Friday, June 13, 2014

As It Was in the Days of Noah


(Written August 20, 1897.)

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” [Matthew 24:36-39]. [Mark 13:32-37, quoted.]

In the days of Noah the world was so full of wickedness that the Lord declared that He would not bear with it longer. Such a state of things will exist prior to the second appearing of Christ. But though the wickedness of the world was so great, yet the Lord gave men one hundred and twenty years of probation, in which, if they would, they could repent. But notwithstanding the forbearance of a good and merciful God, the people did not improve their opportunities. For a little time they were awed, and afraid to go on as recklessly as they had done. Then, depraved habits prevailed over restraint. In proportion as the people resisted conviction, their discernment was clouded, and their desire to follow a course of ungodliness strengthened. Jude describes the condition of things then existing:

“And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him. These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage” [Jude 1:14-16].

This picture the inspired servant of God has traced for the instruction and warning of all who shall live in the last days of this earth’s history. There are men who see the truth, and who should stand fast in their integrity, because they are responsible before God for the influence of their words and actions, yet who say to those who are doing their work in the fear of the Lord, striving to prepare a people to watch and be sober, “We cannot controvert your evidence. Your reasons are logical, but should we work contrary to the legislative councils, we would lose our position. We will have to go where the leaders go.”

How closely this resembles the words spoken of some during Christ’s life on earth. “Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may be children of light.... But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on Him: that the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.... Nevertheless among the chief priests also many believed on Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue. For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” [John 12:35-40, 42, 43].

Why were the eyes of the people blinded, and their hearts hardened? As they listened to Christ’s words and witnessed His miracles, they were convinced of His divinity. The Spirit of God impressed their hearts, leading them to say, This is indeed the Messiah, the One for whom we have looked, the Desire of all nations. But they hardened their hearts, and refused to accept Him. To a great degree, the priests and rulers were responsible for the people turning away from the truth to the maxims of men. And today the preachers of the people are following the footsteps of the priests and elders of the Jewish nation. When conviction is trampled on, the light that has shone into the chambers of the mind grows dim, and the darkness of error takes the place of the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness. The result of this is shown in the following verses: [Jeremiah 13:15-17, 20, 21, 23-25; 10:19-21, quoted].

This lamentation is made for backsliding. When Christ the Majesty of heaven, came in person to His vineyard that He might receive the first fruits thereof, they said, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours” [Luke 20:14]. Christ’s lamentation over Jerusalem is the lamentation of a breaking heart. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not” [Matthew 23:37].

The message of warning comes to us as it came to Noah. We are to warn all that the Lord is at the door. We are to urge those who are disloyal to God to repent, and render obedience to His law. Man was created in the image of God, but in him this image has been sadly disfigured. The traces of God’s love in the human soul have been nearly obliterated. Men have chosen darkness rather than light. Obedience to God’s commands wins eternal life. Disobedience places man on Satan’s side of the question.

From beginning to end, God’s requirements set forth His eternal truth. His law is the test of character. His covenant with man declares the immutability of His counsel. God is truth. He declares that He will not alter the thing that has gone out of His mouth.

We are not left in blindness and deception as to God’s requirements. The third angel is represented as flying through the heavens, proclaiming a message to the world. [Revelation 14:9, 10, quoted.]

It is for the interest of all to understand what the mark of the beast is, and how they may escape the dread threatenings of God. Why are men not interested to know what constitutes the mark of the beast and his image? It is in direct contrast with the mark of God. [Exodus 31:12-17, quoted.]

The Sabbath question will be the issue in the great conflict in which all the world will act a part. [Revelation 13:4-8, quoted.]

“If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.” This warning is given to every son and daughter of Adam; and it is repeated over and over again.

“He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints” [Revelation 13:10]. This entire chapter is a revelation of what will surely take place. [Revelation 13:11, 15-17, quoted.]

Christ died to save sinners, not in their sins, but from their sins. The warning given in Revelation shows us the terrible consequence of transgression. By lips that will not lie, God’s law is declared to be holy, just, and good. Our duty to obey this law is to be the burden of the last message of mercy to the world. God’s law is not a new thing. It is not holiness created, but holiness made known. It is a code of principles expressing mercy, goodness, and love. It presents to fallen humanity the character of God, and states plainly the whole duty of man. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.” This command contains the principles of the first four precepts. And “Thou shalt love they neighbor as thyself” [Mark 12:30, 31]. Upon these two great principles, the Word of God declares, hang all the law and the prophets.

These principles are made known by the third angel’s message, which declares that the Creator had always required and always will require obedience to His royal law. But this law has been disregarded and transgressed, and is now being ignored by the churches. Human enactments are placed where God’s law should be. Sunday, a child of the Papacy, has taken the place of God’s holy Sabbath. As Nebuchadnezzar made a golden image, and set it up to be worshiped by all, so Sunday is placed before the people to be regarded as sacred. This day bears not a vestige of sanctity, yet it is held up to be honored by all.

By doing this, men are doing just what Satan wished them to do. When those who claim to love God refuse to obey His Word as plainly stated in the fourth precept of the decalogue, and accept a common working day as their sabbath, they show respect to a day exalted by the enemy of God. But notwithstanding this, God’s law still stands firm. The Man of sin has thought to change this law; he has thought to do it; but not while God holds the throne will he be able to change one jot or tittle of His law.

He who made the world in six days, rested on the seventh, sanctifying and blessing that day. The Sabbath command designates God as the Creator of the heavens and the earth. [Exodus 20:8-11; 31:16, 17, quoted.]

But these explicit directions have been disregarded and forgotten. A common working day has been presented to the churches by the Catholic authority, and has been accepted. God gave the Sabbath to man as a memorial of the work of creation; and the Lord of heaven will not hold him guiltless who sets aside His commands, and teaches others in their place. He will regard everyone according to his works.

“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus” [Revelation 14:12]. In vision John beheld the contrast between those who worship the beast and his image, and those who worship God. We are living under the message of the third angel; and the warning is now to be given by all who are loyal to God’s government

[Deuteronomy 11:18-21, 26-28; 10:12; Deuteronomy 7:6, 7, 9-11, quoted.] A thousand generations is a long time. Before it ends, the Lord will come in the clouds of heaven, and His faithful people will be in His kingdom, keeping His commandments faithfully.—Manuscript 88, 1897.

Ellen G. White Estate
Washington, D. C.,
May 12, 1988.
Entire Ms.


- Manusprict Releases Volume 19,  pp.179-184
.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Who Is David Brat? Meet the Economics Professor Who Defeated Eric Cantor

8:29 pm ET
Jun 10, 2014
2014


By Reid J. Epstein

US Congressional Republican candidate David Brat in MayAP

Who is David Brat?

