Thursday, December 20, 2007

ENDRTIMES' PERSON OF THE YEAR 2007

"DON'T TASE ME, BRO"

TANCREDO DROPS OUT

Tancredo drops out of GOP nomination race, endorses Romney

Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo has told a news conference in Des Moines that he is dropping out of the presidential race. He said he is endorsing Mitt Romney. We've posted the Des Moines Register report here.

Update at 3:25 p.m. ET: Tancredo ran a campaign centered on his opposition to illegal immigration and takes credit for hardening the views of other Republican candidates. He said in a recent debate that his opponents were trying to "out-Tancredo Tancredo."

Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, is trying to regain the upper hand in Iowa's Jan. 3 caucuses in the face of a surge by former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee. Romney has said Huckabee is too soft on illegal immigration, including in a TV ad that criticizes Huckabee's support of college aid for illegal immigrants.

Update at 3:35 p.m. ET: It's probably safe to say that former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson would have liked Tancredo's endorsement. Thompson's first policy proposal as a candidate was a crackdown on immigration. Some Iowans at his events have said they were considering both Thompson and Tancredo.

Still, it's unclear how much impact Tancredo's exit will have. As the Des Moines Register points out, Tancredo registered only 6% in its latest poll of Iowa.

Update at 5:25 p.m. ET: Thompson released a statement from his Iowa director, Rep. Steve King. King thanked Tancredo for advancing the causes of border security and the rule of law but added, "He and I disagree on who will carry that ball from now on. I've put my head and my heart and my efforts behind Fred Thompson because he is the one who will define what amnesty is, not what amnesty isn't. Fred Thompson will stand up for the rule of law. I don't have that confidence in any of the other candidates. That's why I'm here."

WHAT IS THEOSOPHY?


Handbook of Today's Religions

Theosophy


History

Theosophy literally means "wisdom of God." The modem Theosophical movement was founded in 1875 by Helena P. Blavatsky. The wisdom of God, according to Theosophists, is to be found in all religions: "What we desire to prove is, that underlying every once popular religion was the same ancient wisdom-doctrine, one and identical, professed and practiced by the initiates of every country who alone were aware of its existence and importance. To ascertain its origin and the precise way in which it was matured is now beyond human possibility" (A. P. Sinnett, The Purpose of Theosophy, Boston, 1888, p. 25).

Since there is truth in all religions, a Theosophist may pursue any religion he desires. This, however, did not stop Mrs. Blavatsky from detesting organized Christianity: "The name has been used in a manner so intolerant and dogmatic, especially in our day, that Christianity is now the religion of arrogance, par excellence, a stepping-stone for ambition, a sinecure for wealth, sham, and power; a convenient screen for hypocrisy" (H. P. Blavatsky, Studies in Occultism, Theosophical University Press, n.d., p. 13 8).

Source of Authority

There are no sacred books in Theosophy. Revelation comes from "adepts", who are "beings perfected spiritually, intellectually, and physically, the flower of human and all evolution!' (The Theosophical Movement, p. 112). Mrs. Blavatsky was the first individual in Theosophy who received messages from these adepts and passed them on to the world.

The Teachings of Theosophy

A few sample quotations from Theosophical writings demonstrate their non-Christian character.
God

"We reject the idea of a personal ... God" (H. P. Blavatsky, Key to Theosophy, Point Loma, California, Aryan Theosophical Press, 1913).
"We believe in a universal divine principle, the root of all, from which all proceeds, and within which all shall be absorbed at the end of the great cycle of being" (ibid., p. 63).
The rejection of a personal God is a rejection of the God of the Bible, the infinite-personal creator. Theosophy has no room for a God who has created man in His personal image: "Then God said, let us make man in Our image to Our likeness. . ." (Genesis 1:26 NASB).

Man

Theosophists teach that man consists of seven parts: 1. The body; 2. Vitality; 3. Astral body; 4. Animal soul; 5. Human soul; 6. Spiritual soul; and 7. Spirit. "Man is also equated with God, ". . . for you are God, and you will only what God wills; but you must dig deep down into yourself to find the God within you and listen to His voice which is your voice" (Krishnamurti, At the Feet of the Master, p. 10).

Man is evolving individually and corporately. Salvation is achieved when mads seventh stage is attained involving progressing from one body to another based upon his own self-effort. This is similar to the eastern doctrine of the law of Karma.

There is nothing in Scripture to suggest that man has a seven-Part constitution. Rather he consists of body, soul and spirit, "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Thessalonians 5:23 NASB).

Jesus Christ

"….for Christ - - - the true esoteric saviour - - - is no man but the DIVINE PRINCIPLE in every human being" (H. P. Blavatsky, Studies in Occultism, Theosophical University Press, n.d., p. 134).

Mrs. Blavatsky, sounding like Christian Science, attempts to separate Christ from the person Jesus. However, Christ is merely his title, meaning "anointed one" or "messiah;' designating the office Jesus held. There is no justification for making any distinction between Jesus and "The Christ." Furthermore, making Christ a principle rather than a true man is a denial of the whole purpose of His coming: "And the word became flesh and dwelt amongst us" (John 1:14 KJVJ.

Reincarnation

"No one is to blame except ourselves for our birth conditions, our character, our opportunities, our abilities, for all these things are due to the working out of forces we have set going either in this life or in former lives. . ' " (Irving S. Cooper, Theosophy Simplified, p. 55).

The idea of reincarnation, that people must go through a series of lives to atone for their sins, is a denial of the work of Christ accomplished on the cross. Salvation has been made complete by Christ's sacrifice. There is nothing any of us can do to add or subtract from it. Consequently, there is no need for a series of births to accomplish what Christ has already completed.

