What Spiritual Freedom Is All About

~ “LETTERS FROM EUROPE” - by Rob (Wind Rose Hotel) ~

I have a great story to share with you today, dear readers of The Metaphysical Peregrine. It’s a simple quote, but it truly speaks volumes about what freedom, in a spiritual sense, is all about. But please allow me a few lines to introduce the Source and Author (both not very well-known).

The Book of Ecclesiasticus, also known as The Book of Sirach or Wisdom of Jesus son of Sirach, or the Wisdom of Ben Sira, is a work from the early second century BC, originally written in Hebrew (but afterwards translated into Greek, by another Jesus, the grandson of the author). It is not in the Jewish canon, but is received as canonical and divine by Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and most Oriental Orthodox, but not by most Protestants.

Ecclesiasticus is a collection of ethical teachings. Thus it closely resembles Proverbs, except that, unlike the latter, it is the work of a single author, not an anthology of maxims drawn from various sources. Many of the teachings are advices and instructions as to the duties of man toward himself and others, as well as toward society and the state, and most of all toward God. One of them is the one I have chosen for today. I love it for its essentiality and effectiveness:

Do not say, ‘The Lord was responsible for my sinning,’ for he does not do what he hates. Do not say, ‘It was he who led me astray,’ for he has no use for a sinner. The Lord hates all that is foul, and no one who fears him will love it either. He himself made human beings in the beginning, and then left them free to make their own decisions. If you choose, you will keep the commandments and so be faithful to his will. He has set fire and water before you; put out your hand to whichever you prefer. A human being has life and death before him; whichever he prefers will be given him. For vast is the wisdom of the Lord; he is almighty and all-seeing. His eyes are on those who fear him, he notes every human action. He never commanded anyone to be godless, he has given no one permission to sin.
[Ecclesiasticus: 15, 11-20]

O Come O Come Emmanuel - Trace Bundy and Josh Garrels (vid)

Rejoice. Rejoice.

Congressional Candidate Lieutenant Colonel Allen West (vid)

I'm ready to fix my bayonet. I'm ready to fulfill my oath as a Veteran and protect my country. This is a leader worth following. No RINO, no soft spoken 'publican with that insipid 'my friend from' crap. This country is being threatened from within. Let's do all we can to get Allen West elected.

Glad We Live in a Post Racial America XI

A couple links to PJTV with African American commentator Joe Hicks

Race Baiters Tee Off on Tiger
Here

Harry Reid Plays the Race Card
Here

Hockey Sticks and Liars

These are the graphs of the great weather "hockey stick" that all the Statist media and gov't Statists, Gaia worshipers, etc., have been using to say that global warming is man made. It's from the Summary for Policymakers’ of the 2001 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. It shows temperature dropping then a huge upswing in temperature. Except it didn't happen. What happened after 1961 is a drop in temperature, but it was obscured by some other large colorful lines. Of course the MSM didn't do any 'investigative reporting', it might reveal an inconvenient truth.





Thing is, it was warmer in 1000 CE than it is now. I'm not a professional historian, but I don't remember reading about any factories or cars and whatever during that period. Greenland used to be green to. Plus the global temp has been dropping for the last ten years.

As to the emails revealing this scam. If they were emails that embarrassed Conservatives or Christians, this would be whistle blowing, and the contents would be important. That they show alleged scientists to be political hacks, gov't lap dogs and liars, well then, the publishing of the letters is the outrage, not the content.

As to the alleged scientists calling other scientists names and saying nasty things about them; at one time, when science was actually science, peer review was the standard. As bad in science classes as I was, I remember every experiment had to be re-done and get the same result to be accepted. The alleged scientists language is political and not scientific, using "consensus". Politicians reach consensus. Science is to show something is or is not, or it's under investigation. Period.

I think the alleged scientists should apologize to the Catholic Church. They've been pounding on the Church for dragging its feet acknowledging the correctness of scientific discoveries. At least the church didn't tell big ol' whoppin' lies just to make a buck.

Does 'science fiction' have a new definition now?

Advent (vid)

Gloucester Cathedral Choir - In the Bleak Midwinter (vid)

Ohhhh, how moving this is....

Leftists Fallon & Maddow Speak Hate to Truth

Jimmy Fallon and Rachel lament that the tomato thrown at Sarah Palin didn't hit her. Vile. But what else does one expect from Leftists? They are fueled by hatred and lies.

