Community

"Let him who is not in community beware of being alone. Into the community you were called, the call was not meant for you alone; in the community of the called you bear your cross, you struggle, you pray. You are not alone, even in death, and on the Last Day you will be only one member of the great congregation of Jesus Christ. If you scorn the fellowship of the brethren, you reject the call of Jesus Christ, and thus your solitude can only be hurtful to you."

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life together

OUCH !!!!

That hurt. I'm a ground hog. I like to hibernate, particularly in the winter, but there is apparently no hibernation for the Christian groundhog.

We live in a culture that thrives on individuality - not that there's anything wrong with that :>)

But Christ calls us to live in community; to submerge ourselves in Him and each other as His body on earth. We must attain the full stature of Christ and we cannot do that as solitary individuals. Christian maturity is reached in the inter connectivity of the members of the Body with each other and with Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Our culture militates against this. The individual is heralded and celebrated for rebelling against the status quo and sometimes Christians will bring this philosophy into the church.

To be sure, we all have different gifts and we are individual souls, but when we are knit together as the Body, our strength can become unmeasurable.

We were created in the image of God. He wants His creations to be in relationship with Him and not in a one on one sense. He wants to be our God and for us to be His people - together.

None of this means that we have to be carbon copies of each other. We will not be. But we can work together, using our individual talents and gifts for the single minded purpose that Christ has set us to.

I think I'm finding my place in this body. I'm surely part of the brain!

My friend Gary likes to quote Solomon: "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." Maybe that's my purpose in the body. I could become the whetstone of the Church. There's a scary thought. I will work on that. See you Sunday.

As Gary would say, "go to Sunday school"
   

I Am Not Of This World

Sometimes I really believe that. I am not like other human beings it seems. I feel some sense of alienation in just about every place I go, be it work or church or even home.

And what is home for someone like me? It's a place to sleep and eat and wash before going somewhere else to do something else. The word "home" has little relevance for me.

I thought home was here in Iowa. When I came back in 1994, I thought that the longing I have for rest and peace would be satiated by a place called home.

To some extent it was. I found places and people I liked and I have been dwelling in this land since that time.

But there is still a longing for something else. I can't put my finger on it. It is illusive and elusive; just beyond my reach. I am close. I can see it from here and I feel like I have been looking for it all of my life.

Jesus knows where this place is and He is there right now, and that's the other thing. Even though I talk to him every day and I read his words in some form or even if I repeat it in my mind, I find that I miss Him.

Odd no? How can I miss a place I have never been to and a man that I have only met in the spiritual sense? And yet I do miss Him and the place where He is.

I think that's where I belong. That is where my peace is. That is where my home is.

Don't get me wrong. I have a very nice burrow. I have a good job. There are people here that love me, that pray for me and that care about me.

But I am certain that I do not belong here. There is a place, but it ain't here. I long for it more every day.

I know I am not of this world. 

Life Under the Law

I know I've posted this before, but it's just about the funniest of the Monty Python stuff.I'm still laughing...again.

The Greatest Commandments

While in conversation with the Pharisees in Palestine 2000 years ago or thereabouts, Jesus said the greatest commandments were: 1) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength and 2) Love your neighbor as yourself.

Strangely, neither of these commandments were from God's top 10 list and therein lies the mystery of Jesus' words.

Jesus chose from Deuteronomy 6:4-6 (the Shema) and Leviticus 19:18 (that last citation may be incorrect). He went on to say that these commands summed up the whole law. If you could keep these two commands, you would keep the law in its entirety.

The first response of the uninitiated would be to say, "that's easy", but really what do those commands mean at their heart. I think you will find it's a very tall order.

If you take a serious look at the 10 commandments, you will see an order to things. They outline in very basic language what is considered to be the responsibility of all God's people, first to God, then to family and finally to your neighbor. For example:

If you love the Lord, you will have no other gods before Him. You will not take His holy Name in vain.

If you love your family, you will honor your parents, and you will not commit adultery or any other sexual offense.

And if you love your neighbor, you will not covet his or her possessions.

Check out the 10 commandments in Exodus 20 (I think).  

All 10 commandments fall neatly into the two that Jesus issued to the rich young man. And while it does simplify things in terms of what you need to remember, I personally believe it greatly expands our responsibilities. If you really take Jesus' simplification of the law to heart, our duties to God become vast and all encompassing.

