******

More about Obamadeathman:

Obama regrets intervening to save Terri Schiavo
'It wasn't something I was comfortable with'


Exclusive: Joseph Farah sees senator's 'dark soul' in his regret about helping Schiavo

UN FREAKIN BELIEVABLE!!!

We have all seen that commercial where the woman cancer victim cries as she states that her doctor told her, point blank, that she only has a few months to live.

The cancer patient states, "It was like he was telling me to go to the store! There was no compassion."

Obama is like that uncompassionate doctor! Where do such cold souls come from? Maybe they are from another planet!!

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Fix Our Eyes on Jesus

The other day, my husband mentioned that there is so much evil in the world.

That is the kind of sentiment that many people often try to keep to themselves so as not to ruin a happy day.

But it is true. It is here...it is there...every single day. The escalation of evil is way too apparent to ignore.

The Bible tells us explicitly, through prophecy, that sin, evil and death would mar our existence here on this earth. Jesus said, "in this world, you will have trouble." The closer we get to the last days, the more trouble we will see and encounter.

But the funny thing is, even people who have wonderful lives (to outsiders, at least), and lots of fame and money, often feel that something is missing.

Take, for instance, what a popular NFL quarterback stated when he was interviewed on 60 Minutes a few weeks ago:

"Why do I have three Super Bowl rings and still think there's something greater out there for me? I reached my goal, my dream..." He paused and went on, "It's got to be more than this. I mean this isn't, this can't be what all it's cracked up to be."

We have to admire his honesty!

Solomon, the writer of the book of Ecclesiastes came to a similar conclusion.

"When I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 2:11, NIV)

Think of others who have achieved great wealth and fame; yet have suffered immensely in spite of their pursuit of what they thought would bring them happiness.

Lindsay Lohan - in and out of rehab.
Owen Wilson - attempted suicide.

The list could go on and on.

What does this tell us?

It tells us that the so-called American dream is broken. It always has been. Money, fame, or personal success doesn't bring enduring happiness.

I know that for me, relationships bring much fulfillment in life. Family and friends mean more than money, fame or success.

There really isn't anything wrong with having such accomplishments as money, fame and success; unless one's satisfaction in life only rests upon them, and them alone. Money, fame and success can only bring temporary and incomplete satisfaction.

Christians know that true joy and satisfaction comes only from knowing Jesus Christ; and recognizing what He did for us on that Cross at Calvary.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)


We are meant to have a personal relationship with God through the Person of Jesus Christ. We are encouraged to have right relationships here on this earth. However, the wrong types of relationships can bring much pain, grief, sin, evil and death.

Today, I got an email newsletter from Randy Thomasson, who is president of a pro-life, pro-family organization called Campaign for Children and Families.

He shared some information in that newsletter that I would like to pass along here and comment on.


Stop secret teen abortions in California
Campaign for Children and Families has made a commitment not to waste people's time or money. That's why CCF will not promote proposed initiatives that have deficient legal effect, allowing politicians or judges to "undermine" them. A notable exception is Sarah's Law, the parental notification for abortion constitutional amendment that is working to qualify for California's November ballot.

In California, your teenage daughter can't get a flu shot, a tooth filling, or a nose ring without your permission. But a stranger can perform an abortion on her without even telling you. The well-crafted language of this pro-life, pro-family constitutional amendment will require written parental notification before a surgical or drug-induced abortion can be done on minor girls. Saving a child from a teenage abortion is about saving babies, saving families, and saving vulnerable teen and pre-teen girls from physical and emotional trauma and a lifetime of regret.


There are adult women who have had abortions in the past and can attest to the truth of the statement - "physical and emotional trauma and a lifetime of regret."

Why? Because it's wrong! Killing a baby in the womb may make the "problem" go away, but is such a drastic solution worth a lifetime of emotional pain and regret? I don't think so. Yet, when people speak out for the pro-life cause, they are labeled negatively by the opposite side.

What is wrong with this picture?

Randy continues:


Yet, to succeed, Sarah's Law needs about 200,000 signatures from Californian volunteers who care about families, teenagers, and babies. Now is the time to circulate petitions at your church, at work, in your neighborhood, and at shopping centers. Request your petitions today at http://www.friendsofsarah.com/


Next topic.


Defend marriage with CCF in San Francisco on March 4
The long-awaited California Supreme Court hearing on homosexual "marriages" is finally here. On Tuesday, our attorney Mat Staver, our board president Assemblyman Larry Bowler and I will be seated in front of the seven high court justices as an official party (through my other organization, Campaign for California Families) defending the constitutionality of man-woman marriage. The best thing you can do is pray for me and Mat, who is founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. I'm thrilled we can provide a platform for Staver, who will present evidence that marriage is in the best interest of children. These are winning arguments that attorneys for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown are unwilling to make.

The second best thing you can do is come to San Francisco and stand outside the courthouse with tasteful signs reading "Marriage = 1 Man + 1 Woman" and "Don't Trample the People's Vote on Marriage."

The other day, I sat next to a very confused 18-year-old young man. His father and stepmother, with sad voices and heavy hearts, told me the boy, as a youngster, had been molested by a relative, now considers himself "gay," and frequently wears women's clothes. His stepmom told me she was afraid he was going be killed. She said he goes to bars dressed as a woman, and that someone is going to be very angry to find out the "she" is really a "he." I tried to talk to the young man, but as severely disturbed as he was, he wouldn't talk and only giggled nervously.

I put the parents in touch with a local Exodus International counselor who specializes on helping persons who struggle with homosexuality and gender-identity disorder. I was still thinking about the boy's condition on a particularly busy morning when I missed breakfast and drove through McDonald's for an egg burrito. The girl at the window had on a new, pink uniformed jacket. "Hey, those are good jackets," I told her. "Are the boy's jackets blue?" I asked. "No, they're black," she answered. I was surprised and impressed. Although McDonald's is a pro-homosexuality corporation, it still acknowledges the difference between outer male and outer female.

Do you realize what this means? We now live in a time when most people acknowledge the difference between male and female, but the government schools do not. A Colorado elementary school is teaching all the children there to approve of transsexuality in response to allowing an 8-year-old cross-dressing boy to enroll. And soon, because of new state laws, all California government schools will positively portray homosexuality, bisexuality, and transsexuality to children as young as five years old, without parental permission.

The threat to children's innocence is very real. No one can deny it. Pornography begats molestation, molestation begats homosexuality and transsexuality, and these sexual lifestyles combined with political activism have begat anti-family government and anti-family school policies, and the vicious cycle continues. Please visit and urge your friends to visit www.RescueYourChild.org today to discover how to save children morally, socially, and academically.


I have discussed the above topic several times on this blog. By now, everyone who regularly reads here knows my position on such issues.

However, when I read Randy's next few paragraph, I was astounded!!


$65 million left to sexual anarchists

You probably don't recognize the name Ric Weiland. But everyone who cares for family values will feel his influence from now on. As a young man, Weiland was talented and hard working. A college friend of Bill Gates and Paul Allen of Microsoft, he became a lead programmer and project leader, and eventually, a multimillionaire. But there was a deep hurt in his heart from childhood that plagued him. So, to try to make himself feel accepted, Weiland became a homosexual activist. But clearly, in the end, his sexual confusion was never acceptable to his soul. Two years ago, he commited suicide by putting a gun to his head and pulling the trigger.

This week, homosexual, bisexual, and transsexual activists announced that Weiland had left $65 million to "LGBT" groups that promote sexual anarchy. This is multi-year funding for 10 national gay rights and HIV/AIDS groups, including Lambda Legal; the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays; the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation; the Seattle-based Pride Foundation; and amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research.

Sexual anarchists now have a lot more money to tell the American public, politicians, judges, and impressionable children that marriage is NOT between a man and a woman, children DON'T need a father and mother, and that "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" laws TRUMP religious freedom, parental rights, and private property.


