Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Current Events & Trends: Is it wise for Israel to strike Syria NOW?

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about Israel and the Syrian Civil War. This follows this post about the "Gates of Hell" in Turkey. For a free magazine subscription or to get the book shown  for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

Current Events & Trends: Is it wise for Israel to strike Syria now?



article by Jerold Aust, John Ross Schroeder



Your Bible reveals that at the time of the end, there will be much turmoil in the Middle East.



Source: Wikimedia "An Israeli air attack staged in Syria this week may be a sign of things to come. Israeli military officials appear to have concluded that the risks of attacking Syria are worth taking when compared to the dangers of allowing sophisticated weapons to reach Hezbollah guerrillas in neighboring Lebanon.



"With Syrian President Bashar Assad’s grip on power weakening, Israeli officials fear he could soon lose control over his substantial arsenal of chemical and advanced weapons, which could slip into the hands of Hezbollah or other hostile groups. These concerns, combined with Hezbollah’s own domestic problems, mean further military action could be likely" (Associated Press, Jan. 31, 2013).



Most everyone interested in geopolitics and especially the politics of the Middle East can see the handwriting on the wall. The situation is changing almost daily as extremist groups are taking advantage of social uprisings in countries run by Muslim dictators.



Syrian President Assad probably suffers sleepless nights, for the die has been cast and the precedents are set. Many Muslim Arabs want Islamic rule (see "Will the World See a New Caliphate? "), and they are willing to die for it. Considering that Israel is surrounded by Muslims and attacked by Islamic extremists, the only choice Israel has is to reduce the chances of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) falling into the hands of extremists.



Your Bible reveals that at the time of the end, there will be much turmoil in the Middle East, including a "king of the South," likely the leader of a Muslim confederation, who will set in motion a great conflagration (Daniel 11:40-45 [40] And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.

[41] He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

[42] He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.

[43] But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.

[44] But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.

[45] And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.





See All...). To learn more, be sure to the Bible study aid The Middle East in Bible Prophecy .

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America can’t afford more train wrecks

A very interesting post from www.teapartypatriots.org about actions to stop the Gang of Eight Bill, SB 744. This follows this post about the Town Hall meetings your two Senators should be having in YOUR city!  This follows this post about the release of illegal immigrant felons from prison by ICEThis follows this post about how to Report Illegal Immigrants! For more about what is happening in the nation now click here and you can read two very interesting books HERE.

America can’t afford more train wrecks


Two weeks ago, Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) said Obamacare is a train wreck. He was right. And yet right now the Senate is considering another large, ill-considered, costly, and convoluted piece of legislation – amnesty.



This week, your Senators and Congressmen are home for their “district work period.” Make sure they know how you stand on this legislation, and the lack of transparency surrounding its march through the Senate. Tell them no more train wrecks!



Tea Party activists around the nation are working together to make sure this bill does not pass. Here is our strategy this week:
Blogger's Note: Click here to access all of the links below: http://www.teapartypatriots.org/2013/04/america-cant-afford-more-train-wrecks/



■Monday: The focus for today is to post blog posts on Facebook and blogs and write letters to the editor on the topic of “No more train wreck bills.”

Click for Amnesty Bill Talking Points

Click for Sample Blog Post

Click for Sample Letter to the Editor

Click for Infographic – Obamacare vs. Amnesty or Click here for a Printer Friendly Version.

■Tuesday: Tuesday is Social Media Blitz day and “Tweet It Tuesday.” The hashtag campaign this week is: #NoMoreTrainWrecks

Click for Sample Tweets and Facebook Posts

■Wednesday: Today’s focus is on making phone calls and visiting the district office for your U.S. Senators to drop off letters.

Click to Find Your Senators’ Local Offices

Click for Thank You Letter for Senators who are standing for principle (Note: Senators Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, Jeff Sessions, James Inhofe, and Rand Paul will receive these letters.)

Click for Train Wreck Letter for Senators who are not doing anything to stop the ramming of this bill

Click to Call Your Senators (Link Coming Soon)

■Thursday: Today’s focus is on hosting Street Rallies at busy intersections and conducting bumper sticker blitzes. The ideal time for these rallies is 5:00-7:00 pm (local time).

Click to Find Your Local Group

Click for “How to Host a Sign Waving Event”

Click for Sample Sign Messages

■Friday: On Friday we will re-cap all of our activities this week and begin planning for next week’s theme and messaging opportunities.

Make sure they know how you feel about the rushed process, the lack of transparency, the unconstitutional nature of the bill, its massive costs, its unknown components, and everything else wrong this this bill.



As always, your effort is critical to the future of our country. We urge you to join us this week in making sure Congress knows exactly how the American people reject this new train wreck.

Monday, April 29, 2013

Editorial: Three (or Four) MORE WARS??

Editorial

Now are we going to fight three (or four) more wars in addition to the ones in last week's editorial? Are we going to fight North Korea? Syria? Chechnya? and is the Gang of Eight amnesty going to set up an internal war?

Obama stands with Planned Parenthood‏

An interesting story from www.sba-list.org  about Barack Obama and Planned Parenthood. This follows this post about the abortionist Kermit Gosnell.   For more that you can do to get involved click HERE and you can also get two very interesting books HERE.

Obama stands with Planned Parenthood‏


I  want to follow-up on what Marjorie said yesterday: this is our moment.



People have started to ask questions, and Planned Parenthood is terrified because they know where the questions lead:



How many more horror clinics are there?

Kermit Gosnell’s clinic is only the tip of the iceberg. Planned Parenthood is afraid that even more clinic employees -- like the two from Delaware -- may come forward to expose what is going on in abortion clinics across the country.



With the Gosnell story changing the hearts and minds of so many Americans on abortion, have these horrific stories tempered President Obama’s extreme position at all?




Nope.



In fact, the president chose yesterday to become the first sitting president to address Planned Parenthood. President Obama spoke yesterday to Planned Parenthood and didn’t mention the controversy surrounding Gosnell – even vaguely -- once.



But doesn’t that tell us precisely what he thinks about Gosnell? He’s seen the horrors of the Gosnell clinic and embraced them by choosing this moment to make an unprecedented presidential stand in favor of unrestricted, unregulated abortion.



In his speech yesterday morning he doubled down on his commitment to them in this coming fight:



"You've got a president who's going to stand with you every step of the way. … Planned Parenthood is not going anywhere."

