Donald Trump walked out on a very risky limb today and advocated a non-interventionist foreign policy. The Washington Post reports from the AIPAC (American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee) meeting on Donald's plans:
Donald Trump outlined an unabashadly noninterventionist approach to world
affairs Monday, telling The Washington Post's editorial board that he
questions the need for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which has
formed the backbone of Western security policies since the Cold War.
The meeting at The Post covered a range of issues, including media libel
laws, violence at his rallies, climate change, the NATO and the U.S.
presence in Asia.
Speaking ahead of a major address on foreign policy later Monday in
front of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Trump said he
advocates an aggressive U.S. posture in the world with a light
footprint. In spite of unrest abroad, especially in the Middle East,
Trump said the United States must look inward and steer its resources
toward rebuilding domestic infrastructure.
"I do think it’s a different world today, and I don’t think we should be
nation-building anymore," Trump said. "I think it’s proven not to work,
and we have a different country than we did then. We have $19 trillion
in debt. We’re sitting, probably, on a bubble. And it’s a bubble that if
it breaks, it’s going to be very nasty. I just think we have to rebuild
our country."
He added: "I watched as we built schools in Iraq and they’re blown up.
We build another one, we get blown up. We rebuild it three times and yet
we can’t build a school in Brooklyn. We have no money for education
because we can’t build in our own country. At what point do you say,
'Hey, we have to take care of ourselves?' So, I know the outer world
exists and I’ll be very cognizant of that. But at the same time, our
country is disintegrating, large sections of it, especially the inner
cities."
Trump is my new hero. This is a Libertarian wet dream (if I might be so bold and offensive). It is time to bring 'em home. Our soldiers can come home and help round up the illegal immigrants for return to their homeland. It's perfect! Now if he will just outline an economic plan that involves dissolution of the Federal Reserve System and a break up of the world banking cartel, my joy will be complete! Down with the neocons and liberals. Let there be a black boot in their faces for eternity.
Let the people rule again lead by good King Donald!
Monday, March 21, 2016
Uh-Oh !!!!
"Literally from the time I met her till we talked yesterday, she is the best change maker I have ever known.
“She always finds a way to make something good happen, to make people feel empowered, to buy people into the process, to make democracy work the way the framer intended for it to work,” Clinton said.
“Now, if you don’t believe that we can all grow together again, if you don’t believe that we’re ever going to grow again, if you believe it’s more important to relitigate the past, there may be many reasons that you don’t want to support her.
“But if you believe we can all rise together, if you believe we’ve finally come to the point where we can put the awful legacy of the last eight years behind us and the 7 years before that when we were practicing trickle-down economics and no regulation in Washington, which is what caused the crash, then you should vote for her,” Clinton said."
The awful legacy of the last eight years! Wow. Bill, I have new respect for you, but you know what; you just might need BO before the first Tuesday in November.
The Republicans have issues right now, but this thing with Bill and Barry could get nasty and Hillie is just stuck in the middle. Poor thing.
Some are wondering about Bill's health, thinking he might be slipping. He has Parkinson's symptoms but claims it's something else....ya, like too much bourbon the night before. Whatever.
I don't know what it is, but none of the political class seems able to lay down their animus and unite this year.
I just love it. I hope they all self destruct.
Go Donald!
Things on the Mind
You would think that such a small place would not have room for so many things, but it's amazing what you can get layered and wedged in the mind when you have to. Sometimes there are things in there that one wishes were not in there, nonetheless they are there and must be dealt with.
I was thinking about the Palm Sunday service at the fairgrounds yesterday. I saw some folks I had not seen in awhile; a cousin and someone from my old church youth group in the 70's. That was good. The band was good and would have been much better if the acoustics of the building had been more amenable. It may have been where we were sitting, but it was difficult to understand the words to the music and also the speakers that followed. The band was Vineyard from Manhattan, KS. Even with the poor acoustics, I liked their sound. I will have to see what recordings they have available.
The speaker seemed to be both gifted and talented but I do not remember his name. Sorry. He talked about fear, using examples from the Old Testament and the New. His point was that if you actually start doing what it is you are supposed to be doing, the fear subsides and everything becomes an adventure. That's what I got from what he said. Some may disagree.
The service was billed by some as ecumenical since we had 6 area churches involved in the service. Let me say that it was NOT ecumenical. It was more like a family reunion. We all sprang from the same church roots. Had we invited churches of a different stripe than our own, I might concede ecumenicism, but such was not the case. We also had to leave right after communion because my roommate was getting antsy. He was unable to take it all in for a number of reasons, i.e. hearing and Alzheimer's.
Speaking of my roommate, Dad was up and about when I rose from my slumber this morning. He had already taken his remote controls out to the Toyota along with his clock. I found his shoe horn and the lawnmower key in the computer room. The cable box was nested in a decorative bowl beneath some pine cones...yes, he disconnected the cable box to his TV. He is so weird these days. Saturday afternoon he told me he was going home. We were both home so I'm not sure where he was going.
I think it all has to do with Mom. He mentioned how she disappeared and how he has felt lost since that time. This may also be why he hides all his coffee table items. Mom used to get on him about how he kept the table next to his lazyboy. There is an odd selection of things there, but he does use most of them. Mom used to refer to his area in the sunroom as the "sty" or the "boar's nest". I'm sure all this is in the back of his mind somewhere amongst the clutter of 80 years.
Speaking of that, Dad will be 80 years old on April 18. My uncle texted me and said we should have a birthday party of sorts...a celebration, a open house. He thought, though, that I should be the one to do it. He was going to help in some yet unprescribed way, but there should be a party.
He seemed to be saying, "here's something I want to do for my brother, but I need you to do it". He has not talked to me since Christmas and when he texts, this is what he talks about. He has not seen his brother since then either.
There is blood relation and there is family. Sometimes there is a difference.
I am still giving consideration to the idea, but issuing demands is not a good way to motivate me. I am inclined not to do this because I do not believe Dad will either appreciate or remember it. I am also not sure who would show up. Many friends from the dairy are passed. The family is spread out. Also, I do not think anyone in the family fully appreciates Dad's current state of mind. The people that are regularly in his life know these things, but those that see him 3 times a year do not.
Since I did not have to teach Sunday, I got some other stuff done that has been eating away at my mind. The taxes are done for both of us. I put on a new shower head which resulted in multiple complaints from the father. Please keep in mind that I replaced it because of multiple complaints. My life is an unappreciated wonder.
I am hoping to get out in the yard soon. I would have done so yesterday, but it was too cold for me. I am not as tough as I used to be. Maybe this weekend. It's Easter weekend and again, I will not be teaching. Study takes some time and when you don't have to do it, it adds time. I suppose it will snow or something though. We will see. Today is nice and it is supposed to be 70 degrees tomorrow.
Off to work now. Thanks for listening. I wonder what my life would be like if I had real problems (;^))...later
I was thinking about the Palm Sunday service at the fairgrounds yesterday. I saw some folks I had not seen in awhile; a cousin and someone from my old church youth group in the 70's. That was good. The band was good and would have been much better if the acoustics of the building had been more amenable. It may have been where we were sitting, but it was difficult to understand the words to the music and also the speakers that followed. The band was Vineyard from Manhattan, KS. Even with the poor acoustics, I liked their sound. I will have to see what recordings they have available.
The speaker seemed to be both gifted and talented but I do not remember his name. Sorry. He talked about fear, using examples from the Old Testament and the New. His point was that if you actually start doing what it is you are supposed to be doing, the fear subsides and everything becomes an adventure. That's what I got from what he said. Some may disagree.
The service was billed by some as ecumenical since we had 6 area churches involved in the service. Let me say that it was NOT ecumenical. It was more like a family reunion. We all sprang from the same church roots. Had we invited churches of a different stripe than our own, I might concede ecumenicism, but such was not the case. We also had to leave right after communion because my roommate was getting antsy. He was unable to take it all in for a number of reasons, i.e. hearing and Alzheimer's.
Speaking of my roommate, Dad was up and about when I rose from my slumber this morning. He had already taken his remote controls out to the Toyota along with his clock. I found his shoe horn and the lawnmower key in the computer room. The cable box was nested in a decorative bowl beneath some pine cones...yes, he disconnected the cable box to his TV. He is so weird these days. Saturday afternoon he told me he was going home. We were both home so I'm not sure where he was going.
I think it all has to do with Mom. He mentioned how she disappeared and how he has felt lost since that time. This may also be why he hides all his coffee table items. Mom used to get on him about how he kept the table next to his lazyboy. There is an odd selection of things there, but he does use most of them. Mom used to refer to his area in the sunroom as the "sty" or the "boar's nest". I'm sure all this is in the back of his mind somewhere amongst the clutter of 80 years.