The college economics professor is suddenly the tea party’s newest star after toppling House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R., Va.) in a primary Tuesday. Mr. Brat’s victory is the biggest House primary upset in generations – and wasn’t predicted by anyone, including Mr. Brat.

“God acted through people on my behalf,” Mr. Brat told Fox News during an interview Tuesday night. “It’s an unbelievable miracle.”

More In 2014
Virginia Voters Explain Why They Soured on Cantor
Surge in Primary Electorate Propels David Brat’s Victory Over Eric Cantor
What Eric Cantor's Defeat Means for the White House
Cantor’s Loss Is One for the History Books
5 Things to Read About Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl

And it’s not like Mr. Brat had a lot of mortal help. National groups like the Club for Growth that aim to pick off Republicans who stray from strict party orthodoxy didn’t get involved. Mr. Cantor outraised Mr. Brat $5.7 million to $231,000. The only national conservative figure to help Mr. Brat was talk radio host Laura Ingraham, who touted him on the air and hosted a rally for him last week.

Mr. Brat’s victory, Ms. Ingraham said, was fueled by “fury with the GOP establishment on fiscal issues and immigration.” He campaigned on opposing the 2008 government bailout program, the budget deal reached by Rep. Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) and Sen. Patty Murray (D., Wash.) and a general sense that leadership ignored the little people, she said.

“The lives of most Americans aren’t getting any better year after year,” Ms. Ingraham said. “Their wages are down or flat as the cost of living is going up. And for the past two years they’ve seen Eric Cantor focus an inordinate amount of time on how to improve the lives of illegal immigrants. So why should they be expected to return the same politicians back to Washington election after election? Eric Cantor was perceived as arrogant and disconnected–and voters thought it was time that he try to find a real job in this lousy economy.”

Mr. Brat campaigned as a stark opponent of comprehensive immigration reform. To Fox, he couched his opposition to immigration reform as part of a broader theme accusing Mr. Cantor as being too allied with corporate interests.

“The issue is the Republican Party has been paying way too much attention to Wall Street and not enough attention to Main Street,” Mr. Brat said.

Of immigration reform, he said: “It’s the most symbolic issue that captures the difference between myself and Eric Cantor in this race but it also captures the fissures between Main Street and Wall Street.”

Mr. Brat was so unknown that his Wikipedia entry was only two sentences before Tuesday night. Reached by phone before the Associated Press declared him the winner, Mr. Brat said only, “I’m going into the celebration party right now.”



Read more
.


Related:

I

Early life and education

Brat was born in Detroit[3] in July 1964.[4] Brat's father, Paul, was a doctor of internal medicine; his mother, Nancy, was employed as a social worker in Alma, Michigan, where he was raised. [5][6][5][7] His family moved from Alma to Minnesota when David, the oldest of three boys, was in junior high.[5] Brat graduated from Park Center Senior High School in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.[5] Brat attended Hope College in Michigan and received a B.A. in Business Administration in 1986; he also graduated with a Master's degree in Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1990 and earned a Ph.D in economics from American University in 1995.[8] Brat moved to Virginia in 1996 with his wife, Laura.[9][10][11]

....

In his 2011 essay titled God and Advanced Mammon — Can Theological Types Handle Usury and Capitalism?, Brat posits that if Christian people "had the guts to spread the word," government would not need to "backstop every action we take."[38] According to Kevin Roose in New York Magazine article, Brat "sees free-market economics as being intricately linked to ethics and faith and he makes the case that Adam Smith’s invisible hand theory, should be seen in the context of Christianity."[44]

On Capitalism, Brat writes that it is here to stay and that we need a corresponding church model.[45] He asserts that Jesus had faith and made things better, but Christians have become a bit passive.[45] He stated that Hitler's rise "could all happen again" as he came along and "did not meet with unified resistance" from Christians.[45][38] Brat believes that countries with Protestant pasts have economic advantages over countries that don’t, and that Protestantism "provides an efficient set of property rights and encourages a modern set of economic incentives” that often lead to "positive economic performance.”[44] He believes in Christ as a transformer of culture, and that capitalism is the key to world transformation, which can be achieved when capitalism and Christianity merge; if people follow the gospel, and as a consequence make people good, he argues, then the markets will improve.[46]

Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Brat


II
"God acted through people on my behalf."
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/david-brat-victory-cantor-shines-spotlight-background-article-1.1826497

III

 David Brat, Calvinist Catholic?

 http://www.patheos.com/blogs/deaconsbench/2014/06/david-brat-catholic/


P.S. When I read the above article earlier today, it showed that D. Brat was Roman Catholic.
.
.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

59th General Conference SDA - Atlanta - 2010



ATLANTA-PARADE-59th GENERAL CONFERENCE ``PART 01 ``PARADE OF FLAGS OF ALL Nations



VALDECIR VALFRAN
.
.

2005 SDA GC Parade of Nations part1





truth1844


Uploaded on Sep 10, 2009

No description available.
.
.

Laodicean Condition of Church




(An excerpt of Increase Your Talents; Render Service to God by Witnessing; Laodicean Condition of Church).


Shall Seventh-day Adventists walk in the same path as did the Jewish nation? Shall the message to the Laodicean church be applicable to this people? Shall those who have seen great light, who have had large opportunities and many privileges, cease to do service as witnesses for Christ? Those who know the truth, but who feel no special burden to reveal corresponding works, will be like that servant who knew his Master’s will, but did it not.

The Lord has appointed every converted soul to witness for Him. The light that has been given to the individual members of His church is to shine forth, not merely in much talk, but in good works. Every talent entrusted to every soul is to be traded upon. The talents that might have been put out to the exchangers by those who have done nothing in the service of God will be required again with the improvements that the Lord required His stewards to make. Every jot of light, of ability, of influence, is to be used, not for self-pleasing, but for the Lord. We are to be yoked up with Christ in perfect obedience to the Lord our God, who is holy, just, and good. Thus God’s people may develop characters of increasing consecration, efficiency, and tact, and act their part as laborers together with God.
 
Why are so many so slow in recognizing the work they ought to do in seeking to save that which is lost. Consider prayerfully what is to be done. Kill indolence. Lay hold of personal labor. Too much labor is done by those who minister in word and doctrine in behalf of churches that should be set to work themselves. The church members should carry a weight of responsibility. They should keep their own souls in the love of God by exercising all the powers they have. By precept and example they should bear witness of the power of the truth and grace of Christ upon human hearts. This will commend the truth that the Seventh-day Sabbath is a sign between them and their God. Obedience in the observance of the Sabbath testifies of the sanctification received through its observance.

