Monday, June 14, 2010

Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.


Revelation 18

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1And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

2And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

3For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

4And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

5For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

6Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.

7How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

8Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

9And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,

10Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

11And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:

12The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,

13And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.

14And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.

15The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,

16And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!

17For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,

18And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!

19And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

20Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.

21And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.

22And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;

23And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.

24And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.


King James Version (KJV)

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Sunday, June 13, 2010

Cross pattée


A cross pattée (also known as a "cross pattee", "crosse pattée", "cross patty", "cross formée" or "cross formy" or in German "Tatzenkreuz") is a type of cross that has arms which are narrow at the center, and broader at the perimeter. The name comes from the fact that the shape of each arm of the cross was thought to resemble a paw (French patte). Here are several variants of the cross pattée:


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Crusades

This cross is often associated with Crusaders or the Crusades. The heraldic cross pattée was sometimes used by a Crusader order, the Teutonic Knights (though their more usual emblem was a plain straight black cross on white),[citation needed] and later became associated with Prussia and the 1871-1918 German empire. It continued to be used by the German military after 1918. A version of the Iron Cross is used to date by the German army (Bundeswehr) as its symbol and nationality marking and found on vehicles, aircraft and publications.
The cross pattée is also sometimes associated with another Crusader order, the Knights Templar, though as with the Teutonic Knights, it was not used consistently. The Templars did adopt a red cross on their white robes in 1147,[1] but there was no specific style designated, and different Templars used different versions of the cross. The pattée was by no means their official symbol. However, some modern Freemason organizations do use the pattée in an official way, and this use occasionally causes confusion as to which version was used by the medieval order of Knights Templar.
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Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_patt%C3%A9e
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Pope Begs for Forgiveness

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CBSNewsOnline — June 11, 2010 — At a mass, Pope Benedict XVI publicly apologized for the widespread sex abuse scandal, although victims stay that this is not enough. Charlie D'Agata reports from London.
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The Devil's Strategy Against Sabbathkeepers


Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law? They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood. Ps. 94:20, 21.

As the people of God approach the perils of the last days, Satan holds earnest consultation with his angels as to the most successful plan of overthrowing their faith.... {Mar 163.1}

Says the great deceiver: "... The Sabbath is the great question which is to decide the destiny of souls. We must exalt the sabbath of our creating. We have caused it to be accepted by both worldlings and church members; now the church must be led to unite with the world in its support. We must work by signs and wonders to blind their eyes to the truth, and lead them to lay aside reason and the fear of God and follow custom and tradition. {Mar 163.2}

"I will influence popular ministers to turn the attention of their hearers from the commandments of God.... {Mar 163.3}

"But our principal concern is to silence this sect of Sabbathkeepers. We must excite popular indignation against them. We will enlist great men and worldly-wise men upon our side, and induce those in authority to carry out our purposes. Then the sabbath which I have set up shall be enforced by laws the most severe and exacting. Those who disregard them shall be driven out from the cities and villages, and made to suffer hunger and privation. When once we have the power, we will show what we can do with those who will not swerve from their allegiance to God. . . . Now that we are bringing the Protestant churches and the world into harmony with this right arm of our strength, we will finally have a law to exterminate all who will not submit to our authority. When death shall be made the penalty of violating our sabbath, then many who are now ranked with commandment keepers will come over to our side. {Mar 16

"But before proceeding to these extreme measures, we must . . . ensnare those who honour the true Sabbath. We can separate many from Christ by worldliness, lust, and pride. They may think themselves safe because they believe the truth, but indulgence of appetite or the lower passions, which will confuse judgment and destroy discrimination, will cause their fall." {Mar 163.5} ..
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Maranatha, E. G. White, p. 163.
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Saturday, June 12, 2010

And the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play





Exodus 32

1And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

2And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.

3And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.

4And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

5And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD.

6And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.

7And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:

8They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

9And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:

10Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.

11And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?

12Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.

13Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.

14And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.

15And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.

16And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.

17And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.

18And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.

19And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.

20And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.

21And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?

22And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.

23For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

24And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.

25And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)

26Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.

27And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.

28And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.

29For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves today to the LORD, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.

30And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.

31And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.

32Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.

33And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

34Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.

35And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.


King James Version (KJV) .

Friday, June 11, 2010

Cyber attack 'could fell US within 15 minutes'

The US must prepare itself for a full-scale cyber attack which could cause death and destruction across the country in less than 15 minutes, the former anti-terrorism Tsar to Bill Clinton and George W Bush has warned.

Alex Spillius in Washington
Published: 11:53PM BST 07 May 2010


Former White House counterterrorism advisor Richard A Clarke Photo: EPA


Richard Clarke claims that America's lack of preparation for the annexing of its computer system by terrorists could lead to an "electronic Pearl Harbor".

In his warning, Mr Clarke paints a doomsday scenario in which the problems start with the collapse of one of Pentagon's computer networks.
Soon internet service providers are in meltdown. Reports come in of large refinery fires and explosions in Philadelphia and Houston. Chemical plants malfunction, releasing lethal clouds of chlorine.

Air traffic controllers report several mid-air collisions, while subway trains crash in New York, Washington and Los Angeles. More than 150 cities are suddenly blacked out. Tens of thousands of Americans die in an attack comparable to a nuclear bomb in its devastation.

Yet it would take no more than 15 minutes and involve not a single terrorist or soldier setting foot in the United States.

The scenario is contained the pages of his book, Cyber War: The Next National Security Threat, written with Robert Knake.

And Mr Clarke has been right before.

As anti-terrorism tsar under Mr Clinton and then Mr Bush, he issued dire warnings of the need for better defences against al-Qaeda, and wrote about his futile campaign in the 2004 book Against All Enemies.

Now he argues that a similar lack of preparation could exact a tragic price.

"The biggest secret about cyber war may be that at the very same time the US prepares for offensive cyber war, it is continuing policies that make it impossible to defend effectively from cyber attack," says the book.

In part, the US has been hampered by the unforeseeable success of the internet and expansion of computerised networks, which are now used in almost every aspect of industry but have led to a hazardous degree of over-dependence.

The belief in the internet as the freewheeling, free-spirited epitome of American free speech has made government intrusion politically difficult, leaving the private sector particularly vulnerable to well-trained hackers.