He doesn’t care that Planned Parenthood turned a blind eye to the Gosnell clinic. He’s seen the nurses who just this month have come forward from a Delaware Planned Parenthood clinic because of Gosnell-like conditions. How can he choose to stand by these death merchants?



We are in an unprecedented situation in the fight for life. America has woken up to the horrors of abortion by the exposure of the Gosnell clinic, but the Obama administration is committed to fighting even the smallest regulation of abortion tooth and nail.



But we’re even more committed than they are – and we’re going to win. There are glimmers of hope already.



US Congressmen are making speeches on the House floor against the horrors of Gosnell. And Representative Trent Franks just introduced the D.C. Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act this week.



Meanwhile, clinic regulations are being passed state-by-state. We’re working tirelessly to demand that legislators at both the federal and state level take even more immediate action.



This is our moment. The abortion lobby knows it and so does President Obama. He said as much yesterday by saying nothing about Gosnell. They’re terrified of the story, and are hoping it goes away. It’s our job to make sure it doesn’t, and to expose Gosnell-like conditions at abortion businesses across the country.







Wknd Box Office (& DVD Review): Mud, Pain & Gain, Pawn, The Big Wedding

Here is an interesting article from http://www.debbieschlussel.com/ reviewing some of the movies that came out over the past weekend. This follows this post about some of the movies from last week and THIS POST about some movies that have been released over the past few years that you might have missed! This all follows this post about guidelines to chosing good movies to watch yourself!

Wknd Box Office (& DVD Review): Mud, Pain & Gain, Pawn, The Big Wedding


By Debbie Schlussel



I only liked one of the new movies debuting in theaters today. And I liked another movie which is out on DVD this week and for which I attended a special Detroit screening, last week. But, oh the crap I sit through so you don’t have to.


* “Mud“: This is the best new movie in theaters, this weekend. But in this case, it’s not “relative.” This is a great movie in its own right, and very cute, too (though I wouldn’t take kids to see it because of language issues). I found this adventure/thriller/coming of age movie (it’s all three in one) to be charming, entertaining, relaxing, enjoyable, and a nice slice of small rivertown Southern life in America.


The movie focuses on two young boys from working class families in a small Arkansas town on the Mississippi River. Their families make a living from fishing in the river. The main character is Ellis (played by terrific 16-year-old newcomer Tye Sheridan), who lives on a houseboat with his parents (the father is played by Sam Shepard), who are in a troubled marriage. The government threatens to take their houseboat away in an attempt to “clear” the river. Ellis’ best friend is a constantly-swearing kid, nicknamed “Neckbone,” or “Neck” for short (Jacob Lofland). He lives with his uncle (Michael Shannon), who also fishes for a living, going underwater to capture shellfish.



The two boys like to take a small motorboat to a small, abandoned, forested island nearby. There they discover Mud (Matthew McConaughey), who appears to be a homeless man. He tells them that he is on the island to meet up with the love of his life, Juniper (Reese Witherspoon), who is in town. Mud promises the kids his boat, if they will get him food and supplies and other items he needs while he is on the island, but soon they learn that Mud isn’t exactly who he says he is. Ellis also learns about finding love and losing it (his parents’ rocky marriage), and he and Neck’s friendship grows stronger through their adventures in helping Mud.



I don’t want to say more, or it will give away this terrific movie. If you are scared of snakes, there is a brief, scary scene with them. But if you saw “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” this is nothing.



The movie’s pace is a little slow, but it’s enjoyable and entertaining anyway. This is what fun, escapist movies are all about. And the kids are so cute and such great actors. They steal the movie from the bigger names involved. (The trailer, below, makes the movie seem a lot darker and more melodramatic than it is, so take it with a grain of salt.)



THREE REAGANS


* “Pain & Gain“: They should have stuck with just the first word of this title for accuracy’s sake, because this movie is all pain–and painful to watch. It’s a miserable, disgusting two hours and ten minutes of torture and killing porn. Just horrible. The movie shows people being tortured, murdered, dismembered, and their limbs literally being barbecued on a grill. And if that’s not bad enough, it also presents grotesque visions, including a very hairy girl getting a bikini wax, front and center. Um, no thanks. Oh, and it’s anti-Christian.



“Based” on a true story, real-life attempted murderer Mark Wahlberg plays Daniel Lugo, a Miami physical trainer who is jealous of his wealthy clients at the gym where he works. He attends the seminar of a Tony Robbins-esque motivational speaker and decides to make money by kidnapping his clients and torturing and/or killing them to get their assets. He recruits fellow steroid-using meatheads, including Anthony Mackie and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who help him kidnap Victor Kershaw (Tony Shalhoub–who is an anti-Israel Lebanese Arab in real life, so it’s interesting he’s playing a negative, anti-Semitic stereotype of a Jew), one of the wealthy customers at the gym.



They repeatedly torture Kershaw whom they’ve kidnapped and are holding hostage at a sex toys warehouse. But he refuses to sign over his assets to them until he’s near death. Then, they cause a car he is in to crash, douse it with gasoline and set it on fire, and after that, repeatedly run him over. But he gets away, and police don’t believe his story. So Kershaw has to hire a private detective to build a case to take to police. Meanwhile, Lugo and the gang take over Kershaw’s home and businesses and plot to get money from another wealthy person. They murder the new mark and his girlfriend, and dismember them.



The character played by “The Rock”–who is a made-up composite character–is very Christian (he wears hats and t-shirts that say things like, “Team Jesus” and goes to church) and very stupid, no coincidence. It’s yet another gratuitous Hollywood attack on Christianity. Unnecessary and extremely defamatory of the Christian faith.



Family members of the real-life murder victims of Daniel Lugo and his gang are outraged by this movie because they say it portrays them as likeable-but-dumb crooks in a comedy movie, when they are really cold-blooded killers in a very serious and dastardly set of crimes. I don’t agree that anyone in this movie is portrayed as likeable. They’re all unlikable, and the movie is pointless and disturbing. And, frankly, I don’t think this “comedy” was very funny. Just awful. Still, I understand the outrage over this movie, and I feel the same way. It’s just despicable and depraved.



Mark Wahlberg is promoting his new line of protein and energy bars in connection with this piece of trash movie. Don’t buy them. And if you waste ten bucks and 130 minutes of your life on this pointless exercise in graphic violence, you’re a sucker. And part of the problem with America, not the solution. Skip it.



I used to walk out on movies like this, and I’m mad at myself that I didn’t this time. If you like this movie, there’s something seriously wrong with you.



