My 2013 Year in Review

I haven't posted or written much in 2013. Much of it I think, is that I look at the social, religious, economic, political, cultural, foreign policy morass and have been in despair. How many times and how many ways can it be said that everything that works, that is good, that's beneficial, that benefits the most amount of people with liberty, wealth, goodness, has been rejected for things that demean, steal, hurt, impoverishes, insults, and diminishes liberty, is accepted.

I was talking to a friend at our choir Christmas party, and as often happens, when things are vocalized fresh thoughts, ideas, come to the fore. I think the process had already begun to make some changes in approach to what I think and write about, and that conversation shed some light on the direction.

I had, back before the personal computer age, pretty much ignored newspapers and the nightly news, because it was surface stuff, of the moment, and the stories had to be constantly changed and updated as new information came out.

With the internet, I've found myself reading news sites and news blogs that are like newspapers and news shows. Good for headlines, but nothing of depth. I was an avid magazine reader pre-internet, for awhile getting maybe nine or ten magazines, and reading most of them cover to cover. This year I've gone back to that. On a Kindle though. It's less expensive, more environmentally friendly (printing, paper, shipping all gone), and I don't have stacks of mags piled up behind my recliner. It gives easy access to magazines already read, 'saved' in the "Newsstand" section. I've been reading "National Review" for decades. Even when I was a Marxist. I strived (and still do) to be informed of all points of view. My magazine list, in addition to "National Review" now include "Commentary", "First Things" and "World". I subscribe to those, and get an occasional issue of "Science News", the only science magazine that doesn't have a Leftist political agenda that I could find. A little leaks in, but it's just the zeitgeist now.

I was stunned to find out, while searching for a science magazine, that all of them directly, or infer, a political agenda that matches the political Left and tailor not only editorials but even "science" articles to fit the agenda. Part of the view is that science should be the result of "consensus", not facts. The magazines I listed above that I subscribe to now are all conservative and Christian/Jewish essays, editorials, and news. All the other stuff is the meme of what's defined as "news" is Leftist, so we are immersed in it, that no additional reading is needed to know that viewpoint. In my paper magazine reading days, I read the Leftist "New Republic" and "Utne", "Atlantic Monthly", and "Harpers". There may be more, but that's all I can remember right now. The Left "news" outlets have been saying that same things on the same issues in pretty much the same way since I started paying attention to them in the 1970's. I was one of them. Now though, they're all screechy and preachy. Dull, boring, lying, insipid.   

Anyway, all that is to the purpose of changing how I view, think and write of things. Going forward by going back I guess.

Continuing on with reading, read a lot of books this year. List in the right column will stay up a few days. Standouts: A Traveler's Guide to the Kingdom:  Journeying Through the Christian Life by James Emery White, Exposing Myths About Christianity by Jeffrey Burton Russell, Introduction to the Devout Life by St Francis de Sales, Socrates in the City: Conversations on Life, God, and Other Small Topics by Eric Metaxas (Editor),  The Searcher by Joseph Loconte (This book a revelation about what happened on the road to Emmaus, the story of the two men that met Jesus after His crucifixion.) and Rebuilding the Real You by Jack Hayford. For fiction I enjoyed the Great North Road by Peter Hamilton, Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, The Bartender's Tale by Ivan Doig (Doig one of my all time fav writers for many years), The Corpse Reader by Antonio Garrido, and lastly, I think my fav of the year, In Sunlight and in Shadow by Mark Helprin. Helprin's book got panned by a lot of snobby critics. It was poetic and romantic, not Helprin's usual steady on crafted novel. If you're looking for good fiction these days, look to the Spanish. Great stuff there.

Staying with the culture, movies, despite high sales this year, have pretty much sucked. Cartoons played by actors in front of blue and green screens. Great special effects, some decent story lines. Enjoyable but not challenging or fulfilling. Best movie may have been "Silver Linings Playbook", best cartoon movie "Superman". "Beasts Of The Southern Wild" was really good, but I have no idea why I liked it so much. Lots of worst movies ever this year including "Pain and Gain" with Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson, and "The Great Gatsby", arguably the worst movie ever made; ranks way down there with a couple movies in years gone by whose names I've forgotten. "Gatsby" was so bad I walked out, couldn't stand it any more. Bleh.