Successive administrations, including President Barack Obama's, have failed to get to grips with the scale of the problem, believe Clarke and Knake, though they have kindred spirits dotted around the establishment.

The military has yet to open its new Cyber Command centre, amid disagreements about what role different agencies will play.

Meanwhile America may have invented the internet, but at least 30 nations have created offensive cyber-war capabilities, which aim to plant a variety of viruses and bugs into key utility, military and financial systems of other states.

The authors are convinced that there will at some point be a cyber-war between two nations and are concerned that such a conflict would "lower the threshold" for a war with bombs and bullets.

Ironically, the United States is currently far more vulnerable to cyberwar than Russia or China, or even North Korea, because those countries have not only concentrated on their cyber defences but are less reliant on the internet.

"We must have the ability to turn off our connection to the internet and still be able to continue to operate," Mr Knake, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, told the Daily Telegraph. "Relying on a system as precarious as the internet is a big mistake.

"It is a fundamentally insecure ecosystem that is ripe for conflict and gives countries with disadvantages in conventional weapons an asymmetrical advantage." Britain, as a nanny state more tolerant of government interference, is far better prepared than its giant ally across the Atlantic.

The US has already experienced two major cyber warning shots. Hackers from Russia or China or both successfully planted software in the US electricity grid that left behind software that could be used to sabotage the system at a later date.

The North Koreans may not be able to feed their people but in 2009 they succeeded in bringing down the servers of the Department of Homeland Security, the US Treasury and several other government departments, along with regular internet providers, by flooding them with requests for data.

Most dramatically, it saturated the internet connections of a Pentagon server that the military would rely for logistical communications in an armed conflict.

"We need to rethink the premise that just because this took place with bits and bytes it wasn't a dangerous and destabilising action," said Mr Knake, who said they wrote the book "to start a conversation".
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Examining Revelation in the 21st century


By Howard Bess
Religion Views
Published on Thursday, June 10, 2010 8:57 PM AKDT

Every time there is a crisis in the nation or the world, real or imagined, a significant part of the Christian population takes on a renewed interest in the last book of the Bible, Revelation. Like it or not, the book called Revelation is in the middle of our 21st century plate. We ignore it to our own peril.

In order to make sense of this literary enigma, a series of questions need to be addressed. Who wrote it? When did the author write it? Why did he write it? To whom did he write it? What literary vehicle did the author use?

Let us begin.

We do not know who wrote the treatise. It was not the apostle John. He had died long before Revelation was written. John was as common a name as it is today. It was a good name for an anonymous author. The best answer is we do not know who wrote the book of Revelation. Common scholarly opinion places the book’s writing some time after the turn of the first century CE, possibly as late as 125 CE.

Among early Christians there was strong resistance to bowing down to a Roman emperor who claimed divinity. Rome was ruthless in persecuting Christian and Jewish believers around Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories because of the issue. The Roman rulers destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem and killed dissenting people by the thousands. To the north of Palestine in Asia Minor (modern Turkey), Christians were especially defiant. They would not bow down to Caesar.

Patmos was an island about 50 miles off the southwest coast of Asia Minor. The Romans used it as an island prison. Uncooperative people were sent to Patmos. Revelation identifies Patmos as the place of writing. Whether the Patmos location is real or symbolic is open to question. The book was written as a letter of defiance and protest for the consumption and encouragement of Christians across Asia Minor.

The writer should be recognized as brilliant. The book of Revelation is one of the great literary masterpieces of the Bible. The writer was talented and was well-informed. He knew what was going on in the world and understood his version of Christian faith. The writer chose apocalypse as his literary form.

Apocalypse is rightly identified as a form of mythology. It qualifies as mythology because God is clearly the primary actor in the story line. Once identified as mythology, concern for historic accuracy is eliminated. Apocalypse is written for emotional/spiritual impact, not the reporting of history.

The closest comparison in modern communications is cartooning. Apocalypse is best understood as verbal cartooning. I read cartoons in the daily paper and in other periodicals to which I subscribe. Good cartoons use exaggeration to make their opinions unmistakable and memorable.

That was exactly what the writer of Revelation was doing.

The central message of Revelation was as clear as a New York Times cartoon. In a series of vivid verbal pictures, a statement is made. Roman emperors think they are in charge of the world. Not so. The God whom Christians serve will have the last word. To its intended audience of persecuted people of Asia Minor, Revelation was a clear and vivid expression of Christian triumphalism. Those for whom the apocalypse was written understood who all the players were. The message of Revelation was as clear to a contemporary reader in Asia Minor as a Doonesbury column is to an informed reader today.

The material understandably resonates with Christian Fundamentalists, who believe the world has been taken over by evil and can be reclaimed for good only by God himself through violent action. With incredible imagination Christian Fundamentalists force modern characters into the roles that were portrayed in the original document 1,900 years ago. They firmly believe that the book of Revelation provides a road map to a time when the Christian God will defeat all opponents, and righteousness will prevail under the rule of a triumphant Christ.

For me, the book of Revelation is not as strange as it first seems. Once its setting and purpose are understood, once the literary genre of apocalyptic writing is grasped, understanding is not difficult. The brilliance of the author of Revelation should be recognized. The book of Revelation ought to take its place among the greatest literary masterpieces of world literature.

The real question is whether I accept its message as being a part of Christian thinking. I do not.

I believe Jesus, the Rabbi from Nazareth, would be horrified that his followers would embrace such thinking. The book of Revelation says that God will achieve his Kingdom on Earth through slaughter and bloodshed. Jesus taught exactly the opposite. According to Jesus, God’s Kingdom is to be established by a servant people with the practice of unfettered love.

I hope I have been helpful to many.



The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister, who lives in Palmer. His e-mail address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.


P.S. Bolds and Highlights used to point out ridiculous statements made by this author.
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12 dead in Arkansas flooding

June 11, 2010 11:50 a.m. EDT



Arkansas state police officer Bill Sadler told CNN the search is on for people still trapped in the area, a rugged stretch of western Arkansas.

"The primary mission of the Arkansas state police working with local authorities right now is to get the living out of the area and locate the dead," Sadler told CNN.