In many of our organized churches the banner of truth is trailing in the dust because the members are not doing service to God, but are serving their own pleasure. They work through the influences that surround the soul. By precept and example, in self-indulgence, in their worldly habits of dress, in their words and actions, they testify against the truth, against self-denial, against the meekness of Christ. They are cold spiritually, and far separated from Christ. If they followed in the footsteps of Christ, they would be partakers of His self-denial, of His self-sacrifice, that they might lift up and save the souls that are ready to perish.

The talents entrusted to men may be used in an unconsecrated manner, by doing a good action from impulse in a haphazard way, refusing to see opportunities that are close by and that should claim the attention. Many practice self-denial and self-sacrifice by fits and starts. They need to seek the wisdom that comes from God alone. They need to consult their Leader. They need to do much praying, much trusting in Jesus Christ that His Holy Spirit may work in them, revealing a straightforward course of service which God will approve, and which will be a benefit and blessing to many souls. The consecration of all our words and actions to God makes us His witnesses. It develops a character that is the result of cherishing the truth in all its principles. Truth is not a cheap commodity; it is as precious gold, tried in the fire.

We pass through this world but once. Let every step taken by those who claim to be sons and daughters of God be forward. Listen to the words of Christ: He that “will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” [Matthew 16:24]. This alone will designate each of us as His disciples. Are we witnessing before the angels of heaven and before the worlds unfallen that we as human beings recognize that we understand what this means, “Ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” [1 Corinthians 6:19, 20].

Entire consecration to God, living an undivided heart-life of service, this is a living testimony to the world that you recognize your accountability to improve. Every entrusted talent is to be treated as absolutely and really belonging to Him whose you are by creation and redemption. Consecration of words, of voice, of every work, is needed. This act of sanctification of soul, body, and spirit is not an act on the part of the human agent of creating anything and rendering it to God. All we have is from God and by Him. It is just as much His, if we do not recognize it thus and take some credit to ourselves. By consecrating all to God, you are simply showing the angels of heaven that you recognize that soul, body, and spirit belong to the Lord, and are to be devoted to His service.

The talent given to the unprofitable servant, which he wrapped in a napkin and buried in the earth, was the Lord’s own, entrusted to the servant for use. It was to be so used that it would gain other talents. Our life is to be a life of earnest, thoughtful service to God. Those who feel no real obligation to represent the truth in life and character, who do not testify to the power of the grace of Christ by revealing the reformation it has wrought in them, fail to exalt the law of God before those whose characters are demonstrated in making that law void by their wrong principles.

The true commandment-keeping people of God show to the world a character of unspotted integrity, testifying by their own course of action that the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. Thus the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, through His obedience to the law of God, exalted and made that law honorable. God will surely condemn every member of every church claiming to be Seventh-day Adventist, who is not doing Him service, but through pride, selfishness, and worldliness, is showing that the truth of heavenly origin has not worked a reformation in his character.

Please read carefully Revelation 3:15-18. The voice of Jesus Christ is heard. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore [not half-hearted], and repent. Behold, I [your Saviour] stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcome, and am set down with My Father in His throne” [Revelation 3:19-21].

Will the churches heed the Laodicean message? Will they repent, or will they, notwithstanding that the most solemn message of truth—the third angel’s message—is being proclaimed to the world, go on in sin? This is the last message of mercy, the last warning to a fallen world. If the church of God becomes lukewarm, it does not stand in favor with God any more than do the churches that are represented as having fallen and become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Those who have had opportunities to hear and receive the truth and who have united with the Seventh-day Adventist church, calling themselves the commandment-keeping people of God, and yet possess no more vitality and consecration to God than do the nominal churches, will receive of the plagues of God just as verily as the churches who oppose the law of God. Only those that are sanctified through the truth will compose the royal family in the heavenly mansions Christ has gone to prepare for those that love Him and keep His commandments.

“He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” [1 John 2:4]. This includes all who claim to have a knowledge of God, and to keep His commandments, but who do not manifest this by good works. They will receive according to their deeds. “Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him” [1 John 3:6]. This is addressed to all church members, including the members of the Seventh-day Adventist churches. “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother” [1 John 3:7-10].

All who claim to be Sabbath-keeping Adventists, and yet continue in sin, are liars in God’s sight. Their sinful course is counterworking the work of God. They are leading others into sin. The word comes from God to every member of our churches, “And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears” [Hebrews 12:13-17].

This is applicable to many who claim to believe the truth. Rather than give up their lustful practices, they venture on in a wrong line of education under Satan’s deceiving sophistry. Sin is not discerned as sinful. Their very consciences are defiled, their hearts are corrupted, even the thoughts are continually corrupt. Satan uses them as decoys to lure souls to unclean practices which defile the whole being. “He that despised Moses’ law [which was the law of God] died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know Him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto Me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge His people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” [Hebrews 10:28-31].—Letter 35, 1898.

Ellen G. White Estate
Washington, D. C.,
May 12, 1988.
Entire Letter.

Manuscript Releases Volume 19 [No. 1388], pp.172-177.
.

Ordination Study Concludes with Suggestions for “The Way Forward”




[Photo: Karen Porter]


TOSC group considered hermeneutical, historical questions and prepared study materials.

June 05, 2014 | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | Adventist Review Staff

Leaders and members of the Adventist Church’s Theology of Ordination Study Committee (TOSC) wondered aloud if the fourth and last multi-day session of the group would yield a consensus on the thorny issue of ordaining women to ministry.

One TOSC member wistfully noted to the group that Wednesday, June 4, was Pentecost in the Jewish calendar. He hoped, he said, that a miracle of unanimity might conclude the two-year study process as members were asked to choose their preferred solution, or “Way Forward,” on the issue the church has wrestled with for more than 25 years.

However, when TOSC chairman Artur Stele announced the results of an informal survey of the group of scholars, church administrators, pastors and laypersons, three positions emerged from the data, with no position claiming a majority of the 95 votes received.[1]

Forty TOSC members identified as their first choice a position that “Each entity responsible for calling pastors be authorized to choose either to have only men as ordained pastors; or to have both men and women as ordained pastors.”

Thirty-two members favored a proposal that affirms the "practice of ordaining/commissioning only qualified men to the office of pastor/minister throughout the world church . . ..”

A third option was the first choice of 22 participants. It stated, “Christ is the only head of the church,” noting that there is a “biblical pattern of male leadership, under the headship of Christ, in the office of the ordained minister.” But this option also added that “We recommend that denominational leadership at a proper level be authorized to decide, based on biblical principles, whether such an adaptation [permission to ordain both men and women] may be appropriate for their area or region.”