Television on the other hand is better and better. Cable shows mostly, that I binge view on Netflix. I'll just list a few here; "Burn Notice", "Justified" (my fav), "Glades", "Foyer's War", "Continuum", "Borgia", "Doc Martin", "Heat of the Sun", "Hell on Wheels", "Damages", "Doctor Who", "White Collar", any of the "Mystery Theater" stuff mostly presented by the BBC. Then there's some documentaries and of course the "Ted Talks" series. Of the live series "Blue Bloods" (astonishing it's lasting because it's revolves around a practicing Christian family, with traditional family values, service and sacrifice, and they pray together!). Then there's "Person of Interest", and of course both "NICIS" shows. I was a big fan of "The Voice" and "Singoff", but think these have run the course for me. Not lacking in talented singers, but the song selection is starting to sound the same and the audience instead of actually listening to the music, seem to think these are audience participation shows, and clapping, whistling, screaming and yelling are appropriate. Well, it's not.

Last but certainly not least, Church and Religion. I love my church with all my heart. Just amazing people, with amazing talents. Love and charity abounds. The conversations, the music, are all beyond extraordinary. I'm going to be rude here; if you "dis" Christianity and people that go to church, that serve, love, are charitable, then you're stupid and a bigot. You guys have to go back hundreds of years to find something to bitch about and use that to try and kill Christianity and replace it with the State. I don't have much truck with the anti-Semitism linked to the hatred of Christianity either. Scripture, Old and New Testaments are the most proven and effective guides to good living ever. Churches are the best organizations and institutions to benefit humanity, ever. Period.

There's my year in review. This much longer than intended, and I have more to say. But days, years, months to follow. We wish all a wonderful New Year, full of Faith, Hope, Love, Charity. 

Messiah (Handel): "But who may abide..." (Emma Kirkby)

A Musical Merry Christmas from The Metaphysical Peregrine

But who may abide the day of His coming?
And who shall stand when He appeareth?
For He is like a refiner's fire.

"Jesu! Jesu!" & "Joy to the World" USAF Band as Flash Mob

Uplifting and joyful.

Jesu, joy of man’s desiring,
Holy wisdom, love most bright;
Drawn by Thee, our souls aspiring
Soar to uncreated light.

Word of God, our flesh that fashioned,
With the fire of life impassioned,
Striving still to truth unknown,
Soaring, dying round Thy throne.

"Within Our Darkest Night" (Taizé)

Knowing Christ, having Him kindled in my heart and spirit, lifts me higher in good times, and keeps me aware of His presence in not so good times. I always knows He is there, within me. 

 

Within our darkest night,
You kindle the fire that never dies away,
That never dies away

"For Every Mountain" - I've got so much to thank God for...

I've got so much to thank God for
So may blessings and so many open doors
A brand new mercy
Along with each new day
That's why I praise You
For this I give You praise

For waking me up this morning
That's why I praise You
For starting me on my way
That's why I praise You
For letting me see the sunlight of a new brand day
A brand new mercy along with each new day
That's why I praise You
For this I give You praise

You're Jehovah Jireh
That's why I praise You
You've been my provider
That's why I praise You
So many times You met my need, So many times You rescued me
That's why I praise You
I wanna thank You for the blessings You give to me each day
That's why I praise You
For this I give You praise

For every mountain You brought me over
For every trial you've seen me through
For every blessing
Hallelujah, for this I give You praise

The Demise of the Boy Scouts

All this came to mind when a couple days ago checking out of a store I was asked if I wanted to donate to the Boy Scouts. No. Here's why. The demise of the Boy Scouts of America is at hand. Here's the reminder of the Boy Scout oath, all of us took at one time when we joined, and known by most even if they didn't join.