Merely learning to love can be hard. Loving God whom we have not seen or heard from except thru His word is quite a leap. And loving our neighbor...well why doesn't the government do something right?

This is where the world is and, in spite of Jesus' words, that's where many Christians are at in their journey with Christ. We have allowed our culture to pull us away from each other, from our God and from the very things that matter most to Him.

I think we need to start to build a consensus within the Church to rediscover what these two commandments mean for us and how to make them work in the 21st century.

It's hard for me to talk about these things because it will require me to change more than most folks. I am not what you'd call a people person, but you know what? The Lord is a people person. He loves them all and does so openly and without regard. He expects us to live in community with each other and to love each other. What's more, He does not want us living in a fortress separate from the world. Our walls, whatever they consist of, need to come down. We need to embrace those that do not know Jesus even as he once embraced us to save us.


I can see this beginning to happen in my own church. I see it both as wonderful and scary. I want to keep the Lord's two greatest commands with joy, but as someone who does not reach out easily to others, it makes me afraid at the same time. By nature, I'm an introvert. I am better in writing and when I control the conversation and can plan what I am going to say. Nevertheless, I am called to keep the same commandments. I just have to find a way to do it with the gifts the Lord has given me. I hope I am already on the way to that.

I'm with Francis of Assissi. "Preach the gospel. Say something if you have to".

In The Image of Christ OR In The Image of Christians

It sounds trite, contrived and maybe even controlling, but as Christians we are called to conform to the image of Christ. Our personal persona (if that's not redundant), is to be submerged in His and our less than perfect character is supposed to be remade or even replaced with His perfect image. We are to become Jesus in the world and to represent Him as if we were Him in our deeds and actions and behaviors.

And while there is general agreement about what that means, there is also 2000 years of church traditions that also attempt to define it and sometimes, that's all it is....tradition. Our traditions sometimes have little scriptural basis, but for whatever the reason, we never let that stop us from trying to enforce on each other our personal versions of what it means to be Christ-like.

My thought is that the intent of the heart determines the authenticity of the behavior. Many of us run around acting like self appointed morality police. We expect both Christians and non-Christians to conform to our idea of what it means to be Christ-like and we feel compelled to call them on it when they do not conform to what we perceive as the image of Christ.

Most of the time this happens in the Church between Christians. It can be an ugly discussion or it can be healthy, but it all depends on one thing.

Relationship.

If we are all seeking to be like Jesus and we are trying to adopt his examples in our lives and make them our own, we have to be able to come together to help each other. We cannot do that if we do not have the interconnectedness of relationship and a willingness to listen to each other. There is a tendency among those that think they have the moral high ground to try to control behavior through condemnation and shame.

Let me suggest that this is not necessarily the route you may want to take to "help" someone. Try instead to develop a relationship with this person...a friendship. Encourage trust. Learn to value their opinions so that they will value yours. Let them see how you choose to live. Let it become a topic of discussion. One thing leads to another. Change takes time. If someone trusts you, they are much more likely to listen to you.

That's my thought for the day. Do what you want.

I have to prepare Ground Hog Day. No one wants any surprises on 2/2.  

A Prayer...Lord, What Are You Going to Do with Me?

Lord, I love you. Yes, I am sucking up just a bit. That's beside the point. I know you get that all the time. Even so, I pray.

Lord, I thank you for another day of life. I will be forever grateful for everything you have given me. Thanks for the necessities...for food, water, shelter, clothing, transportation, a job, a pay check. All the stuff that gets me thru the day, the week, the life that you have given me. Basic survival is important.

Lord, I thank you also for the time I have had over the past two decades with the parents and the grandparents. Three of those four are gone now, but you brought me home so that I could enjoy them a little longer. I thank you and praise your name for that. I also thank you for the time I've had with Dad. The last 4 years have been tough for both of us, but we have been getting to know each other again and many issues are resolving themselves because of your grace and forethought in these matters.

I would also offer thanksgiving for church, work and my Sunday School class and for the relationships and friendships that have grown from these places. They all have helped to bring meaning to an otherwise meaningless life and it's because you insinuate yourself into all these places that I frequent that I find some peace and satisfaction in continuing to move through Your creation.