Speaking of that, Dad will be 80 years old on April 18. My uncle texted me and said we should have a birthday party of sorts...a celebration, a open house. He thought, though, that I should be the one to do it. He was going to help in some yet unprescribed way, but there should be a party.
He seemed to be saying, "here's something I want to do for my brother, but I need you to do it". He has not talked to me since Christmas and when he texts, this is what he talks about. He has not seen his brother since then either.
There is blood relation and there is family. Sometimes there is a difference.
I am still giving consideration to the idea, but issuing demands is not a good way to motivate me. I am inclined not to do this because I do not believe Dad will either appreciate or remember it. I am also not sure who would show up. Many friends from the dairy are passed. The family is spread out. Also, I do not think anyone in the family fully appreciates Dad's current state of mind. The people that are regularly in his life know these things, but those that see him 3 times a year do not.
Since I did not have to teach Sunday, I got some other stuff done that has been eating away at my mind. The taxes are done for both of us. I put on a new shower head which resulted in multiple complaints from the father. Please keep in mind that I replaced it because of multiple complaints. My life is an unappreciated wonder.
I am hoping to get out in the yard soon. I would have done so yesterday, but it was too cold for me. I am not as tough as I used to be. Maybe this weekend. It's Easter weekend and again, I will not be teaching. Study takes some time and when you don't have to do it, it adds time. I suppose it will snow or something though. We will see. Today is nice and it is supposed to be 70 degrees tomorrow.
Off to work now. Thanks for listening. I wonder what my life would be like if I had real problems (;^))...later
Friday, March 18, 2016
Spring is in The Air
It still gets cold at here in central Iowa, but Spring is definitely on the way. Last night was about as cold as it has been for the past two weeks. I think it may have gotten down to 30 degrees. Right now it's about 36.
All the signs are present. The snowdrops and crocus are blooming. There is color among the dead patches of garden at my house. The lilacs and even some of the trees are starting to bud.
I love this time of year. It's resurrection. It is rebirth of life from death. Life rules and death dies. What a glorious thing that God has done. I long for the day when it is always Spring. It is always May and everything is always new.
This coming Sunday is Palm Sunday if you are keeping track. It's the anniversary of the day when Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time. I would encourage you to pop open a gospel and read about it. The Sunday after is Resurrection Sunday marking the anniversary of Satan's defeat and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior; the last hope of humanity.
Now you know why I love Spring.
My church will join six other area churches on Palm Sunday at the Iowa State Fair Grounds in the Paul Knapp Center. We are all going to worship together. I expect I will see people that I have not seen since my days at Central Iowa Bible Camp. I'm kind of looking forward to it.
I have two Sundays off from teaching. That should give me some time to get ahead in lesson planning. I also want to get out in the yard and uncover some of the Spring that's trying to poke through.
Happy Spring. Happy Life.
All the signs are present. The snowdrops and crocus are blooming. There is color among the dead patches of garden at my house. The lilacs and even some of the trees are starting to bud.
This coming Sunday is Palm Sunday if you are keeping track. It's the anniversary of the day when Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time. I would encourage you to pop open a gospel and read about it. The Sunday after is Resurrection Sunday marking the anniversary of Satan's defeat and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior; the last hope of humanity.
Now you know why I love Spring.
My church will join six other area churches on Palm Sunday at the Iowa State Fair Grounds in the Paul Knapp Center. We are all going to worship together. I expect I will see people that I have not seen since my days at Central Iowa Bible Camp. I'm kind of looking forward to it.
I have two Sundays off from teaching. That should give me some time to get ahead in lesson planning. I also want to get out in the yard and uncover some of the Spring that's trying to poke through.
Happy Spring. Happy Life.
Thursday, March 17, 2016
They Deserve It
On Sunday in class we were discussing graceless people in the Bible or at least people that failed to extend grace when there was an opportunity. In doing this, we discovered that we were not so good at receiving or giving grace ourselves, even though, like David and Jonah and James and John, we have received much grace from our Lord.
In Psalm 109, David has composed an imprecatory prayer to the Lord against one of his enemies. We are not made aware of who it is, but David is relentless in requests for the Lord's wrath on this individual.
Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy;
let an accuser stand at his right hand.
7 When he is tried, let him be found guilty,
and may his prayers condemn him.
8 May his days be few;
may another take his place of leadership.
9 May his children be fatherless
and his wife a widow.
10 May his children be wandering beggars;
may they be driven[a] from their ruined homes.
11 May a creditor seize all he has;
may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.
12 May no one extend kindness to him
or take pity on his fatherless children.
13 May his descendants be cut off,
their names blotted out from the next generation.
David's enemy may well have deserved what was requested, but David was also a man that required much in the way of God's grace himself. As is often the case, we seldom think about the forgiveness and kindnesses we have been granted when we angry for being wronged.
Have you ever prayed against someone that was in your life? I have, or at least it started out that way. When I lived in Cedar Rapids, I had a boss that was impossible to live with. He would drive me crazy with the nitpicky way he treated me and the hourly employees. He would actually drive them to quit. It seemed purposeful and hate driven. I do not know what drove him to beat down people in this way, but it was not productive for our enterprise.
I took my case to the Lord. In my anger, I prayed that God would treat my boss as he was treating others. I prayed that he would get fired or that something awful would happen to him.
These prayers were, of course, counterproductive so I switched my tactics. I prayed that my boss would find another job. In a matter of weeks it happened.
I guess what I am saying is that sometimes even righteous anger fails to be graceful in it's approach. David's enemy was not going to change so he prayed that God would smite him. Initially, I knew that my boss was not going to change, so I prayed that God would take him out.
What really needed to happen was a change of venue. I think my boss was miserable in his job and so he wanted everyone to feel his pain. He needed something else to do. I'm not sure how it worked out for David's enemy, but I hope God moved him on to something more productive.
We need to approach these situations with the same grace that God shows us and accept what God does with the situation. The people in our lives are who they are - broken sinners in need of grace just like us. Accepting them where they are at and moving with grace from that point with them is what we are called to do. It is what God did for us.
Romans 5:6-11 says,
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
For no good reason, we have been blessed with forgiveness, justification and reconciliation with God. He did this for us because, despite being jerks, He loved us anyway.
And that's the hard part isn't it? Loving someone that needs to be crushed, that needs a dose of justice; that's hard. But, God does this for you and me everyday and He did it for us even before we knew we had a need. Wow.
As the old hymn says, "love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all."
That's the challenge. We got to show, love grace and mercy to bring people in line with God's truth.
Are we up to it? I hope so.
In Psalm 109, David has composed an imprecatory prayer to the Lord against one of his enemies. We are not made aware of who it is, but David is relentless in requests for the Lord's wrath on this individual.
Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy;
let an accuser stand at his right hand.
7 When he is tried, let him be found guilty,
and may his prayers condemn him.
8 May his days be few;
may another take his place of leadership.
9 May his children be fatherless
and his wife a widow.
10 May his children be wandering beggars;
may they be driven[a] from their ruined homes.
11 May a creditor seize all he has;
may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.
12 May no one extend kindness to him
or take pity on his fatherless children.
13 May his descendants be cut off,
their names blotted out from the next generation.
David's enemy may well have deserved what was requested, but David was also a man that required much in the way of God's grace himself. As is often the case, we seldom think about the forgiveness and kindnesses we have been granted when we angry for being wronged.
Have you ever prayed against someone that was in your life? I have, or at least it started out that way. When I lived in Cedar Rapids, I had a boss that was impossible to live with. He would drive me crazy with the nitpicky way he treated me and the hourly employees. He would actually drive them to quit. It seemed purposeful and hate driven. I do not know what drove him to beat down people in this way, but it was not productive for our enterprise.
I took my case to the Lord. In my anger, I prayed that God would treat my boss as he was treating others. I prayed that he would get fired or that something awful would happen to him.
These prayers were, of course, counterproductive so I switched my tactics. I prayed that my boss would find another job. In a matter of weeks it happened.
I guess what I am saying is that sometimes even righteous anger fails to be graceful in it's approach. David's enemy was not going to change so he prayed that God would smite him. Initially, I knew that my boss was not going to change, so I prayed that God would take him out.
What really needed to happen was a change of venue. I think my boss was miserable in his job and so he wanted everyone to feel his pain. He needed something else to do. I'm not sure how it worked out for David's enemy, but I hope God moved him on to something more productive.
We need to approach these situations with the same grace that God shows us and accept what God does with the situation. The people in our lives are who they are - broken sinners in need of grace just like us. Accepting them where they are at and moving with grace from that point with them is what we are called to do. It is what God did for us.