General Conference president Ted N. C. Wilson spoke to committee members after the poll results were announced by Stele. “As we move forward with this process, I’m asking that we each act with humility—not authoritatively or in an overbearing manner,” Wilson urged. “We should do all things in the spirit of Jesus.”

Wilson also thanked participants for an action they voted unanimously earlier in the day. TOSC members acted “to affirm that in spite of the differences of opinion on the subject of women’s ordination, the members of the Theology of Ordination Study Committee are committed to the message and mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, as expressed through the 28 Fundamental Beliefs.”

“We will be very open and fair in the way we approach the handling of this matter,” Wilson assured the committee as he sketched key stages the church will follow in the months ahead.

Several administrative groups at the church’s world headquarters will consider the written report of the TOSC process during meetings June 16-19, Wilson said, and will place the matter on the agenda of the denomination’s Annual Council convening in Silver Spring, Maryland October 9-14. General Conference leaders have promised to make all materials from the recent study process and supplemental documents available in advance to the 300+ member Executive Committee, which decides what to recommend to the church’s quinquennial General Conference session planned for San Antonio, Texas, 13 months from now.

Wilson said that multiple presentations will be made at the scheduled administrative meetings as part of helping church representatives openly review the subject.

The results of today’s poll shouldn’t dictate any outcomes for the world church, but they should be given their appropriate weight,” said TOSC vice chair Geoffrey Mbwana, also a vice-president of the church. “No one should quickly say, ‘This is all a clear matter.’ All that is really clear at this moment is that we have strong differences about the matter of ordaining women to ministry.” TOSC leaders saw the survey as an evaluation tool to determine if consensus positions had developed in the committee.

The TOSC group’s assignment was to do an in-depth study and analysis of the subject of ordination with input from world divisions of the church: the committee wasn’t organized to be proportionately representative of the world church. A more international assessment will come in the process at the 2014 Annual Council and 2015 General Conference session when delegates selected by church constitutional and policy provisions will consider the issue.

Karen Porter, TOSC Secretary and assistant secretary of the world church, underlined the value of the study.

“What we’ve experienced here could be an important template for the world church as it considers other international issues,” Porter said. “We’ve learned lessons of both kinds—what works, and what doesn’t—and we’re all better for having spent so many days and hours listening to people we may not always agree with.”

Stele also praised the spirit of committee members as the 24-month study process concluded. He suggested that the fourth session had probably been more positive because of the greater amount of time spent in caucuses and working groups instead of plenary presentations.

“Though we’ve had challenging and difficult discussions at times, we’ve developed a camaraderie—a respect for each other—during the last two years,” he said. “A large majority of participants learned to trust each other as they prayed together, ate meals together, and talked in the hallways. This is the first truly global study process on this issue that has ever been attempted. It’s been gratifying to see and feel how much this unique process has built up mutual understanding and better relationships.

Lisa Beardsley-Hardy, director of the Adventist Church’s education department and a TOSC member, focused on the long-term gain to the church from the study process. “One of the most important developments for us as a global, multi-national church was to revisit our hermeneutics, and think about how we study the Bible across many cultures,” she told Adventist Review. “This experience helped us to clarify what we believe—and why we believe it, as well as focusing us on how we unitedly pursue our mission.”

Wilson urged committee members to remain hopeful about the ultimate outcome of the process as the Wednesday session ended.

We may not yet see just where the Spirit is taking us on this issue,” he said. “But we firmly believe that God will open the way for His church to fulfill its mission.”



[1]The full TOSC membership was 106 persons.

 
Source: "Adventist News Network"
Copyright © 2014, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
 
Source
.

Monday, June 09, 2014

'Beast' Asteroid Passes Earth in a Cosmic Near Miss




CBNNews.com
Sunday, June 08, 2014





An asteroid nicknamed "The Beast" passed by the earth Sunday, and while there was "zero chance" it would hit, the asteroid's trajectory barely missed the planet.

The asteroid passed 777,000 miles from Earth at its closest point, making it a fairly close miss.

Its official name is Asteroid 2014 HQ124, and it is more than 1100 feet wide, a piece of rock that would cause quite a bit of damage if it were to hit.

Asteroid expert Mark Boslough of Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico said, "This one would definitely be catastrophic if it hit the Earth."

He added, "If it hit a city, it would definitely wipe out an entire metropolitan area."

The asteroid was discovered in April by a NASA space telescope. NASA compared its size to a bus, while another scientist compared its dimensions to a movie theater.

Despite scientists' assurances that The Beast won't hit us, it has been designated as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid.


Source
.

Kerry calls threats of swapped Taliban prisoners to resume jihad “a lot of baloney”


Robert Spencer Jun 9, 2014 at 12:07pm




“No one should doubt the capacity of America to protect Americans,” said Kerry. Oh, really? What about all the many Americans murdered by their Afghan allies over the past few years? What happened to our capacity to protect them? It was sacrificed on the altar of political correctness, specifically to the refusal of our government and military to face the fact that there is no way to protect the Afghan army and police from jihadist infiltrators.

“Kerry calls threats of swapped Taliban prisoners to resume war ‘a lot of baloney,’” by David Lerman and Greg Giroux, Bloomberg, June 9, 2014 (thanks to Samantha):


WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said threats by the five freed Taliban prisoners swapped for Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl to return to war and kill Americans are “a lot of baloney.”

Defending the swap that secured the release of the last American prisoner of war in Afghanistan, Kerry said the movements of the five Taliban prisoners released to Qatar will be closely monitored.

“No one should doubt the capacity of America to protect Americans,” Kerry said from France in a taped interview for CNN’s “State of the Union” program Sunday.

Bergdahl, held captive for almost five years, was released May 31 in exchange for five Taliban prisoners held by the U.S. at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp in Cuba. The deal requires that the five men remain in Qatar for at least a year.

“They’re not the only ones keeping an eye on them,” Kerry said of the Qataris, while declining to elaborate.

“We have proven what we are capable of doing with al-Qaida,” he said.

The threats by the Taliban prisoners to resume fighting in Afghanistan and kill Americans amount to propaganda, Kerry said. “They’ll say whatever they want to stir the waters,” he said.

With the U.S. combat role in Afghanistan coming to an end and most troops to be withdrawn by the end of 2016, opportunities for Taliban to kidnap Americans will dwindle, Kerry said.

Whether or not Bergdahl deserted his post in eastern Afghanistan, as some of his former fellow soldiers claim, “it would have been offensive and incomprehensible to consciously leave an American behind,” Kerry said….

Source
.