FOUR MARXES PLUS FOUR OBAMAS PLUS FOUR BIN LADENS


* “Pawn“: This came out on DVD on Tuesday, and I was invited to a special Detroit screening with the screenwriter, Jay Anthony White who is a native Detroiter. It features an ensemble case, including Ray Liotta (in a novel role for him: mobster), Michael Chiklis, and Forest Whitaker. It’s a caper/thriller movie about a restaurant and its customers taken hostage by a group of British robbers. While the movie is a little bloody and violent, I enjoyed it because the bad guys get theirs in the end and the good guys win (for the most part).



A man (Sean Faris) is returning from a brief stint in jail for car theft. He and his pregnant wife want to start over, and he goes to a diner to discuss some business with someone there. But once he’s there, a group of thugs invade the place and start killing hostages. The plan was to rob the place, but they are really after much more than the restaurant’s cash. And on the outside there is intrigue involving cops, mobsters, and relatives of hostages, as well as confusion regarding the identities of the robbers.



Entertaining and good for some escapist adventure. Not completely bloodless, but I’ve seen far worse in the violence department. A good Netflix rental or DVD purchase for a weekend thriller.



TWO REAGANS



* “The Big Wedding“: This movie was on the shelf for a long time, and that’s where it should have stayed. It’s unwatchable. Unbearable. And just plain stupid and annoying. Someone who saw it with me said they thought it was a “TV movie.” But that’s an insult to TV movies, most of which are far superior to this crappy, groan-inducing waste of time. Filled with inane, silly, sex-laced dumb jokes and the dumbest story ever, it’s yet another wedding movie starring Katherine Heigl (this time as a minor co-star). Plus it mocks religious Catholics–and as reader Sean M correctly points out, it also mocks Hispanics. Robert De Niro, Susan Sarandon, and Diane Keaton must’ve received a big paycheck for this absolute waste of time.



The story (if you can call it that): a divorced couple (De Niro, Keaton) are about to host the wedding of their adopted son. He is from Colombia, and his birth mother and sister and coming to the wedding. But the birth mother, a devout Catholic, feels it’s Satanic (or something) for the parents of the groom to be divorced, so the divorced parents pretend they are married. The divorced dad’s girlfriend (Sarandon) is mad about this. Meanwhile, everyone in the movie is sex-obsessed and let’s us all know with dumb, groanworthy sex-laden dialogue that isn’t funny. Oh, and there are lots of orgasm noises.



A complete disaster and waste of time. Skip at all cost.



FOUR MARXES

Friday, April 26, 2013

Gates of Hell

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about the "Gates of Hell" in Turkey. This follows this post about the continuing agenda of Gay Marriage. For a free magazine subscription or to get the book shown  for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

Gates of Hell


Have archaeologists found the "Gates of Hell" in Turkey? Where did we get our popular ideas on hell, anyway?




[ Darris McNeely] You're looking at an artist rendition of what is being called on the internet reporting sites the Gate of Hell. This is an archeological site in southwest Turkey today that has uncovered a spot that has been mentioned in ancient Greek literature by Plato and Strabo and other ancient Greeks as the literal portal into the underworld, into hell. And they're calling it "Gates of Hell". And they've uncovered this spot. There are noxious fumes that still to this day come up out of this hole in the ground and if a bird flies through it, the birds fall to the ground and die. So this was what gave rise to the idea that this was the gateway into hell in the ancient world and it's receiving some interest on the internet the last few days. It's interesting. Once again it brings up peoples' idea of what hell is, whether it is an actual, literal place in the middle of the Earth where it's a place of restraint, whatever it might be, even sometimes as people humorously refer to the life itself as a kind of a hell. There's enough on this Earth already. One of the comments that was left on the internet site said that, "My girlfriend's closet is the gate of hell." So, a little humor, but it makes a point and yet what the Bible says is the most important point.



[Steve Myers] Well, it is. And it is a reminder how most of the ideas about hell and peoples' concept really comes from wrong beliefs. It comes from pagans. It comes from Dante's writings, things that are extra-biblical. They're not found in the Bible, and in fact when you look at what the Bible says about it, we know most oftentimes when it refers to hades or hell it's talking about the grave. There's also another word that's used for hell that's referred to here in Luke 12:5But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.



See All.... Here Christ Himself is saying, "Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell." He says, "Yes, I say to you fear Him." And of course that's talking about a gehenna fire. And there will be a hell fire that's going to burn up the wicked, but not in the concept that they're going to be cast and tortured forever.



[Darris McNeely] Not an ever burning…



[Steve Myers] Yeah, that's not a biblical concept. So I think this whole idea coming up, this archeological find, reminds us look into the truth. What does the Bible really say about it?



[Darris McNeely] Understand that. All of this is rather interesting. And we hope certainly that your life is a little bit more peaceful and not a "hell on earth" in that sense. But understanding the truth about life after death, what happens at death, and the life of the resurrection post death is what's really important in understanding this truth about hell is extremely valuable.



[Steve Myers] That's BT Daily . We'll see you next time.

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Fox's 'The Following' Shows Murderous Cult with Tea Party Flag

A very interesting book from www.breitbart.com about the Tea Party being disparaged in the Fox TV show "The Cult." This follows this post  about the new Disney Character called Sofia the First.   In the meantime, you can read two very interesting books HERE.


Fox's 'The Following' Shows Murderous Cult with Tea Party Flag


by Christian Toto
Hollywood  and the mainstream media have been portraying the Tea Party movement as racist and violent ever since it rose up during the early months of President Barack Obama's first term.

Never mind that the Occupy Wall Street movement set the standard for ideologically driven violence, and that whenever Tea Partiers gather they typically leave the grounds cleaner than when they arrived.



The Fox drama The Following stars Kevin Bacon as an agent pursuing the leader of a murderous cult. Two recent episodes of the series, including the April 8 installment dubbed The Curse, show a huge Gadsden Flag ("Don't Tread on Me") hanging in the cult compound. The Gadsden flag is often associated with Tea Party events.


http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Hollywood/2013/04/25/hit-me-kathy-griffin


Thursday, April 25, 2013

A Civil Discussion About Gay Marriage

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about the continuing agenda of Gay Marriage. This follows this post about buying gold as a hedge against the dollar and other paper currency. For a free magazine subscription or to get the book shown  for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

A Civil Discussion About Gay Marriage


 by Heather Disher


I’m guessing I’m not the only one who has felt overwhelmed and confused by the intense and dramatic language often used by friends dabbling in “Gay Rights” Activism. The controversy about “gay marriage” has stirred up and divided friends, families, and churches lately. I have often felt at a loss for words when trying to have a respectful discussion, as I sorted out the many disjointed and forcefully presented arguments. My hope is to help you to feel competent and calm in your own respectful discussions with your friends, family or coworkers.