Romans 5:6-11 says,
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
For no good reason, we have been blessed with forgiveness, justification and reconciliation with God. He did this for us because, despite being jerks, He loved us anyway.
And that's the hard part isn't it? Loving someone that needs to be crushed, that needs a dose of justice; that's hard. But, God does this for you and me everyday and He did it for us even before we knew we had a need. Wow.
As the old hymn says, "love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all."
That's the challenge. We got to show, love grace and mercy to bring people in line with God's truth.
Are we up to it? I hope so.
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Condiment Intolerance
In my top ten list of most disgusting things (that are not human), condiments are many of them. The most disgusting item here is mustard.
1 Mustard
2 Catsup
3 Mayonnaise
4 Pickle Mustard (very diabolical)
5 Tartar Sauce
6 Sandwich Spread (very deceptive name)
7 Pickled Herring
8 Pekingese Dogs
9 Carp
10 Sitar Music
11 The Bee Gees (they are not really human and I think they are all dead)
12 Blue Cheese (rotten milk so rotten it has turned blue green)
13 Persian Cats
14 Teletubbies
15 Soap Operas
I know, that's more than ten. I am grossed out by many things.
I was telling a friend (who is a floss miser) that opening a jar of mustard is like opening a baby diaper. It's simple. Mustard is disgusting. It smells bad and tastes bad. I'd sooner eat a lard sandwich. It should be illegal. Everyone that ate mustard in the 19th century is dead. See what I mean? It's a killer. It should at least come with a government warning label. Even the word, "mustard" is gross. How can you put something that smells like that in your mouth? Seriously, just give it up now.
Why do people use condiments anyway? It covers up the taste of what you are eating. Few people ever enjoy the flavor of a good steak or hamburger because they cover it with fowl smelling sauces and vegetables. My thought is that if you don't like the taste of beef, you shouldn't eat it. And leave the fries as they are. Why do you have to slather them in what appears some sort of catsup hemorrhage? It's just bloody awful.
Are you convinced yet? Ya, I thought not.
1 Mustard
2 Catsup
3 Mayonnaise
4 Pickle Mustard (very diabolical)
5 Tartar Sauce
6 Sandwich Spread (very deceptive name)
7 Pickled Herring
8 Pekingese Dogs
9 Carp
10 Sitar Music
11 The Bee Gees (they are not really human and I think they are all dead)
12 Blue Cheese (rotten milk so rotten it has turned blue green)
13 Persian Cats
14 Teletubbies
15 Soap Operas
I know, that's more than ten. I am grossed out by many things.
I was telling a friend (who is a floss miser) that opening a jar of mustard is like opening a baby diaper. It's simple. Mustard is disgusting. It smells bad and tastes bad. I'd sooner eat a lard sandwich. It should be illegal. Everyone that ate mustard in the 19th century is dead. See what I mean? It's a killer. It should at least come with a government warning label. Even the word, "mustard" is gross. How can you put something that smells like that in your mouth? Seriously, just give it up now.
Why do people use condiments anyway? It covers up the taste of what you are eating. Few people ever enjoy the flavor of a good steak or hamburger because they cover it with fowl smelling sauces and vegetables. My thought is that if you don't like the taste of beef, you shouldn't eat it. And leave the fries as they are. Why do you have to slather them in what appears some sort of catsup hemorrhage? It's just bloody awful.
Are you convinced yet? Ya, I thought not.
Sunday, March 13, 2016
Fishing Season is Open If You're A Groundhog
My first bass of 2016. I think the time is upon us when all good men must go fishing. By next Sunday, I'm thinking the big ones will be hungry. I went to my usual spot. It looked like the pond had "turned over" some time last week. There was activity all over the pond, but hits were kind of slow and lethargic. It will only get better from here on out. I teased out this babybass with a small swim bait.
Saturday, March 12, 2016
Powder Blue Circa 1979
I thought I looked hot. Mom thought that all I needed was was a hat and I could pass for a pimp. The men of the family were strangely silent. It was like, "does this mean something?".
I never really understood the reaction to it. It did make me stick out among all the navy and brown suits at graduation, but that was sort of the idea. Looking back, maybe it was gay and a gay thing, but I did not see it that way. It's a damn sight better than a white tux with pink piped ruffles :^)
It was 1979. Who knew you could not get away with that? Apparently not me.
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Condescending, Self Righteous Ted Cruz
In an interview with David Brody of CBN News, Republican Ted Cruz said this.
“Donald does well with voters who have relatively low information, who are not that engaged and who are angry and they see him as an angry voice."
Geez. What an idiot. He is telling potential voters that they are too stupid and uniformed to make a proper decision about voting and that any one that supports Trump is experiencing an emotional brain fart of anger.
Mental dispepsia not withstanding, it is this elitist attitude that is gradually bringing down every candidate in opposition to Donald Trump. How blind can a politician be? He is so caught up in the current paradigm that he does not see it. He is completely insulated from the reality the people in the US have to deal with daily.
It's time for a new paradigm, a new plan, a new model. Or better yet, let's dust off the old one. We know it works when it's allowed to.
Ted, give it up. Glib commentary in debates seems to be your venue. Perhaps you should go back to trial lawyering. Or maybe...maybe you would make a good ambassador to say Libya. Ya. that's it. Time to pack Ted.
“Donald does well with voters who have relatively low information, who are not that engaged and who are angry and they see him as an angry voice."
Geez. What an idiot. He is telling potential voters that they are too stupid and uniformed to make a proper decision about voting and that any one that supports Trump is experiencing an emotional brain fart of anger.
Mental dispepsia not withstanding, it is this elitist attitude that is gradually bringing down every candidate in opposition to Donald Trump. How blind can a politician be? He is so caught up in the current paradigm that he does not see it. He is completely insulated from the reality the people in the US have to deal with daily.
It's time for a new paradigm, a new plan, a new model. Or better yet, let's dust off the old one. We know it works when it's allowed to.
Ted, give it up. Glib commentary in debates seems to be your venue. Perhaps you should go back to trial lawyering. Or maybe...maybe you would make a good ambassador to say Libya. Ya. that's it. Time to pack Ted.
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
The Whole Trump Thing
In reference to Joseph Stalin and the German invasion of the Soviet Union, Winston Churchill famously stated, "If Hitler invaded hell I would make at least a favourable reference to the devil in the House of Commons."
Churchill was siding with Stalin, the most ruthless dictator in history. Had Stalin been bombing the hell out of London, I'm sure Winston would have spoken favorably of Hitler's work. Such is the politics of our world. One man's dictator is another man's ally. It all depends on who is burning down your house.
Donald Trump is not burning down my house, but he knows who is and he speaks their names and points regularly to the guys with the torches. They are the western bankers, industrialist and politicians that seek to destroy our power by controlling the elements of the game. They have been trying to box us in with low wages, high taxes and fear for 30 years. The Donald is tired of it. Someone said he is one of them, but I don't think so. He has made and lost a lot of money because of them. He is not one of them. He has not paid his dues and joined their little club. He has rather, taken up the cause of the common man and invigorated us. His appeal crosses racial barriers. His words bring hope and a nationalist fervor not felt since VE Day. Unity of purpose may be at hand.
If he means what he says, things are gonna change.
Herein lies the debacle. The fear is now on them. For the first time since the 1960's, the established powers that be are scared shitless. They are running every possible gambit to find ways to deny the will of the people, castrate the power of the vote and install another president that will bend to their will. The moneyed power brokers of the GOP are working every possible scenario to bring Donald Trump down prior to the convention and general election. They are enlisting the help of the Democrats and established media. It's my belief that they will resort to the vilest chicanery to nullify the will of the American people.
For this reason alone, I support Donald Trump. He may turn out to be an awful president, a terrible politician that makes us all look bad and feel bad in the end, but right now in this hour, this one shining moment he is bringing fear to the empowered and entitled of the West. Let them sweat if they can.
If he wins, I hope he arrests them all, confiscates their wealth and sends them to Gitmo for their crimes of terror against the American people.
I don't know if I will get my dream of abolition of the Federal Reserve or my dream of closing all our foreign military bases or my dream of high import tariffs and re-industrialization of the United States, but I would like to see an end to the dismantling and balkanization of my country. I would like to see an end to the endless wars. I would like to see the real perpetrators of 9/11 exposed. I am so tired of this pursuit of empire. We are Americans. We should oppose empires, not build them.
The world is a mess and it's because of US foreign policy, driven by Zionist money.
Christians, my own people, are completely deluded by all this. They believe Ted Cruz is the One, an evangelical, born again boy wonder.