Lord, it was good to have Eric in my life when he was here. I fear that I have somehow ruined what was once a very valuable friendship and a gift from You. He should know me well enough by now to know that sometimes my mouth engages before my brain edits the noise. I miss him. Please send him back.

Thanks for Oliver. He's only a Wheaton Terrier, but he is company and a comfort to Dad and another faithful friend.

Thanks for the beauty of your creation and my continuing ability to enjoy it.

And thanks for time off...hope to have some soon...goin fishin don't you know!

Thanks Lord for your love, your grace your kindness to me; for the compassion and the forgiveness. I'm not sure why you put up with me, but you do and I LOVE YOU ALL THE MORE FOR IT.

Please forgive me when I sin against you by word or deed or even failure to act. Rehabilitate me as best you can and bring me home on the Day...it ain't far off now...not that I'm counting.

Please bring some spiritual healing; at least enough to get me through the rest of my life here Lord and do your best to keep me healthy at least long enough to see Dad home to you.

I appreciate those things you do for me, for hearing my prayers and for taking care of those I pray for. You are so kind to me.

Please watch over Dad for me today. Keep him safe. I can't be there all the time. Please keep watch on my church...your church...help us to get to know each other better...you know what I'm talking about.

Lord, even I have had a few friends in my life. I don't know where they all are exactly, but I would pray that you take care of them and watch over them. If they need faith, please help them to find it and please help them to forgive me if I ever mislead them...probably did at least a couple of times.

I need to think about going to work now, but first I have lunch with my former boss Dirk...I pray that will go well Lord. It will be good to renew and old friendship.

Thanks for being my Lord

In Your Name I Pray These Things

Amen   

A Groundhog's Automotive Life - I Think I'm In Love

1974-1977 1968 White Four Door Chevy Nova

1977-1982 1970 Blue Chevy Monte Carlo

1982-1990 1981 Blue Ford Courier Pick Up

1990-2001 1990 White Over Silver Chevy S10

2001-2013 2001 Silver Gray Chevy S10

2013 -  ?     2013 Barcelona Red 4WD Toyota Tacoma Pick Up With Access Cab and 4.0 - 6 Cylinder Engine (TRD Sport Package).  

I bought a new truck Monday after 12 years with my 2nd S10. It had 157,056 miles on it. I went with a Toyota this time and it has a lot of stuff I've never had before - 4WD, Electric Windows, Power Locks, Factory Cruise Control, a back up camera in the tail gate that you look at in the rear view mirror and a radio that that syncs with my cell phone so I can take calls without picking up the phone. It is very cool. I'm getting some step tubes tomorrow, hoping Dad can climb up in it for a ride. I was originally looking at Tundra's, but it was never going to fit in the garage. It was a real boat. Way too big.

This Tacoma feels like home. It was sitting on the show room floor and it's red finish and polished aluminum wheels were calling out to me, then I sat in it and I knew what auto love really was. We even had pre marital counseling after the dowry was settled. The service guy trained me on the features and synced my cell phone to the radio and we were pronounced owner and truck. I think it was meant to be. She seems to like older men. 

I think the S10 was hurt at first. She had to know I was leaving her for someone younger, but she will be fine when some kid buys her at the auction and soups up her engine a bit and tricks her out!

I want it to snow now so I can 4 wheel a bit. Better not rush things though. I will be ready for the Tundra in 10 years if I live long enough to retire and the Lord wills it. We will see.

In ten years we could all be on foot because of the tribulation or whatever. I'm hoping I don't live long enough to see the tribulation. My uncle is a pre-trib rapture, dispensationalist. He thinks the church is going to avoid the pain. I do not. The winnowing process is going to be savage. There will be no rapture, there will be a 7 year tribulation followed by arrival of the Judge and then the new heavens and a new earth. By that time no one will be driving. Won't need to.

Automobiles and the end of the Age. Do they go together in the conversation? Probably not, but old guys ramble. Wish you were here take a ride in my truck. It's Number Six. Will there be a Number Seven? It's the number of completeness. Six is the number of man. We will see if I'm sanctified enough for Number Seven. Here's to hoping.

Steve Martin - Atheists Don't Have No Songs (Live on Letterman 03-16-201...