I must admit, until I read that newletter I had not heard of Ric Weiland before; nor, did I know that he left such a huge amount of money to sexual anarchy groups.

I did know that Bill and Melinda Gates gave millions to organizations that promote abortion.

Back to Mr. Weiland.

All of his success, all of his money, all of his campaigning for homosexual causes and activism STILL did not satisfy his soul. The man committed suicide!! Why? I don't know all of the details, but obviously, he was in a lot of emotional pain.

Were any of the causes and/or organization that he supported (and ultimately left his money to) helpful to him?

The answer has to be a BIG FAT NO!! If they were, then he would not have killed himself.


Sin, evil, and death. Each leads to the other in this life. There is no doubt about it. One can claim that what they are pursuing is leading them to happiness, but the soul tells a different story...doesn't it??

Today, the former police officer named Bobby Cutts, who brutally killed his 8 months pregnant girlfriend and her unborn baby was sentenced to 57 years to life in prison. The loved ones of the victim each came up to the podium in the court room and cried out their grief over the loss of Jessie and baby Chloe. Who could not cry while listening to their deep emotional pain and grief?

The sisters shared everything from how much they hurt and miss Jessie, all the way to expressing deep hatred for the man who killed her. The father said something incoherent at the end of his grief-filled speech, but it sounded like he wished he could get his hands on Cutts.

Then, the mother of Jessie got up, went to the podium and spoke. She probably surprised everyone in that court room when she stated that her faith in God has enabled her to forgive Cutts.

You know what? The entire time, Cutts' face maintained an emotionless gaze. However, after the mother spoke, I could see his nose was red and flaring. Perhaps a sign that he finally felt some guilt?

In a previous post, I emphasized the fact that we must feel guilt before we can repent, and then receive the forgiveness that only Jesus Christ can give us sinners (all of us!!) in this world! He is the ONLY HOPE for eternal life with God!

Jessie's mom is an amazing woman. Despite her deep grief, pain and agony, her duty as a Christ follower was to urge Cutts to confess, repent, and seek forgiveness from Jesus.

Cutts will have to pay for his crimes for the rest of his life here on this earth. Yet, even he has the opportunity to be forgiven through repentance, faith, and forgiveness, mercy, grace, and the agape love that cannot be found through anyone else except Jesus Christ!

What have you done that you can't forgive yourself for?

Seek Jesus...he is the only one who can forgive you. He is waiting for you...

What will be your answer to His question:

"Who do you say that I am?"

*******
Add on at 6:23 p.m.

I was thinking about the Bible verses in Matthew 5:14-16. Jesus is speaking about believers:

Mat 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Mat 5:15 "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

Mat 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.


The Bible teaches that we are to let our light shine in the sight of men, always! Not just when we are trying to witness. Not just when we feel like it. Not just when things are going the way we want them to.

Like a candle that is held during a blackout today, a lamp stand can be pictured as being moved from one place to another to give light to a dark room.

Again, I thought of that mom in that court room. What darkness was present in that murdering man! However, that Christian woman refused to "leave her light behind" and just walk on into the darkness of that courtroom today.

Some of the characteristics of light show us how desperately the light and truth of Jesus Christ is needed in this dark world:

* Light is only useful if it shines where needed. It is defintely needed in this dark world!

* Light always dispels the darkness. Just think of the opportunities that we have to dispel the darkness in a brother or sister's life.

* Light makes the path clear and easy to see. There are so many confused, lonely, searching people who want to know how to find peace and contentment. Christians have the answer!

* Light gives comfort and security. When we share God's love with others with a kind, loving spirit, they begin to see that comfort and security are really possible in this world.

2Cr 4:5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake.

2Cr 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.


Jessie's mother shined the light of Christ through her words of forgiveness in that dark court room today.

2Cr 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.


Her ability to do what she did came from the power of God in her. The "treasure" that we have in our "earthen vessels" is the Holy Spirit of God indwelling our hearts.

Read the rest of this awesome chapter in 2 Corinthians:

2Cr 4:8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;


2Cr 4:9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--


2Cr 4:10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.


2Cr 4:11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.


2Cr 4:12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.


2Cr 4:13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke,"[fn1] we also believe and therefore speak,


2Cr 4:14 knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.


2Cr 4:15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.


2Cr 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.


2Cr 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,


2Cr 4:18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.


Footnotes:
4:13 Psalm 116:10

The Name Game?

In the comment section of my previous post, Matt W. and I got into a brief conversation about dog names. We discovered that we both have dogs named Sasha! This led me to search for the meaning of the name "Sasha," as well as the meaning of my name and Matt's name.

Next, I recalled all the flap being covered by the news anchors over a conservative radio talk show host [Bill Cunningham] who mentioned Barack Obama's middle name at a campaign rally for John McCain in Ohio. Obama's middle name happens to be "Hussein."

Well, you would think that Cunningham did something horrendous because McCain immediately came out and apologized for his supporter's use of Obama's middle name during his warm up speech.

What??? What is so wrong with informing people about the middle name of a potential presidential candidate?

Holly over at On the WRite Side pokes some fun at the incident.

Then, I noticed a commenter named "Deb" from Bird on a Wire blog had a post up called, What's in a name?"

She writes:

Seems the far left wing of the Democratic party is out of control over some Republicans and some not so far left wing Democrats using Obama’s middle name. In case you didn’t know this by now, his name is Barack Hussein Obama. So lets break this down just a bit.

v BARACK
Gender: Masculine Usage: Biblical, Jewish Other Scripts: בָרָק (Hebrew) Pronounced: BER-ak [key] Means “lightning” in Hebrew. This was the name of a military commander in the Old Testament.

· HUSSEIN
Gender: Masculine Usage: Arabic Other Scripts: حسين (Arabic)Variant transcription of HUSAYN

¨ HUSAYN
Gender: Masculine Usage: Arabic Other Scripts: حسين (Arabic)Pet form of HASAN. Husayn ibn Ali (also called Al-Hussein) was the son of Ali and the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. Al-Hasan was his older brother. The massacre of Husayn and his family caused the split between Shiite and Sunni Muslims, which continues to this day. In more recent times this was the name of a king of Jordan.

Ø HASAN
Gender: Masculine Usage: Arabic Other Scripts: حسن (Arabic)Means “handsome”, derived from Arabic حسن (hasuna) “to be beautiful, to be good”. Hasan was the son of Ali and the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. He was poisoned by one of his wives and is regarded as a martyr by Shiite Muslims.

So, to my friends (left and right) and not so friendly left wing Democrats. GET OVER IT.


Really...people...what was so disparaging about stating the man's middle name? Is he ashamed of it? Is John McCain ashamed of it for Obama?

Here is my comment over at Holly's blog:

Good points all around. Since Obamanation is the "darling of the media," he is treated with kid gloves. Can't even state his middle name? Sheesh! McCain really blew that way out of proportion!

Oh great. Just heard on Fox News that a new terrorist spew will be given by al-Zawahiri soon. Let's hope that he states some support for Barack Usama! Wouldn't that be a kick in pants of his messiah-mania campaign? ;-)

P.S. And...Obama had enough trouble trying to distance himself from the supportive rhetoric of Farrakhan! Ha!! If al-Zawahiri states his support for him, it just might be over for the Obamanation campaign! (except for the crazies who will stay with him no matter what.)

Some good news. I have read several blog comments that Hillary supporters would vote McCain if Obama gets the Dem nomination!
Remember when Chris Matthews of MSNBC mistakenly called Obama - Usama on the air? That's quite the Freudian slip...especially since Matthews appears to be a "tingle down the leg [or, was it up the leg?] supporter of Barack!

Now, before anyone comes over here and chides me for the "Obamanation" label, I must ask does anyone recall the "Obamanation" bumper sticker controversy?

If you visit that first site, you will see that it is a site giving political support for Obama.

However, if you click on this page, it's a different story!