Sadler said there are two helicopters in the area working to locate and assist rescuing the living. He said local authorities are providing search volunteers.



Source: http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/06/11/arkansas.campground.deaths/?hpt=T1
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For the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king


Psalm 89



1I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.

2For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.

3I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,

4Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.

5And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.

6For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD?

7God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.

8O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?

9Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.

10Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.

11The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.

12The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.

13Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.

14Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.

15Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.

16In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.

17For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.

18For the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.

19Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.

20I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him:

21With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him.

22The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.

23And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.

24But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.

25I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.

26He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.

27Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.

28My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.

29His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.

30If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;

31If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;

32Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.

33Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.

34My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.

35Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.

36His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.

37It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.

38But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.

39Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.

40Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin.

41All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours.

42Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.

43Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle.

44Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground.

45The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. Selah.

46How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?

47Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?

48What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.

49Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?

50Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people;

51Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O LORD; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.

52Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen.


King James Version (KJV)
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Thursday, June 10, 2010

Challenges, obstacles and opportunities remain for mission in unity

10.06.10


At the Edinburgh 2010 closing celebration. Photo: Gary Doak/Edinburgh 2010


by Theodore Gill (*)


“Take your stumbling-blocks, and turn them into stepping-stones.” This was the well-known personal byword of Christian statesman and Nobel Peace Prize laureate John R. Mott (1865-1955). Mott, a Methodist layman from the United States, was a key organizer of the World Missionary Conference at Edinburgh, Scotland in 1910.

As some 300 delegates from over 60 countries and virtually all Christian traditions made their way home from Edinburgh 2010, a 2-6 June convocation held to honour the centenary of Edinburgh 1910 and consider means of witnessing to Christ today, visions of stumbling blocks and stepping stones were easy to conjure.

"Edinburgh 2010 has opened up a vision for common work and further cooperation between mission organizations and churches from different traditions", says Jacques Matthey, a Swiss theologian who for many years has been a leading figure in the World Council of Churches’ work on mission and evangelism.

"Whilst Christian mission in the 21st century has been marked by conflict, the Edinburgh 2010 process opens up the promise to bring about an era of new relationships in mission between various traditions of world Christianity", says Matthey. "We have seen that a different way to relate to each other is possible." If only because of that, the conference is "an important step towards wider forms of unity in mission".

On the other hand, Matthey acknowledges that Edinburgh 2010 was not fully representative of world Christianity. "The youth, the global South and neo-charismatic or independent groups among others were not sufficiently represented", he says. In addition to that, as some Pentecostal participants have pointed out, there was too much academic language and not enough narrative contributions from the South.

However, Matthey still finds as a "legitimate source of joy the enormous breadth of participation" that marked Edinburgh 2010. The wide spectrum of churches, denominations and mission traditions united around the project – which included Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, Reformed, Methodist, Baptist, Seventh Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Evangelical, Pentecostal and Independent traditions – made it "the most representative of the diversity of world Christianity today".

For Matthey, the conference's Common Call "carries some significant theological content". To highlight but a few elements, Matthey points out "the understanding of Christian mission as God's mission in the world; the idea that mission involves the whole of life including God's creation; the importance given to the role of the Holy Spirit; the space of youth and children in mission; and the value of cooperation and mutual welcome between churches".


“Mutual acceptance and appreciation”

On Sunday 6 June, after the end of a three-hour closing celebration in the Church of Scotland’s Assembly Hall, where the historic 1910 gathering took place, four panelists who were involved in the 2010 conference shared their opinions of conference outcomes as well as questions they have been left to ponder.

Rose Dowsett of Glasgow, Scotland, one of the planners of the Edinburgh 2010 study process, said she found Edinburgh 2010 “unique and historic” because of the scope of its inclusion and the extent to which participants had “found ways we could work together” in bearing witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. “We are in agreement that the news of Jesus Christ is good news, and it is for all people. I hope we can carry this away with us.”

Dowsett, who is vice-moderator of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA)’s mission commission, observed that Edinburgh 2010 did not create a “continuation committee” as was the case in 1910 because there is “no intention for a long-term institutional life this time.”

However, she emphasized that individual comments on reports of the conference and local or regional groups’ contributions arising from the process will continue to be received and reviewed, particularly through discussion on the conference website.

José Lopez Vázquez, a Latin American youth delegate, detected hesitancy on the part of participants to raise controversial topics during the four days of discussion. He cited gender, sexuality and restorative justice as issues that had been largely avoided. “This was a very nice attempt to reunite around mission,” he said, “but people didn’t really engage seriously, sometimes. They were afraid.”

Lopez Vázquez also protested the dominance of the English language in the proceedings, pointing out that representation from regions of the world is sure to remain unbalanced unless problems of translation can be overcome.

The remaining members of Sunday’s panel were the Anglican archbishop of York, John Sentamu, and the Catholic archbishop of Glasgow, Mario Conti.

Archbishop Conti expressed hope for the future of Christian mission undertaken in a spirit of unity. He felt strongly encouraged by the way in which participants had been "looking together at the way we could act effectively in witnessing to Christ today”. He strongly endorsed the Common Call of the conference as a statement of principles.

Archbishop Sentamu also spoke of the challenge to Christian mission that arises from the flawed, human character of the faithful themselves. Those who fully come to accept people who are different from themselves often lose standing in their own communities. He observed, “a rediscovery of our common humanity is something we do not easily respect.”

For Sentamu, the establishment of unity among human beings, including the members of diverse church traditions, is never a matter of “a cheap or costless compromise”. The intricacies of ecumenical dialogue are bound to occupy theologians over time, but they ultimately will lead to "a meeting in the truth of the gospel", said the archbishop, quoting the late Pope John Paul II. Meanwhile, he added, “We need to be able to pray for one another.”

“The end and the beginning”

Encouragement to exercise loving hospitality towards others and humility in Christian outreach formed the refrains of Edinburgh 2010’s closing celebration, which was attended by more than a thousand worshippers gathered at the same venue as the 1910 groundbreaking World Missionary Conference: the Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland, set on The Mound near Edinburgh Castle and St Giles Cathedral.