Really friends? He's an Ivy Leaguer. He served in the Bush administration at the FDA. He met his wife Heidi there. She now works for Goldman Sachs and he is a US Senator supported heavily by the oil industry and some help from Heidi's bosses. Jeb Bushes brother Neil is now supporting him. He's as establishment as it gets. He will sell you down the river just like all the other establishment Republicans have done. Don't be stupid.
Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is insane. Who says a good Christian would make a good president anyway? I'm not sure I believe that.
"Ya, well who says Donald Trump would be a good president?"
Not me. But I do believe he can be the one to take this hereditary monarchy and put it back in the hands of us real folks. The gravy train administrators in Congress need to go to. Donald, you need to be campaigning against them too. Shut down the government. No one ever notices anyway accept the bureaucrats.
Let's send them all home.
Friends in Florida and Ohio, we need you to be strong and do the right thing on the 15th. Say 'no more' to them all. Vote Trump OK? Sunshine and buckeyes for everyone next Tuesday. Let's wrap this thing up.
Churchill was siding with Stalin, the most ruthless dictator in history. Had Stalin been bombing the hell out of London, I'm sure Winston would have spoken favorably of Hitler's work. Such is the politics of our world. One man's dictator is another man's ally. It all depends on who is burning down your house.
Donald Trump is not burning down my house, but he knows who is and he speaks their names and points regularly to the guys with the torches. They are the western bankers, industrialist and politicians that seek to destroy our power by controlling the elements of the game. They have been trying to box us in with low wages, high taxes and fear for 30 years. The Donald is tired of it. Someone said he is one of them, but I don't think so. He has made and lost a lot of money because of them. He is not one of them. He has not paid his dues and joined their little club. He has rather, taken up the cause of the common man and invigorated us. His appeal crosses racial barriers. His words bring hope and a nationalist fervor not felt since VE Day. Unity of purpose may be at hand.
If he means what he says, things are gonna change.
Herein lies the debacle. The fear is now on them. For the first time since the 1960's, the established powers that be are scared shitless. They are running every possible gambit to find ways to deny the will of the people, castrate the power of the vote and install another president that will bend to their will. The moneyed power brokers of the GOP are working every possible scenario to bring Donald Trump down prior to the convention and general election. They are enlisting the help of the Democrats and established media. It's my belief that they will resort to the vilest chicanery to nullify the will of the American people.
For this reason alone, I support Donald Trump. He may turn out to be an awful president, a terrible politician that makes us all look bad and feel bad in the end, but right now in this hour, this one shining moment he is bringing fear to the empowered and entitled of the West. Let them sweat if they can.
If he wins, I hope he arrests them all, confiscates their wealth and sends them to Gitmo for their crimes of terror against the American people.
I don't know if I will get my dream of abolition of the Federal Reserve or my dream of closing all our foreign military bases or my dream of high import tariffs and re-industrialization of the United States, but I would like to see an end to the dismantling and balkanization of my country. I would like to see an end to the endless wars. I would like to see the real perpetrators of 9/11 exposed. I am so tired of this pursuit of empire. We are Americans. We should oppose empires, not build them.
The world is a mess and it's because of US foreign policy, driven by Zionist money.
Christians, my own people, are completely deluded by all this. They believe Ted Cruz is the One, an evangelical, born again boy wonder.
Really friends? He's an Ivy Leaguer. He served in the Bush administration at the FDA. He met his wife Heidi there. She now works for Goldman Sachs and he is a US Senator supported heavily by the oil industry and some help from Heidi's bosses. Jeb Bushes brother Neil is now supporting him. He's as establishment as it gets. He will sell you down the river just like all the other establishment Republicans have done. Don't be stupid.
Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is insane. Who says a good Christian would make a good president anyway? I'm not sure I believe that.
"Ya, well who says Donald Trump would be a good president?"
Not me. But I do believe he can be the one to take this hereditary monarchy and put it back in the hands of us real folks. The gravy train administrators in Congress need to go to. Donald, you need to be campaigning against them too. Shut down the government. No one ever notices anyway accept the bureaucrats.
Let's send them all home.
Friends in Florida and Ohio, we need you to be strong and do the right thing on the 15th. Say 'no more' to them all. Vote Trump OK? Sunshine and buckeyes for everyone next Tuesday. Let's wrap this thing up.
An Interesting Organism
The church is an interesting bunch. I speak in the nebulous sense of those that claim to be part of the body of Christ across all the denominational, theological and political lines. More specifically, I mean those that believe Jesus Christ rose from the dead and rules His Kingdom from His Father's side.
We are from all walks of life, from every culture, every nation and every tribe on the planet. We have one thing in common. We are all sinners saved by His grace.
Many of us live on the knife's edge. We constantly push to the very limits of what is acceptable behavior for one of Christ's subjects. Sometimes our motivations for this are good. We want to seem like an attractive bunch to those in the world that need Jesus. On other occasions, we are believers that, out of fear of eternal condemnation, attend services and perform functions in our local congregation, but behave as though we never knew Him through the week. There are still others among us that are so wrapped up in our own sense of righteousness that we cannot bear being with actual sinners that do not know Jesus.
These are only some of the "types" that exist in a "believing church". Of the three mentioned here, I think the first group is the most interesting and has the greatest potential for kingdom success.
It's true that we are not to be of the world though we live in the world. It's true that we must fear God and serve Him, but that holy fear and faith should generate sanctification that translates into consistent behavior. Finally, we should not be so wrapped up in our pursuit of righteousness, that we shun those outside our faith communities and fear contamination. We are clean because Jesus made us clean from the inside out and not because we scrubbed ourselves clean with study and prayer.
What I am trying to say is that if we want to be successful for the Kingdom, we need to push the limits of grace while maintaining the truth in love. Condemning the outward acts of sinners will not win them for Jesus. Joining them in contradiction to our calling will not do this. But joining them as friends with a conviction about mercy, truth and justice might just win a few. Showing them the peace that comes with knowing Him and the stability that comes even in dark times can make them thirsty. Showing them that you are not opposed to a little fun also goes a long way.
Jesus liked a good party. I think of the wedding feast at Cana where He made the wine. I think of Him going to the houses of Zacchaeus and Matthew without fear and in good conscience, enjoying the party and delivering the truth. I also think about what He said when some wanted to condemn His participation.
To Zacchaeus He said, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
At Matthew's house He told the Pharisees, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[a] For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
We need to be out there among 'em. We need to ask them to join our party. We need to push the limits of traditional "Christian" behavior to bring people in. That might create some messiness in the local congregation. So be it.
We are from all walks of life, from every culture, every nation and every tribe on the planet. We have one thing in common. We are all sinners saved by His grace.
Many of us live on the knife's edge. We constantly push to the very limits of what is acceptable behavior for one of Christ's subjects. Sometimes our motivations for this are good. We want to seem like an attractive bunch to those in the world that need Jesus. On other occasions, we are believers that, out of fear of eternal condemnation, attend services and perform functions in our local congregation, but behave as though we never knew Him through the week. There are still others among us that are so wrapped up in our own sense of righteousness that we cannot bear being with actual sinners that do not know Jesus.
These are only some of the "types" that exist in a "believing church". Of the three mentioned here, I think the first group is the most interesting and has the greatest potential for kingdom success.
It's true that we are not to be of the world though we live in the world. It's true that we must fear God and serve Him, but that holy fear and faith should generate sanctification that translates into consistent behavior. Finally, we should not be so wrapped up in our pursuit of righteousness, that we shun those outside our faith communities and fear contamination. We are clean because Jesus made us clean from the inside out and not because we scrubbed ourselves clean with study and prayer.
What I am trying to say is that if we want to be successful for the Kingdom, we need to push the limits of grace while maintaining the truth in love. Condemning the outward acts of sinners will not win them for Jesus. Joining them in contradiction to our calling will not do this. But joining them as friends with a conviction about mercy, truth and justice might just win a few. Showing them the peace that comes with knowing Him and the stability that comes even in dark times can make them thirsty. Showing them that you are not opposed to a little fun also goes a long way.
Jesus liked a good party. I think of the wedding feast at Cana where He made the wine. I think of Him going to the houses of Zacchaeus and Matthew without fear and in good conscience, enjoying the party and delivering the truth. I also think about what He said when some wanted to condemn His participation.
To Zacchaeus He said, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
At Matthew's house He told the Pharisees, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[a] For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
We need to be out there among 'em. We need to ask them to join our party. We need to push the limits of traditional "Christian" behavior to bring people in. That might create some messiness in the local congregation. So be it.
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
The Only Time I Ever "Looked Gay"
I am not what you would call obvious. You would probably not know I am same sex attracted just by talking to me for a few minutes. Maybe after we got to know each other you would figure it out, but I'm thinking you'd say, "naw, that can't be".