He's right. Atheists ain't got no songs. That's because they have no faith. There is nothing spiritual in them. If it's not material, it's not real and cannot exist. Even so, the song is very entertaining. I always enjoyed Steve Martin.

Voting Is An Act of Aggression

I was hashing out the recent national election in my little ground hog mind and considering permanent hibernation when I had a thought. I'm almost sure the thought was not original with me and I'm sure that many know this and do not care. Let me just say it. The truth about elections is that the act of voting is an act of aggression against your neighbor. It may very well be every citizen's right and duty to vote, but it is also a very aggressive action. When you complete your ballot and run it through the reader or drop it in the box or seal it in the envelope you are telling everyone in your nation that you know exactly how they should live and if they disagree, well then they are wrong, hateful, backward, elitist, communist, fascist or whatever.

Do not try and tell me this is not true. You know in your heart it is true. Think back to the times you have voted and how you felt afterward. Did a smugness come over you? Did you think to yourself, "well I guess I showed them" or maybe it's just your way of "sticking it to the man"? Whatever the case, the real nasty truth of it is that in voting we decide how to steal from our neighbor, how to make them do things we think they should do and how to make them tolerate things that others may well think are immoral, distasteful or unpleasant and also we vote to stop them from doing things; whatever those things may be.

This is certainly a peaceful way of settling disagreements over public policy, but I am not sure it is good in it's present configuration. I mean, what if you have an electorate that has more takers than givers for instance? Should the takers be able to demand more from the givers year after year thus enslaving them? This is just one example of the problem. There are many more. So maybe it's time to define or redefine who should be included in the "electorate".  Most would say that involves discrimination. You can't do that. Everyone has the right to vote. To this I have to say categorically that every one SHOULD NOT have the right to vote.

If you live your life on the public dole for any reason, you should not be allowed to vote. If you do not pay income or property taxes, you should not be allowed to vote. If you are mentally handicapped and you are unable to vote on your own without assistance, you should not be allowed to vote. If you are a government employee at any level that makes their living from other people's taxes, you should not be allowed to vote. Finally, if you are an elected official you should not be allowed to vote.

Think about it. Should I be able to force my neighbor to give me a raise in pay? Should I be able to tell my neighbor that they have to pay for my child's education even though they do not have children? Should I be forced to pay for someone else's bad habits? Why should I have to pay for a smoker's health care? Why should I have to pay for some one's birth control or their abortion simply because they have no self control? Why should I be forced to pay for some one's drug rehab? Why should I have to pay for insolvent banks and corporations?; let them go bankrupt and start anew.

You say to me, what about the notion of compassion and helping others? What about your obligation as a Christ follower? To this I answer that I can and do help those in need regardless of the reasons for that need. I do so privately and as a personal choice. I do not do it because I am forced by law to do it or because someone demands I do it. Compassion should be voluntary. It should be one on one. A faceless, nameless government cannot be truly compassionate. The government has no money of it's own. It only has what it takes from us. If government is to be compassionate to one class of voter, it must be It must penalize the other voters by taking the money for that "compassion".

The bottom line is that the nature of the electorate has changed in the United States. There are more takers in the electorate than there are givers.  The givers cannot afford the takers anymore. I think we will have to join you and help ourselves at the public trough too, but then who will write the checks?

Let me close by saying that the election results this year would have made no difference in anything I just said. Our nation will have a $16 trillion deficit at the end of the year. Sometime next year it will hit $22 trillion. You could tax every citizen of the US 100% for ten years and still not pay it. Something has to give here and I'm sick of it being me. The answer to the problem is not pleasant either, but it may be the quickest way to end the problem. I may offer that answer soon.  I need to think some more. In the meantime, if your panties are all up in a bunch about what I said regarding redefinition of the electorate, my advice is to enjoy the snuggy. It's one of those things I like to provide from time to time.