What's funny is that both sites are from the same marketer!!

Personally speaking of course, I still prefer the Obama rama ding dong label...

Ht's: On the WRite Side

Bird on a Wire

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

My Cable Chewing Puggle!

Our internet service stopped working sometime yesterday afternoon. I was out doing various errands for most of the day. My car desperately needed servicing. When the mechanic told me that it would take about 90 minutes to get to my vehicle, I decided to walk to a nearby shopping center. It was a 20 minute walk. Called my friend Kelly, and she decided to meet me there. We shopped, then enjoyed a great Greek salad lunch at Daphne's Greek Cafe. It was so nice of Kelly to come and meet with me! She's such a great friend! After lunch, I was grateful that I didn't have to walk back to the servicing center to pick up my car.

When I arrived home, the internet was down. My son came home during his break from work, and he tried all the usual plugging and unplugging the cable modem and wireless router so that we could get back online. To no avail. We figured that the server must be down.

This morning, it was still out so I decided to call the cable company. A nice man answered my call and was willing to help me solve the problem. When I described that we were getting a "network cable unplugged" message, but as far as I could see, everything was plugged in, he instructed me to follow the main cable line and be sure that it was connected to the outlet. I proceeded to crouch under the desk in my husband's office, crawling along as I followed the familiar white cable wire towards the outlet. Welp! Didn't get very far! Oh my. Problem solved! Our dog had chewed through the cable cord!! The tell-tale splash of vomit nearby indicated that her chewing frenzy didn't sit well in her stomach!

The guy on the phone and I started laughing. He told me that the "dog chewed the cable cord" problem is usually the one that he typically gives as an example of problems not covered for a service call!!

I was really surprised. I can't remember the last time our puggle had chewed something she wasn't supposed to! Sasha is 2 1/2 years old! She's supposed to be trained not to do that! Sneaky doggie!!

Of course, I had to bring her in and show her the damage saying NO!! She knew she had done something wrong! But how could I stay mad at her? One look at her cute little face just melts my heart!

Sent a text message to my husband and son letting them know that I found the problem. They both called me at different times. My husband said that he would get new cable cord and fix it later tonight.

My next thought was...oh well, no blogging today! So, I decided to get some spring cleaning done! It's a beautiful day...mid 70's! I love it when I can open all the windows and let the fresh air in the house.

Late this afternoon, while taking Sasha out for a walk, I noticed a cable guy fixing something at the cable box on our property. We chatted briefly. Apparently, our neighbor across the street was having cable internet problems. When I returned from the walk, I asked him if he had any spare white cable cord line that I might buy. He offered to come in and look at the problem. He then spliced the lines and put connectors at the two ends. That was much easier than replacing the entire cable cord!

Next, I unplugged the cable modem and router (as the technician on the phone had instructed), waited 5 minutes, then plugged in the cable modem wire. Waited 5 more minutes, then connected the router. It worked! Here I am back online!

I thanked the cable guy for being so gracious and willing to help me! He didn't charge me anything, but I gave him money anyway and said, "have lunch on me!"

So...how was your day?

Monday, February 25, 2008

Caption This!



This photo is probably rapidly circulating the internet today!

From the Drudge Report:



CLINTON STAFFERS CIRCULATE 'DRESSED' OBAMA
Mon Feb 25 2008 06:51:00 ET

With a week to go until the Texas and Ohio primaries, stressed Clinton staffers circulated a photo over the weekend of a "dressed" Barack Obama.

The photo, taken in 2006, shows the Democrat frontrunner fitted as a Somali Elder, during his visit to Wajir, a rural area in northeastern Kenya.

The senator was on a five-country tour of Africa.

"Wouldn't we be seeing this on the cover of every magazine if it were HRC?" questioned one campaign staffer, in an email obtained by the DRUDGE REPORT.

In December, the campaign asked one of its volunteer county coordinators in Iowa to step down after the person forwarded an e-mail falsely stating that Barack Obama is a Muslim.

Update from Drudge:

Obama campaign manager David Plouffe quickly accused the Clinton campaign Monday of 'shameful offensive fear-mongering' for circulating the snap.

Clinton campaign manager Maggie Williams responds: "If Barack Obama's campaign wants to suggest that a photo of him wearing traditional Somali clothing is divisive, they should be ashamed."


Developing...


And then there is this:

Farrakkan Praises Obama as "Hope of Entire World."

Excerpt:


CHICAGO — In his first major public address since a cancer crisis, Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan said that presidential candidate Barack Obama is the “hope of the entire world” that the U.S. will change for the better. The 74-year-old Farrakhan, former leader of the black Muslim group, never endorsed Obama outright, but spent much of his nearly two-hour speech Sunday to an estimated crowd of 20,000 people praising the Illinois senator.

“This young man is the hope of the entire world that America will change and be made better,” he said. “This young man is capturing audiences of black and brown and red and yellow. If you look at Barack Obama’s audiences and look at the effect of his words, those people are being transformed.”


Let's look at this sentence:

"This young man is capturing audiences of black and brown and red and yellow."

Umm....where's the mention of "the white folks?"

Oh...here it is!


Farrakhan compared Obama to the religion’s founder, Fard Muhammad, who also had a white mother and black father.
“A black man with a white mother became a savior to us,” he told the crowd of mostly followers. “A black man with a white mother could turn out to be one who can lift America from her fall.”


So....according to Farrakhan, as long as a politician is not all white, then he becomes a "savior" in the eyes of this former Nation of Islam leader?

Hmmmm...





I'm sure that the Obama camp must be thinking...with "friends" like these...who needs enemies?

*******

On a totally unrelated note (or is it???) a friend of mine sent me the following humorous email.

Happy Monday! ;-)

Christine

*******

The Bathtub Test



During a visit to the mental asylum,

a visitor asked the Director,

'How do you determine whether

or not a patient should be

institutionalized?'



'Well,' said the Director, 'we fill up

a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon,

a teacup and a bucket to the

patient and ask him or her to

empty the bathtub.'



'Oh, I understand,' said the visitor.

'A normal person would use the

bucket because it's bigger than

the spoon or the teacup.'



''No,' said the Director. 'A normal

person would pull the plug.

"Would you like a bed near a window?"



ARE YOU GOING TO PASS THIS ON,

OR DO YOU WANT THE BED

NEXT TO MINE ?

(Obama staffer whispers: "wish we could put that plug into Farakkhan's mouth!")

HT: Drudge

Fox News

Newsmax

*******
Add On:

Black Leader: Democratic Party Architect of Racism"

Now...that's something that one would never hear at an Obama rally!

How strange that people like commenter "John," in a previous thread, would state:

Civil rights movement era: 1950's-present
Liberal ideals drove the biggest change in American society since the Civil War, the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. All Americans who believe in freedom and opportunity cannot help but be inspired by the valiant struggles of MLK and others.


Yet incorrectly claim this:

Also recall if you will that the major opponents of civil rights were conservatives.

HT: Newsmax



Additional links:

Jihad Watch: "Our Next President?" Be sure to read the comments!!!

The Jawa Report: UFO Overlords Finally Deliver Messiah to Nation of Islam

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Spiritual Cure Brings Praise

I love the godly wisdom that Spurgeon reveals:

When a spiritual cure is wrought by the Great Physician, praise is one of the surest signs of renewed health.

Charles Spurgeon


Once a born again believer in Christ has that spiritual cure that Spurgeon is talking about, all that had transpired before (the good, the bad, and the ugly) can, and will be seen as vehicles, traveling along the road of life in order to bring each person to salvation through Jesus Christ.

Gen 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; [but] God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as [it is] this day, to save much people alive.


People may live many years in rebellion. Yet, God in his mercy, continues to knock on the door of their hearts in order to bring them towards reconciliation through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I'm sure that every Christian reading here can look back and see incidences where the Lord sent angels to rescue you from a dangerous situation. Perhaps He sent a Christian believer into your life to point you in the right direction. Maybe, you fought tooth and nail against that believer; only to find later how instrumental their thoughts, words, actions, and deeds really were in pointing you towards repentance, faith, and forgiveness through Christ.