JIMMY FALLON: Did you hear about what’s going on with Sarah Palin, she got tomatoes thrown at her?

MADDOW: Oh, yeah, she was speaking at a mall, and a man showed up with tomatoes to throw at her, – it’s always a bad idea, you know, to throw projectiles at anybody in public life – but, unfortunately, the guy had a bad arm, missed Sarah Palin, hit a cop.

FALLON: That’s where you made your mistake, right there. You don’t want to.

MADDOW: Yeah, he’s in the pokey.

FALLON: Yeah, got a bad arm, yeah. Didn’t hit her at all?

MADDOW: No.

FALLON: Didn’t come close?

MADDOW: No.

FALLON: Awful.

(AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)

MADDOW: No, I think that’s why, I mean, that’s, it’s sort of the, I don’t promote throwing food at anybody, but if you’re, like, you throw something big, like, if you throw a pie, it’s a big thing, so you miss less.

Christmas and the Obama's

From the New York Times and a couple of other sources, but I decided to use the Times for this story, the Obama's were thinking about not have the Crèche with the baby Jesus in the White House this year. A main player in this is the White House Social Director, Desiree Rogers.

"But Washington is a city that likes its traditions, and Ms. Rogers has raised a few eyebrows by trying to bend them. When former social secretaries gave a luncheon to welcome Ms. Rogers earlier this year, one participant said, she surprised them by suggesting the Obamas were planning a “non-religious Christmas” — hardly a surprising idea for an administration making a special effort to reach out to other faiths.

The lunch conversation inevitably turned to whether the White House would display its crèche, customarily placed in a prominent spot in the East Room. Ms. Rogers, this participant said, replied that the Obamas did not intend to put the manger scene on display — a remark that drew an audible gasp from the tight-knit social secretary sisterhood. (A White House official confirmed that there had been internal discussions about making Christmas more inclusive and whether to display the crèche.)

Yet in the end, tradition won out; the executive mansion is now decorated for the Christmas holiday, and the crèche is in its usual East Room spot." Full article here.

I wrote a couple times during the campaign that Obama wasn't a Christian, and by extension I assume Michelle isn't either. That nearly a year into this administration they still are not churched speaks to this. He should say, at least now, but more honestly during the campaign that he wasn't a Christian. He claimed in Cairo that America wasn't a Christian nation, so it shouldn't have had any effect on the election.

A couple Obama quotes on his "Christian" faith. Christians will get it, others not so much.
“The difficult thing about any religion, including Christianity, is that at some level there is a call to evangelize and proselytize. There’s the belief, certainly in some quarters, that if people haven’t embraced Jesus Christ as their personal savior, they’re going to hell.”

Chicago Sun-Times columnist Cathleen Falsani, after interviewing Obama, said he “... doesn't believe he, or anyone else, will go to hell. But he’s not sure he’ll be going to heaven, either.”

Obama doesn't believe that Christ is the 'way, the truth, the life'. Falsani says he believes all faiths knows the same god. Animalists and Gaia worshipers too one assumes.

“I don’t presume to have knowledge of what happens after I die. When I tuck in my daughters at night and I feel like I’ve been a good father to them, and I see that I am transferring values that I got from my mother and that they’re kind people and that they’re honest people, and they’re curious people, that’s a little piece of heaven.”

He denies the basic tenets of Christianity; so can't be a Christian. He should just say so. He denies the divinity of Christ; so can't be a Christian. He should just say so. This is the honesty and transparency guy, right?

So Obama, wife, and social director were going to throw the baby Jesus under the bus.
Really, I think they should have done it. :-)

Rules of Engagement, Then and Now

These are some of the rules of engagement our soldiers must obey in Afghanistan.

• No night or surprise searches.

• Villagers have to be warned prior to searches.

• ANA or ANP must accompany U.S. units on searches. (Afghan National Army Afghan National Police)

• U.S. soldiers may not fire at the enemy unless the enemy is preparing to fire first.

• U.S. forces cannot engage the enemy if civilians are present.

• Only women can search women.

• Troops can fire at an insurgent if they catch him placing an IED but not if insurgents are walking away from an area where explosives have been laid.