The Afterlife

There is no heaven or hell as such in Theosophy. The Theosophist can reach a state of "nirvana" in which the individual is absorbed by the impersonal world, losing all personal consciousness.

The Bible teaches that there is an existence after death for everyone. Those who have put their trust in Jesus Christ will forever reside in God's presence while those who reject Christ will spend eternity apart from him. John's gospel makes this plain: "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see Life, but the wrath of God abides on him" (John 3:36 NASB).

The Bible

"I confined myself to the Hindu Scriptures, and in all cases I stated that I regarded these scriptures and the Hindu religion as the origin of all scriptures and all religions" (Annie Besant, The Daily Chronicle, April 9, 1894). This statement totally denies the basic premise of the Christian faith, namely, that God has given the world a unique revelation concerning who He is and who we are (Hebrews 1:1-3). The Bible cannot be God's inspired word if its origin is found in Hinduism.
Conclusion

When Theosophy beliefs are examined, we discover the whole Theosophical system is contrary to Christianity. There is, therefore, no possibility of reconciliation between the two, since the followers of Theosophy extol Buddhist and Brahmanic theories, and Christians follow Jesus Christ alone.

Theosophy Terms

Theosophy- Literally means "wisdom of God." Theosophy is a cult founded by Helena Blavatsky in 1875 and which attempts to expound on the wisdom of God found in all religions. Occultic practices are used within the group.
Adept -In Theosophy, a being from the spirit world who communicates revelations. Also known as Bodhisattva or Mahatma.
Animal Soul-The fourth principle of human nature, according to Theosophy. The majority of people alive today are at this level.
Atlantean -According to Theosophy, it is the second of three levels thus far reached in human evolution.
Besant, Annie-British woman who was a highly influential leader in Theosophy as a successor to founder Helena Blavatsky. In 1906 she publicly announced to the world the coming of the Messiah, Krishnamurti, whom she reared as a child. Krishnamurti later renounced his role. Blavatsky, Helena Petrovna - (1831-1891). Founder of Theosophy. Incorporated occultic and eastern beliefs and practices together.
Devachan -The Theosophist's heaven.
Devas -Persons who, according to Theosophy, have been freed from their bodily prisons and are now in the world of the mind.
H.P.B. -Common designation in Theosophy for founder Helena P. Blavatsky.
Koot Hoomi-In Theosophy, one of the adepts who gave revelations to founder Madame Blavatsky.
Kidshnamurti- Supposed Messiah figure in Theosophy who later renounced his role.
Leadbeater, C. W -Along with Annie Besant, succeeded Helena Blavatsky in directing the Theosophical movement.
Mahatma -In Theosophy, an adept, a being from the spirit world who communicates through spiritually receptive living persons.

Source: http://www.greatcom.org/resources/handbook_of_todays_religions/01chap08/default.htm

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

A $500 BILLION CORRECTION



A $500 Billion Correction

By Steven Pearlstein
Wednesday, December 19, 2007; Page D01

Any doubts about the breadth and depth of the global credit crisis should have been dispelled by yesterday's move by the European Central Bank to pump $500 billion in freshly printed euros into the banking system.

That's not a misprint. That's half a trillion dollars. Until now, it's been big news when the a central bank let loose with a $20 billion injection. In this case, it's not only $500 billion, but $500 billion lent against almost any collateral, including a handwritten IOU from Uncle Ludwig in Dusseldorf.


The problem is that banks everywhere are suddenly short of cash. The traditional year-end demands of customers is part of it. But it's also that the banks with extra cash are reluctant to lend to the others because they're unsure of the borrowers' financial conditions. The banks also anticipate they will have to take more write-offs and reserves for bad loans when they close their books on the year.

The result is that there's less money available for loans to businesses and consumers. So in an effort to forestall an economy-wide credit crunch, central banks are offering what amounts to unlimited funds at an interest rate of 4.25 percent, hoping banks will lend it out at 7.25 percent or more. So far, the results have been positive, but less than expected given the huge sums involved.

Meanwhile, back at the Fed, the board of governors yesterday proposed rules to prevent the kind of loosey-goosey mortgage lending that helped get us into this trouble in the first place. At the Fed, they think of this initiative as a timely response to an unanticipated breakdown of market discipline. In the newspaper business, we'd call it a correction.

In truth, the breakdown in subprime lending standards was foreseen by housing advocates and even some top government officials as far back as 2004, but their warnings were not heeded. So it may be useful to recall the reasons given by the Fed and other regulators for rejecting the same rules that they now consider necessary.

Back in 2004, the first line of defense against new regulation was to argue that consumers and markets could be protected through voluntary industry self-regulation. In fact, that was tried in the case of predatory lending. But without any willing enforcer or timely enforcement mechanism, even well-meaning companies got sucked into the race to the bottom, degrading lending standards to maintain market share or meet Wall Street expectations.

Lesson 1 from the subprime fiasco: Industry self-regulation almost never works.

The second line of defense is to argue that in a competitive market, disclosure and transparency are the keys. But anyone who has gone through a house closing and signed "disclosure" documents knows that this process is inevitably hijacked by lawyers who are more interested in protecting clients from lawsuits than protecting consumers.

Lesson 2: Disclosure alone won't deter bad behavior.

Another common defense against regulation is that, if you properly align incentives, markets can discipline themselves. By this logic, rating agencies could be relied on to make sure that lending standards were maintained for loans that were securitized, while banks could be relied on to police independent brokers because of the small loss they would suffer if a loan went bad. And of course there were the lawyers, accountants and bankers with reputations to maintain. This was all great in theory. But in real life, it turned out the vigilance of these gatekeepers was easily subverted by fees which, however exorbitant, were a pittance compared with the potential profits to be made from hoodwinking homeowners and investors.