There will always be non-believers who will resist any effort and/or good argument brought forth by Christian believers that is shared to encourage them to be reconciled back to God. This is because though they may sense that tug on their hearts, (which can only come from the ministry of the Holy Spirit of God), remaining in rebellion has become their goal. You could answer every single question they pose, but it won't make a difference. Why? Because they are spiritually discerned. They refuse to give up their prideful hearts and humble themselves enough to allow themselves to be repentant. There are probably dozens of reasons for this. In my conversations [on second thought...more like arguments!] with atheists, agnostics, and skeptics, I have often found these six reasons for their steadfast faith in their own rebellion:

1. Many are just plain angry.

2. Many attempt to focus on what they perceive as a lack of physical cures for suffering on this earth - and what's more - they blame "the God of the Bible" for His perceived "inefficiency."

3. Many like to mock Christians, in particular.

4. Many like to mock religion, in general, but usually just pick on Christians and the God of the Bible.

5. Some often claim to have been believers in the past, but now are not.

6. Often, some kind of tragedy or affliction in their lives has caused them great pain (though some would never admit that) and thus, because of what has happened to them (or a loved one) they claim that the God of the Bible is a tyrant, evil, mean, and not worthy of any worship or praise.

There are probably dozens, if not hundreds, of excuses/reasons that people find to reject God's Word and salvation through Jesus Christ.

Let's go back to Spurgeon's quote:

When a spiritual cure is wrought by the Great Physician, praise is one of the surest signs of renewed health.

Charles Spurgeon

Jesus Christ is the only savior for this world. That is why Spurgeon refers to him as "the Great Physician." No matter what happens to our bodies and physical existence on this earth, the sure sign of renewed health is the spiritual cure that only Jesus can bring!

Yesterday, I received another one of Greg Koukl's excellent essays via email . The subject matter? The "new atheism." He also provides two links. The first is to a 2002 essay he wrote regarding Christianity's Real Record:

Introduction:

It's easy to characterize religion as a blood-thirsty enterprise, a perpetrator of witch hunts, crusades, and religious jihad. But has Christianity been the cause of such evil, or does the truth turn out to be just the opposite?


The second link was to the Stand to Reason website where one can purchase Greg's latest lecture series. He recently spoke about the "new atheists" at The Masters Series in Christian Thought and offered an approach and rebuttal to both their attitudes and arguments.

Greg is the master at countering arguments brought up against Christian faith. I have always enjoyed his lectures and CD's in the past. I look forward to receiving this new series.

Here is Greg's email essay:

The “New” Atheists

There has been an attack on religion.

Christopher Hitchens, God Is Not Great—How Religion Poisons Everything

Daniel Dennett, Breaking the Spell—Religion as Natural Phenomenon

Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion

Sam Harris, The End of Faith—Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason and Letter to a Christian Nation

These guys are really angry.

There’s really nothing new about the “new” atheism, except the attitude. The new twist: Theists are dangerous.

“Faith is one of the world’s great evils, comparable to the smallpox virus but harder to eradicate,” writes Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion. “Religion is capable of driving people to such dangerous folly that faith seems to me to qualify as a kind of mental illness.”

According to Sam Harris, author of The End of Faith, religion is so bad it should be eradicated just like slavery was eradicated: “I would be the first to admit that the prospects for eradicating religion in our time do not seem good. Still the same could have been said about efforts to abolish slavery at the end of the eighteenth century.”

These writers have tremendous emotional appeal.

Two aspects of dealing with these new aggressive atheists (both are hard):
1. The argument
2. The interplay, the gamesmanship, the footwork

Regarding number two: I can dispatch a good portion of Christopher Hitchens’s analysis of religion with one statement: Ridicule (or sneering, or swearing) is not an argument. Hitchens regularly employs ad hominems, red herrings, hasty generalizations, ridicule, and fallacies of all sorts.

The argument is a little different. The details and claims are important. You have probably heard this statement thrown around pretty regularly today: More wars have been fought and more blood as been shed in the name of religion than anything else. It is the greatest cause of evil in the world.

Here are four quick points to correct the record.

First, the crimes themselves have often been misconstrued or exaggerated.

Second, the greatest evil in the world has actually come from those who deny God’s existence.

Third, Christianity cannot be held responsible when Christians do un-Christian things.

Finally, Christianity’s real record of good is without peer in world history.
Christianity, properly understood, is a cause for good and not evil in the world. The problem isn’t religion; it’s religious error: either false religion, or true religion improperly or inconsistently applied.

This evidence gets to one of the standard argument that these new atheists put forward. But to stand against them you need the skill of an ambassador to see through the smokescreen of their attitude. Employ the tactic "Just the Facts, Ma'am" when the critic makes factual claims.

Often, it's easy to correct these with a little research.

I recently spoke about the "new atheists" at The Masters Series in Christian Thought and offered an approach and rebuttal to both their attitudes and arguments.

Don't be "steamrolled" by the aggressive attitude and overstated claims. Focus on the argument and claims they offer. I'm confident if you practice the skills of a good ambassador, you can show that Christianity is rational and good.

-Greg Koukl

*******
As was seen in my previous post (including the video of the dying man who wanted to know the truth), the Bible informs us that it is appointed for all men to die once, and face the judgment of a Holy God. (See Hebrews 9)

Hbr 9:27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,


No matter which stumbling blocks that non-believers try to throw in our path, it is extremely important to remember that Jesus himself, as well as the apostles, constantly preached the Word of God which has the power to divide soul and spirit. I have found that even in my own arguments, I need not strive for nonbelievers to have a mental ascendancy to truth. Only God can convict their reprobate hearts.

My job, our job as Christians is to preach the Gospel. This is what we are instructed to do in God's Word. We can pray for them, share the Gospel and God's Word with them, and hope that they will heed the Holy Spirit's calling. This is why we must keep Ephesians 2:8,9 (KJV) in mind -

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:

Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.


You and I can lead others towards conversion. But it is God who does the saving...lest any man should boast.

This is why we praise God whenever anyone in church comes forward during the altar call. We may have brought them as a guest to the church, but it is God who brings them into the Kingdom.

I just read an amazing account over at Mark's blog entitled Share the Truth of the Cross. The cost for our redemption was indeed high. We cannot look at our sin as something to ever take lightly. You need to go over there and read it.

Our salvation can be achieved in only one way. It is through the power of what God's Son, Jesus Christ did for us on that cross at Calvary; and His subsequent glorious resurrection to life eternal!

HT: Greg Koukl - Stand to Reason

HT: Mark at Chester Street

Friday, February 22, 2008

Guilt: God's Vehicle Towards Our Forgiveness

This morning, I found this awesome video clip via Neil's 4Simpsons/Eternity Matters blog.

Neil posted the important portion of the video clip:

"All I’m hearing is some new age “God is love” one-size-fits-all crap . . . I want a real chaplain who believes in a real God and a real Hell . . . I need answers, and all your questions and uncertainty are only making things worse . . ."

"I need someone who will look me in the eye and tell me how to find forgiveness, because I am running out of time!"


The truth is, we ALL COULD BE RUNNING OUT OF TIME! No matter how healthy or ill a person is, we do not know how many days we have left in this brief life...


I decided to trace back to the blog where he discovered it.

Next, the Evangelical Outpost [Note: scroll down at that link] led me to Reformed Chicks Babbling. (great blog name!)

Each site shares some wonderful additional commentary!

Here's the video:



At the three blogs mentioned above, many are commenting that they can't even believe that this was on an actual T.V. show. Others, who have seen the entire episode complain that the show didn't quite "get it right." I haven't seen all of it, but this video clip sure does present a powerful argument against the "God is love" and the "no need for repentance" New Age psychobabble that is often being passed off as salvation "truth."