We had restrictions in Vietnam, but nothing this constricting. Basically I remember free fire zones, and restricted zones. Usually we had to be fired upon to engage, and if we saw bad the bad guys we weren't supposed to fire. That didn't always work so well. One gets a bit jumpy what with thick jungle and unseen movement. Killed a couple wild boar and a deer. We tied the deer to a Huey, got it back to base, hung it from the basketball stanchions, and some guys that knew how to do such things, dressed it, and we had a feast.

I can't imagine soldiers in Afghanistan having to follow even more life endangering stupid political rules. I hear too the the ANP and ANA just hang out, don't contribute, don't show up to missions, don't send the ANP or ANA personal that are required for missions. Have to wake them up, go get them, delay missions, etc. I know the feeling. In 'Nam we were supposed to rendezvous with South Vietnamese troops, and they would be nowhere. Or we were supposed to set up an ambush, and they would be nowhere.

This president says this is different from Vietnam. I don't think so. It's politicians micromanaging war, that don't have the training or guts to do it themselves. They just get people killed. I was sick of it then, and I'm sick of it now.

FDR & Obama- Two Views on War

FDR on War: "The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation. As commander in chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.

No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph — so help us God."


Obama on War: As President, I refuse to set goals that go beyond our responsibility, our means, or our interests. And I must weigh all of the challenges that our nation faces. I don't have the luxury of committing to just one. Indeed, I'm mindful of the words of President Eisenhower, who -- in discussing our national security -- said, "Each proposal must be weighed in the light of a broader consideration: the need to maintain balance in and among national programs."

Over the past several years, we have lost that balance. We've failed to appreciate the connection between our national security and our economy. In the wake of an economic crisis, too many of our neighbors and friends are out of work and struggle to pay the bills. Too many Americans are worried about the future facing our children. Meanwhile, competition within the global economy has grown more fierce. So we can't simply afford to ignore the price of these wars.

All told, by the time I took office the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan approached a trillion dollars. Going forward, I am committed to addressing these costs openly and honestly. Our new approach in Afghanistan is likely to cost us roughly $30 billion for the military this year, and I'll work closely with Congress to address these costs as we work to bring down our deficit."

The first had the attitude that the US should kill bad guys and destroy their stuff until they were all dead and all their stuff was destroyed or they surrender completely. The second is not setting goals to win against the bad guys and make them submit, he's worried about economic considerations that won't mean a damn thing under Sharia law and the destruction of Western Civilization. I personally know people that actually want Western Civilization to fail, capitalism to fail, and democracy to fail.
One that I see that wants these things, but don't know, is the President of the United States; and that scares the hell out of me.

Pearl Harbor Day-Remembrance

Glad We Live in a Post Racial America XI

According to AP writer Tiger Woods is a racist because he only has white mistresses. Tiger’s Troubles Widen His Distance From Blacks is the headline.

According to the story, the only reason this is a big media story is because the women he's cheating with white women only. Article here.

Excerpts:
Blogger Robert Paul Reyes: "If Tiger Woods had cheated on his gorgeous white wife with black women, the golfing great's accident would have been barely a blip in the blogosphere."

"The darts reflect blacks' resistance to interracial romance. They also are a reflection of discomfort with a man who has smashed barriers in one of America's whitest sports and assumed the mantle of the world's most famous athlete, once worn by Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordan.

"But Woods has declined to identify himself as black, and famously chose the term "Cablinasian" (Caucasian, black, Indian and Asian) to describe the racial mixture he inherited from his African-American father and Thai mother."

"This vexed some blacks, but it hasn't stopped them from claiming Woods as one of their own. Or from disapproving of his marriage to Elin Nordegren, despite blacks' historical fight against white racist opponents of mixed marriage."

"But at the same time we still see him as a black man with a white woman, and it makes a difference," said Johnson Cooper, a 26-year-old African-American from New York City. "There's just this preservation thing we have among one another. We like to see each other with each other."

Minarets-Sign Posts for One Way Streets

Some have lashed out and condemned the Swiss for recently voting to outlaw minarets atop Islamic places of worship in their country. It's undemocratic! It's intolerant! It's a human rights violation! It's obvious that Islam is an imperialistic State religion, and the destruction of western civilization and the imposition of Sharia law on the whole planet is their goal; and they will use force to accomplish this goal.