Where We Are Headed As A Nation

I was reading Pat Buchanan today and he lays out some interesting facts about where the US is headed as a nation in the next 30 years. Keep in mind that this has nothing to do with who won the election Tuesday. These things would have been true regardless of who was elected. I might also add that neither one of them would have been able to fix it this problem even though everyone in government has known it was coming for a very long time. It's all about retiring Baby Boomers..the generation born after WWII but prior to about 1967. Here are some excerpts from Pat's column:

Consider. Between 1946 and 1964, 79 million babies were born – the largest, best-educated and most successful generation in our history. Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, both born in 1946, were in that first class of baby boomers.
The problem.
Assume that 75 million of these 79 million boomers survive to age 66. This means that from this year through 2030, an average of nearly 4 million boomers will be retiring every year. This translates into some 11,000 boomers becoming eligible for Medicare and Social Security every single day for the next 18 years.
Add in immigrants in that same age category and the fact that baby boomers live longer than the Greatest Generation or Silent Generation seniors, and you have an immense and unavoidable increase coming in expenditures for our largest entitlement programs. 

And then there's this...

Benefits will have to be curbed or cut and payroll taxes will have to rise, especially for Medicare, to make good on our promises to seniors.
As for the rest of our federal budget of nearly $4 trillion, we have run four consecutive deficits of over $1 trillion. To bring that budget to balance, freezes would have to be imposed and cuts made in spending for defense and other social programs.From California to Wisconsin to New York, we see the process at work at the state level. Government salaries are frozen, government payrolls are cut, government pensions and programs are scaled back.
California and Illinois are on the precipice of default. Cities like Detroit, Birmingham, Stockton and San Bernardino are already there. 

And Finally..

Europe has arrived at where we are headed. In the south of the old continent – Spain, Italy and Greece – the new austerity has begun to imperil the social order. In the north, the disposition to be taxed to pay for other nations' social safety nets is disappearing.
With government in the U.S. at all levels consuming 40 percent of gross domestic product, and taxes 30 percent, taxes will have to rise and government spending be controlled or cut. The alternative is to destroy the debt by depreciating the dollars in which it is denominated – i.e., by Fed-induced inflation. 

Pat's right. We are in a bad way. I can see retirement age being pushed back to 75. I can see confiscation of IRA's, 401k's and pensions. It is coming. The growing storm in the east is coming our way and those of us that live through it will suffer a great deal. We Baby Boomers have been called both the most productive and the most selfish generation in human history. As a generation, we worked continuously but it was to feed our pleasures. We could not get enough. The political class of Baby Boomers' is the same way. These politicians spent what was in the bank and printed more to give back. The worst part is, we as voters did nothing to rein them in when we could have done so. The generations after that will be left with our debt and they have a right to be angry. They will get nothing. Their parents stole the food from their mouth and they will be slaves for the rest of their lives...unless...they rise up and refuse to pay the debt we left them. It is going to be a very dangerous time ahead. It will get ugly. It might even be wise to leave the country...except...the problem is the same almost everywhere. The world will be a very different place in 100 years, but the next 30 will be hell.

 

Catconspiracy

Conspiracies are real. Even cats have enemies.

Speaking for the groundhog community though, I have to say that I kind of hope Reginald puts the screws to him. Looks like a rodent killer to me.

Coalition of the Constipated

Interesting protest. According to the Orange News, a group calling themselves the "Coalition of the Constipated" gathered at Henley Beach in Adelaide, Australia in business attire to decry the condition and number of public toilets at the beach. Apparently it was so bad that local businesses were being asked by beach patrons for use of their facilities.

 So, the business owners took matters to the beach and called the press. The result is in the photo. It is funny and does call attention to the problem, but I do not know as yet if it motivated the town officials to remedy the situation. Whatever the case, they should be glad this is all they have to worry about. At least their government does not continually seek new places and new ways to go to war while 9% are unemployed and the banks continue to rob us blind. 

James Holmes Redux...Something's Not Right

All right. I'm having trouble believing that these photos are of the same person. The eyes are not right. The nose is not right and the ears are not right. The red headed loon on the right is not the man on the left.

I came across the documentary below today while perusing the posts at "Above Top Secret". It's one of the best treatments of this incident that I have seen and it was done by amateur videographer Mark Howitt. He definitely has a future in the documentary business. It is a fairly long documentary, but you will learn more about what is probably really going on here from this film then you ever will get out of a 3 minute bite on the network news. Take the time and watch it. Groundhog out.