Chris Cuomo: Media Has Given Hillary A 'Free Ride'





Washington Free Beacon

Published on Jun 9, 2014

Chris Cuomo: Media Has Given Hillary A 'Free Ride'

June 9, 2014

www.FreeBeacon.com
.
.

Sunday night is when you finally get to put your feet up...


5.32pm on Sunday night is when you finally get to put your feet up: Parents spend most of the weekend running around after children and doing chores, study finds


  • At weekends, parents don't relax until 5.32pm on Sunday - study found
  • Before that time, they are busy running around after children and pets
  • Three quarters of those studied said weekend should be about family


By Daily Mail Reporter

Published: 19:40 EST, 6 June 2014 | Updated: 09:45 EST, 7 June 2014



Parents don’t usually relax at the weekend until 5.32pm on Sunday, according to a study.

Most of the weekend before that is spent running around after children and doing chores.

Three quarters of parents insist weekends should be about family and one in three claim it’s easiest to relax in the fresh air.



Down time: Parents only get to relax at 5.32pm on a Sunday following a busy weekend full of activities, a study has found. Three quarters of those studied said days off should be about family (library image)


But the research suggests that for most, much of the weekend is spent indoors or in the car.

On Saturdays parents are most likely to be found washing (69 per cent), cleaning (64 per cent), or cooking (62 per cent).

In addition to those tasks, Sundays tend to be dominated by taking children to visit friends and families (47 per cent) and gardening or DIY (46 per cent).

Working mum of two Janet Roberts, 40, of Southampton, Hants, said: 'Once the weekend comes I seem to spend most of the time catching up on household chores neglected during the week.

'With two young children there’s rarely a moment to sit down and relax.

'My husband and I love to spend a day out with the kids but life is often so much of a rush that we rarely plan ahead and before we know it it’s Sunday night.'

The survey of Asda shoppers was commissioned for Open Farm Sunday on June 8, which offers families the chance to visit farms and find out the story behind their food.



Active: Until Sunday, families are busy running around after their children and doing chores (library image)


Half of parents (51 per cent) wish they had more time to spend as a family at the weekend, yet only 46 per cent say they regularly take a day trip together.

Pearce Hughes, Agricultural Manager at Asda, said: 'Our shoppers appreciate the importance of spending time as a family but the challenges of modern life mean this can be difficult.

'Open Farm Sunday is the perfect opportunity for a family day out and to appreciate all that is done by our farmers to produce the food we eat.'

Annabel Shackleton, of Open Farm Sunday organisers LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) said: 'Family time is precious and it appears that it is in increasingly short supply.

'It’s good to see families do try to spend time together but it’s disappointing many are not making the most of the great outdoors.'

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2651226/Sunday-night-time-rest-parents-spend-weekend-running-children-doing-chores-study-finds.html#ixzz349o4XDlD
.
.

When the money fails - Part #3 - Gordon Cholmondeley - 10-5-13


008 Gordon Cholmondeley - 10-5-13 - Part #3 - 192 kbps from Harvey Teale on Vimeo.
.
.

The Three Angels Messages - The IVP New Testament Commentary



(Biblegateway)

The Three Angels

John sees next another angel (v. 6; compare 7:2; 8:3; 10:1) proclaiming the eternal gospel (v. 6). Because he has seen no angels individually since the seven that blew the seven trumpets (8:2--11:19), it is natural to infer that this angel, commencing a new sequence, is another in addition to those seven. The angel is flying in midair, that is, directly overhead, like the eagle or vulture that announced the three woes terminating the trumpet series (8:13).

This eternal gospel to all the earth's inhabitants is a strange gospel in two respects. First, it is not "good news" (as the term gospel suggests), but quite the opposite--much like the "woe, woe, woe" of the eagle in the earlier vision (8:13). Second, and more surprising, there is nothing distinctly Christian about the message. The angel's eternal gospel does not mention Jesus Christ and contains no promise of salvation. Yet it is the only instance of the noun gospel in the entire book of Revelation. The eternal gospel is perhaps best understood on the analogy of Jesus' own proclamation of the kingdom of God ("The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news" or "gospel," Mk 1:15; compare Mt 4:17). That proclamation had two parts: an announcement ("the kingdom of God is near") and a command ("repent!"). John's eternal gospel has the same two parts, but in reverse order: first a command, Fear God and give him glory, and then an announcement, for the hour of his judgment has come. The announcement of God's judgment is equivalent to one aspect of the announcement of God's kingdom, for the coming of the kingdom involves judgment as well as salvation. In the case of the command, fear God and give him glory is a fairly exact equivalent to "repent" (see 16:9), except that John's vision spells out further implications of this repentance: Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water (v. 7).

The analogy with Jesus' "gospel of the kingdom" helps us to understand how the angel's proclamation here can also be described as "gospel." The very word "eternal," in fact, is probably linked to the absence of anything explicitly Christian about the angel's message. There is something almost contradictory about the terms "eternal" and "gospel." The Christian "gospel" by definition is new--"good news"--implying that God has done a new thing in the world by sending Jesus as Messiah or Savior. "Eternal," on the other hand, refers to that which has always been true.

Fear God and give him glory is the God of Israel's message to the Gentile world always and everywhere--whether the Messiah has come or not. It closely resembles the "good news" Paul and Barnabas brought to the citizens of Lystra, "telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them" (Acts 14:15). Such a "gospel" is pre-Christian, Christian and post-Christian, and in that sense "eternal," for it is a call to the earth's inhabitants to repent, leave their idols, and turn to the one true God (compare Acts 17:24-31; 1 Thess 1:9). It puts into words the implied message of the seven trumpets, a message that went unheeded when humans "did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols," and did not "repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts" (9:20-21).

The call to fear God and give him glory also makes explicit the message that was heeded when "a tenth of the city collapsed . . . and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven" (11:13). The worship demanded is worship of God the Creator, and the spheres of creation (the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water) correspond to the spheres of God's judgment according to the first four trumpets (compare 8:7-12).

A second angel follows with a message apparently directed to the same audience (v. 8). This time the message focuses specifically on Babylon the Great, an ancient city about which we have heard nothing so far in the book of Revelation. Like other cities, Babylon is personified as a woman, in this case an immoral woman. The angel's proclamation echoes Isaiah 21:9 ("Babylon has fallen, has fallen! All the images of its gods lie shattered on the ground!") and Jeremiah 51:7 ("Babylon was a gold cup in the LORD's hand; she made the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore they have now gone mad"). The new element in the text of Revelation is the definition of Babylon's wine as the maddening wine of her adulteries. We will hear more of "Babylon" and her "wine" in 16:19 and throughout chapters 17 and 18. For now it remains simply an allusion to the prophets, and to Israel's memory of oppression at the hands of a foreign empire long ago. Yet we sense that Babylon the Great is also linked somehow to the two beasts and the more contemporary oppression described in the preceding chapter.