Enough With the Emotive Appeals

If an argument is to be valid, it must stand without emotive appeals. Rhetorical questions such as “Why shouldn’t two people be able to spend their lives together if they love each other?” pull our heartstrings, but do not speak at all to the actual issue. Is it valid to suggest that the law, as it exists today, prohibits people from “spending their lives together” as a same sex couple? No. Civil Unions already exist and DO allow people to spend their lives together. A marriage is a covenant between a man, a woman, and God. A Civil Union is a contract between two adults and a civil authority. So already, by definition, even the term “gay marriage” is indefensible. Asking the government to let you get married is like asking the Post Office for a library card: You are asking the wrong authority, it’s not even within their power to grant your request.



Social Acceptance

An unspoken argument that is raging under the surface is for acceptance of the GLBT lifestyle as equal to the heterosexual lifestyle in the realms of daily life and by society at large. Activists hope that "legalizing gay marriage” would push it outside of the realm of “alternative” and into normalcy. On a personal level, it would mean acceptance by parents, siblings, friends, neighbors, the PTA and the little league team. However, the government can only create and enforce legislation, it cannot change people’s personal beliefs. Not to mention, the First Amendment protects free speech, even when controversial. The key here is “Your right to extend your arm stops at my nose.” A person can change his own beliefs and his own behavior, but cannot force his expectations on others.



Many will muddy this issue by linking it to violence, discrimination, or other crimes against gay people. This is also not a valid argument. Gay people already have rights. They are already citizens. If those rights are not respected, there are already laws in place to protect them and punish the guilty parties. If these laws are not upheld, that is an issue of enforcement, not legislation.



Religious Acceptance

This is another argument that is often unspoken, but is at the core of the issue. Activists want churches and synagogues—and by extension, God—to proclaim acceptance of the gay lifestyle as a moral imperative. Arguments may present a confusing dissonance of morality, claiming that “love” and “acceptance” are the same. You may have heard something similar to this: “If God is love, He must love everyone, and to love everyone, He must accept them no matter what.” So either God is wrong [because He says He is love but doesn’t love and accept homosexuality], or Christians are wrong [because they say that God doesn’t love and accept homosexuality when He actually does].”This argument catches many off guard, but its fundamental premise is flawed. “Love” and “acceptance” are not synonyms. God’s love for us is a selfless love, and when He defines an action as sin, it is because it is harmful. God can love a person without accepting their actions. There are already many resources on ucg.org that would be helpful in refuting claims that homosexuality is biblically acceptable, or in any way righteous in God’s sight. Again, legislation would not, could not change the teachings of the Bible or the beliefs of Christians.



Property Rights

When you get down to it, all of the flowery speech about love, devotion and equality distracts from the facts. The inflammatory news items of late have generated from issues of property rights. This is where any possibility exists for government legislation. The only practical discussion about “gay marriage” would be this: Should the government recognize Civil Unions as it does marriage: with tax credits, next of kin rights, and other laws governing money and property?



Some would say yes, because our government should represent its people, and protect their rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We live in a carnal world, and even if the law stayed as it is, our government and our population is already far from righteous.



On the other hand, history is made up of critical moments that can turn future events on their heads. Is this debate on “gay marriage” such a critical moment? Is it possible that if enough people learned God’s truth and sought Him that America as a whole could turn and repent?



I choose to be optimistic. That is why it is so important for you and I to be informed, to be logical, to be competent in thought and discussion. Because changing hearts and minds is what we are here for. All of us have been rescued from sin, and who knows what the impact of your words could be for someone else?



So if you find yourself in the middle of a heated discussion, remember: Be logical. Be clear. Ask questions to find out what is driving your friend’s argument. And above all, remember Proverbs 11:9An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.



See All.... “With their words, the godless destroy their friends, but knowledge will rescue the righteous.”







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Are your Senators holding a town hall before they vote on the immigration bill?‏

A very interesting post from www.NumbersUSA.com about the Town Hall meetings your two Senators should be having in YOUR city! This follows this post about the dangers of the "Gang of Eight" immigration bill.  This follows this post about the release of illegal immigrant felons from prison by ICEThis follows this post about how to Report Illegal Immigrants! For more about what is happening in the nation now click here and you can read two very interesting books HERE.

Call your Senators' offices and demand that they hold a town hall to discuss the bill


http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Dear Activist,



This Friday, the US Senate will adjourn business in Washington and go home for a "State Work Period" of 9 days. This is the last scheduled return home for Senators before a massive amnesty bill is scheduled for markup in the Judiciary Committee.



The 844-page bill is a very complex piece of legislation that will overhaul almost every part of our immigration system. If passed, each person in this country would feel its effects including the fiscal costs of an amnesty for most of the 11 million illegal aliens and massive increases in the number of people that will compete with unemployed Americans for jobs on every skill level.



The Senate Judiciary Committee is in charge of the bill's process. Committee Chairman, Patrick Leahy of Vermont, wants this bill to get to the Senate floor ASAP. His committee has held only two hearings this week on the massive bill, cramming in witnesses and only giving a small amount of time to the bill's opponents to voice their concerns. Leahy has scheduled the Committee markup for May 9.



Despite Leahy's impatience, Senator Jeff Sessions has put the mark up process on hold for one week- all the time that is allowed. Since the Senate won't be in session next week, we can expect the mark up to happen Thursday, May 9th.



That means the Senate is likely to vote on the bill before summer!



Have you seen Washington work this quickly EVER? What is in the bill that these Senators want to hide? Why are they so determined to get this bill on the floor without a public discussion?



DEMAND YOUR SENATOR HOLD A TOWN HALL TO DISCUSS THE BIGGEST OVERHAUL OUR IMMIGRATION SYSTEM HAS SEEN IN NEARLY THREE DECADES.



Call you Senators TODAY, TOMORROW, AND FRIDAY until they schedule a town hall or similar public event! Take 5 minutes out of your day so America can get what it deserves - a transparent and open discussion on immigration reform.



Although you may not personally be interested in attending a town hall, there are thousands of other NumbersUSA members in your state who are interested. We need to work together to pressure Senators to hold events and to find out when these town halls are so we can get our voices heard! This is CRUCIAL!!