Guilt for having sinned against our Creator is a necessary feeling. There is a specific need to feel guilt. Perhaps we could consider guilt as one of God's vehicles towards our forgiveness. In light of that, guilt then can actually be considered one of God's blessings in disguise.

Why?

Because without recognizing our guilt, we would not see our sinful nature. Without seeing our sinful nature, we would not see how we have all disobeyed God's laws and are living in rebellion to Him. Without knowing God's laws (via the Bible), recognizing our rebellion against God, and humbling ourselves to ask for forgiveness, we would not confess sin, repent (which means "to turn away from" sin) and ask Jesus Christ to forgive us of our sins. Once we are cleansed, it is then that through the power of the Holy Spirit of God, Jesus enters into our hearts to be our Lord and Savior.

The post that I had planned to do today is related to that video and discussion.

On another blog, I ran across the following questions:



Pastor Miles,

I have a question that no man of the cloth has been able to answer, unless he already thinks the Bible is not to be read literally. Maybe you can help me out.

Okay, according to the bible, God told Adam, Don’t eat from the tree of knowledge, or you will surely die that day. (Gen. 2:17)

Then the serpent tells Eve, You’re not going to die; God just doesn’t want you to know what he knows. (Gen. 3:4-5)

Adam and Eve eat the fruit and God says, Oh no, man has eaten from the tree of knowledge and now he knows good and evil as we do. Now we have to kick him out of the garden before he eats from the tree of life and lives forever, too. (Gen. 3:22)

So here’s my question: If you read it literally, who was lying to Adam and Eve, and who was telling the truth? - Heather


Here was my response (which has yet to be posted because the blog is moderated):

Heather,

Hope you don't mind if I jump in here with a response.

First. It is very crucial to use a more accurate translation of the Bible.

I could not find the version that you are using. If you go here and scroll down to the various Bible versions of Genesis 2:17, you will see that none of the translations say, "you will die that day."

Gen. 2:17 (NKJV) - "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
New King James Version © 1982 Thomas Nelson


Obviously, Adam and Eve did not die "that day." They went on and had many children.

Another incorrect translation can be found in the Genesis 3:3,4 verses you had cited.

Look at the difference in your version vs. the NKJV -

The NKJV: Gen 3:4 Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die.

Gen 3:5 "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

Adam and Eve already knew good. They had one warning from God - not to eat of one tree in the garden. All others where available to them...including the tree of eternal life! However, when they disobeyed God, sinned, and took the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (remember...they already knew and were experiencing good!!!), then their eyes were "opened" to evil (by committing an evil act of disobedience to God who warned them that they would die) and the temptation by Satan compelled them to sin and desire to "know evil." We have been reaping the terrible consequences of that desire to know evil ever since!

Satan twisted God's words in order to deceive Adam and Eve. He is the liar. Remember, Jesus told us that Satan is the "father of lies" and there "is no truth in him." Even the slightest twisting of God's Word (revealed as one of Satan's favorite tools in the Bible) leads to a lie, isn't truth, and the resulting penalty is death.

Adam and Eve suffered immediate shame and spiritual death. Their physical death happened later. However, their perfect relationship with God (remember, Adam "walked with God" before the Fall) was not just terribly marred by sin; their spiritual life with God immediately died.

Therefore, Someone worthy enough to save us from spiritual death was needed. Thus, the need for our Savior, Jesus Christ, to take the punishment of death (that we all deserve) on that cross at Calvary. His shed blood (there is no remission of sin without the shedding of blood) and his broken body were the propitiation (substitute payment) for our sins, and the sins of the whole world. No one else was worthy (sinless life) on this earth to pay that penalty.

Since Jesus is God, he rose from the dead that first Easter morning. This is the mercy, grace, and love of our awesome God!! Our joyful hope is in Jesus Christ! We wait for the second coming of our Savior!

Back to the Garden.

Remember that the Tree of Life was also in the Garden? Once Adam and Eve sinned, God sent cherubim angels to guard them from reaching out and eating of the Tree of Life.

Why?

Because if they did, then they would have had to live eternally in a state of sin, separated from God forever.

This may be speculation on my part, but if Adam and Eve had obeyed God, and instead, resisted the temptation to "be like God" (rather than keeping and maintaining their proper place of honoring, worshiping and obeying Him!); then they could have eaten from the Tree of Life and lived forever...because they would have been sin free!

But they didn't obey. They took Satan's bait. They willfully sinned against God. Thus, the consequences for sin is death.

We all die a physical death because of sin. However, once we acknowledge our sinfulness and our complete and utter inability to save ourselves; it is then that we are convicted of our need to confess and repent (which means turn away from willful sin) and ask Jesus Christ to come into our hearts as Lord and Savior of our lives. We are then born again spiritually, reunited with God the Father through Christ, and redeemed from spiritual death.

If you look in the book of Revelation, you will find the Tree of Life appears again!

At the culmination of all history, believers will eat freely from the Tree of Life and live forever!

Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Rev 22:14 Blessed [are] they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

HT: Eternity Matters

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Only Hope

Tonight, I am watching one of my favorite movies - "A Walk to Remember."

"Only Hope" is such a beautiful song!

Watch Mandy Moore as she sings the song while performing on stage in a play featured in the movie.




"Only Hope"

[Written by Switchfoot]

There's a song that's inside of my soul
It's the one that I've tried to write over and over again
I'm awake in the infinite cold
But You sing to me over and over and over again

So I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands
and pray to be only Yours
I pray to be only Yours
I know now you're my only hope

Sing to me the song of the stars
Of Your galaxy dancing and laughing
and laughing again
When it feels like my dreams are so far
Sing to me of the plans that You have for me over again

So I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands and pray
To be only yours
I pray to be only yours
I know now you're my only hope

I give You my destiny
I'm giving You all of me
I want Your symphony
Singing in all that I am
At the top of my lungs I'm giving it back

So I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands and pray
To be only yours
I pray to be only yours
I pray to be only yours
I know now you're my only hope

Obamamania Verges on Obsession

Over at Michele Malkin's blog, commenter emjem24 replied to my comment about Michele Obama's rhetoric:

Christine:

Great quote. I hadn’t heard the whole context of Michelle Obama’s socialist rhetoric. I will have to listen to Mark’s take. When I read your quote, I couldn’t believe it. Is Obama running for the new dictator of Cuba? Americans need to really do some hard analysis of this man unless they’re scared of what they might find.

There’s an interesting article that you can link off of Drudge to Politico about this growing “cult” or “movement” for Obama. Just look at the interesting, negative reaction. I find it hilarious that people are calling Obama’s candidacy a “movement” and those who raise doubts about him or critical questions are “cynics,” “divisive,” or favor “insiders.” When I read this article, and the array of Obama supporter reactions, I was further convinced that many people buy the packaging but never want to see what’s inside.


I went over to Politico.com and read the article, "Obamamania verges on obsession."

McCain has already addressed this insanity:

After McCain’s victory in Wisconsin Tuesday night, he too cast Obama as long on rhetoric but light on substance.

"I will fight every moment of every day in this campaign to make sure that Americans are not deceived by an eloquent but empty call for change," McCain said.


An excerpt exhibiting the lunacy of the "followers":

The true believers can “Obama-ize” just about anything. Knitters for Obama crochet for him, Runners for Obama jog for him, and Hold 'Em Barack, well, they bet on him.

In Chicago, a recent art exhibit showed works depicting the candidate on canvas, paper and even in animated videos.

Some of the posters are vaguely reminiscent of classic Soviet propaganda, with a large, benevolent-looking Obama staring out from the paper. The artists plan to tour their "independent political propaganda campaign" across the country.

The Internet offers a revealing glimpse into the curious scope of Obamamania. One blog, titled "Is Barack Obama the Messiah?" cuts right to the chase.