I think the only time I ever looked kind of gay was when I was in a friend's wedding. The bride was my friend who knew of my SSA status and ask me to stand up with her and her hubby in the ceremony. I obviously could not be a bride's maid. Too much equipment. But the groom was kind enough to let me stand with the guys. We all had these white tuxes on. I was the only guy that looked gay. I was the sore thumb.
I'm all ruffly pink and white. Geeze. I think there was only one other time that came close. I bought a powder blue suit for my college graduation and it made me seem a bit...pretty. Anyway, I have been more careful since then.
I think the only time I ever looked kind of gay was when I was in a friend's wedding. The bride was my friend who knew of my SSA status and ask me to stand up with her and her hubby in the ceremony. I obviously could not be a bride's maid. Too much equipment. But the groom was kind enough to let me stand with the guys. We all had these white tuxes on. I was the only guy that looked gay. I was the sore thumb.
It's Not The Same
This will not sit well with some, particularly among my Christian friends whom I love and am very glad to have in my life, but I need to say it, and you need to know it or at least consider that it might well be the truth.
Homosexuality is not like substance abuse, alcoholism, gambling addiction, greed, avarice, covetousness, malice, hate or whatever other sin that you want to name. It is hard wired into those of us that have to deal with it. We know the desire long before we ever participate in the behavior. It seems as natural as your desire is for the opposite sex. Further to the point, it is not all about the sex anymore than your marriage is. There is friendship, camaraderie and solidarity in these communities that goes beyond the mere search for a sex partner. It is a sexual desire and behavior common to many throughout the world, through history and across all cultures.
Alfred Kinsey, whatever you may think of him, had a scale of zero to six for Human sexuality.
The percentages for each category, 0 to 6, are broken out below under my last paragraph. You can choose to believe his research or not.
The source is here.
The overwhelming majority of humans are straight. There are about 4% of us that are 6's. This would be me if you are wondering. I have zero heterosexual desire. I like women. The best relationships I have had in my life have been with women. I just never wanted to have sex with one.
I guess my point here is that I never felt like I was given choice. Yes, I know behavior is a choice, but the desire that I have seems quite natural and at the risk of setting your teeth on edge, quite normal.
Back in 1977 and 1978 I had some fairly intense counseling that was designed to create a passion for the opposite sex. It involved hypnosis and something called 'visual imagery'. During hypnosis sessions I would rest the ring and middle fingers of my left hand on a biofeedback device that measured galvanic skin response (GSR). I would be asked to concentrate on the buzzing sound the device made and reduce it through relaxation. I was very good at this. I could get very relaxed very quickly. During these periods I would would be asked to visualize heterosexual coitus while the counselor described it. I have to say that even though I was about as relaxed as a man could get without being asleep, I do not think I was ever in a hypnotic state. There was also the fact that the entire process kind of put me off. I did not trust my counselor (he was weird) and he was talking about things that, frankly, were kind of gross to me. Suffice it to say, it did not work.
I quit counseling in 1978. It was also in 1978 that I met Robert. We lasted about a year and a half. In 1979 I graduated and Robert and I went our separate ways. I should tell you all about Robert some time I suppose. Or maybe not. Some of you could not deal with it. Whatever. He was my first and my last. Ya, I know. I'm not dead yet, but I am just too tired so there will be no man but Jesus in my future. I really want to see Him.
Kinsey summarized his findings (Kinsey et al., 1948:650-51) on the incidence of homosexual behavior among white males in the U.S. population in these words:
Homosexuality is not like substance abuse, alcoholism, gambling addiction, greed, avarice, covetousness, malice, hate or whatever other sin that you want to name. It is hard wired into those of us that have to deal with it. We know the desire long before we ever participate in the behavior. It seems as natural as your desire is for the opposite sex. Further to the point, it is not all about the sex anymore than your marriage is. There is friendship, camaraderie and solidarity in these communities that goes beyond the mere search for a sex partner. It is a sexual desire and behavior common to many throughout the world, through history and across all cultures.
Alfred Kinsey, whatever you may think of him, had a scale of zero to six for Human sexuality.
| 0. | Exclusively heterosexual with no homosexual |
| 1. | Predominantly heterosexual, only incidental homosexual |
| 2. | Predominantly heterosexual, but more than incidentally homosexual |
| 3. | Equally heterosexual and homosexual |
| 4. | Predominantly homosexual but more than incidentally heterosexual |
| 5. | Predominantly homosexual, but incidentally heterosexual |
| 6. | Exclusively homosexual. |
The source is here.
The overwhelming majority of humans are straight. There are about 4% of us that are 6's. This would be me if you are wondering. I have zero heterosexual desire. I like women. The best relationships I have had in my life have been with women. I just never wanted to have sex with one.
I guess my point here is that I never felt like I was given choice. Yes, I know behavior is a choice, but the desire that I have seems quite natural and at the risk of setting your teeth on edge, quite normal.
Back in 1977 and 1978 I had some fairly intense counseling that was designed to create a passion for the opposite sex. It involved hypnosis and something called 'visual imagery'. During hypnosis sessions I would rest the ring and middle fingers of my left hand on a biofeedback device that measured galvanic skin response (GSR). I would be asked to concentrate on the buzzing sound the device made and reduce it through relaxation. I was very good at this. I could get very relaxed very quickly. During these periods I would would be asked to visualize heterosexual coitus while the counselor described it. I have to say that even though I was about as relaxed as a man could get without being asleep, I do not think I was ever in a hypnotic state. There was also the fact that the entire process kind of put me off. I did not trust my counselor (he was weird) and he was talking about things that, frankly, were kind of gross to me. Suffice it to say, it did not work.
I quit counseling in 1978. It was also in 1978 that I met Robert. We lasted about a year and a half. In 1979 I graduated and Robert and I went our separate ways. I should tell you all about Robert some time I suppose. Or maybe not. Some of you could not deal with it. Whatever. He was my first and my last. Ya, I know. I'm not dead yet, but I am just too tired so there will be no man but Jesus in my future. I really want to see Him.
Kinsey summarized his findings (Kinsey et al., 1948:650-51) on the incidence of homosexual behavior among white males in the U.S. population in these words:
"37 per cent of the total male population has
at least some overt homosexual experience to the point of orgasm between
adolescence and old age. This accounts for nearly 2 males out of every 5 that
one may meet.
"50 per cent of the males who remain
single until age 35 have had overt homosexual experience to the point of
orgasm, since the onset of adolescence.
"58 per cent of the males who belong to
the group that goes into high school but not beyond, 50 per cent of
the grade school level, and 47 per cent of the college
level have had homosexual experience to the point of orgasm if they remain
single to the age of 35.
"63 per cent of all males never have
overt homosexual experience to the point of orgasm after the onset of
adolescence.
"50 per cent of all males (approximately) have
neither overt nor psychic experience in the homosexual after the onset of
adolescence.
"13 per cent of the males (approximately) react
erotically to other males without having overt homosexual contacts after
the onset of adolescence.
"30 per cent of all males have at least
incidental homosexual experience or reactions (i.e., rate 1-6) over at
least a three-year period between the ages of 16 and 55. This accounts for one male out of every three
in the population who is past the early years of adolescence.
"25 per cent of the male population has
more than incidental homosexual experience or reaction (i.e., rates 2-6)
for at least three years between the ages of 16 and 55. In terms of averages, one male out of
approximately every four has had or will have such distinct and continued
homosexual experience.
"18 per cent of the males have at least
as much of the homosexual as the heterosexual in their histories (i.e. rate
3-6) for at least three years between the ages of 16 and 55. This is more than
one in six of the white male population.
"13 per cent of the population has more
of the homosexual than the heterosexual (i.e., rates 4-6) for at least
three years between the ages of 16 and 55. This is one in eight of the white male population.
"10 per cent of the males are more or
less exclusively homosexual (i.e., rate 5 or 6) for at least three years
between the ages of 16 and 55. This is
one male in ten in the white population.
"8 per cent of the males are exclusively
homosexual (i.e. rate a 6) for at least three years between the ages of 16
and 55. This is one male in every 13.
"4 per cent of the white males are exclusively
homosexual throughout their lives, after the onset of adolescence."
Monday, March 7, 2016
God's Grace and His Truth
Yesterday in Sunday school we were talking about what I believed was the inevitable tension that exists between God's grace and His truth and how, if we allow that tension to become love, then the whole process is considerably less 'tense'.