The voice of the third angel makes it explicit: If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath (v. 9; compare 13:15-16). The warning confirms our suspected link between the beast of the preceding chapter and Babylon, with the wine of God's fury as Babylon's appropriate punishment for the maddening wine of her adulteries (v. 8). Yet for the time being Babylon the Great remains unidentified. John's original readers may have known her identity, but we do not--at least not without looking ahead to chapter 17.

The third angel adds that those who worship the beast and receive its image will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb (v. 10). The smoke of their torment will ascend forever, and they will have no rest day or night (v. 11). Although the language of these verses has contributed mightily to traditional Christian images of hell, it is difficult to say whether or not "hell," as commonly understood, is in view here. Why, for example, is the torment going on in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb, thus (apparently) in heaven itself? The announcement seems related to a celebration of Babylon's doom five chapters later: "Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever" (19:3). That celebration too goes on in heaven (19:1). Probably both scenes are momentary previews of "hell" and hell's finality in "the lake of fire" (19:20; 20:10, 14; 21:8), not the reality itself.

There is no way to be certain whether the word to Christian believers that immediately follows (v. 12) is a continuation of the third angel's speech or simply John's prophetic appeal to his readers, in the manner of 13:10 ("this calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints"). The words here are virtually the same: This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus (compare 12:17). The effect of placing the appeal here is to make the alternatives (either worshiping the beast and receiving its mark or remaining faithful to Jesus Christ) as clear and as stark as possible.

***

Source:  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/Rev/Three-Angels


Notes:

The IVP New Testament Commentary Series

Pastors with a passion for sound exposition and scholars with a heart for pastoral leadership have joined forces to produce this exciting commentary series.

Each volume, informed by the best of up-to-date evangelical scholarship, presents passage-by-passage commentary based on the NIV along with background information on authorship, setting, theme and various interpretive issues. A unique format allows the main commentary to focus on the vital message of the New Testament for today's church, while bottom-of-the-page notes include valuable scholarly information to support those who use the volumes as a resource for preaching or teaching preparation.

Seldom have such readable commentary and reliable research helps been available in the same volume! Preachers, teachers, students and other individuals who want to dig deep into the heart of the New Testament will find an indispensable companion in the IVP New Testament Commentary Series.


IVP New Testament Commentaries are made available by the generosity of InterVarsity Press.
.
.

Sunday, June 08, 2014

2 Las Vegas cops, one civilian killed in ambush; 2 suspects also dead








Las Vegas police officers race to the scene of a shooting in Las Vegas on Sunday. (Eric Verduzco / AP)


JOHN M. GLIONNA, MATT PEARCE

contact the reporters

CrimeShootingsLaw EnforcementArmed ConflictsNewspaper and Magazine

Two Las Vegas officers ambushed, killed at lunch
Las Vegas police: 'This is a revolution,' shooters said during attack on officers

As many as five people were dead Sunday afternoon after police said a pair of people shot two police officers at a Las Vegas pizzeria and then stormed a nearby Wal-Mart, where they killed another victim in the store, then themselves.

“This is a revolution,” the suspects said during the attack, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Assistant Sheriff Kevin C. McMahill told reporters.




SEE ALL RELATED

There were conflicting reports about the gender of the two suspects – whether it was a man and a woman or two men – but officials said the attack apparently began at Cici’s Pizza on North Nellis Boulevard.

Two people walked into the pizzeria and shot both police officers in the head before taking their guns and ammunition and heading for the Wal-Mart, McMahill said.

Alize Harper, 16, was selling newspapers outside the Wal-Mart when she saw a car drive up, and a man start yelling for everyone to get out and warning that the police were coming.

Monse Galindo, 19, a customer in the store, was near the registers when she saw a tall, thin, middle-aged white man in military-style clothing walk in with a small gun in his hand.

@derekgrrrrr What exactly is hypocritical about your NRA statement? I don't think it means what you think it means. Coincidence is a better word here.

DDOG83229
AT 4:38 PM JUNE 08, 2014


“He came in, shouting, ‘The revolution is about to start,’ something about a war, and that the cops were on their way,” Galindo told the Los Angeles Times, adding that the man then fired one shot in the air and another shot as he moved toward the left side of the store.

Galindo and Harper said the man appeared to be by himself, though police initially said there were two suspects in the store.

Karl Catarata, 16, was shopping with his mother and brother inside and also were near the registers when they heard the shouting, though the people shouting were just out of eyesight, he said.


“We thought they were shouting because there was a dispute, an argument,” Catarata said, but as he watched the body language of the Wal-Mart employees, who could see what was going on, he knew there was something seriously wrong.

After the first shot rang out, he grabbed his mother's and brother’s hands and began to run toward the back of the store. He heard three shots in all before he made it to the exit.

Jesus Bustamante, 27, was at the Wal-Mart with his cousin, Emmanuel Florez, 26, to buy an Xbox when the shooting began.

“Should we run?” Florez asked his cousin as the shots rang out, Bustamante said. “Hell yes, we should run!” Bustamante replied, and the pair joined the other shoppers and Wal-Mart employees flooding out the back of the store.

The attacker or attackers shot and killed one person inside before going to the back of the store and carrying out a “suicide pact” as police arrived, McMahill told reporters.

Outside, police were already swarming. Bustamante said he saw one motorcycle officer dump his motorcycle in his haste to get inside. One police officer got inside the store, then came back out to tell everyone outside to get away.

“If you know the cops are scared, then you know it’s dangerous,” Bustamante said.

Alize Harper, who had been selling newspapers, added: “You don’t think this kind of thing can happen. It’s a Sunday, you’re selling newspapers, and all of a sudden a man walks in and starts shooting up a Wal-Mart. What is going on here?”

Police were working quickly to get an answer after they gained control of the scene, and bused away witnesses for police interviews.

“We express our deepest condolences to everyone who have been affected by this senseless act of violence,” Brooke Buchanan, a spokeswoman for Wal-Mart, said in a statement. “Our store is currently closed. This is still an active investigation and we are working with local police.”

A man who described himself as the manager of the Wal-Mart, Jason, declined to speak with media as he gathered contact information for other people who were at the store.

A woman asked him if she should give him a call later Sunday evening, and he replied, “I don’t think I’m going to be going home tonight.”

Glionna reported from Las Vegas and Pearce from Los Angeles. Times staff writer Ryan Parker, in Los Angeles, contributed to this report.


Source: http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-las-vegas-cops-killed-in-ambush-20140608-story.html
.
.