Do not let your Senators vote for this bill without having to explain it or get your opinion.



The best way to go about requesting a town hall meeting:



1. Call the Capitol Switchboard here: (202) 224-3121 and ask for your Senators.







2. Once on the line with a staffer ask them this: "Does the Senator plan to hold a town hall or similar public forum to hear the opinions of the people in our state on S 744 (the massive immigration reform bill)?"







3. If the answer is yes: Write down the details and send them to me as soon as you can.







4. If the answer is no: "Thank you, I want to officially request for the Senator to have a town hall to discuss the biggest immigration overhaul in almost three decades. I will call back tomorrow to see if he/she puts a town hall on his/her schedule. I will continue to call everyday until the Senator schedules a town hall or similar public event."

Call your Senators here: (202) 224-3121.



Pointers: Don't let the staffers give you the run-around. They are probably going to tell you this: "Whenever the Senator schedules a town hall, it will be up on his/her website." They may also say that "the Senator will send out a press release or an email about the town hall once it is schedule." Senators RARELY do either of these, or they do it hours before the scheduled event. I recommend you nicely thank them for the information but you will still continue to call back everyday until town hall information is given to you.



Please remember to call your Senators at (202) 224-3121 today, tomorrow, and Friday. Continuing to call everyday is the only way we will pressure them.



If the Senate staffers give you town hall event details please email them to me HERE so I can immediately notify other NumbersUSA activists in your state.



If  you would like to get information on the specifics of the town halls, please click here to subscribe to our Local Meeting Alerts list.



Thank you for your time,









Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Secure in Gold?

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about buying gold as a hedge against the dollar and other paper currency. This follows this post about the war between Russia and Chechnya. For a free magazine subscription or to get the book shown  for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

Secure in Gold


The price of gold has dropped hundreds of dollars? Why should it matter?





[Steve Myers] Gold is in the news today because the prices are dropping. If you think back a number of years ago in the year 2000, gold was trading for about $272 an ounce. Up until just recently, gold had gotten to $1900 an ounce. Now you might say, "Okay, what's the problem with that?" The problem is the dollar then becomes devalued. Can the United States government afford for gold to be that expensive? The answer is no because what happens then is countries are going to move away from the dollar and trading in dollars and move to other currencies. And we've seen that lately. We've seen that Australia wants to move away from the dollar. Certainly Russia wants to move away, China. And that creates a major economic problem. And so the United States has been getting the help of other countries to help prop up the dollar as well. And so it seems there is definitely a connection between the value of the gold and the value of the dollar. So the United States needs gold to trade for a lot less than that $1900. So could that be part of the reason that gold is dropping?



Now of course that's only a temporary thing because people are trying to find out, "Well, what should I put my hope in? Should I put it in gold? What should I put my trust in? I want my own personal economics to prosper." You see, that's an issue. And there is a spiritual connection I think as well. You know, is gold the answer? Is gold going to save you? And of course we know it is not. Gold cannot, physical things cannot. And so it reminded me of an amazing Psalm. Psalm 9:9The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.



See All... and here's what it says, "The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble." You see gold is not going to be the refuge. When you see what Psalm 9 says, it's the ultimate reminder. A physical thing is not where to put our trust. Psalm 9:10And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.



See All... says, "Those who know Your name will put their trust in You." So you see the ultimate trust belongs in God and what He can do. It says, "You Lord will not forsake those who seek You." So if they want to forsake the dollar and move to gold that's one thing. But you know if we begin to put our faith and trust in the dollar or in gold or in any other physical thing, we're in trouble. So remember where to put your trust. Ultimately God says our trust must be in Him.



That's BT Daily . We'll see you next time.

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NIGERIA – Extremist violence targets Christians in Borno

A very interesting post from www.RealeaseInternational.org about Muslim murders in Nigeria. This follows this post about an additional man of interest in the Boston Marathon bombing. This follows this article about American energy independence and preventing money from going to hostile countries such as Iran . For more about what is happening in the nation now click here and you can read two very interesting books HERE.

NIGERIA – Extremist violence targets Christians in Borno




Release partners are reporting targeted violence against Christians in the northern state of Borno this weekend.



Stefanos Foundation says that gunmen pulled over a bus near Maiduguri on Saturday, demanded passengers declare their faith and then killed the six people who said they were Christian.



Meanwhile, in Gwoza, also in Borno state, Islamists are reported to have embarked upon an 'Islamisation campaign'. Stefanos reports that gunmen are going from door to door demanding people profess allegiance to Islam at gunpoint.



This weekend's violence followed intense fighting on Friday in the far north of Borno between the military and Islamist extremist group, Boko Haram. The BBC says that at least 185 people have reportedly died in violence centred on the remote town of Baga, near the border with Chad. Up to 2,000 homes were destroyed. Boko Haram wants to create an Islamic state in northern Nigeria.



(Sources: BBC, Stefanos Foundation)



For more news and a country profile about Nigeria, click here



• Pray for God's peace for Christians in Borno and other states in northern Nigeria where believers are targeted. Pray that they will draw near to God, their 'mighty rock and refuge' (Psalm 62:7).

• Pray for a breakthrough in military and political efforts to curb extremist violence in Nigeria, which has claimed thousands of lives since 2009.





NEWS UPDATE:

Pakistani Christian Sawan Masih was due to appear in court today in Lahore, to hear charges against him read out at the start of his blasphemy trial. The roadsweeper from Lahore was charged following accusations against him which reportedly prompted widespread rioting in Joseph colony, Lahore, last month (Prayer Alert, March 11). Please pray for protection and justice for Sawan, and for protection and wisdom for those who are supporting him. (Source: Release partners)



Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Will Russia Win in Chechnya?

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about the war between Russia and Chechnya. This follows this post about the Gay "Marriage" debate.  For a free magazine subscription or to get the book shown  for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

Will Russia Win in Chechnya?


article by Melvin Rhodes


Last time they failed to crush the Chechens. Will Russia succeed this time?



It's a scenario reminiscent of Vietnam 30 years ago-television news footage of the covered corpses of young men sent to fight a faraway war against a people with a different culture. This time it's not Southeast Asia and Americans are not involved. Now the war is in the Caucasus, in the southern part of the Russian Federation. The dead soldiers being sent home are Russians-officially over 500 dead at the time of this writing, but many sources put it much higher. The war they are fighting is taking longer than expected, and the victory is as elusive as it was for America in the 1960s.