Someone pointed out that grace and truth are not mutually exclusive in that God's grace is an integral part of His truth. This is brilliant as far as it goes, but when we allow one to define the other, we run the risk of moving toward total grace or total truth. Total grace allows all things, even things that fly in the face of virtue or compassion. Total truth is rigid, strictly defining what must be and excluding and condemning all things that oppose it.
So do we allow graciousness to over ride important truths about what God requires of us, what He expects from those that love Him? Are there in fact limits to God's Grace and compassion? If truth exists, then are we not compelled to say yes to that question?
This is a puzzlement. It is the tension. You can gloss it all over with love, but it is still very tense.
What then shall we say?
We have to find balance. Instead of searching for the limits of God's grace and how far out of the way we can push the limits of His truth, maybe we should just obey and bask in His glory.
There may well be limits to God's grace, but only He can define that and if these limits exist He never tells us about it in scripture. We are instead told about how much He loves us and what can happen to those that fail to observe the precepts of His truth. Those that persist in living in certain ways will not inherit eternal life. Jesus said this. Paul and Peter wrote about it. At the same time they all also spoke of God's preference for mercy and compassion and repentance.
At the root of this matter is God's sovereignty. He will do what He wants. He is God. He knows the hearts and minds of humanity and those that claim to be His possessions. He will take into account all things as He pursues us and we pursue Him.
We cannot sin all the more that grace may abound and we cannot go "full pharisee" with His Word.
Children will test the limitations their parents place on them and their parents will apply the appropriate amounts of grace and truth as they see fit. So it is with our heavenly Father. Life's lessons can be difficult or easy. It all depends on our degree of submission to His will.
When Jesus was in conversation with Nicodemus as recorded in John 3, Jesus makes clear how God's grace, truth and love work together to save us who are willing.
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
So what are you saying Ghog? All I have to do is believe and I will enjoy God's grace and salvation and live in His truth?
Well yes, but that belief, that faith has to translate to walking in the light and avoiding the evil deeds of the darkness. If your belief is the real deal, this will happen. Grace will cover the learning process.
Someone pointed out that grace and truth are not mutually exclusive in that God's grace is an integral part of His truth. This is brilliant as far as it goes, but when we allow one to define the other, we run the risk of moving toward total grace or total truth. Total grace allows all things, even things that fly in the face of virtue or compassion. Total truth is rigid, strictly defining what must be and excluding and condemning all things that oppose it.
So do we allow graciousness to over ride important truths about what God requires of us, what He expects from those that love Him? Are there in fact limits to God's Grace and compassion? If truth exists, then are we not compelled to say yes to that question?
This is a puzzlement. It is the tension. You can gloss it all over with love, but it is still very tense.
What then shall we say?
We have to find balance. Instead of searching for the limits of God's grace and how far out of the way we can push the limits of His truth, maybe we should just obey and bask in His glory.
There may well be limits to God's grace, but only He can define that and if these limits exist He never tells us about it in scripture. We are instead told about how much He loves us and what can happen to those that fail to observe the precepts of His truth. Those that persist in living in certain ways will not inherit eternal life. Jesus said this. Paul and Peter wrote about it. At the same time they all also spoke of God's preference for mercy and compassion and repentance.
At the root of this matter is God's sovereignty. He will do what He wants. He is God. He knows the hearts and minds of humanity and those that claim to be His possessions. He will take into account all things as He pursues us and we pursue Him.
We cannot sin all the more that grace may abound and we cannot go "full pharisee" with His Word.
Children will test the limitations their parents place on them and their parents will apply the appropriate amounts of grace and truth as they see fit. So it is with our heavenly Father. Life's lessons can be difficult or easy. It all depends on our degree of submission to His will.
When Jesus was in conversation with Nicodemus as recorded in John 3, Jesus makes clear how God's grace, truth and love work together to save us who are willing.
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
So what are you saying Ghog? All I have to do is believe and I will enjoy God's grace and salvation and live in His truth?
Well yes, but that belief, that faith has to translate to walking in the light and avoiding the evil deeds of the darkness. If your belief is the real deal, this will happen. Grace will cover the learning process.
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Marco Is Done...Stick a Fork In Him
Well, someone has dropped a dime on Marco Rubio. I thought sure he was going to be the next establishment darling in the race for the GOP nomination for president, but apparently he was someone else's darling...at least twice. Marco we hardly knew ye.
GotNews is saying they have ID'd a couple of mistresses that Marco has mounted despite his marriage and family man image.
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio has carried on at least two extramarital affairs since he entered politics.
GotNews.com can confirm through lobbyist sources in DC and Tallahassee that at least one DC-based lobbyist has had an extra marital affair with the first term U.S. Senator. Still another Florida-based lobbyist has been IDed as carrying on an affair.
The first woman was Amber Stoner, a 36-year-old woman who worked for Rubio when he was head of the Florida Republican Party....
The second woman is Dana Hudson, a blonde lobbyist based in the Beltway.
According to two lobbyists in DC in the national security space Hudson has been bragging about having had sex with the senator to other lobbyists.
Hudson lobbies on Homeland Security issues and is personal friends with the very same corrupt David Rivera who once partied with Rubio....
Rubio’s wife reportedly knows about Marco Rubio’s extra marital affairs and doesn’t mind them — so long as she and her children are provided for.
One high placed GOP establishment source from Florida who actually backs Rubio over Trump and Cruz expressed shock that Rubio was still carrying on with women while he was running for president. “It smacks of Jon Edwards,” he texted.
Wow. I guess my only surprise is that they were both women. I kind of thought Marco was in the closet, but it turns out he's in there with at least two women that are not his wife. I'm thinking Marco's political career may be over. He's not as slick as William Jefferson. He will not get away with it.
As to who dropped the dime, it could be anyone. The party may have asked him to step aside to give Cruz a chance at Trump and he refused. Trump's operatives may have done it out of revenge. Or some sore loser like Christie may have done it out of spite. Cruz may have done it to increase his odds in Florida. Whoever did it, it's better that everyone find out now.
I'm sure damage control will begin in earnest tomorrow, but it will probably be short lived. If these allegations are true, he will be done by the end of the week.
Marco, just zip it OK?
GotNews is saying they have ID'd a couple of mistresses that Marco has mounted despite his marriage and family man image.
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio has carried on at least two extramarital affairs since he entered politics.
GotNews.com can confirm through lobbyist sources in DC and Tallahassee that at least one DC-based lobbyist has had an extra marital affair with the first term U.S. Senator. Still another Florida-based lobbyist has been IDed as carrying on an affair.
The first woman was Amber Stoner, a 36-year-old woman who worked for Rubio when he was head of the Florida Republican Party....
The second woman is Dana Hudson, a blonde lobbyist based in the Beltway.
According to two lobbyists in DC in the national security space Hudson has been bragging about having had sex with the senator to other lobbyists.
Hudson lobbies on Homeland Security issues and is personal friends with the very same corrupt David Rivera who once partied with Rubio....
Rubio’s wife reportedly knows about Marco Rubio’s extra marital affairs and doesn’t mind them — so long as she and her children are provided for.
One high placed GOP establishment source from Florida who actually backs Rubio over Trump and Cruz expressed shock that Rubio was still carrying on with women while he was running for president. “It smacks of Jon Edwards,” he texted.
Wow. I guess my only surprise is that they were both women. I kind of thought Marco was in the closet, but it turns out he's in there with at least two women that are not his wife. I'm thinking Marco's political career may be over. He's not as slick as William Jefferson. He will not get away with it.
As to who dropped the dime, it could be anyone. The party may have asked him to step aside to give Cruz a chance at Trump and he refused. Trump's operatives may have done it out of revenge. Or some sore loser like Christie may have done it out of spite. Cruz may have done it to increase his odds in Florida. Whoever did it, it's better that everyone find out now.
I'm sure damage control will begin in earnest tomorrow, but it will probably be short lived. If these allegations are true, he will be done by the end of the week.
Marco, just zip it OK?
It's That time of Year...
We started the spring quarter in Sunday school today at church. I had to work a double shift and it looks like this will continue until June. I am finally teaching Messy Grace by Caleb Kaltenbach. It seemed to go well. Between my two classes I had 38 people. I know this will change. People seem to test drive teachers and their subject matter. A subtle shift will occur in the coming weeks. 38 this week may translate to 45 next week or twelve. Actually, I doubt that last number will happen. There are Groundhog loyalists in my 0800 class that amount to more than that. I had 5 elders in my 1030 class with their wives. I would like to say thanks for your support. The subject matter can be touchy and I appreciate all the participation. I would also like to add a special thanks to Mandy for coming. You seem to be a wise woman. I hope you will continue to occupy a place in the front row.