Archbishop Sentamu preached the sermon. “Human activity only begets human activity. The prophetic Word and the Spirit make us live,” he said. His voice echoed with an evangelizing passion that recalled preachers of the past who spoke in the same space.

John R. Mott, who was elected chairman of the continuation committee established by the 1910 conference, famously began his final speech at that gathering: “The end of the conference is the beginning of the conquest. The end of the planning is the beginning of the doing.” Yet Mott was no stranger to obstacles when it came to mission and Christian unity.

He saw plans for the International Missionary Council tragically delayed in the decade following Edinburgh 1910 because of the turmoil of the great war of 1914-18. A generation later, the formation of the World Council of Churches was similarly stalled by the devastation of the Second World War.

And yet Mott could be relied upon to implore his colleagues to find ways of turning “stumbling-blocks into stepping-stones”. Surely this is also Mott’s message for Christians of the 21st century.
(*) Theodore Gill is senior editor of WCC Publications in Geneva and a minister ordained by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

More information

Photos
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WCC FEATURE: Mission in unity: Challenges, obstacles and opportunities remain


WCC FEATURE: Mission in unity: Challenges, obstacles and opportunities remain

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From WCC media
Date Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:54:24 +0200


>World Council of Churches - Feature

CHALLENGES, OBSTACLES AND OPPORTUNITIES REMAIN FOR MISSION IN UNITY

>For immediate release: 10 June 2010

>by Theodore Gill (*)

“Take your stumbling-blocks, and turn them into stepping-stones.� �� This
was the well-known personal byword of Christian statesman and Nobel Peace
Prize laureate John R. Mott (1865-1955). Mott, a Methodist layman from the
United States, was a key organizer of the World Missionary Conference at
Edinburgh, Scotland in 1910.

As some 300 delegates from over 60 countries and virtually all Christian
traditions made their way home from Edinburgh 2010, a 2-6 June convocatio n
held to honour the centenary of Edinburgh 1910 and consider means of
witnessing to Christ today, visions of stumbling blocks and stepping
stones were easy to conjure.

"Edinburgh 2010 has opened up a vision for common work and further
cooperation between mission organizations and churches from different
traditions", says Jacques Matthey, a Swiss theologian who for many years
has been a leading figure in the World Council of Churches’ work on
mission and evangelism.

"Whilst Christian mission in the 21st century has been marked by conflict,
the Edinburgh 2010 process opens up the promise to bring about an era of
new relationships in mission between various traditions of world
Christianity", says Matthey. "We have seen that a different way to relate
to each other is possible." If only because of that, the conference is "an
important step towards wider forms of unity in mission".

On the other hand, Matthey acknowledges that Edinburgh 2010 was not fully
representative of world Christianity. "The youth, the global South and
neo-charismatic or independent groups among others were not sufficiently
represented", he says. In addition to that, as some Pentecostal
participants have pointed out, there was too much academic language and
not enough narrative contributions from the South.

However, Matthey still finds as a "legitimate source of joy the enormous
breadth of participation" that marked Edinburgh 2010. The wide spectrum of
churches, denominations and mission traditions united around the project
– which included Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, Reformed, Methodist,
Baptist, Seventh Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Evangelical, Pentecostal
and Independent traditions – made it "the most representative of the
diversity of world Christianity today".

For Matthey, the conference's Common Call (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=0013ce9b70da6b636ef8)
"carries some significant theological content". To highlight but a few
elements, Matthey points out "the understanding of Christian mission as
God's mission in the world; the idea that mission involves the whole of
life including God's creation; the importance given to the role of the
Holy Spirit; the space of youth and children in mission; and the value of
cooperation and mutual welcome between churches".

“Mutual acceptance and appreciation”

On Sunday 6 June, after the end of a three-hour closing celebration in the
Church of Scotland’s Assembly Hall, where the historic 1910 gathering
took place, four panelists who were involved in the 2010 conference shared
their opinions of conference outcomes as well as questions they have been
left to ponder.

Rose Dowsett of Glasgow, Scotland, one of the planners of the Edinburgh
2010 study process, said she found Edinburgh 2010 “unique and
historic” because of the scope of its inclusion and the extent to which
participants had “found ways we could work together” in bearing
witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. “We are in agreement that the
news of Jesus Christ is good news, and it is for all people. I hope we can
carry this away with us.”

Dowsett, who is vice-moderator of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA)’s
mission commission, observed that Edinburgh 2010 did not create a
“continuation committee” as was the case in 1910 because there is
“no intention for a long-term institutional life this time.�� �

However, she emphasized that individual comments on reports of the
conference and local or regional groups’ contributions arising from the
process will continue to be received and reviewed, particularly through
discussion on the conference website (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=c0e620fec06b898362aa).

José Lopez Vázquez, a Latin American youth delegate, detected hesitancy
on the part of participants to raise controversial topics during the four
days of discussion. He cited gender, sexuality and restorative justice as
issues that had been largely avoided. “This was a very nice attempt to
reunite around mission,” he said, “but people didn’ t really engage
seriously, sometimes. They were afraid.”

Lopez Vázquez also protested the dominance of the English language in the
proceedings, pointing out that representation from regions of the world is
sure to remain unbalanced unless problems of translation can be overcome.

The remaining members of Sunday’s panel were the Anglican archbishop of
York, John Sentamu, and the Catholic archbishop of Glasgow, Mario Conti.

Archbishop Conti expressed hope for the future of Christian mission
undertaken in a spirit of unity. He felt strongly encouraged by the way in
which participants had been "looking together at the way we could act
effectively in witnessing to Christ today”. He strongly endorsed the
Common Call of the conference as a statement of principles.

Archbishop Sentamu also spoke of the challenge to Christian mission that
arises from the flawed, human character of the faithful themselves. Those
who fully come to accept people who are different from themselves often
lose standing in their own communities. He observed, “a rediscovery of
our common humanity is something we do not easily respect.”

For Sentamu, the establishment of unity among human beings, including the
members of diverse church traditions, is never a matter of “a cheap or
costless compromise”. The intricacies of ecumenical dialogue are bound
to occupy theologians over time, but they ultimately will lead to "a
meeting in the truth of the gospel", said the archbishop, quoting the late
Pope John Paul II. Meanwhile, he added, “We need to be able to pray for
one another.”