Why I go To The Iowa State Fair

 
I grew up here in Iowa and the only consistently big deal here, besides apparently the Iowa Hawkeyes,  is the Iowa State Fair. You can find just about anything you want to see at the Iowa State Fair if you look hard enough and the food is all deep fried and on a stick for the most part. People Watching is one of those things that's universally entertaining and while I like it, that's not why I go to the fair. Tradition dictates that you do certain things at the fair depending on how your family trained you and it really is about tradition. The photos below are the things that I find fascinating at the ISF.  For instance, this is a chicken.

You can't even see it's face and it is somewhat chicken shaped, but really, is this what comes to mind when you think of chickens? Most likely not. This is the thing about the fair...variety. Now for some normal chickens.

The one above looks more like a black road runner or a Cornish game hen with ostrich legs.

Need to throw in a couple of odd ducks.

Then there's the horticultural building. First, a cow sculpted from butter.

The rose competition.

The Arboretum outside the Horticultural Building

Then there is the biggest of everything. Here's a couple of shots of a ton of bull.

The bull is an Angus from Indianola, IA. He did not mind in the least all the people staring at him and taking pictures. I guess if you're a star, you are used to that. You would think that the next one below would be a real ham, but he seems to be sleeping through his fair visit like it's a real boar.

I really wonder if he can even stand up and if his belly drags when he walks.  the final pic is of the largest squash, euphemistically referred to as a pumpkin. It seems grossly deformed and overfed like many fair goers.

I also generally like the exhibits in the cultural center, particularly the photography and paintings. Among the paintings, there were a couple of disturbing works.

Please note the automatic weapon in the man's hand. I believe his hotel room is about to erupt into violence. Then there is this:

Please forgive the quality of the photo. This is an artist's rendering of an  apparent murder or suicide. It's hard to see here, but there is blood steaming from her temple, down her jaw line and onto her neck. I've never seen art like this at the fair. It made me uncomfortable. Perhaps it was suppose to.

There was also the prize quilts at the Varied Industries Building  and

some swans at the DNR Building.

In all, I enjoyed my trip to the fair. I ate a double bacon corn dog. It was good, but is it wise to eat things that have been fried twice? I was sitting on a bench eating it at 9 AM and an old lady walked by and said, "is that what you're having for breakfast?" I said, "it's ok. It has bacon." She shook her head.

I also had some nitorgen frozen ice cream at a place in the grandstand. It is the best ice cream I have ever eaten. It is very dense and flavorful. Not full of air like other ice creams. Blue Sky Creamery was running the display and selling the ice cream. It is wonderful.

If you haven't yet done so, go to the Iowa State Fair.

Another Weekend..Another Lone Nut Shoots Up a Sikh Temple...or was it 4 lone nuts?

So what's the story? A witness at the scene says there were 4 white gunmen dressed in black that entered the Sikh temple and started shooting. The mainstream media reports 1 lone veteran, neo Nazi gunman.

Come to think of it, there was a witness in Aurora that offered an alternative version of events from the one that eventually congealed in the media and became official. As I recall, he said that before the theater shooting, a man in front stood, took a cell phone call and then went to the exit. Not long after that "someone else" came in the exit. Outgasing tear gas canisters appeared in 4 equidistant points of the theater and than the shooting began.

I sense a false flag event in both cases. Right now there is more evidence in the Aurora shooting, but they are both shaping up to be controlled events. (For more interesting perspectives, look up James Holmes' father - Up to his neck in the Libor Banking scandal. There's a creep.) Both shootings stink of Monarch mind programming.

Why would your government do these things to you? So you will beg the government to protect you and surrender your rights. Watch the witness interview below. It's short. Is he wrong? He was there. Just sayin'.

The Symbolism Behind the Opening Olympic "Ritual" Ceremony

I Have To Ask...(and this is politically charged)

Do you remember Jared Loughner? He's the one that shot the congresswoman in Arizona. Does seeing his photo alongside James Holmes' pic, the alleged Dark Knight shooter from Aurora, CO, give you a creepy sense of dejavu?

It's the smile. It's not right in either case. Derangement is not out of the question. That's a lot to draw from two photos, but neither one looks quite right. Schizophrenia of maybe bipolar disorder?? What do you think? I also get a sense of their smug and self satisfied attitude. They seem quite pleased with themselves.