Once again, a major power is fighting a conflict against what is seemingly a minor force. Six years ago it tried to crush the Chechens and failed, but then Russia itself was in chaos. Now it's better organized and has sent the full force of its military might against the Chechens.



Will they win this time? Recent history is not very encouraging for Russia.



From the time of Peter the Great 300 years ago right through much of the 1800s Russia was an expanding empire, a powerful monolithic state that conquered all before it and ruthlessly suppressed revolt.



A checkered history



In the early years of the 20th century, in 1904-5, Russia fought a war with Japan. The whole of Europe expected mighty Russia to win this little war, with little difficulty. But Russia lost heavily to Japan, a major embarrassment at a time of European domination of Asia and the rest of the world. It was the first of many heavy defeats in the century to follow. A review of the main conflicts Russia fought during the century is helpful as we consider the outcome of the current war.



A few years after its loss to Japan, confident after years of industrial expansion, Russia went to war against Germany and Austria alongside its allies Britain and France. But Russia was to be the first of the warring parties to sue for peace. Following a total collapse of the social order that had given the country stability for over three centuries, Lenin seized power, creating the world's first communist state. One of his first moves was to seek peace with Germany. The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed in 1918 and ceded much territory to the Germans, also freeing the Axis allies up on the eastern front to concentrate their military might against the Western allies. Russia had lost almost two million men in the First World War. It was to lose hundreds of thousands more in the Civil War that followed as the Red (communist) Army fought against the Whites (Czarist forces).



Concentrating on internal security, the Russians managed to stay out of major wars in the early years of Stalin's rule, but "volunteers" went to Spain to fight in that country's civil war in the late 1930s. The Soviet supported leftist forces lost to Franco's right-wing fascists. At the same time this conflict was being fought far away on the other side of the European continent, Stalin was busily disposing of most of his top military so that they would pose no threat to him. By the time the next major conflict came along, the country had been considerably weakened and was to suffer greatly.



Stalin's 1939 peace treaty with Hitler, (the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, named after the foreign ministers of the two nations) kept the Soviet Union out of World War II for parts of two years, during which the Russians attacked Finland and fought the particularly vicious Winter War against the Finns. They won by sheer force of numbers, but the Finns inflicted heavy damage. Russia lost 50,000 men while Finland's losses were less than half that number, 24,600.



Following the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, Russia fought what became known as the Great Patriotic War (1941-45), a struggle for the survival of the Russian homeland. The Soviet Union lost an estimated 20 million of its citizens during this conflict, including 7.5 million men under arms. (The losses would not have been so great if Stalin had not killed off so many potential opponents in the years immediately preceding the war.)



Soviet domination maintained at high cost



After victory in 1945, Russia ensured its security by keeping troops in eastern European countries that shared its borders. Communism was imposed against the will of the people, backed up by Soviet forces. The economic cost was extremely high, arresting the development of all the participating nations. Official statistics at the time cannot be relied upon, but the Soviet Union was spending a far higher percentage of its gross national product on the military than that spent by any of the member nations of NATO, the Western alliance.



Every single rebellion during this period was crushed throughout the region, increasing anti-Russian feeling and tying down more and more Soviet troops at an ever-rising cost. About 1,500 men were lost in the Hungarian Uprising of 1956.



During the period known as the Cold War, the Soviets and Americans fought many proxy wars (minor conflicts through client states) around the globe. These wars were fought in Africa, Asia, South America and the Middle East. It began to seem as if the Cold War would go on forever. It also became gradually apparent that an increasing number of countries were turning to communism, exactly as Marx and Lenin had predicted they would.



In 1979, confident of a quick victory, the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, traditionally a buffer state between the old Russian Empire and British India, left alone by Russia and England. Afghanistan had been in turmoil since the overthrow of its king in 1973, and Moscow saw an opportunity to back leftist forces and impose communism on yet another backward Third World state. It was not to be that simple.



For over a decade Russia fought mounting resistance by Afghan Muslims determined to resist subjugation by the Russians. Eventually the Russians gave in and pulled out, leaving Afghans to fight on among themselves and the U.S.S.R. to collapse under the economic strains of its own internal contradictions. The loss of Russian life in Afghanistan was unacceptable to the people at home. The war was a major contributing factor in the collapse of the Soviet Union.



Now, 10 years later, before the nation has had an opportunity to recover from past conflict and internal upheaval, it is fighting another war against internal separatist forces, people wanting independence for ethnic and religious reasons. Like the Afghans, they are Muslims. Although Russians ruled them since the 19th century, they have never liked Russia. Russian is not their native language and they are of a different culture. Russia tried to suppress them in 1994, but withdrew two years later after heavy losses. The Chechens were not given independence but they were left alone-until recently.



Trends reflect decline



One little-known factor here is that ethnic Russians have had a very low birthrate since World War II, whereas the Muslim regions within the country have experienced a very high one. Abortion has been freely available to Russian women since the Soviet Union was founded after World War I. Most couples had just one or two children. That means that most households would have only one son, increasing the likelihood that wars would be unpopular at home. Meanwhile, resistance would be greater in the regions where the birth rate has been much higher.



There are other noteworthy trends.



Russia has gradually been losing territory occupied mostly by non-ethnic Russians. Following World War I, it lost Finland, Poland, the Baltic States and some other areas of Eastern Europe. More recently, it has lost vast territories occupied by Muslims, who have now formed themselves into new countries, further complicating the politics of the region.



It is not only Russia that has been losing territory. All the great European empires that dominated the globe at the beginning of the 20th century have now gone as the indigenous peoples took over their own nations.



The rise of Islam is another trend against which Russia is fighting. This is not only Islamic fundamentalism, but also simple nationalism, the desire to be rid of foreign rulers and foreign influence. It wasn't so much the Afghans who defeated Soviet forces, as the arms provided by Muslim Pakistan's General Zia, who supported fellow Muslims against the atheistic communist Soviet state. As Jesus Christ prophesied in Matthew 24, at the time of the end "nation shall rise against nation." The Greek word for nation is ethnos, meaning ethnic group. Most of the wars fought in the last 50 years have not been between great nations, but have been conflicts fought along ethnic lines as different tribal groups have wanted to rule themselves. This is one of those wars.



Will Russia win this time?



Russia is often described as a bear-big and clumsy. Its heavy weight alone will win it some wars and it may win this one. Chechnya does not have Pakistan next door to continue to supply its forces with arms. Russia waited until after Kosovo before acting against the Chechens, assured after the NATO conflict in the Balkans that no Western country would risk losing manpower to fight a war thousands of miles from home. So it has a virtual free rein in the region. While the Russians like to compare this conflict to the one fought by NATO against Serbia, there are two noteworthy differences. This is a much longer conflict and the Russians are suffering casualties-a stark contrast to NATO forces a few months ago.