>“The end and the beginning”

Encouragement to exercise loving hospitality towards others and humility in
Christian outreach formed the refrains of Edinburgh 2010’s closing
celebration, which was attended by more than a thousand worshippers
gathered at the same venue as the 1910 groundbreaking World Missionary
Conference: the Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland, set on The Mound
near Edinburgh Castle and St Giles Cathedral.

Archbishop Sentamu preached the sermon. “Human activity only begets human
activity. The prophetic Word and the Spirit make us live,” he said. His
voice echoed with an evangelizing passion that recalled preachers of the
past who spoke in the same space.

John R. Mott, who was elected chairman of the continuation committee
established by the 1910 conference, famously began his final speech at
that gathering: “The end of the conference is the beginning of the
conquest. The end of the planning is the beginning of the doing.” Yet
Mott was no stranger to obstacles when it came to mission and Christian
unity.

He saw plans for the International Missionary Council tragically delayed in
the decade following Edinburgh 1910 because of the turmoil of the great
war of 1914-18. A generation later, the formation of the World Council of
Churches was similarly stalled by the devastation of the Second World War.

And yet Mott could be relied upon to implore his colleagues to find ways of
turning “stumbling-blocks into stepping-stones”. Surely this is also
Mott’s message for Christians of the 21st century.

>[1,146 words]

(*) Theodore Gill is senior editor of WCC Publications in Geneva and a
minister ordained by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

More information (Link:

http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=6764337939e783198831)
.
Photos (Link: http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=df66dd5c44b80c5c 96f0)

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and
service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches
founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant,
Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560 million
Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman
Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, from
the [Lutheran] Church of Norway. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
.
.

How did we get here?


For the Presidential Campaign of 1928 there was a slogan that may sound old-fashioned today:
A chicken in every pot and a car in every garage – Herbert Hoover


However, that was then; This is now.
Today we've reached a low in morality in which anything goes, and what was once wrong, is now considered acceptable. As I thought upon this phenomenon; I discovered that if there were a slogan describing the times in which we live in - it might sound like this:

An abortion for every female, and a same-sex marriage for anyone who wants one.


We've come to a point in 'civilization' in which we are so corrupted spiritually that we excuse every vice under the sun. We have become like Sodom and Gomorrah. We all know what happened to those two wicked cities? The Lord destroyed them!
Can we expect a different outcome today for the conditions we see in our land, in our continent, in our world? Especially, when this degenerate rationale is being mandated (condoned) by laws originating from the highest offices of the nation?


Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

Proverbs 14:34

Arsenio.
..

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

They can put a man on the moon?




But, they can't plug a pipe in the Deep?

Call the Army Corp of Engineers;

Call the Marines;

Call the Culligan man;

Call the Maytag Repairman:

Call the Shell Answer Man;

Call Chiken Delight;

Call someone with the capabilities and know how to stop this charade!

The apathy in rectifying this disaster is way beyond the incompetence diagnosis.

Who's in charge? Who's on first? Who's on the plate?


Arsenio.
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Empire State Building Won't Honor Mother Teresa

NEW YORK, June 9, 2010

Empire State Building Won't Honor Mother Teresa

Management Refuses to Say Why it Won't Light Skyscraper Blue and White in Honor of Nobel Peace Prize Winner's Birthday



New York's Empire State Building is illuminated with the colors of the British flag in honor of Princess Diana, September 1997. (AP)





(WCBS) The Empire State building has gone green for Saint Patrick's Day and Earth Day, red for the 60th anniversary of the Chinese Cultural Revolution and even pink for the release of a Mariah Carey album. Wednesday night, the landmark will be bathed in yellow for the "Alliance For Young Artists And Writers." However, the management of New York's tallest skyscraper turned down a request by the Catholic League to go blue and white to honor Mother Teresa on her 100th birthday in August and the City Council wants to know why.

The Council will consider a resolution Wednesday to force the Empire State Building's management the honor the Nobel Peace Prize winner, champion of the poor and candidate for sainthood. City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. introduced a bill formally requesting the tribute on behalf of the City. "She deserves better. She's one of the greatest women history has ever known," he said.

CBS 2's Lou Young tried to get answers from the Empire State building's management a few weeks ago, but came up empty. Neither was the City Council, and even the Archbishop of New York was perplexed.

"I kind of shrug my shoulders with everybody else," Dolan said on March 14. "I guess there must be a reason. It'd be tough for me to understand a credible one, but I wish they'd kind of tell us. It's tough to be against Mother Teresa?

The simple blue and white lighting would be the same colors used for a Yankees World Series win or an Israeli Independence Day. In this case it would be the colors worn by a crusader for the poor, yet the people who own the Empire State Building said they won't pay this simple tribute and they refuse to offer an explanation to people who made the application.

There's a number of reasons why they might not want to do this for Mother Teresa. Maybe they don't do it for individual people. Maybe they don't do birthdays. Maybe she's too short. The point is, they haven't talked at all, and they haven't given any reason at all why they won't light the building for her 100th birthday.

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Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/06/09/national/main6564295.shtml
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Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Growing indoor herbs








Growing indoor herbs

By Tom Kovach

Herbs enhance many a dish and many of them have a lot of health value to boot. But if you live in a northerly climate, growing herbs is limited to growing them outdoors in warm weather. However, there are a number of herbs that do well indoors during the cold winter months.

Gardening experts at the University of Minnesota's Extension service caution that certain herbs will not do well indoors and will either shed their leaves or go into dormancy. Some of the herbs you should not attempt to grow indoors include lemon verbena, sweet basil, summer savory, and tarragon.


But there are plenty of varieties of herbs that will do well indoors, especially if they are placed on a south-facing window sill.

When herbs are grown indoors they can be started from seeds or from cuttings. Some herbs that are great candidates for indoor growing include Aloe, Basil, Borage, Calendula, Chervil, Chives, Ginger, Hyssop, Lemon Balm, Lemongrass, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Scented Geranium, Sweet Bay, and Thyme.

Popular herbs such as parsley, sage, thyme, and oregano can be easily grown in small containers and harvested as needed for cooking.