Where's the other outrage? Orthodox Christians in Turkey can't build seminaries and churches. In fact all Christians in that country have been subjugated and even brutalized for centuries. In the best of times they're second class citizens.

Slaughtered Christians in the Sudan. Just because they aren't Muslim.

Christians in China are made slaves and put in work camps.

Christians in North Korea, murdered just for being Christians.

Islamists go to other nations, riot, murder, and the men beat and murder women, saying Sharia law says it's okay; that Western law does not have to be obeyed.

Can you have a Christian church in Saudi Arabia? There you can't even even wear a necklace with a Cross. You'll be stoned or beaten. Religious freedom in Indonesia, Egypt, Pakistan?

Coptic Christians in Egypt are treated most horribly.

What happens to a Christian that converts to Islam? What happens to a Muslim that converts to Christianity?

What did Muslims do to the Hagia Sophia? Turned it into a mosque. What did the Muslims do to the remains of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem? Built a mosque on top. And they're angry because they can't put up a couple minarets?

This is an one way religion. It's a State religion. It's a 6th Century religion that holds on to and practices 6th Century tribalism and imperialism.

And they're ticked off that the Swiss say, hey, no minarets?

If these guys think Sharia law is so great, that the resultant society is so great, go live in that society. Why'd they leave in the first place if it's so great? If they want to yell "intolerance" and "bigotry" they had better get their own house in order, and make this a two way street.

12/5/09 - Carly Fiorina Delivers Weekly GOP Address

No matter what your political affiliation, if you're a woman, you need to watch this. She's a breast cancer survivor, and her view of government controlled health care is profound and personal.

If you don't know who Carly Fiorina is:
Stanford University
University of California, Los Angeles
University of Maryland, College Park
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Chief Executive Officer of Hewlett-Packard from 1999 to 2005
Merged Compaq and HP
Currently she serves on several business boards.
She has announced for Republican nomination to challenge incumbent Democrat Barbara Boxer for Senate.

I read her autobiography last year, maybe earlier; a must read, this is an incredible human being, an incredible woman.

Little Drummer Boy - David Bowie & Bing Crosby

Marshmallow World-Dean Martin/Frank Sinatra (vid)

Just soooooo fun....

Al Gore Confronted on Climategate in Chicago (vid)

Behavior a little over the top, but I like it. Gore has been supporting this kind of behavior from the Left forever. To paraphrase fellow Leftist Jeremiah Wright, the chickens have come home to roost or some such thing. Gore jetting around on private aircraft, living in a mansion, driving SUV's, and a houseboat that burns more energy in a day than I do in a month.

Climategate: Science Is Dying (vid)

Daniel Henninger, Wall Street Journal, about how Climategate is undermining the objectivity of science.

The Mouse

"A mouse looked through the

crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.

"What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered -

he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard,

the mouse proclaimed the

warning.

"There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap

in the house!"

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and

said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you

but it is of no consequence to me.

I cannot be bothered by it."

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a

mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The pig sympathized, but said,

"I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse,

but there is nothing I can do about it but pray.

Be assured you are in my prayers."

The mouse turned to the cow and said, "There is a

mousetrap in the house!

There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse.

I'm sorry for you,

but it's no skin off my nose."

So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected,

to face the farmer's mousetrap-- alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house --

like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.

The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the

darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake

whose tail the trap had caught.

The snake bit the farmer's wife.

The farmer rushed her

to the hospital and she returned home with a fever.

Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup,

so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's

main ingredient.

But his wife's sickness continued,

so friends and neighbors came

to sit with her around the clock.

To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.

The farmer's wife did not get well; she died.

So many people came

for her funeral, the farmer

had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.

The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.

So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you,

remember --

when one of us is threatened,

we are all at risk.

We are all involved in this journey called life.

We must keep an eye out

for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

SEND THIS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS EVER HELPED YOU OUT

AND LET THEM KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE.

REMEMBER:

EACH OF US IS A VITAL

THREAD IN ANOTHER PERSON'S TAPESTRY;

OUR LIVES ARE WOVEN TOGETHER FOR A REASON.

One of the best things to hold onto in this world is a friend."

Author Unknown

Liberal Compassion

Liberals are big on compassion. They say it's what motivates. Taking care of the masses.