Instead of courting a nation that could have been a neutral docile neighbor, the Russians will have to keep tens of thousands of troops stationed in the area for decades to come, at a time when the Russian government needs to sort out its major financial problems. President Vladimir Putin has proposed a 57 percent increase in defense spending for Russians. Americans, enjoying a booming economy, would not tolerate that. Will the Russians?



It remains to be seen. The war right now is still popular at home as Russians believe that the Chechens were responsible for the terrorist acts committed in Moscow last year. There was, however, no proof that Chechens were behind these acts. If they weren't, then the whole war was rather pointless. Meanwhile, with the number of body bags increasing, what is a popular war as the new year begins may turn out to be yet another failed military enterprise. Like so many other wars Russia has fought in the last century, the same public that was so enthusiastic at the beginning may turn against their leaders as things go wrong. Then the question will be: Will Russia's democracy survive Chechnya? WNP



Battle Deaths for Russian Wars



The following are battle deaths for Russian wars since 1900. Note that the first list is of interstate wars (wars with other nations) and reflect only troop deaths. The second list is of civil wars and includes civilian deaths. The Afghan War was an intervention in another nation's civil war.



War Dates Deaths



Wars With Other Nations



Boxer 1900 302



Sino-Russian 1900 242



Russo-Japanese 1904-05 71,453



World War I 1914-18 1,700,000



Russo-Polish 1919-20 60,000



Sino-Soviet 1929 200



Changkufeng 1938 1,200



Nomonhan 1939 5,000



World War II 1939-45 7,500,000



Russo-Finnish 1939-40 50,000



Russo-Hungarian 1956 1,500



Civil Wars



1905 Revolution 1905 1,000



Kirghiz/Kazakh revolt 1916 103,000



Russian Civil War 1918-21 800,000



Green Rebellion 1920-21 6,700



Soviet-Turkestani 1931-34 20,000



Afghanistan 1979-89 14,454



First Chechen 1994-96 90,000



Figures courtesy of "Correlates of War Project," University of Michigan. Compiled by Philip Schafer.

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Tell your U.S. Senators that the Gang of Eight's Enforcement Provisions are Filled with Loopholes

A very interesting post from www.NumbersUSA.com about the dangers of the "Gang of Eight" immigration bill. This follows this previous post about it. This follows this post about the release of illegal immigrant felons from prison by ICEThis follows this post about how to Report Illegal Immigrants! For more about what is happening in the nation now click here and you can read two very interesting books HERE.

Tell your U.S. Senators that the Gang of Eight's Enforcement Provisions are Filled with Loopholes


https://www.numbersusa.com/sendfax?id=14645


Dear Your U.S. Senators, http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm



Please oppose the Schumer-Rubio amnesty bill. I agree with the growing consensus that the bill will not prevent future illegal immigration and will not secure the border.



The nearly 900-page long amnesty bill uses the word "may" a lot in the border enforcement and E-Verify sections, but uses the word "will" a lot in the amnesty and legal immigration sections. It's clear that the drafters of this legislation were intent on the amnesty occurring and businesses being able to hire foreign workers instead of jobless Americans, but didn't feel it necessary to force the government to secure the border or force employers to use E-Verify.





This legislation is a mass amnesty bill that will not secure the border. I urge you to oppose it.



Sincerely,



First Name Last Name

Monday, April 22, 2013

Editorial: Bad Eagle Advises Three Wars be Declared!

Editorial

A very insightful blogger, David Yeagley at www.badeagle.com, makes the case for two foreign wars here and here, as well as one domestic war here. Any comments?

Not only are most media outlets still ignoring the Gosnell murder trial, they've admitted it!

An interesting story from www.lifenews.com   about the abortionist Kermit Gosnell. This follows this previous post about it.  For more that you can do to get involved click HERE and you can also get two very interesting books HERE.

Not only are most media outlets still ignoring the Gosnell murder trial, they've admitted it!




The mainstream media is back to ignoring Kermit Gosnell, despite the lengthy list of horrific things he and his staff did at his abortion clinic to kill babies in infanticides and late-term abortions.




The New York Times committed to and then quickly pulled back a reporter who was supposed to provide daily coverage of the trial. But it’s worse than that, as the big television networks have still done next to nothing. CBS did one story on April 15 and NBC asked Obama a question about Gosnell later in the week during a larger interview. Apart from that, the mainstream media networks have been silent.




Not only are most media outlets still ignoring the Gosnell murder trial, they've admitted it!




As LifeNews reported, a blogger for the liberal Huffington Post admitted that liberal mainstream media outlets made a conscious decision to ignore the Kermit Gosnell abortion-murder trial. HuffPo's Marc Lamont Hill admitted what many pro-life advocates have been thinking about the lack of coverage:



“For what it’s worth, I do think that those of us on the left have made a decision not to cover this trial because we worry that it'll compromise abortion rights. Whether you agree with abortion or not, I do think there’s a direct connection between the media’s failure to cover this and our own political commitments on the left.”



Thankfully, some 72 members of Congress have signed on to a letter demanding that the mainstream media provide coverage of the murder trial.



That's a great start, but more must be done. The pro-life movement needs LifeNews.com to continue as the leading media outlet telling the story of Kermit Gosnell.



Wknd Box Office: Oblivion, Disconnect

Here is an interesting article from http://www.debbieschlussel.com/ reviewing some of the movies that came out over the past weekend. This follows this post about some of the movies from last week and THIS POST about some movies that have been released over the past few years that you might have missed! This all follows this post about guidelines to chosing good movies to watch yourself!


Wknd Box Office: Oblivion, Disconnect


By Debbie Schlussel



I didn’t hate the two new movies at theaters, this weekend, but I didn’t love ‘em either. Mixed feelings in both cases.


* “Oblivion“:  I liked this movie more for its style than its substance. It was high on the former. As for the latter, I felt like I was watching a remix of “2001: A Space Odyssey” meets “Moon” (read my review) meets “Silent Running”. There is even a smidge of a reminder of one of my favorite movies, “Blade Runner,” in it. I liked all of those movies, but I felt like this didn’t give us anything new beyond that. Still, I found it somewhat entertaining and engaging, if very, very slow, especially for the first half of it. I tend to like futuristic, apocalyptic, and/or high-styled science fiction movies, especially if they have a “Twilight Zone” flavor to them as this does.