It got up to 70 degrees here today. It was enough push me to the service desk at Hy Vee to get my 2016 fishing license. I immediately broke it in. I put on my new hat hook and went fishing. I didn't catch anything, but the water looked promising even though it was still very cold. As the spring rains begin to warm the water, I'm sure I will find a bass with my name on it. I hope to be going again soon. Sunday afternoons are perfect for me and this activity. It gives me occasion to sort out the events from the day's worship and also look to the week ahead.
I have to do two things this week. I am supposed to do them every week. You have to do them too if you are a person of faith.
1) Love the Lord God with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength.
And...
2) Love our neighbor as ourselves.
Surprisingly, these things are not as easy as you think. What we have to remember is our over all purpose. We were created to bring glory to God. If we can do that, then we can knock out these two commands. Piece of cake right? Ya right.
Lord I do love you even though it may not seem like it sometimes and I know you love me, even though I may not think so sometimes. Now that I think about it, it's kind of like we are married. I seem to be the weaker partner. So be it. I will try to follow your lead, hoping all the time you are listening to me. I'm not sure at this point why you should listen to me, but I kind of think you do. I will continue to work on our relationship. You're laughing at me aren't you? OK. I can deal with that. I'm a human being that gets laughed at frequently. The preachers said something this morning about You having a sense of humor. I know that's true. Look at all the different kinds of humans you made. You do seem to like variety. Glad I could help with that.
Steve also shared with me an interesting question brought to him by a young nephew. The kid wanted to know if God, who is invisible in our world, is visible in heaven. You might think this sounds like a 'kid' type question, but really it's very deep. I would submit to the young one that God is NOT invisible here. If pressed to prove this, I would try to point out all the people that are doing God's work by glorifying Him and loving their neighbors. As Christians, when we do this, we become the face of Jesus to people and as John tells us, if we have seen Jesus, we have seen the Father.
Now this could be a stretch for some, but is it also the point of the two greatest commandments. We, as believers, are the hands and feet of our heavenly Father. We help to make Him known. That is pretty heavy.
The boy seems to genuinely be seeking God. I'm kind of hoping God reaches out to him and locks him into the faith early. The Lord loves the young ones. We should all be so unjaded, forthright and innocent in our inquiries.
Spring is coming. Soon life will spring from death, beauty will replace corruption and a bass will be on my lure. Bring it Lord. I am ready. Thanks for the Day!
It got up to 70 degrees here today. It was enough push me to the service desk at Hy Vee to get my 2016 fishing license. I immediately broke it in. I put on my new hat hook and went fishing. I didn't catch anything, but the water looked promising even though it was still very cold. As the spring rains begin to warm the water, I'm sure I will find a bass with my name on it. I hope to be going again soon. Sunday afternoons are perfect for me and this activity. It gives me occasion to sort out the events from the day's worship and also look to the week ahead.
I have to do two things this week. I am supposed to do them every week. You have to do them too if you are a person of faith.
1) Love the Lord God with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength.
And...
2) Love our neighbor as ourselves.
Surprisingly, these things are not as easy as you think. What we have to remember is our over all purpose. We were created to bring glory to God. If we can do that, then we can knock out these two commands. Piece of cake right? Ya right.
Lord I do love you even though it may not seem like it sometimes and I know you love me, even though I may not think so sometimes. Now that I think about it, it's kind of like we are married. I seem to be the weaker partner. So be it. I will try to follow your lead, hoping all the time you are listening to me. I'm not sure at this point why you should listen to me, but I kind of think you do. I will continue to work on our relationship. You're laughing at me aren't you? OK. I can deal with that. I'm a human being that gets laughed at frequently. The preachers said something this morning about You having a sense of humor. I know that's true. Look at all the different kinds of humans you made. You do seem to like variety. Glad I could help with that.
Steve also shared with me an interesting question brought to him by a young nephew. The kid wanted to know if God, who is invisible in our world, is visible in heaven. You might think this sounds like a 'kid' type question, but really it's very deep. I would submit to the young one that God is NOT invisible here. If pressed to prove this, I would try to point out all the people that are doing God's work by glorifying Him and loving their neighbors. As Christians, when we do this, we become the face of Jesus to people and as John tells us, if we have seen Jesus, we have seen the Father.
Now this could be a stretch for some, but is it also the point of the two greatest commandments. We, as believers, are the hands and feet of our heavenly Father. We help to make Him known. That is pretty heavy.
The boy seems to genuinely be seeking God. I'm kind of hoping God reaches out to him and locks him into the faith early. The Lord loves the young ones. We should all be so unjaded, forthright and innocent in our inquiries.
Spring is coming. Soon life will spring from death, beauty will replace corruption and a bass will be on my lure. Bring it Lord. I am ready. Thanks for the Day!
Friday, March 4, 2016
Makin Shit Happen
There are people whose natural habit it is to make things happen. If they are dissatisfied, they make a change for themselves and sometimes without regard to the people around them, like family, wife or husband. Some will drag everyone in their circles into what they are doing even if it means a trip to the other side of the planet. Others are just naturally changing things up out of curiosity or attention seeking or boredom. It is who they are. They are the ones that show up at work with green hair. You know the ones I'm talking about.
When I was much younger, my Mom worked part time in a grocery store in addition to her full time job. She really liked working at Dahl's because of the wide variety of people she would meet as they checked out. There was one individual that would ride up to the grocery store on his bicycle. He would play a harmonica as he rode his bike and then he would come into the store. To say he was "differently enabled" would be a politically correct assessment. He would come into the store, playing his harmonica and flirt with the women at the service counter. He would also chat up the cashiers, my Mom included. I don't know that his intention was to pick up anyone; he just wanted to spread his particular brand of joy with as many people as possible. Sometimes his intrusions into the store would upset buying customers and they would have to ask him to leave. It seemed unkind, but necessary even though he had really done nothing to actually hurt anyone. His presence, however, provoked discomfort for some. He was a distraction and he enjoyed it. He wore a baseball cap like the one below.
Have you ever been the one that makes shit happen? It's odd to have the urge at my age, but I think I want to be that guy. Why now? You would think that I would be long past that and just want to coast off to heaven. Nope. For some reason, I think life is just beginning to get good...interesting. I want to make it that way for everyone. I want to shock old ladies and make young people get red faced and laugh. I want to upset those in authority. I want them to worry that they are losing control. I want to be the one that they wish they were free enough to be.
How odd.
So buckle your seat belts and get ready or better yet...I will turn off the seat belt sign so you will feel free to move about the cabin. Let's make some shit happen.
When I was much younger, my Mom worked part time in a grocery store in addition to her full time job. She really liked working at Dahl's because of the wide variety of people she would meet as they checked out. There was one individual that would ride up to the grocery store on his bicycle. He would play a harmonica as he rode his bike and then he would come into the store. To say he was "differently enabled" would be a politically correct assessment. He would come into the store, playing his harmonica and flirt with the women at the service counter. He would also chat up the cashiers, my Mom included. I don't know that his intention was to pick up anyone; he just wanted to spread his particular brand of joy with as many people as possible. Sometimes his intrusions into the store would upset buying customers and they would have to ask him to leave. It seemed unkind, but necessary even though he had really done nothing to actually hurt anyone. His presence, however, provoked discomfort for some. He was a distraction and he enjoyed it. He wore a baseball cap like the one below.
How odd.
So buckle your seat belts and get ready or better yet...I will turn off the seat belt sign so you will feel free to move about the cabin. Let's make some shit happen.
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
The Last Loser
Mitt Romney is making an allegedly important speech Thursday regarding the 2016 presidential race. This may become known as "Trumpus Interruptus" in the history books. We will see.
I cannot believe they are doing this. Establishment Republicans would rather see a loser lose again than see Donald Trump as President of the United States. It baffles me that they would rather have the Queen of Mean, the Whore of Babylon ascend the Capitol steps in January 2017. She, whose name must not be spoken, will ascend from the bowels of the ninth circle of Hell to rule the Empire.
Lord, you can stop them? Smite Mitt before he harms us all. Send him to wherever it is you are going to send Mormons after death. Make sure he gets a chain. Thanks
This should tell you exactly who these establishment GOP types are and where their real politics are located...to the left of center and in their pocket books.
Truth be told, Trump is probably as liberal as the Witch ofEndor Arkansas. He may just be putting us all on for personal entertainment. Nevertheless, I have become convinced that he is the enema America needs. He has certainly increased interest in voting. It would be funny indeed if he managed to beat both of them.
Bring it Mitt. What have you got to lose?
I cannot believe they are doing this. Establishment Republicans would rather see a loser lose again than see Donald Trump as President of the United States. It baffles me that they would rather have the Queen of Mean, the Whore of Babylon ascend the Capitol steps in January 2017. She, whose name must not be spoken, will ascend from the bowels of the ninth circle of Hell to rule the Empire.