                                                                                                              

On my honor I will do my best

To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.

Since this was written and practiced, God has been tossed out; secularists and neo-atheists are in. [Neo-atheists by the way are those that claim not to believe in God and are more anti-Christian and do everything they can to be bigoted, intolerant hatemonger's to destroy Christians and Christianity. Traditional atheists just say they don't believe in God and go about their business.] Believing in country is out. We have a president of the US, his political party, and other assorted Leftists denouncing this country, President Obama saying this country isn't exceptional and inferring in speech after speech it's the source of many of the world's ills.   

Morally straight is now out of the question. Sexuality, especially the homosexual lifestyle, is the wedge that's split the organization. What the hell are adults doing getting kids involved in a discussion of who's banging who and who's using dildo's to bang each other? I also agree with the notion that dildos should be illegal for lesbians. If they don't want the real thing, they should be denied the fake thing.

  Scout Law

A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly,

courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty,

brave, clean, and reverent.

All those have been driven out too. Especially by the adult secularists, neo-atheists, anti-Christian bigots, and intolerant homosexual bigots. They have their own selfish agenda that demolished the Scout Law and Scout Oath. No thoughts expressed about helping young men and boys be better men and citizens.

This past May the Boy Scout "leadership" voted in their annual meeting by about 60%  to promote homosexuality in the Scouts. Next up is to allow homosexual men to be Scout leaders. We all know how well it worked out for the Catholic Church to have these kinds of men in leadership positions. Just what the Scouts need, male homosexual pedophiles to go with pubescent angst and confusion.

Since that May vote it's estimated about 300,000 members have left, and most Churches that have supported and funded the Scouts have withdrawn. Most Christian leaders have left.

They're forming a Scout organization named Trail Life USA. They are returning to the founding principals of the BSA's Oath and Law, which were Christian based. One example is the Scout motto "Be Prepared" will be "Walk Worthy".

This response to Leftist bullying was because the Leftists in the leadership positions of the BSA were afraid of losing funding from Leftist corporations, government departments (Leftist and anti-Christian by definition), and Leftist charities like United Way. Plus their greedy lawyers with all the lawsuits. How again does all that benefit young men and boys become better men and citizens?

The result was they got what they feared would happen if they didn't throw out the traditional principals of the BSA. Plummeting membership, so dues are going up from $15 per scout to $24 per scout. Always the Leftist strategy; blow a good thing and then take money from the victims of their policies. Those guys also manage to get themselves nice salaries; the top five BSA big wig's are getting a whopping $696, 862. Many if not most of the local BSA's councils in big cities are running deficits in the $millions. $3.25 million in LA. How in the heck does an organization that promotes being mentally awake, morally straight, trustworthy, helpful and thrifty end up $millions in debt?

Certainly not living its own values, but the values of Leftists, homosexual men that want to exploit boys, and

others that want to sexualize boys.

Trail Life USA

Trail Life USA is a Christian adventure, character, and leadership program for young men. The K-12 program centers on outdoor experiences that build a young man’s skills and allow him to grow on a personal level and as a role model and leader for his peers. Living the Trail Life is a journey established on timeless values derived from the Bible.

VISION

Our vision is to be the premier national character development organization for young men which produces Godly and responsible husbands, fathers, and citizens.

MISSION

Our mission is simple and clear: to guide generations of courageous young men to honor God, lead with integrity, serve others, and experience outdoor adventure.

MOTTO

“Walk Worthy”

Colossians 1:10  “… so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, …”

OATH

On my honor, I will do my best

To serve God and my country;

To respect authority;

To be a good steward of creation;

And to treat others as I want to be treated.

Obama: Intentions and Promises

Before Obama came to power he made statements about his political goals, Socialist intentions, and his pro Islamist support. His stated goals then were a single payer (to the government) health care system, shutting down the energy sector and military, along with anti US and anti Constitutional freedoms, and support of Islamism.