Lesson 3: Market discipline can be easily corrupted.

One of the most common arguments against financial regulation is that most of the parties involved are knowledgeable, sophisticated players who can look out for themselves. In the real world, however, the people who run German savings, Florida savings banks and some of the world's largest mutual funds did not understand the risks behind the complex, asset-backed securities they were buying. Even Robert Rubin, the former head of Goldman Sachs, former Treasury secretary and current vice chairman of Citigroup, recently admitted that he had no idea what a "liquidity put" was until they started blowing up on Citi's balance sheet.

Lesson 4: Even sophisticated buyers and sellers cannot always protect themselves, let alone the safety and soundness of the financial system.

Opponents of regulation are right about one thing: In the long run, markets correct for their own excesses. But it is also true that the people who get hurt during that corrective process -- or are forced to live with economic uncertainty while it is going on -- are not necessarily the people who caused the problem.

Deregulation zealots and free-market purists may not value things like fairness or stability, but the rest of us do. That's why people are willing to accept a measure of lost innovation and lost output that inevitably results from economic regulation. And it is why people are willing to have their governments pump half a trillion dollars into the private banking system to avoid a financial meltdown.

One hopes the Fed recalls those lessons the next time it is tempted to worship before the altar of financial deregulation.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2007/12/18/ST2007121802015.html?hpid=topnews

P.S. Meanwhile, Back at the ranch (accross the pond), things are business as usual; More money allocated for the War on Terror, $$$ continues to flow while the money streams show no signs of drying up, yet.
War on Terror!
Blogman.

HOUSE APPROVES $70 BILLION FOR WAR

House Approves $70 Billion More for War
Wednesday, December 19, 2007

WASHINGTON - Ending dual spending battles with President Bush, the Democratic-controlled Congress passed a $555 billion bill Wednesday that funds the Iraq war well into next year and covers government agencies.

Bush was expected soon to sign the measure, which includes $70 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, after winning concessions from Democrats on Iraq policy and the budget.

The bill, sent to the president after a 272-142 vote, funds 14 Cabinet departments and foreign aid for the budget year that began Oct. 1.

Bush and his Senate GOP allies forced the Iraq money upon anti-war Democrats as the price for permitting the year-end budget deal to pass and be signed. Seventy-eight House Democrats voted for the Iraq money, eager to avoid being seen as not supporting troops in harm's way. But 141 Democrats voted against it.

"This is a blank check," complained Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass. "The new money in this bill represents one cave-in too many. It is an endorsement of George Bush's policy of endless war."

Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., said this week that the $70 billion for the wars means Democrats will not see a need to revisit the issue until May or June.

Democrats tried to use war spending legislation to force a change in Bush's Iraq policy, chiefly by setting a withdrawal goal with dates such as Dec. 15, 2009. But Bush and Republicans held a powerful hand. They knew Democrats would not let money lapse for troops overseas. That allowed a Bush veto in May and GOP stalling tactics to determine the outcome.

On the domestic budget, Bush's GOP allies were divided over whether the overall spending bill was a victory for their party in the long fight with Democrats over agency budgets.

Conservatives and outside groups such as the Club for Growth, which seeks to elect lawmakers opposed to tax and spending increases, criticized the bill for having about $28 billion in domestic spending that topped Bush's budget and was paid for by a combination of "emergency" spending, transfers from the defense budget and other maneuvers.

Republican leaders acknowledged some excesses. But they said the measure could have cost a lot more if the GOP and the White House had not stood firm against more than $20 billion in additional domestic spending included in Democratic spending bills that passed last summer.

"The fact is we got the number down to the baseline," said House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio.

Boehner supported moves that effectively broke Bush's budget cap to provide record budget increases for veterans and to build a fence and provide additional security along the U.S.-Mexico border.

But the amount of money at stake was relatively small in the context of an almost $3 trillion federal budget. That was especially true when compared with the more than $50 billion increase Bush sought for the Pentagon's regular budget; his 12 percent requested increase for foreign aid; and his almost $200 billion request for one year's worth of military and diplomatic activities in Iraq and Afghanistan.

While disappointed on the Iraq money, Democrats said the spending bill smoothed the rough edges of the president's February budget plan. That proposal had sought below-inflation increases for most domestic programs and contained numerous cuts and program eliminations.

For Democrats, just finishing the budget ended up as the driving goal. They wanted to avoid the humiliation of failing to enact the spending bills after criticizing then-majority Republicans for not doing so last year.

The spending legislation affects virtually every part of the government other than the Defense Department's core programs. It would pay for food and toy safety inspections, NASA, the FBI, the Coast Guard, education, health research and national park operations, among many programs.

It also contains about 9,000 pet projects sought by lawmakers, at a cost of more than $7 billion, according to Taxpayers for Common Sense, a Washington-based group that fights such projects. Democrats said the cost of earmarks was down more than 40 percent from 2006 levels and they touted disclosure rules that added greater transparency to the much-maligned earmarking process.

The bill would raise the pay of federal civilian workers by 3.5 percent, extend farm subsidies the food stamp program until March 15 and eliminated money for a next generation nuclear warhead. It also would keep banks from entering the real estate business.