A search on Flickr, a photo-sharing website, turns up pictures of Obama cakes, murals, etch-a-sketch drawings, and even tattoos.

On Etsy, a crafts auction website, you can buy Obama jewelry, paintings, and even a homemade Obama Valentine. The card shows a sketch of the candidate with the text, "I want to Barack your world."

The magnitude of the Obama movement has reached such Elvis-like proportions that even the candidate seems to be trying to tone things down.



The comment section certainly brought out quite a circus of characters...to say the least!


Thankfully, there are some sane commenters interspersed between the Obamamaniacs.

Like this one:

Dan R:

This "movement" will peter out in the months to come as Obama is exposed for the old line, nanny state, tax & spend, "Blame America First" liberal that he really is. He's peaking now, and that's about 9 months too soon. All McCain has to do now is bide his time, keep highlighting Obama's voting record in the U.S. Senate, and keep challenging him to provide specifcs on exactly how he plans to deliver this great "change" that he keeps promising. It may look and sound different, but it's still the same old gas.


And these:

Mtwokey:

Obamamania verges on obsession


Unfortunately this illustrates the ignorance of his hope/change constituents, which represents 30-40% of this country. Pretty sad in my opinion this country has come down to this level of stupidity.


Manderson367:

I agree that "the same old, same old" gets old, but other than "Change" what does he offer. "Change" isn't always a good thing, and I'd like an idea of exactly how he's planning to pay for all these "changes" he's talking about. Kind of reminds me of a carnival barker. Be careful what you wish for, you might get it.

I can honestly say, this guy scares me a little. Seems a little too smooth for me.


-------
Monica Lewinsky is voting Repubilican now. She says the Democrats left a bad taste in her mouth.


I want to continue reading all those comments (there's 1100 of them!!) but I've got some things to do. Anyone so inclined to share comments, I will return shortly to publish them.


HT: Politico.com

*******
P.S. Good article exposing The Real Barack Obama.

Quote:
A lawyer, Michelle Obama is perfectly capable of expressing herself precisely. In fact, she spoke from a written speech.

Those who do not want to believe she meant what she said — and that Barack Obama could not be so close to Rev. Wright if he did not himself believe in much of what he has said — are in denial.

The real Barack Obama is starting to emerge, and for those of us who are grateful to America for everything it represents, it is not a pretty sight.



HT: Newsmax

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Michele Obama and Barack's Demands

On the way home from dinner this evening, I was listening to the Mark Levin talk radio show. He shared an audio clip of Michele Obama, apparently speaking to the minions of cult members that are following her husband and his Soviet Socialist Republik ambitions of "change" for this country.

I need to go on a search to find her exact words. It was unbelievable people!! She was saying things like, "you will work for Obama," and "you will not go back to your unproductive, uninvolved lives." Levin stated that it sounded like the socialist activist Angela Davis of the 1960's!!!

I just listened to the downloaded copy of today's show and then converted the exact quote from the audio taped segment which was broadcast just 15 minutes ago.

I suggest that everyone reading here listen to Mark's broadcast...he sees right through the deceptions of that man!

Here is what Michele Obama said in the audio clip:

...and Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism, that you put down your divisions. That you come out of your isolationism. That you come out of your comfort zones. That you push yourselves to be better. And that you engage. Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual - uninvolved, uninformed...


Mark then asks if it was a clip from Angela Davis! Sure sounded like her...doesn't it?

Sheesh!!

Boy...is our country in trouble if Obama gets into office...

*******

Update: 2/21/08

Read this article.

Now, compare what Mrs. Obama said in that quote with what Dr. Rossiter states in the article:

Rossiter says the kind of liberalism being displayed by the two major candidates for the Democratic Party presidential nomination can only be understood as a psychological disorder.

"A social scientist who understands human nature will not dismiss the vital roles of free choice, voluntary cooperation and moral integrity – as liberals do," he says. "A political leader who understands human nature will not ignore individual differences in talent, drive, personal appeal and work ethic, and then try to impose economic and social equality on the population – as liberals do. And a legislator who understands human nature will not create an environment of rules which over-regulates and over-taxes the nation's citizens, corrupts their character and reduces them to wards of the state – as liberals do."

Dr. Rossiter says the liberal agenda preys on weakness and feelings of inferiority in the population by:

* creating and reinforcing perceptions of victimization;

* satisfying infantile claims to entitlement, indulgence and compensation;

* augmenting primitive feelings of envy;

* rejecting the sovereignty of the individual, subordinating him to the will of the government.

"The roots of liberalism – and its associated madness – can be clearly identified by understanding how children develop from infancy to adulthood and how distorted development produces the irrational beliefs of the liberal mind," he says. "When the modern liberal mind whines about imaginary victims, rages against imaginary villains and seeks above all else to run the lives of persons competent to run their own lives, the neurosis of the liberal mind becomes painfully obvious."

I rest my case!!

Obama mentor identified as communist

The mysterious "Frank" cited as a friend and adviser by Democratic president contender Barack Obama while he was growing up in Hawaii has been identified as Frank Marshall Davis, a member of the old Moscow-controlled Communist Party USA.

read more | digg story

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Obama Rama Ding-BAT!

Michele Obama takes heat for saying she's proud of my country for the first time.

Excerpt:



Speaking in Milwaukee, Wis., on Monday, she said, “People in this country are ready for change and hungry for a different kind of politics and … for the first time in my adult life I am proud of my country because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback.”


Well, I wish I could just say that it was a just an ordinary, ding-bat kind of "verbal gaffe" or a "misstatement." Why do I make such a judgment? Because she went to another campaign stop in another state and said it again!!!



Obama delivered an amended version of the speech later that day in Madison, Wis.

“For the first time in my adult lifetime, I’m really proud of my country … not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change,” she said. “I have been desperate to see our country moving in that direction and just not feeling so alone in my frustration and disappointment.”
The woman is intelligent, articulate, educated and savvy. The statement was obviously written in her campaign notes, too!! Can't put the blame on ding-batism...

What's worse is the fact that she didn't come out and address the controversy herself. She apparently left it up to someone involved in the Obama campaign.

Not good.

Contrast that with what one would expect a future First Lady to say about her country:

“I am proud of my country,” John McCain’s wife, Cindy, said at a campaign stop in Brookfield, Wis., Tuesday. “I don’t know if you heard those words earlier … but I am very proud of my country.”


WorldNetDaily has a poll up:


What do you think of Michelle Obama's newfound patriotism?

O I agree wholeheartedly with what she said

O It's understandable coming from a black woman

O It's just hyperbole, an overstatement

O Michelle is articluate, but she just made a verbal gaffe

O Michelle's statement is irrelevant. We're voting for president, not first lady

O It reveals the leftist, 'hate America' mentality the Obamas have

O The remark is appalling, and it's frightening her husband might be president

O Could you imagine not feeling pride for America on Sept. 12, 2001?

O She sounds like a privileged, ungrateful, spoiled brat

O Other

*******

Poll Results as of 2/18/08 at 7:53 p.m. PT:

What do you think of Michelle Obama's newfound patriotism?

The remark is appalling, and it's frightening her husband might be president 35.29% (48)


It reveals the leftist, 'hate America' mentality the Obamas have 27.94% (38)


She sounds like a privileged, ungrateful, spoiled brat 18.38% (25)


Could you imagine not feeling pride for America on Sept. 12, 2001? 9.56% (13)


Michelle's statement is irrelevant. We're voting for president, not first lady 3.68% (5)


I agree wholeheartedly with what she said 2.21% (3)


It's just hyperbole, an overstatement 1.47% (2)


Other 1.47% (2)


It's understandable coming from a black woman 0.00% (0)


Michelle is articulate, but she just made a verbal gaffe 0.00% (0)



TOTAL VOTES: 136

HT: WorldNetDaily

*******

Update: Michele Malkin's article:
Michelle Obama's America and Mine

Second Update:

Please be advised. This is a link to Michele Malkin's blog that contains a hate mail letter with ugly, filthy accusations and language. You will see what "followers" of the Obama cult are really like!!