He's done well shutting down coal and oil production on federal land and water, has gotten most of his government (as opposed to personal) controlled health care, and his support of Islam has reached the point where he is sending military weapons to Al Qaeda, sworn enemy of the US. Aiding and abetting the enemy used to be called treason. He supported the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, and is supporting Al Qaeda in Syria.

When he ran for the presidency he made some promises that were not carried out, or partially carried out if it fit within his anti American, anti Constitutional world view. Others he just disregarded.

He was going to close Gitmo. Still open.

Remember his complaint about lobbyists, how evil they were, that they had too much control over politics? Then he said he would not have lobbyists in his administration? He has a lot of lobbyists in his administration, and their companies have gotten a lot of special legislation and tax breaks.

He's covered up Benghazi,  the IRS targeting Conservative and Religious groups, NSA spying on ordinary citizens, and lots of other stuff we all know about if we read and listen to other sources than the Jurassic Press. He has secret meetings that blocks the press, even though they advocate for and support everything he says and does. Yet he had said his would be the most transparent administration in history.  

There was his promise ObamaCare would let everyone keep his\her current plan and doctor (it doesn't) and it would lower costs by about $2500 per family per year (it increases by about that much). He said there was an opt out for abortion based on religious views (it doesn't so there's a bunch of law suits). He has forced with this legislation, passed by Dems only in the middle of the night on a holiday, to make every citizen to pay into it even if they don't want to. That is unless you're a friend of Obama, one of his paymasters, or congressmen and their staffers who can opt out; taxpayers will pay the price difference. Oh, and if you're a young person you'll be paying for most of the freight for this program, against your will, yet you voted en mass for him. 

He was going to lower unemployment and it's gone up. It even was over 8% which he said would never happen on his watch. I remember the Jurassic Press and Dems screaming bloody murder whenever, under a Republican Administration unemployment got into the high 4% range. Now 8% is the "new normal" and we must accept it. The 7 point whatever percent  it is now is seen as a recovery and improvement when in fact more people are unemployed, 46 million. More people are underemployed than ever. More people are on food stamps than ever. He was going to create millions of "green jobs". Most went bankrupt after they took and kept the taxpayer money or took the money and opened plants overseas. More Blacks are unemployed than ever yet they voted for him en mass, again, for a second term. 

Black on black violence is up, black on white violence is up. Groups hating each other is up even though he ran saying he would bring groups together. That he would smooth over and negotiate mutually beneficial political resolutions between political parties, yet over the years has stated several times he will not negotiate with Republicans. He has however negotiated with Russian Tsar Putin, leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, the murderous Syrian dictator, is willing to sit down Hamas and Iran's dictator. He admired Venezuelan dictator Chavez. But Conservative, non-RHINO Republicans and Christians are his (and Democrat Party's) evil enemy.

He said he would slash earmarks out of any budget sent to him, that he would go through each budget line by line. He hasn't. His own budgets have gotten nearly 100% rejection every year, and his Democrat controlled senate has not passed a budget since he came to office, and it's required by law.

I could go on and on, but I think you get my drift. This is the biggest lying incompetent president in our history. We have the least transparent, most law breaking, division producing, most dictatorial, poverty producing presidency ever, and it's breaking our country up.

Don't forget either he also was going to "heal the planet" and "slow the rise of the oceans".

His breaking down our country is breaking my heart.

Fabianism: Arguably the Biggest Threat to Liberty

One of the most effective and dangerous movements and political philosophies, dating back to the late 19th century, is Fabianism. The idea is rather than have a revolutionary overthrow of a government, be patient and incrementally create Progressive\Socialist change. It's the frog in the warming water concept.

There's an actual Fabian Society, formed by Socialists in Britain in 1884. It was influential in laying the foundation for Britain's Labor Party. It continues to be powerful and influential and maintains several think tanks worldwide to guide Socialist governments.