But the White House succeeded in using veto threats to rid the bill of more contentious items such as ending a ban on U.S. aid to overseas family planning groups that perform abortions and easing financing of agricultural and medical sales to Cuba.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

DOMINIONISTS ON THE MOVE

Rethinking Eschatology:

Dominionists on the Move

By Discernment Group

http://herescope.blogspot.com/

December 17, 2007

First posted:

12-6-07

Does it matter what we believe about the “end times?” Is cultural restoration through the workplace inconsistent with Matthew 24 and the book of Revelation? If the Great Tribulation is in our future, why does it matter what happens in the marketplace?

This past weekend, December 4, 2007, in Dallas, Texas, there was an Acts 29 Conference. It was called Eschatology and the Marketplace: Rethinking the Future and sponsored by the marketplace transformation apostles. This conference is an interesting precursor to another marketplace transformation conference, which is immediately following Robert Schuller's Rethink Conference (see previous posts), and called Reclaiming the 7 Mountains the 2008 Church in the Workplace Conference. This Reclaiming the 7 Mountains Conference will be held in Atlanta, Georgia on January 24-26.

This "Rethinking the Future" eschatology conference was hosted by the RiosBrook Foundation. Linda Rios Brook, president of this foundation, is closely associated with C. Peter Wagner and a member of his International Coalition of Apostles. She heads Acts 29, which is variously described as "a think tank seeking answers to social and cultural issues through the marketplace" and the "Apostolic Council for Transformation in Society." The RiosBrook Foundation's purpose is Dominionist:

"[God] is trying to restore righteousness and justice to the marketplace and bring about the redemption of culture. RiosBrook Foundation believes He intends to do this through working people who receive the revelation that their calling is not to change the church; but rather, to change the world by bringing the purposes of God into the economic and power systems that govern it." [emphasis added]

Guest speakers listed for this conference included Os Hillman, chief apostle of the marketplace transformation movement, and Dennis Peacocke, who has long served as a bridge between the Charismatic and Reconstructionist Dominionists. The focus of all of this new activity is the intended transformation of seven "spheres" of society. The term "spheres" is used interchangeably with "domains," and C. Peter Wagner and his "apostles" are now calling them "mountains."

By all means, take a few moments to visit the http://www.reclaim7mountains.com/ website. Check out the brochure and watch the clip with Lance Wallnau, marketplace transformation leader. Wallnau states: "This is the time when God is giving territory to Kingdom people." The video clip says: "There are Seven -- it's time to take them all."

The Dominionist philosophy behind the Reclaiming 7 Mountains conference literally has to do with taking over governments and nations:

"When God called the people of Israel out of Egypt to form a new nation in the Promised Land, He told them that they would be the head, not the tail, if they obeyed the commands of the Lord. He told them to divide the land into 7 parts (Joshua 18:5). They would also have to displace 7 enemies that currently resided in the Promised Land. “This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out 7 enemies before you including the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and the Jebusites (Joshua 3:10).

"Have you noticed a pattern yet — 7 mountains, 7 parts of land, and 7 enemies that needed to be displaced?"

There is a graphic representation in this Dominionism with the mystical artwork coinciding with the conference promotion which is said to help you "cast the vision of shaping our culture."

The new eschatology has to do with building the kingdom of God on earth, a radical restructuring of the Gospel of Salvation so that the focus shifts to nation-building here on earth. Quite a transformation in thinking is required to develop this new worldview, which may be why all of these conferences are talking about "rethinking."

Landa Cope of YWAM has written a key book, promoted by Os Hillman, entitled An Introduction to The Old Testament Template: Rediscovering God's principles for discipling all nations, which serves as a Theonomy primer for Charismatics by teaching them how to acquire a Dominionist mindset. In this book she states that:

"We must destroy the split thinking we have been taught and take up again the gospel of the Kingdom." (p. 147)

What is this "split thinking"?

"The Message Is The Kingdom
"This means when we preach salvation alone we are missing the majority of God's kingdom message. Salvation is essential. There is no other way of entry into the Kingdom of God. But salvation is the entry into the kingdom; it is not the goal or the Kingdom itself. By making it the goal we have lost most of God's message.
(p. 147)...

"Our destiny is not salvation
"God died to save us and desires salvation for all. The only way into the Kingdom of God is through Jesus Christ, but salvation is not God's ultimate goal. The new birth is a means to an end."
(p. 150)

Marketplace Meditations, a “Daily Electronic Devotional published by Os Hillman at Marketplace Leaders” published a talk by Landa Cope to YWAM:

“'We need to preach a gospel of the kingdom that God is the God of law, development, science, technology, health care, and economics.’ God does not just want a big church, he wants a diverse church, a deep church. He does not want just to save individuals in nations but to redeem the nations themselves.” [bold added]

The Truth:

"Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth." (Daniel 2:35)

© 2007 by Discernment Group

http://herescope.blogspot.com/

Source: http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/007/discernment/12-17-eschatology.htm

CONSPIRACY THEORY & STAR GOSSIP COLLIDE

When Conspiracy Theory and Celebrity Gossip Collide

Jzunddevillo

Is Jay-Z popping champagne and colluding with the Devil? Some folks are convinced he is. Rumors persist that the world's richest rap mogul is part of the secret cult of the Illuminati. Conspiracy theorists describe the Illuminati as an elite cabal of international bankers and industrialists who secretly rule the world while worshiping Lucifer in their dark quest to control our minds. Could Jay-Z have named Rock-a-Fella records after the Rockefellers, one of the major bloodlines of the Illuminati? Hmmm. What about all the secret Illuminati hand gestures Jay-Z flashes in concerts and videos? Even churches are jumping on the bandwagon. In this video, a preacher is shown playing one of Jay-Z's songs backwards during a sermon. His flock looks less than convinced even though Jay-Z can be heard uttering the subliminal satanic message "666 murder murder Jesus". Do any of these rumors hurt Jay-Z's profits? Nope. He just keeps right on popping that champagne and living the good life. Medium: oil on board, photoshop. painting is unfinished.