.

LIVE BROADCAST: Pope prays for peace with Israeli and Palestinian presidents


2014-06-08




(-ONLY VIDEO-) At 6 PM, local time, Pope Francis, Shimon Peres and Mahmoud Abbas participate in a ceremony called "Invocation for peace”. The session includes a Jewish prayer, then a Christian and finally a Muslim one.


Source
.

A Christian Climate Scientist's Mission To Convert Non-Believers





by NPR STAFF
June 08, 2014 9:10 AM ET


7 min 31 sec

Playlist





Katharine Hayhoe is an atmospheric scientist and the director of the Climate Science Center at Texas Tech University. She is also a devout Christian.Courtesy of Katharine Hayhoe



“God gave us the brains to make good choices and there's consequences to the choices that we make.
- Katharine Hayhoe

Each week, Weekend Edition Sunday brings listeners an unexpected side of the news by talking with someone personally affected by the stories making headlines.

Last week, the Obama administration announced historic regulations to limit carbon dioxide emissions. Policies to address climate change have been a tough sell among some Republicans on Capitol Hill, but also in many Christian congregations around the country.

Katharine Hayhoe is an atmospheric scientist and the director of the Climate Science Center at Texas Tech University. She is also a devout Christian.

Hayhoe has spent the last few years trying to convince other Christians that climate change is real, and that caring about the issue is one of the most Christian things you can do. She told NPR's Rachel Martin of the difficulties of spreading that message among Christian congregations.

"The people we trust, the people we respect, the people whose values we share, in the conservative community, in the Christian community, those people are telling us, many of them, that this isn't a real problem — that it's a hoax," Heyhoe says. "Even worse, that you can't be a Christian and think that climate change is real. You can't be a conservative and agree with the science."

Heyhoe says what Christians often question about climate change is if God is in control, how could this happen? Another argument she hears is the idea that humans could change climate threatens the sovereignty of God.

"The answer to that is pretty simple: It's free will," she says. "God gave us the brains to make good choices and there's consequences to the choices that we make."

And that's what climate change is, she says, a consequence of an industrialized society that depends on coal, oil and gas for many of our resources.

Heyhoe says that once people can get past the stage where they're bashing each other over the head with facts and political opinions, and get to point of sharing what they truly care about, at that point, she says, we can make some progress forward. She also says that to care about green issues you don't have to be a liberal or what people call "tree huggers."

"I think the most important message for people is that each of us already has the values in our hearts that we need to care about this issue," she says.

In her presentations, Heyhoe says she finds it effective to address the questions people have: How do we know that climate change is even real? How could I care about climate change as a Christian/Conservative/Republican?  For some people, she says, it can feel like giving up their identity in order to care about climate change.

But lately she is also seeing a shift in the questions she's being asked. They've moved away from the specifics of climate change or what's heard on the news. Instead, people are asking what they can do about the problem.

"That's where I want to go," she says.


.
.
.

Taveras holds small lead over Raimondo in R.I. governor's race, Journal/WPRI poll shows




June 04, 2014 05:00 AM

Katherine Gregg

Journal State House Bureau

kgregg@providencejournal.com


Related

Journal/WPRI poll: Democratic primary voters split on paying back 38 Studios investors


View all poll results


PROVIDENCE, R.I. — With little more than three months left until primary day, Providence Mayor Angel Taveras still has a narrow lead over General Treasurer Gina Raimondo in the Democratic contest for governor, according to the latest Providence Journal/WPRI-12 poll.

If the Sept. 9 Democratic primary were held today, Taveras would lead the field with 33.4 percent of the vote compared with 29.2 percent for Raimondo, 11.5 percent for political newcomer Clay Pell and 1.6 percent for Todd Giroux.

But with one out of every five likely primary voters still undecided, and the candidates just beginning to air their paid TV ads, Joseph Fleming, the veteran pollster who conducted the exclusive survey, says the race is still “wide open.”

In the three-way Democratic primary to succeed Raimondo as general treasurer, former treasurer Frank Caprio — who relinquished the job to run for governor in 2010 — leads the pack. But he leads with only 29.2 percent of the vote, compared with 11.3 percent for investment adviser Seth Magaziner and 8.5 percent for the legislature’s former auditor general, Ernest Almonte. Close to 46 percent of voters were undecided.

The telephone survey of 506 likely Democratic primary voters was conducted by Fleming & Associates May 27-30.



Timothy C. Barmann/The Providence Journal


The majority of those surveyed said they were not sure who they would vote for in the race for General Treasurer. Click image to see all poll results.

The potential margin for error is 4.38 percent, which means the numbers could be off by that much in either direction and Taveras and Raimondo could still be in a statistical tie. Raimondo had a financial edge with 21/2 times more campaign money than Taveras at last report.

With one exception, there have been no dramatic shifts in the governor’s race since the last Fleming poll in February. As the number of undecided voters shrank, Taveras and Raimondo gained potential voters.

But Pell’s support dwindled by 3.2 percentage points.

A newcomer to Rhode Island electoral politics, Pell, 32, is the grandson of the late U.S. Sen. Claiborne Pell. While his revered last name rings bells among voters, and he has won the enthusiastic support of the teacher-union leaders who head the National Education Association of Rhode Island, his campaign has yet to catch on, the poll results show.

The other shifts have been more subtle. Taveras continues to lead Raimondo among men, 34.3 percent to 27.9 percent, and just slightly among women. But within that critical voting bloc, she has narrowed the gap. Her support among voters over age 60 is also up.

Among registered Democrats, Taveras has a healthy 12-point lead over Raimondo (37.7 percent to 25.3 percent), but she has picked up strength among unaffiliated voters, and now leads Taveras by 8 points (36.2 percent to 28.1 percent) within that important swing group eligible to vote in either primary.

Fleming said the outcome could depend, in part, on turnout and the numbers of registered Democrats who turn out versus independents. (His Democratic primary sample was dominated roughly 60-40 by Democrats.)



Timothy C. Barmann/The Providence Journal


By far, the single most important issue for voters is the economy/jobs, according to the poll. Click the image to see all poll results.

The poll went a layer deeper, however, to strength of support.

As it stands, Fleming found, 40.7 percent of the voters who support a candidate said there is a “good chance” they might change their minds, 15.9 percent said they were unlikely to change their minds, and 37.9 percent said they were definitely for their candidate.

But a larger percentage of Raimondo’s supporters said they were committed to voting for her — and unlikely to change their minds — than was so among likely Taveras voters. On the commitment scale, a total 44.6 percent of Raimondo’s supporters said they were definitely for her, compared with 33.1 percent for the mayor.