Herbs can be grown indoors in many different kinds of containers. Terra cotta pots are ideal. But some look-alike plastic planters are much cheaper and will retain water better. There is also the traditional long, narrow window box. Strawberry pots also work well for indoor herbs. Remember, certain herbs will need more space in which to grow, rosemary and sweet bay, for example.

One of the most important things to remember when growing plants indoors is the need for good lighting. Most indoor herbs will need about six hours of sunlight each day from a south or east facing window. (Of course the south facing windows are best). Also give each herb container a quarter-turn once each week so all sides will get sunlight. This will result in more even growth.

If you have only an east or west facing window, some herbs that can be tried include; mints, such as peppermint, spearmint, and lemon balm.


If you simply live in an area where sunlight is very limited, you can also grow indoor herbs under artificial lights. Full-spectrum plant lights will produce the best results, although cool or white daylight bulbs will also work. Make sure you keep the tops of plants at least five inches from any artificial light.

The soil you use for indoor herbs is also an important factor. Never use garden dirt. Use only good quality potting soil with organic fertilizer mixed in. If the soil is very fine, add up to 30 percent more perlite.

Water herbs thoroughly when the plant is dry. Don't overwater but don't let the plants wilt. An inexpensive water meter is a good idea if you have doubts about how much water you are applying to the plants. The water should not be ice cold, nor should it be hot. Fill your watering container ahead of time and let it become room temperature.

And speaking of temperature, the ideal would be to have the room at 70 to 75 degrees in the daytime and 55 or 60 at night. It can be hard to regulate, but try to keep the temperature as close to this temperature range for best survival and growth of the herbs.

As mentioned before, the organic fertilizer you mix in as you pot the plant should do. As the herbs grow you can add a little organic liquid fertilizer to the water.

Besides the herbs mentioned, chives, onion sets, and garlic can also be grown indoors using some of the same pots and methods used for the herbs.

Always plan ahead. Don't wait until winter to get your indoor herbs started. Start in the fall and let the plants settle in before the really cold weather kicks in.
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FROM THIS TIME FORWARD



FROM THIS TIME FORWARD


By Sheriff Jim R. Schwiesow, Ret.

June 8, 2010
NewsWithViews.com

“I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there were none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.” -Isaiah 53: 4-4

From this time forward the people of this nation will not know a day of peace, there will be no good news, each bad day will fade into another equally bad day, and the black and ghostly apparitions of the former will blend with the grim and ghastly tidings of the new. The Lord has departed from a people that have departed from Him and prostituted themselves before heathen gods, a people who will in the coming days loathe themselves for the evils that they have committed in all of their abominations. They will surely know that He is the Sovereign God who will carry out His word to do evil unto them that defy His word and deny His Lordship over all of creation.

The great spiritual sickness that has settled across this land has progressed beyond the limits of a cure; a pagan people have spurned the divine corrective persuasions visited upon a sinful nation, and the loving God who sent them has been disdained and blasphemed. The day of reckoning is at hand.

GOD VERSUS MAN -

Thinking themselves to be gods men have, they believe, gathered to themselves the wisdom to control their own destiny. They profess to have discerned the knowledge to control their environment, yet floods continue, hurricanes persist, tornadoes demolish, tidal waves devastate, volcanoes seethe, fires rage, hail destroys, drought endures, and earthquakes rend the earth and swallow cities.

Medical scientists claim to have the key to the mysteries of the human body and the ability to heal. Yet disease-causing bacterium thrive, cancers kill, MS cripples, ALS paralyses, kidneys fail, brains atrophy, limbs whither, and hearts falter and stop. If the victims of such afflictions do not perish from the maladies upon them they succumb from the treatments rendered. This despite the billions of dollars bilked from people through the years by various organizations to fund the research to conquer all of the aforementioned killers of men, women, and children, all to no avail. Is it money misspent or is it, in fact, that healing comes only from God and men have not the power of healing within them.

For men to think that their teensy little brains are on a level with the mind of the Lord God of all creation is in itself a profanation.

Unless the defending hand of God abides with men and provides security from the adversity of the elements, delivers upon them the life-sustaining constituents, and guides them in their endeavors they will perish. Men cannot exist apart from the God who created them. Without the maintaining presence of God all endeavors of men will fail. They are as helpless as a newborn baby without the nurturing hand of a parent. It is a foolish man indeed that despises the power that gives him breath and scorns a presence with absolute ascendancy over the universe of which man is an exceedingly infinitesimal part.

“WE HAVE HAD OUR LAST CHANCE”

“If we will not devise some greater and equitable system, our Armageddon will be at the door. The problem basically is theological and involves a spiritual recrudescence, an improvement in human character that will synchronize with our almost matchless advances in science, art, and literature, and all material and cultural developments of the past 2,000 years. It must be of the spirit if we are to save the flesh.” -Gen Douglas MacArthur

Our last chance is now encapsulated within the past; this nation has progressed from bad to intensely filthy to demoniacally evil. The Lord has given us up to our own devices and our powers are woefully inadequate to solve the problems that confront us.

Dear reader if one is startled or surprised at the alarmingly portentous trend of the events upon this nation it would have to be that this person is not truly committed to, or a believer in, the Lord Jesus Christ. The occurrences that we are witnessing are in fact the birth pangs associated with the Day of the Lord. Those who are conversant with His word and believe in its inerrancy are not in the dark. They recognize that the world and this nation are traversing the final leg of the road to perdition.

HEADLINES: GOVERNMENT REGULATORS DOWNPLAY ENVIRONMENTSL IMPACT OF OIL SPILL – OBAMA ORDERS BP TO STOP SPILL

Just when I think that I have plumbed the depth of the foolishness that is abroad in this country something, such as these headlines, comes along to disabuse me of that thought. Certainly such silliness as this puts to rest Darwin’s theory that an intelligent species morphed from that lovesick amoeba that supposedly oozed from a primordial soup and ultimately became man.

Why, I ask do these cretins continually refer to this disaster as a spill? What we have is a gusher of crude oil emanating at high pressure through a hole in the earth’s crust from a huge reservoir of crude in the bowels of the earth, and this a mile down on the floor of the Gulf waters. This is no less than a manmade catastrophe, but to hear Mr. Obama and his government regulators tell it one might think that Paul Bunyon kicked over bucket of crude and that we will wipe it up with a rag.