POPE WARNS GLOBAL WARMING DOOM-PROPHETS

The Pope condemns the climate change prophets of doom

By SIMON CALDWELL - More by this author »
Last updated at 11:01am on 13th December 2007
Pope Benedict XVI

Attack: Pope Benedict criticised climate-change prophets of doom

Pope Benedict XVI has launched a surprise attack on climate change prophets of doom, warning them that any solutions to global warming must be based on firm evidence and not on dubious ideology.

The leader of more than a billion Roman Catholics suggested that fears over man-made emissions melting the ice caps and causing a wave of unprecedented disasters were nothing more than scare-mongering.

The German-born Pontiff said that while some concerns may be valid it was vital that the international community based its policies on science rather than the dogma of the environmentalist movement.

His remarks will be made in his annual message for World Peace Day on January 1, but they were released as delegates from all over the world convened on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali for UN climate change talks.

The 80-year-old Pope said the world needed to care for the environment but not to the point where the welfare of animals and plants was given a greater priority than that of mankind.

polar bears

Adrift: Polar bears on melting iceberg

"Humanity today is rightly concerned about the ecological balance of tomorrow," he said in the message entitled "The Human Family, A Community of Peace".

"It is important for assessments in this regard to be carried out prudently, in dialogue with experts and people of wisdom, uninhibited by ideological pressure to draw hasty conclusions, and above all with the aim of reaching agreement on a model of sustainable development capable of ensuring the well-being of all while respecting environmental balances.

"If the protection of the environment involves costs, they should be justly distributed, taking due account of the different levels of development of various countries and the need for solidarity with future generations.

"Prudence does not mean failing to accept responsibilities and postponing decisions; it means being committed to making joint decisions after pondering responsibly the road to be taken."

Efforts to protect the environment should seek "agreement on a model of sustainable development capable of ensuring the well-being of all while respecting environmental balances", the Pope said.

He added that to further the cause of world peace it was sensible for nations to "choose the path of dialogue rather than the path of unilateral decisions" in how to cooperate responsibly on conserving the planet.

The Pope's message is traditionally sent to heads of government and international organisations.

His remarks reveal that while the Pope acknowledges that problems may be associated with unbridled development and climate change, he believes the case against global warming to be over-hyped.

A broad consensus is developing among the world's scientific community over the evils of climate change.

But there is also an intransigent body of scientific opinion which continues to insist that industrial emissions are not to blame for the phenomenon.

Such scientists point out that fluctuations in the earth's temperature are normal and can often be caused by waves of heat generated by the sun. Other critics of environmentalism have compared the movement to a burgeoning industry in its own right.

In the spring, the Vatican hosted a conference on climate change that was welcomed by environmentalists.

But senior cardinals close to the Vatican have since expressed doubts about a movement which has been likened by critics to be just as dogmatic in its assumptions as any religion.

In October, the Australian Cardinal George Pell, the Archbishop of Sydney, caused an outcry when he noted that the atmospheric temperature of Mars had risen by 0.5 degrees celsius.

"The industrial-military complex up on Mars can't be blamed for that," he said in a criticism of Australian scientists who had claimed that carbon emissions would force temperatures on earth to rise by almost five degrees by 2070 unless drastic solutions were enforced.

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=501316&in_page_id=1811

PUTIN: TIME'S PERSON OF THE YEAR 2007

FIRE BURNS ON WHITE HOUSE GROUNDS


Fire Burns on White House Grounds

Wednesday, December 19, 2007


WASHINGTON - Thick black smoke billowed from a fire Wednesday on the White House compound in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.


The blaze appeared to be located in Vice President Dick Cheney's suite of ceremonial offices on the second floor of the building. Cheney and President Bush were across the street in the West Wing of the White House when the blaze broke out. It appeared to be under control within an hour.


Secret Service spokesman Darrin Blackford said the Old Executive Office building was evacuated as a precaution. "Everyone has been evacuated safely," White House spokeswoman Emily Lawrimore said. District of Columbia firefighters poured water on the blaze and moved furniture onto a balcony.


The Executive Office Building, a commanding structure with a granite, slate and cast iron exterior at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and 17th Street, houses the Office of Management and Budget and staff of the National Security Council and other agencies.


Originally built for the State, War and Navy Departments between 1871 and 1888, the building was renamed in honor of President Dwight Eisenhower during the Clinton administration.


Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

7.2 QUAKE HITS ALASKA'S ALEUTIAN ISLANDS


Dec 19, 6:34 AM EST

7.2 Quake Hits Alaska's Aleutian Islands








ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) -- A large earthquake rattled Alaska's seismically active Aleutian Islands, but there were no immediate reports of any damages or injuries.

The magnitude-7.2 quake struck at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday and was centered about 125 miles west of Adak in the island chain, according to a preliminary report by the U.S. Geological Survey.

A dispatcher with the Anchorage Police Department said he didn't feel the quake, some 1,300 miles away, and there were no reports of any injuries or damages.

The Aleutian Islands are a chain of more than 300 islands that extend southwestward from Alaska into the northern Pacific Ocean.

A tsunami warning was canceled early Wednesday for Alaska's coasts after officials determined waves from the earthquake posed no widespread destructive threat.

The earth's most active seismic feature, the circum-Pacific seismic belt, brushes Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, where more earthquakes occur than in the other 49 States combined.