Not surprisingly, at one time it advocated, like all totalitarian philosophies, eugenics...got to control those colored people, so let's kill them at birth. That was the basis for Margaret Sanger's Planned Parenthood. Through Fabianism, that abhorrent idea has been toned down to what we have now; an abortion mill financed by the government, which used to be citizens, but now we're (the few remaining productive ones) just taxpayers footing the bill for politicians, bureaucrats and their paymasters in the unions and several Socialist millionaires and billionaires that have got theirs.

Chipping away at Liberty here in the US, Socialists added income taxes, then added  progressive taxation to that. Then all the New Deal programs allowing the government to insert itself into our lives; reducing it's ability of perform the functions enumerated in the Constitution. In the 1960's were added Medicare and Medicaid, laying the groundwork for Socialized medicine, and currently being implemented by Our Dear Leader, Barack Hussein Obama and his totalitarian political party.

We have moved from local control of education at the beginning of this country, with students actually learning the three "R's" to centralized education. The purpose of that is indoctrination into socialism. That's currently being implemented by the "Common Core" program. Three "R's" need not be applied. Just a couple things "Common Core" focuses on instead is teaching; "informational texts" rather than literature for 50% of the time. Don't teach critical thinking or analysis. Less content knowledge and more about sex and touchy feely stuff.

Bit by bit Fabianism has reduced citizens' income by confiscating it to pay for government programs (depleting personal wealth depletes personal freedom and power), ceased educating students, opened borders, gutted the military, increased dependence on the government for nearly half the population, and now will decide what kind of, and how much we will pay to take care of our bodies through ObamaCare.

The Racist Leftist Lynching of George Zimmerman

This is another brilliant Bill Whittle analysis, this time of the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman event.

The State of Nuclear Power and Reactors. US Stuck in Past, Rest of World Moves Ahead

Once again the Luddite "progressives" are keeping America from being first at something. That would be nuclear energy plants. Back in the mid 1970's we were scheduled to build 100 nuclear rectors in 20 years. Well, there were a couple accidents at a couple plants, Jane Fonda's "The China Syndrome" propaganda movie against nuclear energy development, and that's where we stopped. I bought into the whole anti nuke power thing back then. Unlike Leftists/Progressives/Socialist/Democrats, I don't stay stuck in the past, I change as things evolve, as do Conservatives. Those guys, Leftists, by the way, only believe in evolution when they want to bash uninformed Christians; those Christians that stay stuck in the past and don't change like "progressives" falsely claim to do.

They're against fracking, which does not pollute ground water as they claim, they just want to stop energy production, hurting the poor the most, the people they claim they care the most about. Federal Government finally comes out with study showing fracking does not contaminate ground water here. How fracking works here. Note that the most effective KwH per hour is nuclear production, after coal, which Obama is shutting down. All the other "green energy" stuff like wind and solar that the neo-Luddites proclaim are best, are far and anyway the most expensive. Drilling new oil wells, especially on Alaska's North Shore, they were\are against, claiming the pollution and potential for accidents for causing

spills and such were too great. The kind of drilling technology and problems they are talking about was dated when I worked on rigs in the 1970's. Again they just want to stop energy production. Same with the Keystone Pipeline. There are no emissions, no pollution issues, no safety issues. They just want to stop energy production. Just take a look too at Obama and his various energy and pollution departments just illegally closing down production; offshore and on Federal land. Of course there's been a huge boost in energy production from gas and oil, but it's all on private land; Obama of course takes credit for the increased production.

Meanwhile, the rest of the world has moved ahead with nuclear reactors with great success and close to zero problems. Here's some examples of what's being done in the rest of the world. Westinghouse has a reactor, the AP-1000, and has built six of them in China; they are online. (The Chinese of course reverse engineered them and build their own now.)

Another reactor is the Areva 1,700 megawatt European Pressurized Reactor (EPR) which is a new (oh no! cry the Democrats, something new!) design, also coming online in China.

The Russians are building reactors in India, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Turkey, Belarus and Iran. We could be building them there, making gazillions of dollars, employing Americans, saving the environment and stopping the bleeding the of poor of money they don't have to spend on energy.