Statewide, a majority of potential primary voters think highly of both of them. She is viewed “favorably” by 54.2 percent, and he by 66.6 percent.

As might be expected of the architect of the 2011 pension overhaul that Rhode Island’s public employee unions are challenging in court, Raimondo is least popular among union members. The poll found nearly 50 percent have an unfavorable opinion of her, 34 percent favorable. (Pell’s “favorable” rating among union members was only slightly higher — at 38 percent — despite NEARI’s support.)

By way of contrast, 65 percent of those who identified themselves as union members said they had a favorable opinion of Taveras, only 24 percent unfavorable.

But unions are not a monolith in Rhode Island, and Raimondo has scored endorsements from eight construction trade unions. And most of the big public employee unions have yet to bestow their endorsements.

Pell, who served on President Obama’s national security team as a Coast Guard lieutenant, and then did a brief stint as a deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Education, is viewed favorably by 34.6 percent of potential primary voters.

But a third of those polled had no opinion of him, and the number who view him unfavorably (32.4 percent) has gone up by 11 percentage points since February.

“The bad news before was: ‘They don’t know me.’ The bad news now is ‘they know me better, but the ones that do know me better aren’t liking me as much,’” Fleming said of Pell’s numbers. His theory: The other candidates were out and about talking about jobs and the economy, while Pell was fielding questions about his stolen Prius.

And while Pell has lost ground, Fleming says: “It is clear that Clay Pell is still not that well known among Democratic primary voters.”

Eric Hyers, Raimondo’s campaign manager, had this to say about the results:

“It’s encouraging to see the support for Gina’s campaign from all over the state. Rhode Island is facing big problems right now and this election is critically important. Gina has proven she has the courage and ability to deliver solutions and put people back to work. We can’t have more of the same.”

Pell’s campaign manager, Devin Driscoll, said: “Unlike others in the race, Clay isn’t a well-known politician. … As we begin our media and field programs and Rhode Island voters hear Clay’s story, learn about his plan, and sense his passionate commitment to standing with working Rhode Islanders, we’re confident in our ability to win in September.”

Noting the number of voters who haven’t yet made up their minds or indicated they might change, Driscoll said: “This race is anything but a sure thing.”

Taveras described the poll as affirmation of the “tough choices” made on his watch “to save our city.”

“From Westerly to Woonsocket, Rhode Islanders share my view that we need a governor who will stand up for working families. … I’m excited by the support we are seeing and believe that by working together we can build a Rhode Island that gives everyone an opportunity at a better life,” he said.

Evan England, campaign manager for general treasurer candidate Seth Magaziner, commented on the poll results that showed Magaziner trailing Frank Caprio, 29.2 percent to 11.3 percent, with former auditor general Almonte at 8.5 percent.

England said the nearly 46 percent of respondents who were undecided "confirms that the race is wide open, and that voters are looking for new voices and are not ready to put their trust in two statehouse insiders who have spent a combined 35 years at the State House."

(This story was published at 5 a.m. and was revised at 1:53 p.m.)


Source
.

Saturday, June 07, 2014

Stopped By 'No One,' A Nun Wins Italy's 'The Voice'



by Sylvia Poggioli

Listen Now
Morning Edition

2 min 49 sec



After winning Italy's version of The Voice, Sister Cristina Scuccia thanks God on stage in Milan alongside her coach, Italian rapper J-Ax. Marco Bertorello/Getty Images


The tiny nun, wearing a traditional black habit that falls below her knees, a crucifix and sensible black shoes, punched the air and embraced her coach — the tattooed Italian rapper J-Ax. And then she thanked the man upstairs for her victory. At 25, Sister Cristina Scuccia has become the new Voice of Italy, with her soulful and rousing performances of pop classics.

During the three-and-a-half-hour broadcast, Scuccia performed the song that made her a worldwide sensation. The of her rendition of ' "No One" went viral, getting more than 50 million views. The foot-tapping nun took more than 62 percent of the vote, defeating three other contestants coached by some of Italy's best-known pop artists. With her fellow sisters cheering her on, Scuccia clinched victory with a lusty rendition of the theme song from Flashdance, "What a Feeling."

Despite intense media scrutiny, information on the young nun's background is still sketchy. Italian media report the Sicilian-born Scuccia trained at a music academy run by a former starlet who became a religious lay sister. Allegedly a former rebel, Scuccia was inspired to join the Ursuline Sisters after auditioning for a musical about the founder of the order. After becoming a novice in 2009, she worked with poor children in Brazil before entering a convent in Milan.

"I have a gift, and I am giving it to you," Scuccia told the judges when she first appeared on the TV contest in March.

With her victory, she also wins a recording contract with Universal Music, but it's unlikely that she'll pursue a career in rock 'n' roll. She has said her priorities are prayer and serving God, and that she took the stage to impart a message.

Surprising the organizers and the audience, Scuccia closed the event reciting the Lord's Prayer, before reprising one of her most rousing numbers, an Italian revival-sounding song called "By the Shore."

 


. .

I Know Who Holds Tomorrow (with Lyrics)

I



La Amor

Uploaded on Nov 29, 2010

I Know Who Holds Tomorrow -- Words and Music by Ira Stanphill. Written in 1950.

Disclaimer: All background photos are the sole property of their respective owners

.
.

Billy Graham - All Roads Lead To Rome (Full Documentary)





kytekuttertv

Published on Jun 5, 2014

Did Billy Graham start a movement of apostate Protestant preachers bringing the protestant churches back to Rome? Was he a freemason? You decide!
.
.

Elder Gordon Cholmondeley's Sermon - 10/5/13


007 Gordon Cholmondeley - 10-5-13 - Part #2 - 192 kbps from Three Angels Historic Church on Vimeo.
.
.

Keep Not Silent: S.D.A Beware of New Movement (Emerging Church)





ProphesyAgainTV


Published on Dec 22, 2013


I feel a terror of soul as I see to what a pass our publishing house has come. The presses in the Lord's institution have been printing the soul-destroying theories of Romanism and other mysteries of iniquity. The office must be purged of this objectionable matter. I have a testimony from the Lord for those who have placed such matter in the hands of the workers. God holds you accountable for presenting to young men and young women the fruit of the forbidden tree of knowledge. {8T 91.2}
Website: www.prophesyagain.org
The Sermon notes for this message is also available for download.

.

Happy Sabbath


Perils of the Emerging Church, Steve Wohlberg





 David Gates


Published on Apr 27, 2014


We are too close to eternity not to be informed. Please distribute this link to your friends or call 423-473-1841 or write to orders@gospelministry.org to get a free DVD. God bless you. Uncle David Gates