The Andreanof Island sustained a magnitude 8.8 earthquake in March 1957 that cused very severe damage on Adak and Unimak Islands. A damaging tsunami was generated, and a wall of water 40 feet high smashed the coastline of Scotch Cap on Unimak Island. Sand Bay, near Adak, reported 26-foot waves inundated its shores.

© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.

Source: http://news.lycos.com/dynamic/stories/A/ALASKA_QUAKE?SITE=LYCOS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

PSALM 31

Psalm 31

1In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.

2Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.

3For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.

4Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.

5Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.

6I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD.

7I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;

8And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.

9Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.

10For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.

11I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.

12I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.

13For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.

14But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God.

15My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.

16Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake.

17Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.

18Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

19Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!

20Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

21Blessed be the LORD: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.

22For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.

23O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.

24Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR - VOCATIONS

Vocations - Little Sisters of the Poor

Religious Life


If you feel Jesus is calling you to religious life as Little Sisters of the Poor, you would follow a program of spiritual formation

Step 1 –Postulancy– During this time lasting between 6-9 months you would live work and pray with a community and experience guidance in prayer. A little sister guides the postulants during this time helping them to discern Jesus’ call in their lives.

Step 2 –Novitiate- Often described as a “School of love”, this period of intense spiritual formation lasting two years takes place in one of our ten novitiates throughout the world. One lives the spirit of the evangelical counsels (poverty, chastity and obedience) and experiences the life of a Little Sister of the Poor. The novices receive spiritual direction during this time enabling them to grow in their knowledge and love of Jesus. Two periods of apostolic experience take place during the novitiate so that the novices can appreciate the bond between meeting Jesus in prayer and the elderly person (hospitality our fourth vow).

Step 3 – Temporary Profession- made initially for two years and then renewed for a further three, this time of temporary vows includes at least two years of apostolic experience in our homes for the elderly and a year of doctrinal study to deepen awareness of Church teachings.

Step 4 – Perpetual Profession- Little Sisters from around the globe gather together at our Mother house, La Tour St Joseph, in Brittany, France, for a year of deepening spiritual formation. The sisters experience a 15 day contemplative Lectio divina session during the year.

Step 5 -Ongoing Formation- The work of deepening our spiritual life is ongoing and each little sisters is responsible for taking the time to nourish the life of Christ within her. This may be achieved by keeping abreast of Vatican documents, sessions on spirituality and periods of spiritual renewal arranged according to the sisters needs.

Spiritual Formation
Making a Profession
A fulfilling vocation

RC Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle in North East England http://www.rcdhn.org.uk/



Source: http://www.rcdhn.org.uk/vocations/littlesisters/littlesisters_religious.html

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

BUSH VISITS LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 18, 2007

President Bush Visits Little Sisters of the Poor and Discusses Volunteerism
Washington, D.C.

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Fact sheet Holiday in the National Parks

10:53 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Listen, thank you all for welcoming us. Laura and I are honored to be with you. (Applause.) Sister, thanks for your hospitality, and more importantly, thank you for showing the nation what is possible when people with loving hearts reach out to a neighbor in need. It is easy to feel the great compassion of the sisters here in this hall as you help make somebody else's Christmas a joyous time of celebration.

President George W. Bush speaks to a resident at the Little Sisters of the Poor of Washington, D.C., Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2007, during a visit with Mrs. Laura Bush to the facility that provides nursing and assisted-living services to elderly people of lesser means. White House photo by Shealah Craighead First, there are volunteers here in the community who have taken time out of their busy schedules to volunteer to help somebody. And that's one of the messages of the Christmas season, that I hope our fellow citizens reach out and find a neighbor in need, find out somebody who needs a loving pat on the back, or somebody who could use a little help in learning how to read, or an elderly citizen who wants to know that somebody cares for them. It doesn't take much effort; it takes a little prioritization. And during a season in which we count our blessings, I would hope those of us who are blessed help somebody else.

And there's no better place to come to see that happening than right here. The Little Sisters of the Poor are renown for their great hearts and wonderful compassion. Isn't that right, Archbishop? (Laughter.)

And so Laura and I are thrilled to be here with you all. I do want to thank the volunteers -- high school students, some going to the schools nearby, some home-schooled, who have heard the universal call to love a neighbor just like you'd like to be loved yourself.

I want to thank you all for making cards for our troops in harm's way. As I worked the tables I was most thankful that people here said that they pray for our troops, the safety of our troops. And so do I. And so does Laura. And one way to let our troops know that people care deeply about their safety and their well-being is to send them a Christmas card, which you all are fixing to do here. So I thank you for that, as well.

I finally want to thank our musician. (Laughter and applause.) The man hadn't lost a step. (Laughter.) Thank you, sir, for your beautiful -- I particularly liked the Eyes of Texas. (Applause.)

And so we say to you all, Merry Christmas. May God continue to bless you. May God continue to bless the United States of America. Thank you for your hospitality. (Applause.)

END 10:56 A.M. EST

Source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/12/20071218.html

NPR CONTRIBUTES TO DUMBING DOWN AMERICA




Early this morning while driving to work, I tuned my car radio to the local NPR (National Public Radio) station, to listen to the latest news. As I listened, they spoke of Chimpanzees handling mathematical problems. They compared them to youngsters while also involved in solving math problems in school. Then, they spoke about how humans are so much like these chimps, their relatives. I turned down the volume immediately. I don't want to hear that Evolution/Religion gibberish. That, Darwinian Mumbo-Jumbo. Tell it to someone who is gullible. After a minute, I raised the volume again to see if the Chimp story was over. It was. They were speaking about a Santa Claus "impersonator" in Edinburgh, Scotland. Supposedly, this Santa-clad guy isn't using the usual 'pillow' (for the fat effect) under his jacket this year. I guess he's a leaner, kinder, post-modern Santa. That was it! I turned the radio off.