The story: the earth is now a wasteland, after it has mostly been destroyed in a war with aliens who tried to overtake it. Humans won the war, but had to move to another planet. The special effects of this movie show us an Empire State Building that is covered with earth up to the observation deck. We’re told the last Superbowl was in 2017. Tom cruise and a woman have been teamed together to return to earth and fix drones that have stalled on earth and need to be restored. At the same time, he and the drones must stave off and kill what he believes are the leftover aliens on earth. But Cruise constantly dreams of the days when earth was still inhabited by humans and he sees a woman he cannot remember. Soon, a spaceship crashes, and he saves one of the inhabitants. It prompts him to start to remember things he could not figure out and to discover that nothing is as it seems.


I liked the man-versus-machine theme of it and the post-modern high style look of it, too. I love modern synthesizer music like the Vangelis soundtrack of “Blade Runner.” But they overdid it–way overdid it–in this movie. The loud, booming music over almost every scene is off-putting and distracting. And annoying. A little goes a long way. Less is more. This movie probably has one of the longest soundtracks ever, other than “Lawrence of Arabia.” And I did not care for what I detected was a political statement against the use of drones against the enemies of America. Yup, the nuts in Hollywood stand with the equally nutty and dangerous Rand (Paul) on this one (and far too many more dangerous things than Paul’s blind, gushing fans on the right care to admit).



Morgan Freeman co-stars. I saw this in IMAX (once you go IMAX, you never go BAX?), but it’s just fine to see on a regular screen.



TWO REAGANS

* “Disconnect“: I found this movie entertaining, but highly predictable and very cold. It’s one of those didactic “Crash”-style movies that thinks it’s teaching us something (and, yet, that something is the obvious). The stories are interconnected and all about what can happen in our mobile, 24-7, anonymous, Internet world when we are disconnected and/or distracted from those closest to us in our lives. Not that any of this should be news.



The plots: A teen or 20-something is a male prostitute online who gets paid to perform sexual acts. A manipulative, self-righteous reporter tries to get him to give her an interview. A high school kid who has no friends and a distant lawyer father (Jason Bateman is the dad) is taken advantage of by two bullies at his school who pretend to be an online girlfriend. They set him up, and you can very easily predict what happens. A couple who keep having miscarriages get their bank account and all their savings raided by an online scammer, who they believe is the guy the wife has been confiding in about her distant, online-gambling husband.



On the one hand, there are important lessons for kids that they’ll never learn: what you post on the net is forever. And bullying can drive people to do tragic things. And so on. But I don’t think I’d want my kid to see this explicit, highly-charged, overwrought movie. And, yet, I liked when the prostitute tells the TV reporter that she exploits the subjects of her stories more than his pimp exploits him. Yup, that’s the media in a nutshell.



Entertaining enough. But a liberal cornucopia of blatant moralizing and non-stop melodramatic angst without much real useful purpose despite its pretense otherwise. Pretentious. Oh, and by the way, the one guy who was a Marine in the Middle East is portrayed is off-kilter and easily provoked to violence.



HALF A REAGAN





Thursday, April 18, 2013

So What's the Right Way to View the Gay Marriage Debate as a Christian?

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about the Gay "Marriage" debate. This follows this post about evidence of God.  For a free magazine subscription or to get the book shown (not the book discussed below) for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

So What's the Right Way to View the Gay Marriage Debate as a Christian?


by Mitchell Moss


The U.S. Supreme Court building, where the issue of gay marriage is being debated.



Source: Wikimedia Commons/Wikiwopbop I got a certain number of responses to my last blog post about Christians who support gay marriage. One response I got essentially asked, “How should I feel about gay marriage as a Christian on a secular level?” In trying to answer, I came to realize that even after writing that piece taking everybody to task for lacking resolve, I still have a bit of cognitive dissonance in my own mind. On the one hand, I enjoy the freedom in the U.S. to practice my religion as I see fit, and those same freedoms make it possible for somebody else to live the way they see fit as well. I greatly enjoy that liberty. So when it comes to gay marriage, there’s an aspect of me that feels: “What do I care? They can have the same liberties I have that afford me the privilege of living my lifestyle.” But then on the other hand, there’s the clear and direct teaching of the Scriptures. So I go back and forth on the issue—I enjoy the secular governmental system we have in place that gives me freedom of religion. But I also know the difference between right and wrong, which is defined by our Creator.



The foundational principles of Scripture have more or less served as the foundation of society in the United States since its inception. Or as John Adams, second president of the United States, put it: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” The more people ignore the morals and religious foundation of the Constitution and the more they begin to judge what’s right and wrong based solely on secular man-made laws, the more inevitable it becomes that we will write into law whatever makes us feel good. And that’s the gay marriage debate now—men and women arguing that what makes them feel good (their homosexuality) should be recognized and institutionalized by the secular government. It ignores completely the moral underpinnings of the Constitution, arguing solely from that document itself (“equal protection under the law”).



Look, we live in what Paul called “this present evil age.” There is a god of this world, who is the prince of the power of the air. He is at work trying to undermine Jesus Christ and His message.



At this point, it seems gay marriage is inevitable in America—more than half the country supports it according to polls.



So as a Christian, here’s what I know is true. Practicing homosexuality is a sin (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 [9] Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

[10] Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

[11] And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.





See All..., Romans 1:24-27 [24] Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

[24] Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

[25] Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

[25] Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

[26] For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

[26] For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

[27] And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

[27] And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.





See All..., Romans 8:5For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.



See All...). God hates sin and will judge the earth according to its sins. As a nation, if we enact laws that institutionalize sin, we will reap what we sow. Whether abortion, gay marriage, injustice, greed, mistreating the poor or whatever else. God will judge the nations. He did it way back when with Sodom and Gamorrah, and He’ll do it in the future (Genesis 18:20And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;



See All..., Genesis 19:13For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.



See All...; Revelation 14:6-8 [6] And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

[7] Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

[8] And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.





See All...).



My citizenship is in heaven. My King is Jesus Christ. The only goal that matters in my life is making my calling and election sure. My sole purpose is to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. I do not condone the practice of homosexuality—but neither is it my place to condemn people. In this present evil age, my responsibility is to live a life worthy of repentance, to let my light shine, to love my neighbor as myself, and to practice godly love. Sigh and cry over the abominations of the world, and pray every single day, “Your kingdom come!”







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