In the name of compassion we have a lenient justice system. Thousands of rapists, pedophiles and murderers are let loose on our streets every year. Maurice Clemmons just the latest example. How compassionate is it to endanger and strike fear into ordinary citizens? Mike Huckabee BTW let out over a thousand thugs during his governorship. How compassionate is it that citizens don't feel safe on their own streets?

Liberals take about half of each working citizen's income in the form of fees and taxes. How compassionate is it to reduce working citizens' income (about half when said and done) so much they have to struggle to maintain their own lives?

Liberals lowered the deduction on charitable giving. How compassionate is it punish givers? How is it that this shows compassion to the receivers of charity?

Liberals have reduced education to indoctrination, so kids come out of school lacking knowledge and skills. How compassionate is it not prepare our children for life?

The war on poverty has cost trillions and destroyed millions of families. How is it compassionate making families fail?

I submit Liberals are putting a good name on evil behavior, and I pray enough citizens keep pushing back against Statists, knowing that families work, people keeping their earnings works, keeping bad people in jail works, that charity works.

Howard Dean Talks About How the Debate Over Socialism and Captialism is Over, and How Socialism Has Won

Statist Dean still blurring the lines, but getting closer to telling the truth. The Democrat Party is the party of government. The permanent campaign is to ensure all, not part, of their socialist agenda gets implemented. Heads up America, the Dems want a one party socialist system of government. Period.

The Choir of St. Joseph Parish sings "Magnum Mysterium" (vid)

Sings so well to the spirit of the season.

Through the Eyes of a Child (Original Christmas Song)

Straight No Chaser - 12 Days (vid)

Most fun 12 Days of Christmas ever, especially about half way through is a blast. Re-posted from last year.

Obama Foreign Policy

Obama, once again making events about himself, has left yet another overseas jaunt with nothing. Maybe some loses. Japan had a mission to refuel American ships participating in the Afghanistan war. They have pulled out. Did he get any agreements from China about reducing greenhouse emissions? No. China artificially keeps its currency weak, and will not revalue. They have the US economy in a jam as theirs get stronger. Why would they? Anything done about their support of Iran, including weapons and nuclear support? Obama talks about the US severely reducing our nuclear stockpile. China? Nope. Human rights brought up? Didn't hear a mention of it. Any more help containing North Korea? Nope. He attended a press conference and no questions were allowed. Say what? Any upgrade of our trade status with South Korea? Nothing.

Israel. He criticizes them but gives a pass to Hamas, Palestinians, Iran and their terrorists. Appalling. He went to the Egypt early in his administration, praised their 6th century civilization (what have they done lately other than wreak economic havoc on the world and support terrorism), and demeaned western civilization, the US, and Christianity.

He's reached out to Statist dictators, and marginalized our traditional allies. Good grief, in the Honduras kerfuffle his sided with the president that tried a junta, and spoke against the other branches of their government that prevented yet another South American dictatorship. Created sanctions that did economic damage to that already poor county, and the people suffered even more. Compassion Mr President? Doing so he sided with Communist thugs Castro, Chavez and the rest of the brutal oppressors of freedom in the region. In fact, dictators and their murderous thugs worldwide applauded his decision.

Do these dictators, the enemies of freedom, believe for a second when Obama says "there will be consequences" for (enter any threatening behavior) that he'll truly do anything? Obama gives hope alright; to the enemies of western civilization and freedom, that they can bring the America down.

A Thanksgiving Prayer

I praise Thee for the future crown
And for the present cross.

I thank Thee for both wings of love
Which stirred my worldly nest;
And for the stormy clouds which drove
Me, trembling, to Thy breast.

I bless Thee for the glad increase,
And for the waning joy;
And for this strange, this settled peace
Which nothing can destroy.

--Jane Crewdson (1860)

God Gave Us

I asked for wisdom
And God gave me problems to solve.
I asked for prosperity…
And God gave me brains and the strength to work.
I asked for courage…
And God gave me danger to overcome…
I asked for love…
And God gave me troubled people to help.
I asked for favors…
And God gave me opportunities.
I received nothing I wanted.
I received everything I needed.
My prayer has been answered.
(anon)

George Washington's Proclamation of a Day of Thanksgiving

"Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.

"Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be. That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks, for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation, for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war, for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed, for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

"And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions, to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually, to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed, to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord. To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and Us, and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

"Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789."

Thanksgiving View from 1951 (vid)