Letter From an Obama Supporter

Our Redeemer's Wisdom and Strength

Daily Light on the Daily Path Devotional
Tuesday February 19, 2008
Christians Unite Devotionals



Morning

The LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth [cometh] knowledge and
understanding.

Trust in the LORD with all thy heart; and lean not to thy own understanding.--If
any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all [men]
liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given to him.--The foolishness of
God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.--God hath
chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.-- That no flesh
should glory in his presence.

The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding to the
simple.--Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.

All bore him testimony, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out
of his mouth.--Never man spoke like this man.--Of him are ye in Christ Jesus,
who from God is made to us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and
redemption.

Pr 2:6 3:5 Jas 1:5 1Co 1:25,27,29 Ps 119:130,11 Lu 4:22 Joh 7:46 1Co 1:30

*******

Evening

The year of my redeemed is come.

Ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout [all] the
land to all its inhabitants: it shall be a jubilee to you; and ye shall return
every man to his possession, and . . . to his family.

Thy dead [men] shall live, [together with] my dead body shall they arise. Awake
and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew [is as] the dew of herbs, and the
earth shall cast out the dead.

The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
then we who are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O
death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction.

Their Redeemer [is] strong; the LORD of hosts [is] his name.

Isa 63:4 Le 25:10 Isa 26:19 1Th 4:16,17 Ho 13:14 Jer 50:34

Monday, February 18, 2008

Obama: Hopemongerer in chief

There are plenty of blogs that are sharing disturbing information regarding Barack Obama. One of the best articles and "roundups" of links has to be over at Wolf Howling.

Notice the cartoon sketch at the top of the page!



Obamamania is sweeping the secular left in the form of a messianic cult. Here is a round-up and some thoughts.



The author there created an ironic new title for Obama - "hopemongerer in chief."

I thought that this excerpt was particularly revealing:


As to the point Bookwormroom makes in her first paragraph, at the American Thinker blog, one individual wrote:

. . . Obama's speeches remind me of the sermons given by a preacher at one of those mega churches. They give feel good sermons using words like change and hope. Now a lot of conservatives go to church on a regular basis and they hear oratory like Obama gives all the time and they wonder what all the fuss is about. A lot of liberals on the other hand don't go to church and they have never heard "sermons" like this before and it really affects them emotionally. . . .


Read the entire article.


Charles Krauthammer writes:


"We are the hope of the future," sayeth Obama. We can "remake this world as it should be." Believe in me and I shall redeem not just you but your country -- nay, we can become "a hymn that will heal this nation, repair this world, and make this time different than all the rest."
(bold mine)

Remind you of anyone? Jim Jones perhaps?

Update: The Right Truth shares an email from an Obama supporter:


Out of the blue this morning, I received the following email from an Obama supporter. I had to share. Spelling etc. are exactly as I received the email. Her last name and email address are being withheld for obvious reasons:

I love the fact that people like you are on your knees with your mouth wide open.
OH OH OH NO! What has happened!

Suck on the truth you have always wanted an educated good looking black man now didn't you.

This country has had enough of your white right GWBS>)

Good buy and good riddence.

Patti


Makes you want to go out and vote Obama, doesn't it? NOT. If this is the quality of Obama supporters, we are in for real trouble. Should I reply to this email, and if so what should I say? Or should I simply put in where it belongs in the trash can?


More from Krauthammer:


. . . Interestingly, Obama has been able to win these electoral victories and dazzle crowds in one new jurisdiction after another, even as his mesmeric power has begun to arouse skepticism and misgivings among the mainstream media.

ABC's Jake Tapper notes the "Helter-Skelter cult-ish qualities" of "Obama worshipers," what Joel Stein of the Los Angeles Times calls "the Cult of Obama." Obama's Super Tuesday victory speech was a classic of the genre. Its effect was electric, eliciting a rhythmic fervor in the audience -- to such rhetorical nonsense as "We are the ones we've been waiting for. (Cheers, applause.) We are the change that we seek."

That was too much for Time's Joe Klein. "There was something just a wee bit creepy about the mass messianism," he wrote. "The message is becoming dangerously self-referential. The Obama campaign all too often is about how wonderful the Obama campaign is."



. . . Obama has an astonishingly empty paper trail. He's going around issuing promissory notes on the future that he can't possibly redeem. Promises to heal the world with negotiations with the likes of Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Promises to transcend the conundrums of entitlement reform that require real and painful trade-offs and that have eluded solution for a generation. Promises to fund his other promises by a rapid withdrawal from an unpopular war -- with the hope, I suppose, that the (presumed) resulting increase in American prestige would compensate for the chaos to follow.


Obama and his followers have absolutely no clue as to the vileness and evil of the Islamofascist terrorist enemy. Indeed. If he is elected president - chaos would follow.

What kind of chaos? Here's one horrendous example. I am placing a link to a blog that has an actual, uncut video of a 12-year old Taliban boy beheading a hostage.

American Power blog: Strongest Possible Content Warning!

I couldn't even look at it. Had to turn my eyes away at the first sign of blood. Just reading the details there made me sick to my stomach.

I apologize, in advance, if you have chosen to view the video and it has seriously disturbed you. I can't see how it wouldn't!!!

So...why did I post the link? Because I absolutely believe that Americans need to wake up...especially the Kool-aid drinking Obama supporters on the left. If it takes a disgusting video like this to do...then so be it!

Obama would not lead our country to victory in Iraq. He has stated this himself. Thus, the terrorists would view it as American weakness and claim a victory for their evil deeds.

The naive, hopemongerer in chief ideology of Obama would be absolutely disasterous for our nation...as well as the entire world!

HT: Wolf Howling
American Thinker
The Right Truth
American Power

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Marriage: The Image of God

Please watch the message at the following link, and share your comments!

Marriage: The Image of God

Go to the site and click on the arrow on the right of that particular message.

*******
Added on 2/17/08

Outline of Message


Marriage, the Image of God

Passage: Genesis 1
Miles McPherson - February 10, 2008

Pastor Miles was at a park yesterday watching his son play flag football.

A woman with her son came up to Pastor Miles because her son wanted to meet Pastor Miles, seeing as how they go to the Rock. Pastor Miles noticed the woman also had her daughter with her, but the whole time the daughter was just clinging to her mother's leg almost hiding from him. This is a reflection of a connection children have with their mothers. It is a special connection; one that a father may not have with their child the same way a mother does, because children come from their mother.

We begin in Genesis 1 this Sunday as we look at the topic of Marriage: The Image of God.

In Genesis 1 we see that man is made in the image of God. When God created Adam, he saw that it was not good for man to be alone, and He created Eve from Adam. And God saw that was good!

The Marriage Battle
Though clearly we see from the beginning of Scripture, God created man and woman to be united in marriage with one another, our current culture is striving to take the marriage covenant in a different direction. We are in a spiritual battle, as society pushes more and more for marriage to be legal between couples of the same sex.

In this discussion it needs to be clear that Christians are not and should not be against homosexuals as individual people. Rather it is the homosexual agenda that we must stand up against.

The homosexual agenda is being pushed upon this nation, to the point where it may become illegal for pastors to preach against homosexuality from the pulpit, that is where even such preaching is deemed a crime. In some countries this is already the case. Keep in mind this battle is not about gay people, rather it is a spiritual battle in which we are fighting the devil!

Right and Wrong

We have to know what the basis of our right and wrong is, before we can just decide whether something is right or wrong.

In the Bible we find absolute truth. We can know an objective moral truth. Truth is not relative; otherwise truth can be whatever we want it to be.

Our truth cannot constantly be changing. In regards to homosexuality, there are Christians who are homosexuals, it is not about whether or not God loves homosexuals, and He of course does. However just like every other Christian we have to follow God on God's terms. God designed us with a specific intent, and the devil seeks to destroy that.