Lord, you can stop them? Smite Mitt before he harms us all. Send him to wherever it is you are going to send Mormons after death. Make sure he gets a chain. Thanks
This should tell you exactly who these establishment GOP types are and where their real politics are located...to the left of center and in their pocket books.
Truth be told, Trump is probably as liberal as the Witch of
Bring it Mitt. What have you got to lose?
Resisting The Lord's Plans
As the Rolling Stones used to sing, "you can't always get what you want.." and another early Stones offering, "I can't get no satisfaction.." If I was going to have a couple of worldly songs at my funeral, it would probably be those two. They resonate with me in special ways, even as a child of God.
Many of us faith-centric individuals go through life in search of God's will and some elusive special purpose that we are certain matches what we are thinking we want to do for Him. For some reason, we have it in our minds that we are "more special" than a billion other Christians in pursuit of their obedience. God wants us to do what we want to do for Him. He would not ask us to do this or that thing that would be unpleasant or test us in ways in which we are weak. He would not want us to stay in a situation where, though we might bring Him glory, we would go crazy if we stayed. He would not put us in a place where seemingly nothing is happening.
And so we flee situations that make us uncomfortable or do not line up with the vision we believe God gave us. We run for the hills. We get ourselves thrown overboard. We flail about trying to escape the painful thing...whatever it is. We dread that feeling of a loss of momentum and we wonder what God is doing since it seems like we are spinning our wheels and going no where.
We do these things, even in the face of the uncomfortable truth that we are where we are because God put us there and He wants us to serve Him and each other from that place.
Read that last sentence again and tell me it does not ring true. What? Are you thinking it's true for other believers, but not you? Think again brother. Our purpose here has very little to do with what we want, how we feel or what we think. When we gave our lives to Jesus, they ceased to be our own. We are free from sin, but we are not free from our master. We must stay and obey and go when we are told. Our lives are not our own. Our purpose, generally speaking, is to bring glory to God and be obedient to His will no matter what circumstance we find ourselves in; and to find contentment in these things.
Some of us are like Jonah. We know what God wants, but we actively seek to escape doing it. Then when we finally submit to doing God's will and achieve the purpose He desired, we are still not content. We pout because it is still not what we wanted. Never mind God's glory and purpose.
Others are like Jeremiah who preached his message for 40+ years. No one listened or turned to the Lord. There was no repentance. I wonder how he felt about that? Did he feel like his life had been wasted? Still, the work he did had to be done by someone. He brought the Lord glory through his obedience and tenacity.
I would like to escape my current situation. I would like to walk away. I feel like my time is being wasted.
Then I think about the other lives that I affect in this place that I am in. If I give careful consideration to this, I discover that my influence has been much more pervasive that I thought. People I never think about have listened to the things I have said and read what I have written. These things have probably even brought God glory and honor in ways that I have not realized.
Therefore, I cannot run away. I am where I am because I AM THAT I AM put me here. Sometimes I wish He didn't love me so much....nah...I'm good with it.
Thanks Lord.
Many of us faith-centric individuals go through life in search of God's will and some elusive special purpose that we are certain matches what we are thinking we want to do for Him. For some reason, we have it in our minds that we are "more special" than a billion other Christians in pursuit of their obedience. God wants us to do what we want to do for Him. He would not ask us to do this or that thing that would be unpleasant or test us in ways in which we are weak. He would not want us to stay in a situation where, though we might bring Him glory, we would go crazy if we stayed. He would not put us in a place where seemingly nothing is happening.
And so we flee situations that make us uncomfortable or do not line up with the vision we believe God gave us. We run for the hills. We get ourselves thrown overboard. We flail about trying to escape the painful thing...whatever it is. We dread that feeling of a loss of momentum and we wonder what God is doing since it seems like we are spinning our wheels and going no where.
We do these things, even in the face of the uncomfortable truth that we are where we are because God put us there and He wants us to serve Him and each other from that place.
Read that last sentence again and tell me it does not ring true. What? Are you thinking it's true for other believers, but not you? Think again brother. Our purpose here has very little to do with what we want, how we feel or what we think. When we gave our lives to Jesus, they ceased to be our own. We are free from sin, but we are not free from our master. We must stay and obey and go when we are told. Our lives are not our own. Our purpose, generally speaking, is to bring glory to God and be obedient to His will no matter what circumstance we find ourselves in; and to find contentment in these things.
Some of us are like Jonah. We know what God wants, but we actively seek to escape doing it. Then when we finally submit to doing God's will and achieve the purpose He desired, we are still not content. We pout because it is still not what we wanted. Never mind God's glory and purpose.
Others are like Jeremiah who preached his message for 40+ years. No one listened or turned to the Lord. There was no repentance. I wonder how he felt about that? Did he feel like his life had been wasted? Still, the work he did had to be done by someone. He brought the Lord glory through his obedience and tenacity.
I would like to escape my current situation. I would like to walk away. I feel like my time is being wasted.
Then I think about the other lives that I affect in this place that I am in. If I give careful consideration to this, I discover that my influence has been much more pervasive that I thought. People I never think about have listened to the things I have said and read what I have written. These things have probably even brought God glory and honor in ways that I have not realized.
Therefore, I cannot run away. I am where I am because I AM THAT I AM put me here. Sometimes I wish He didn't love me so much....nah...I'm good with it.
Thanks Lord.
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Dang It...I Am Just So Flippin' Angry I Could Cuss
Have you ever heard the word "euphemism"? Do you know what it means?
7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
eu·phe·mism
ˈyo͞ofəˌmizÉ™m/
noun
noun: euphemism; plural noun: euphemisms
a
mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to
be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or
embarrassing.
Christians like to use euphemisms. It's all the words we use when we want to cuss. "Cuss" itself is an interesting word. It's a shortened Bible-belt form of "curse". We Christians would never want to curse. That would be a sin, so we have come up with all these replacement words for the actual profanity. Here are a few of them with their actual equivalents.
Shucks, Shoot, Crap = Shit
Dang, Darn, Drat = Damn
Frigg, Flip, Shag = Fuck
Son of a Gun = Son of a Bitch
Stupid Idiot = Dickhead
Someone from Indiana = Bastard = i.e. Paul Ryan
That last one was sort of my own invention. The Hoosiers run around saying "Hoosier Momma, Hoosier Pappa"...but I digress.
The thing is, what we call swearing, cursing and profanity and what these things actually are - are very different from actual cursing or swearing. None of the words above have any relevance to what God said in Exodus 20:7.
7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
The name of God was and is a sacred thing. It must not be misused, abused or casually spoken without the proper reverence. The ancient Hebrews and the Jews after them would go to ridiculous lengths to avoid this. They would not speak the actual name of the Lord, even in worship, and they would not write it or carve it on any surface from which it could be removed. They would substitute the word "adoni", which means "Lord" in Hebrew, even when reciting or copying scripture. They would use a euphemism for the name of God so as not to profane His divine and unspeakable, unpronounceable Name. You think I'm kidding (another euphemism)? I am not. There is even speculation that the actual name of God with it's proper spelling and pronunciation, has been lost, making it impossible to literally violate his command. If something goes unspoken and unwritten, it gets forgotten. Nevertheless, intention is 9/10's of the law.
This is the purest definition of what it means to cuss. All the other stuff is fluff. There are things that many people, particularly in the Christian world, the Church world, are uncomfortable talking about. They have to do with sex, defecation, urination and expectoration. These are perfectly ordinary human bodily functions that seem to make Christians squeamish. Yet we seem to have all these other words we use to talk about those things. Poop, Pee and Whoopee have been popularly used in the Christian community, they are not as clinical sounding as the actual terms and they are not considered profane. Slang maybe, but not profanity. There is nothing wrong with this, but there is nothing wrong with saying 'shit' or 'piss' or or or. As long as you do not take the Lord's name in vain, your use of other language will not offend me.
But what about 'damn'? Well really, we should not be damning people or animals of inanimate objects. This is like judging them. Seriously. Yet we do not seem to have a problem with 'darning' or 'danging' them. These words carry the same meaning as 'damning', but we Christians do not seem to have an issue with using them. We are less offended if our brethren say 'dang'. Again, intention is 9/10's of the law.
What we intend with the language we use is what determines if it's profane. You cannot just say that certain words are off limits to prevent abuse of God's name. To do that is to build a hedge about God's law. We find a way to violate the intent of God's law without actually doing it. This is not good.
So the next time you hear someone using some salty language, consider their intent before making judgements about their character.
Dang. I write some good shit sometimes. (;^))))
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)