National Public Radio? Is this what inquiring minds want to know? Or, is this the propaganda that the "jaded" powers-that-be, want us to ponder on. Either way, I want no part of this malarkey.
Don't want any of that monkey business. Thanks. 

Arsenio

ON SECOND THOUGHT

On Second Thought
By John McCaslin
Monday, December 10, 2007

On Friday morning, the public affairs shop at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) distributed to everybody on its e-mail list an article from The Washington Post from that same day that was critical of the office's most recent National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran.

Several conservatives quoted in the story challenged the veracity of the NIE, including Norman Podhoretz, who has advocated air strikes on Iranian sites. The commentator said he does not think the new NIE is "very credible because it is a 180-degree turn in two years" since a previous estimate concluded that Iran was close to building a nuclear weapon.



Israel's Defence Minister Ehud Barak (L) shakes hands with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen during their meeting at the Defence Ministry in Tel Aviv December 10, 2007. The Bush administration's top military commander held high-level talks in Israel on Monday after the Jewish state said it disagreed with U.S. intelligence findings that Iran had shelved a nuclear weapons programme. REUTERS/Ariel Schalit/Pool (ISRAEL)

The Post story even suggested that career government officials who had battled with conservatives earlier in the administration have now migrated to the DNI office.

Not surprisingly, a short time after the article was disseminated, another e-mail was sent out by the DNI's public affairs office: "A Washington Post article was mistakenly distributed this morning. We regret the error."

Markey in 3-D

We'd written recently about the irony surrounding several VIPs traveling aboard carbon-spewing private jets to "global warming" negotiations that are now under way in Bali, Indonesia.

But not Rep. Edward J. Markey, Massachusetts Democrat and chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, who has devised a way to participate in the negotiations even while he remains in Washington.

The congressman plans to harness the power of the Internet to deliver his address tomorrow to the U.N. Climate Change Conference via an online platform known as Second Life. He will use a 3-D animated version of himself (an "avatar") that will appear on a virtual Bali stage.

Mr. Markey says it demonstrates "an extremely low-carbon way" to encourage stronger support for climate action.

Hybrid sisters

The Catholic Sisters of Mercy, based in Silver Spring, want us to know that they have had a long-standing desire to protect the environment and are now driving hybrid cars and reducing the amount of bottled water they drink.

Sunday exercises

If anybody knows about budget woes, it's President Bush.

So that might have been a pledge card that the president removed from his coat pocket when he scribbled something and handed it to the Rev. Luis Leon on the steps of St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington yesterday after the 7:45 a.m. service.

Minutes earlier, during his announcements, the church pastor encouraged his parishioners to turn in their pledge cards so that he could get started on a "sober" budget. The president spent the rest of what was a damp and rainy morning riding his bike at Fort Belvoir in Virginia and was described as "quite muddy" upon his return to the White House.

Steeped in history

No better historic city than Washington to host the American Historical Association's 122nd annual meeting, during which we can expect no fewer than 5,000 historians and 54 historical societies next month.

Major history buff and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has even signed up to participate in one of several hundred sessions, his a round table on "The People's House."

Public airing

The fight surrounding "patriotic" holiday ads in support of U.S. troops is over, as the Freedom's Watch pieces began airing yesterday on NBC and its affiliate channels MSNBC and CNBC.

"We are glad that NBC ultimately decided to do the right thing and air the ... ads supporting our troops. Thanking our troops is not a political statement — it is a patriotic one," Freedom's Watch President Bradley A. Blakeman said yesterday before the ad premiered during NBC's "Meet the Press."

"We want to thank the hundreds of thousands who viewed the ads online, signed our petition, and let it be known that NBC's refusal would not go unchallenged. It is because of your voice that our ads thanking the troops will be seen by millions of Americans."

NBC originally denied the ads because the conservative organization's Web address also appeared. CNN and Fox aired the ads without comment.

John McCaslin is a contributing columnist on Townhall.com and author of Inside The Beltway: Offbeat Stories, Scoops, and Shenanigans from around the Nation's Capital .

Source: http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/JohnMcCaslin/2007/12/10/on_second_thought?page=full&comments=true

P.S. BOLDS AND HIGHLIGHTS ADDED FOR EMPHASIS: Blogman.

HIS POWER

Ephesians 3:7
Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

Monday, December 17, 2007

CHEM-EXPLOSION AT NEWSCORP BLDG. NYC


Chemical explosion reported at Fox News, New York Post building; 1 injured
Monday, December 17, 2007

NEW YORK - A small chemical explosion hurt one worker Monday in the building that houses Fox News, officials said.

The explosion happened at 10:39 a.m. on the building's 45th floor, which houses the heating and cooling systems for the 47-story building.

The chemical was being routinely tested by a worker from the Department of Environmental Protection, a DEP spokeswoman said.

The chemical, used in heating and cooling systems, fell on the floor, mixed with another substance and caused a small explosion, firefighters said.

The worker was cut on the forehead as he tried to get out of the way; he was taken to a hospital for evaluation.

"We have some sort of reaction between two chemicals that caused a slight explosion," said fire spokesman Jim Long.

There are no offices on the floor, but three floors were evacuated.