The malady of creating our own wrong and rights leaves it up to us, and that puts us on shaky ground. We must refer to Scripture and know what God says on the moral matters and follow that, because that is solid ground.

Man and Woman in God's Image

God calls sex a one-flesh union, two people becoming one, a holy union. However, sex outside the context of marriage is not a holy union.Male and Female are distinct expressions of the Image of God.

Genesis 1:26-27 states, Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

God intentionally created us male and female for a marriage relationship. Genesis 2:18 states, Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.

God made mankind in His image. He separated them, and they will strive to become one again.

Genesis 2:21-23 states, So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

Sex is a union of shameless one-ness between man and a woman. God calls sex a one-flesh union, two people becoming one, a holy union. However, sex outside the context of marriage is not a holy union.

The devil wants to see us have sex with as many people as we can, because that will scar us at the core of our beings. He wants to break our conscience down, wearing out our God conscience to the point where we have no idea of right or wrong anymore.

Biblical marriage promotes life, for the raising of children by mothers and fathers. Homosexual behavior reduces life. Why? No one can be born out of a homosexual relationship. Marriage is not a governmental issue. It is something the church is the custodian of.

Marriage is designed to be a lifelong commitment. It is clear among statistics that homosexual relationships are mainly about sex, this is attributed to the fact of the amount of sexual partners a homosexual person has a year, regardless of whether he is in a monogamous "marriage" relationship.

Exercise Biblical Responsibility

Knowing what we know about the marriage covenant, according to the absolute truth of Scripture, as God created it, we must stand up for it, keeping it a holy union as God intended it to be.

We need to exercise our Biblical responsibility and our legal right to speak truth and help bring change to our country in this pivotal time. We cannot just sit back and watch these things happen. We must pray and act!

Saturday, February 16, 2008

A Hollywood Visit

Yesterday, I was invited to come along on a trip to Hollywood with my best friend Kelly, her teenaged niece, and her niece's friend (both are visiting from New York). Since it was a typical Friday, heading to L.A. at 10:30 a.m. turned a trip that should have taken 1 hour, 40 minutes into a 2 and 1/2 hour ride!

Oh well. Kelly and I had lots of time to catch up on our families and the news of the day. We listened to a radio station called K-Earth, that plays all of the best oldies, including many from the 70's. I really like that station! Not very many commercials!

Anyway, we arrived at the Hollywood and Highland Center at around 1:00 p.m., parked and went on the hunt to find the Meet the Oscars event.

Since the Kodak Theatre (where the annual Oscars event is held) was closed (due to preparation for the Academy Awards on Feb. 23rd) we only took a few pictures at the entrance.

The Meet the Oscars event was small, but interesting and fun. There are glass cases displaying 50 of the Oscar award statuettes that will be presented to the winners this year. There is an ongoing video that shows how the statuettes are made. There are touch-screen computer quizzes that test visitors' knowledge about past Oscar winners and various details regarding the motion pictures of the past.

Next, visitors walk down a replica of the infamous "red carpet" entrance that the stars and celebrities grace when entering the Academy Awards event. There is a red carpet on the floor, cordoned off with red braid looped rope. On the walls are huge superimposed videos of cheering crowds waving, clapping, and snapping pictures with their cameras. It's supposed to give you the feeling of being a "celebrity" for a moment. O.K. Why not ham it up and have a photo taken?

Next, there is a corridor with huge posters of the main categories of this year's nominees on display. There were three more touch-screen quizzes where you can predict who you think will be the winners this year. Unfortunately, they weren't working.

Lastly, visitors can stand in line and get the chance to have a picture taken holding (wired down, of course, so that no one could run off with it!!) a genuine Oscar statuette. Of course, I was the guinea pig and went first. Then, no one else in our group wanted to step up and have their picture taken! Ha ha! It was fun. I should get the picture emailed sometime today and I will add it to this post.

Just got it! Thanks Kelly! Here's the pic:




At that point, we were all very hungry. Had a great lunch at California Pizza Kitchen. Their pizza is good, and the Thai salad is delicious!

Even though the pizza was tasty, I do have to admit that I cannot find pizza here in California that is as good as the pizzas made in family-owned, Italian pizzerias back east!

As we left the restaurant, we noticed that the outdoor pavilion area was filled with "Road to Hollywood" sayings on the pavement. Also on display was that typical, proverbial "Road to Hollywood" casting couch!

Thought I would attempt to be original; crouch down next to the couch, and signal "no" to what's written there on the ground. Not quite sure if this pic demonstrates that sentiment! But that's what I was trying to say!!


[Note: Fine print might be difficult to read. It says:

The Road to Hollywood...How some of us got here.]

Barely visible in this photo is the famous Hollywood sign.

Next, we headed out to the sidewalk for the Hollywood Walk of Fame. If you go to that link, and scroll down a bit, you will see a picture example of the sidewalk. Trouble is, the sidewalks are most likely never that empty during a typical day. It looked more like this ! It was so packed with people! All sorts of people...if you know what I mean. And, some were very annoying! They try to shove coupons and paper ads into your hands as you walk by. I learned to keep my hands in my pockets and say "no thanks!"

The further we ventured away from the Hollywood and Highland Center, the more run down the shops and streets became. We turned around and headed back.

We checked out the Graumann's Chinese Theatre and stood around reading the sayings and signatures of stars who placed their hand and footprints in the cement.

The Chinese Theatre was built by legendary showman Sid Grauman, the man who also built the nearby Egyptian Theatre and the Million Dollar Theatre on Broadway. Sid had a flair for the dramatic, and he was the one who came up with the idea of putting the stars' footprints in wet cement. Sid Grauman owned a one-third interest in the theatre, along with partners Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks.


The theatre was renamed "Mann's Chinese Theatre" after it was purchased by Ted Mann in 1973, the owner of the Mann's Theatre chain (and husband of actress Rhonda Fleming). But by any name it's still the same grand landmark.



We thought about taking the tour, but the starting time was an hour later and we felt that we needed to head home. Good thing we did. It took us four hours to get home! We did stop half-way to eat dinner. Thankfully, the traffic died down once we left the restaurant.

On the way home, the teens listened to their ipods and fell asleep. East coast time got to them! Kelly and I listened to K-Earth radio and reminisced about the good ole' days when we were growing up. Everything seemed so much more innocent, fun and safe back then! We were caught up in the nostalgia as we listened to the oldies. We heard songs like "These Eyes" by "The Guess Who." We sang along to songs by "The Supremes," and "The Beach Boys" (California Girls!).

Songs like "Dancing in the Moonlight." "Beach Baby," "The Boys Are Back in Town," "Ain’t No Woman (Like The One I Got)," and "For Your Love" - are just a few of the songs that played on the way home. Some songs I had not heard in decades!

We arrived home tired. However, we really enjoyed the visit and shared a lot of laughs! It had been a fun and interesting day!

P.S. I just remembered something. While the teen girls were browsing in the Virgin Records superstore, I walked outside to answer a cell phone call and noticed that there was a "Hollywood Walk of Fame Star" right outside the store with Billy Graham's name on it! I was quite surprised to see that!



While searching for a good photo of it, I found the pic above at Brandon and Jennifer Bruce's blog archive.

I liked what they wrote underneath:

I noticed that a few of the stars on the sidewalk have started to crack. It's a great reminder that everything we own here on earth and the accomplishments that we achieve, do not last forever - they can so easily age and be forgotten. However, the rewards that God gives us never fade, tear, break, crack, or burn up - we inherit His loving kindness to us forever! On the other hand, everything that we can attain here on earth without Him will one day be gone or forgotten about. It's amazing to compare the temporary and limited material rewards for a well-lived or even extraordinary life on earth without Jesus Christ and the incredible, unending, unlimited rewards in heaven for all those who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ!
Good Word!!