BP and the Obama administration have fed the people a litany of lies from the inception of this monumental blunder unto the present time. And if it were not for some truthful caring and sharing independent engineers the entire population would still be in the dark as to the dire magnitude of this man caused eruption that has the potential to turn into a worldwide cataclysm, and most likely will.

Of course we need not be apprehensive any more now that President Obama has ordered that the “spill” be stopped. Since “We will change the world” Obama deems himself to be our savior one wonders why he hasn’t just gone to the gulf, parted the waters, and plugged the leak. I am sure that all those who have put their faith in this novitiate’s campaign messiah rhetoric will certainly rest easy knowing that the people’s savior has now ordered that the “spill” be stopped.

PRIDE GOES BEFORE A FALL

For well over a decade this nation has been continually assailed by cataclysmic events, the circumstances of which have cost billions and destroyed lives, property, and peace of mind. At no time through this series of catastrophes have I observed a stiff-necked people turn to Almighty God in repentance and ask his forgiveness of our national sin. I have witnessed a remorseful response to the losses that were incurred, but remorse for the sins of the nation is conspicuously absent. Not a single politician has kneeled in the presence of God in humble subjection and appealed, in the name of Jesus, for mercy and forgiveness. To do so in these times would ensure the defeat of that politician by his, or her, constituency. In this nation and in this time the false gods of heathen religions are accepted and protected by the people, the courts, and the political system, but the one true God is rejected and despised.

THE CONTINUING LAWLESSNESS OF A SINFUL NATION

Despite the seamless calamities that descend steadily upon this nation there has been not the slightest discernable lessening or reversal of the deformed moral character of the people. It is popular to blame the putrid immorality of our society upon the courts and the politicians, but the truth is that no inimical legislation is passed, no immoral law is upheld, and no vice is encouraged or protected without the collective approval and commendation of the people.

Infanticide continues at a steady pace in this nation, murdering medical practitioners have exterminated some sixty-one million babies. It is an abhorrence of monumental and cold-blooded savagery. If sixty-one million puppies were similarly systematically annihilated the population would be howling for the heads of those doing the killings. Such is our twisted sense of morality and justness. This nation is stained with the blood of these infants, and their blood cries out for justice, and justice for these little creatures of God will not be denied.

The minds and bodies of our youth continue to be corrupted and defiled by indoctrination by the schools, the government, and the social institutions of this nation in the filthy practice of sodomy and the encouragement of same sex marriages. These perverse practices are promoted and accepted by the media, the legislative bodies, the courts, and the majority of the denominational churches. A solid majority of the people deems them normal and acceptable even though the Bible condemns such as abominations.

Surely repentance is not going to emanate from the bulk of the church pulpits in this society. Too many preachers have not the faith of a gnat or the integrity of an ant when it comes to upholding scriptural instruction. They ignore the Gospel and evade the teachings of Christ and His disciples in order to preach social justice and universal salvation. Many embrace the false doctrine of universalism as an alternate to Christ’s teaching that no one comes to the Father except by Him. By their evasion of scriptural admonitions against destructive behavior they encourage degenerate and unbiblical practices. And then they have the temerity to call themselves ministers of God.

In spite all of the foregoing we have the audacity to ask God to bless this country. Every time I hear a politician close a speech or an address with God Bless America I cringe for that person in abject shame before the sovereign God.

AND THE END OF THE STORY

There are some hard learners who think yet that the nation can be rescued by correct political leaders and a return to constitutional principles. They still seek a restoration by and of men. They fail to take into account that the perverse in this nation far outnumber the honest and honorable. But, more importantly they fail to recognize that it is a spiritual disease that afflicts our society and saps the life’s blood from a once blessed republic. We are under condemnation by the Lord God for our national sins.

There are no saviors among men; one would think that after one year of Obama that lesson would have been brought home. Still we know that men rely upon men, and we also know that this will continue until the people of the entire world turn their lives over to the antichrist and slip completely into the evil grasp of Satan, the enemy of God and man.

This country is well beyond being salvageable. It is in fact destined for complete destruction. This is what happens when one shuns his creator and rests his faith in corruptible men. We are staring disaster in the face. Our national debt now exceeds thirteen trillion dollars, and will soon be greater that the entire national economy. Nothing is going to stave off an economic collapse. Continuing disasters of one kind or another coupled with the desperate and dumb endeavors of the government and the Federal Reserve serve to deepen the crisis and hasten the coming breakup of the economy. When that collapse comes it will be a catalyst that sets into motion a rolling series of events that will bring this nation rapidly to its knees.

The mestizo hoards that the political dimwits and social liberals have encouraged to pour across our borders have seriously disrupted social order and social cohesion, they have dissipated local economies and siphoned off monies earmarked for the native indigent and elderly, they have escalated crime and threatened the personal safety of individual American citizens, and they have resurrected and spread diseases had been nearly eliminated in the United States. They have inflicted no less injury to the nation than the barbarian Huns, Goths and Visigoths visited upon an equally stupid Roman Empire.

When social unrest reaches a volatile point and social wars are ignited these will join with the subversive Muslim elements that we have, in our limited wisdom, allowed to infiltrate the society to propagate their kill the infidel agenda. This country is destined to experience an internal turmoil that will so weaken our ability to fend off foreign belligerents that we will be attacked and destroyed. In plain blunt language this nation is toast.

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” -Matthew 7:13-14

Dear readers you can escape destruction: “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Seek the narrow gate.

© 2010 - Jim R. Schwiesow
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Source: http://www.newswithviews.com/Schwiesow/jim167.htm
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Catholic Archbishop Tries to Stop Pro-Gay Military Policy






Catholic Archbishop Tries to Stop Pro-Gay Military Policy


By Cliff Kincaid June 7, 2010


Although some news organizations have suggested that repeal of DADT is a done deal, the repeal legislation has passed the House and the Senate Armed Services Committee but must still be acted upon by the full Senate.

Reacting to passage of pro-gay military legislation in the Congress, the Catholic Archbishop for the Military Services says repeal of the Pentagon’s homosexual exclusion policy would sanction “immoral activity” and “jeopardize morale, good morals, unit cohesion and every other factor that weakens the [military] mission.”