The building is the headquarters for News Corp and houses Fox News and the New York Post, which were unaffected. Fox News is in the basement and continued broadcasting without interruption.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

DISARMING POPULATION & TYRANNY OF GUN CONTROL

Disarming of the Population and the Tyranny of Gun Control


By Dana Gabriel http://newworldordermustbestopped.com/DanasBlog.html

There is a war on our freedoms and this includes the right to bear arms. Over the years there has been a mass indoctrination to the evils of guns, which has resulted in the systematic psychological disarmament of the American people. With less armed law-abiding citizens and more gun-free zones, the result has been more helpless victims. It has also demonstrated that we cannot rely on government to protect us from criminals. Most crime we are facing will not be solved by further gun control legislation. Furthermore tyrants like Stalin, Hitler, and Mao all sought to disarm their own citizens in order to control them and ensure their own power. Many genocide victims were deprived of the necessary means to adequately defend themselves. A clear violation of the Second Amendment took place after Hurricane Katrina, when authorities engaged in gun confiscation. In many cases, it was these same guns that kept many individuals, families, and property safe from criminals and thugs when there was no police presence. This has set the precedent for future gun grabbing in times of crisis. There is also a new program in Boston that would allow police with parental permission to search their children's rooms for guns without a search warrant. There has been legislation introduced that would ban U.S. veterans who have experienced even mild forms of Post-Traumatic Stress from ever owning a firearm. The Second Amendment is about upholding the Founding Fathers vision of a free society, and the disarming of the population is a path to tyranny. History serves as the best example, and we all need to stop being naive and thinking that it can't happen here.



There are calls for stricter gun control laws after almost every mass shooting. Taking firearms out of the hands of law-abiding citizens won't prevent such tragedies; it makes us less safe. Gun control laws do little to prevent criminals from acquiring guns, and they simply ignore any gun-free zones which in turn makes them victim disbarment zones. In many cases it was a gun that prevented a situation from further escalating. We can't rely on the police to save us as they usually show up after a crime has been perpetrated. It is our responsibility to protect ourselves and our families. Criminals fear an armed citizenry, and it is not surprising that crime tends to rise in an environment where people have lost their ability to properly defend themselves.



On the heels of a mass shooting that took place in a mall in Omaha Nebraska, there were two recent shootings in Colorado which took place some 12 hours and 70 miles apart by the same shooter. It began at a Youth Mission office and ended in Colorado Springs at the New Life Church. The gunman opened fire in the parking lot, and was later shot several times and brought down by an armed security guard. Although he later shot himself in the head, this is a good example of guns saving lives. The attacker had a backpack which contained as much as 1,000 rounds of ammunition, and the heroic actions of an armed security guard prevented anymore bloodshed. Also recently, Washington Redskin's football player, Sean Taylor became yet another victim of gun control and disarmament. Although his probation had ended, he was unable to own a gun because he had plea bargained. Someone broke into his house, and he tried to defend himself and his family with a machete. He was shot and later died. A population that is disarmed is defenseless and is more easily enslaved.



Only an armed civilian population can properly defend themselves and resist a tyrannical government. When the Nazis seized power in Germany in 1933, they immediately began massive search and seizures of firearms to further neutralize their political opponents. The Gestapo later established a system of central registration of persons obtaining firearms. Hitler's gun control and disarming of the population almost completely guaranteed that firearms were in the possession of Nazi supporters and sympathizers and made any kind of armed resistance inside Germany next to impossible. Hitler said, “The most foolish mistake we would possibly make would be to allow the subject races to possess arms. History shows that all conquers who have allowed their subject races to carry arms have prepared their own downfall by so doing.” The Second Amendment protects the gun rights of individuals and is about preventing tyranny. Gun control and the disarming of the population threatens a nation's very survival. It should come as no surprise that the United Nations, which is essentially the mechanism for world government, wishes to gut the Second Amendment and institute a global gun ban that would include the private ownership of firearms.



The threat to the Second Amendment is also coming internationally as the United Nations has a goal of disarmament. They have actively campaigned for worldwide gun control, and have declared that civilian ownership of guns is a major cause of violence around the world. The reality is that the UN has failed miserably in preventing crimes against humanity, and has further facilitated in the disarming of populations, leaving them defenseless. Many who advocate gun control want every gun in the world to be under UN control. This includes rifles, shot guns, and hand guns. Past UN conferences and forums have proposed a ban on possession of handguns by anyone other than a government official and strategies to reduce the number of handguns in private hands. Others initiatives include a worldwide licensing of firearms registered and administrated by the UN and mandating a maximum one gun per person. They also wish to develop and implement an effective disarmament, dembilization, and reintegration program. The United Nations remains a threat to the Second Amendment , our sovereignty, and security and international laws, and treaties further jeopardize our freedoms. Only after the American people have been disarmed can world governance truly be achieved.



Gun control and the disarming of law-abiding citizens should never be a solution to reducing crime and serves as a recipe for tyranny. Criminals rarely obtain firearms legally, and gun-free zones act as safe havens for criminals and crazies alike, making us all less safe and potential victims. There is a push for tougher gun control in Europe that would include a centralized firearm registration program as opposed to one controlled by individual European Union nations. History has demonstrated that the biggest advocates of gun control and limiting self-defense are those wishing to further empower the state. The training and tactics of police departments have changed, and in the process their traditional role of serving and protecting has been largely abandoned. We need to become more self sufficient and rely less on government, and this includes our own personnel safety. In many respects we are already in a police state. We have almost lost our freedom to challenge the government, and one of the final stages will be the disarming of the American people. It is a fact that the state is the leading cause of unnatural death. An armed citizenry remains an obstacle and a threat to the New World Order's agenda and its power monopoly. We need to restore and protect the Second Amendment and support gun rights. This is not a privilege, and the right to bear arms not only protects citizens and their property, but acts as a deterrent to government tyranny.