Back during the 1960's and early 70's, the CIA had programs where they would create mind controlled individuals for intelligence purposes; i.e., assassinations and general spying. The programs went by the names of MK Ultra and Project Monarch. Please do not take my word for it. Google them and also Google "the Church Committee" which exposed all of this and other nefarious activities by the CIA.

My question is this. In order to get public approval for signature of the UN Small Arms Treaty  which would effectively repeal the 2nd amendment of our constitution, would the more secretive elements of our government stage a false flag event with a mind controlled individual in a gun controlled city like Aurora, CO? You all probably know by now that I am cynical enough about the state of our government to say yes to that question.

Our government has been wanting to disarm the American people for several decades now. This treaty which is due for signature on July 27th is an international attempt to deny the people of the world the right to defend themselves and their families. It has nothing to do with preventing crime because everyone knows that criminals will always be able to get there hands on guns and ordinance. Rather, it has more to do with putting the law abiding majority at the mercy of a government that wants them dependent for protection and unable to defend themselves against tyranny. Gun ownership is generally the last door that gets closed before martial law begins.

If Aurora had been a conceal carry city, this incident would not have happened or would have been much smaller in scope. Someone would have taken him out. There would be no trial for James Holmes because he would be in the morgue instead of isolation in the Aurora jail.

Just another Ground Hog Opinion...think about it while you watch the Olympics next week. That could be interesting too. There are 17,000 British troops in London for the event with missile batteries and roof tops dotted with anti aircraft weaponry. What do you think they are expecting? The Luftwaffe?? Something more than James Holmes or Jared Loughner I suppose.

Ads You Will Never See Again

Please forgive my absence. I've been derelict in my duty. I found these while I was trolling the internet for the latest conspiracies. They are not conspiratorial, but they are funny. The ads below come from a simpler time when men were men, women were housewives, gay meant happy and things that are vices were virtues, or at least useful and not evil. Please enjoy them in the spirit intended.

Bad Joke Friday

Two Greeks met in California. One started to greet the other in the language of their mother country.
The other motioned for him to stop and said, “We’re in America now. Speak Spanish!”

A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin, 5,
Ryan 3.
The boys began to argue over who would get the
first pancake.
Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral
lesson.
“If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, ‘Let my
brother have the first pancake, I can wait.’”
Kevin turned to his younger brother and said,
“Ryan, you be Jesus!”

A grizzled old man was eating in a truck stop when three Hell’s Angels bikers walked in.
The first walked up to the old man and pushed his cigarette into the old man’s pie, and then took a seat at the counter.
The second walked up to the old man and spit into the old man’s milk, and then he took a seat at the counter.
The third walked up to the old man and turned over the old man’s plate, and then he took a seat at the counter.
Without a word of protest, the old man quietly left the diner. Shortly thereafter, one of the bikers said to the waitress, “Humph, not much of a man, was he?”
The waitress replied, “Not much of a truck driver either. He just backed over three motorcycles.”

A man absolutely hated his wife’s cat and decided to get rid of the animal one day by driving him 20 blocks from his home and leaving him at the park. As he was getting home, the cat was walking up the driveway.
The next day he decided to drive the cat 40 blocks away. He put the kitty out and headed home. Driving back up his driveway, there was the cat!
The man kept taking the cat farther and farther and the cat would always beat him home. At last he decided to drive a few miles away, turn right, then left, past the bridge, then right again and another right until he reached what he thought was a safe distance from his home and left the cat out there.
Hours later, the man calls home to his wife: “Jen, is the cat there?”
“Yes,” the wife answers, “why do you ask?”
Frustrated, the man answered, “Put him on the phone, I’m lost and need directions.”

A man walks into a Silicon Valley pet store looking to buy a monkey. The store owner points towards three identical looking monkeys in politically-correct, animal-friendly natural mini-habitats.
“The one on the left costs $500,” says the store owner.
“Why so much?” asks the customer.
“Because it can program in C,” answers the store owner.
The customer inquires about the next monkey and is told, “That one costs $1,500, because it knows Visual C++ and Object-Relational technology.”
The startled man then asks about the third monkey. “That one costs $3,000,” answers the store owner.
“3,000 dollars!!” exclaims the man. “What can that one do?”
To which the owner replies, “To be honest, I’ve never seen it do a single thing, but it calls itself a consultant.”