In a late-breaking development that could imperil the ultimate passage of legislation to open the military to open and active homosexuals, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the chief shepherd of Catholics in the United States Armed Forces, has issued a powerful statement saying that the Bible demands disapproval of homosexuality and that “Under no circumstances can they [homosexual acts] be approved.”

Appointed as Archbishop of the Military Services on November 19, 2007, by Pope Benedict XVI, Broglio is in charge of certifying Roman Catholic chaplains to the United States government.
Refusing to beat around the bush in regard to the Bible’s condemnation of homosexuality, Broglio says in his statement that, “Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that ‘homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.’ They are contrary to the natural law.”

Broglio’s June 1 statement has been ignored by the pro-homosexual media, which want to create the public perception of overwhelming public support for the presence of homosexuals in the military. But his statement, issued just a few days ago, is starting to get the attention of Catholic news organizations and bloggers.

The authoritative statement not only has the potential to stop repeal of the policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” (DADT) in its tracks, but it puts Catholic politicians such as Rep. Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania on notice that they are promoting an immoral policy that jeopardizes their standing in the Catholic Church.

Murphy, the main sponsor in the House of the repeal legislation, has claimed that, as an Iraq war veteran, he knew gays who have served the military and that they should be able to do so openly.

But Broglio, issuing his statement in response to chaplains and commanding officers expressing “concerns about the effects of a change,” makes it clear that a vote for repeal violates church teaching and would put Catholic chaplains and troops in a situation in which their own rights to religious freedom would be violated.

The implication is that Catholic chaplains who remain true to the Bible and church teaching could be forced out of the services or silenced if DADT is repealed.

In this regard, Broglio is raising an issue that was highlighted in a letter to President Barack Obama and Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates from more than 40 retired military chaplains. Their letter asserts that DADT repeal would not only threaten the religious liberty of chaplains but service members as well.

We saw how the pro-gay policy would be exercised in practice when Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, an ordained minister and a Marine Corps veteran, was disinvited to a military prayer breakfast because of his opposition to homosexuals in the military.

Perkins asked, “If I was blacklisted merely for supporting existing law, what will happen to those who oppose the new, politically correct law?”

Despite what may be required under repeal of DADT, in terms of discrimination against Christians and the banishment of Biblical notions of morality, Broglio warns political authorities that “unions between individuals of the same gender resembling marriage will not be accepted or blessed by Catholic chaplains” and that “no restrictions or limitations on the teaching of Catholic morality can be accepted.”

He adds, “First Amendment rights regarding the free exercise of religion must be respected.”
The statement sets up a potential confrontation, if DADT repeal is ultimately adopted, with the 285 Roman Catholic priests serving the active-duty military service.

Broglio is extremely concerned about the impact on the troops themselves and raises concern in his statement about disruptions to military order and readiness if open and active homosexuals are forced into the ranks. He accuses members of Congress voting for repeal of putting the demands of a special interest group, the gay lobby, above the well-being and security of our soldiers.

“The effect of a repeal of the current legislation has the potential of being enormous and overwhelming,” he says, adding that “Sacrificing the moral beliefs of individuals or their living conditions to respond to merely political considerations is neither just nor prudent especially for the armed forces at a time of war.”

Those “political considerations” were an obvious factor when the House voted 234-to-194 on May 27 to repeal DADT. Only five Republicans, including libertarian Rep. Ron Paul, voted for gays in the military. In a flip-flop, Paul had previously been in favor of the ban on open and active homosexuals. He said calls from gay constituents had changed his mind.

In addition to sanctioning discrimination against Christian chaplains and soldiers, repeal of DADT would give special rights to homosexual, bisexual, and even “transgendered” military personnel. Indeed, there is a “Transgender American Veterans Association” in existence that is devoted to “educating the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense on issues regarding fair and equal treatment of transgender and transsexual individuals.”

Under repeal of DADT, transgendered soldiers could demand access to therapy, hormone treatment and sexual reassignment surgery.

Although some news organizations have suggested that repeal of DADT is a done deal, the repeal legislation has passed the House and the Senate Armed Services Committee but must still be acted upon by the full Senate. A vote there faces a possible filibuster, while the House bill with the repeal amendment still faces various difficulties in eventually being enacted into law.
Broglio’s powerful statement, if it is given the publicity it deserves, has the potential to turn the debate in favor of supporters of the current policy.



Cliff Kincaid is the Editor of the AIM Report and can be reached at cliff.kincaid@aim.org


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Americans say gays are ok



June 02, 2010
Americans say gays are ok





For the first time since Gallup began measuring the "moral acceptability" of homosexuality, a majority of Americans support gay and lesbian relations.



Last month's poll found 52 percent of adults consider homosexuality acceptable, while 43 percent find it morally wrong.



Christians and people from other religious traditions have grown more tolerant of gays and lesbians, according to Gallup. The percentage of Catholics calling gay relations "morally acceptable" has increased by more than a third in the past five years, up to 62 percent. More Americans also favor legalizing gay marriage.


Although America's stance on homosexuality remains a contentious social issue, nearly split nationwide, gays and lesbians are moving towards equality in some of the country's mainline Protestant denominations. The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles recently ordained the church's first openly gay female bishop. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America decided last year to allow non-celibate gay and lesbian clergy to serve. Despite some dissenters, the ELCA has continued to seek the full inclusion of homosexual church leaders and members.

The Houston area has also seen record levels of support for gay rights. The most recent Houston Area Survey, conducted by researchers at Rice University found more area residents believe gays should be able to adopt (from 19 percent in 1991 to 52 percent in 2010), serve openly in the military (from 52 percent in 2000 to 73 percent in 2010) and have the same legal marriage status as heterosexuals (from 34 percent in 1993 to 43 percent in 2010).

In the survey, fewer people cited homosexuality as a personal choice rather than a factor of genetics and environment (from 41 percent in 2008 to 34 percent in 2010).

Posted by Kate Shellnutt at June 2, 2010 09:39 AM


Source: http://blogs.chron.com/believeitornot/2010/06/americans_say_gays_are_ok_1.html