There's even little reactors, Small Modular Reactors (SMR) that can be manufactured in plants and put together on site. It's 125 megawatts, about the size of a back porch; each one could provide energy to about 70,000 people. I'm reminded of a sci-fi series where even watches were nuclear powered. By the way, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission refuses to even recognize SMR's.

Nuclear waste...that canard. Uranium was used in the 1950's for awhile beyond. It's not needed, modern reactors mostly use thorium, which produces about one tenth of the waste, and is less dangerous, than uranium waste. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission refuses to recognize thorium just like they refuse to recognize SMR's. We have the multi $billion Yucca Mountain here in Nevada, which has way more capacity than necessary to safely store the thorium waste. The issue here is more the transportation. Government knuckleheads want it brought though Clark County, the most densely populated part of Nevada, by truck mostly and some by rail. Geeeze, here's a novel idea, build a road or rail to Yucca Mountain not passing though heavily populated areas. Of course the Nuclear bureaucrats have lame excuses why they can't, but they're knuckleheads, and it's another red herring to block the use of nuclear power.  

There's a breeder reactor called an Integral Fast Reactor. It doesn't have much waste, it mostly generates reusable fuel. There was one that had been running in Idaho for about thirty years until Bill Clinton shut it down. Russia has one, been building it and selling since the 1980's all over the world, Heard of any accident's?

Even Leftist Bill Gates recognizes the safe use of nuclear energy. There's a kind of design call Traveling Wave that runs on depleted uranium. Hey, we can use traditional waste and create energy. How 'bout that? Well, he and his group tried getting those started up here, and of course the Nuclear Energy Commission said no. The Chinese are building them now. They could be being built here, creating jobs and providing clean low cost energy, but noooooo.

Another canard is terrorists can get the uranium waste and make bombs. There are more efficient and cheaper ways to make nuclear bombs. That's how they did stuff a couple decades ago.

Using the right processing, waste is not a problem, and can be safely stored in small rooms really. But we've built Yucca Mountain so we may as well use it. All we need is a small room in it.

One of the things totalitarian governments have to do to get and maintain power is to create shortages of what citizens need. We have ObamaCare and Medicare to make health care limited and expensive, making citizens dependent on the State for it.  We have the stopping of energy production through putting the kibosh on pipelines, drilling, fracking, coal and nuclear energy.

Progressives, neo Luddites. Hate progress, hate clean air, hate poor people. 

Malala Yousafzai- UN Speech by 16 Year Old Girl Shot in Face by Taliban

When this girl was 11 or 12 years old she began speaking out against the Taliban and others that keep girls out of school. That was in 2009. She continued to speak out for education and against the atrocities visited upon women. In 2012 she was shot in the face, twice, by Taliban. She survived and is now living in England and is back in school.

The Taliban are still trying to kill her and her father. Recently they've published a letter condemning Malala and justifying their attempt to kill her, and their continued desire to carry out her murder. Adnan Rasheed, a Taliban leader, is the author of the letter condemning Malala, and it has gained traction in the Islamic world, mostly condemning her for being a tool of the West, that she should be condemning the West, drone strikes, that she's pushing UN propaganda and the education she advocates is against the teachings of Islam. It's not clear how many, but apparently millions of Islamists agree with him. More in a article here.  

Unfortunately, the UN is not for Western education, liberty and human rights. They pay lip service to it only. The UN is anti West, anti American, anti Christian, anti democracy. They want a top down world government and obedience to a world State.

This young woman is brave beyond words, and though speaking to people that don't buy into her message, she's gotten her message out. We love her and support her for that. 

In the Name of Security- Ignoring the Fourth Amendment

True of any totalitarian state, using the reason of security to control citizens has reached epic proportions. Like much else the Obama Regime and the Democrat Party does, there's a lot of anti-Constitutional, serious violations of that and legislated law.

We have of course the NSA and it's massive spying on US citizens. Spying on journalists and News organizations (even Leftist ones that support the totalitarian Obama regime), IRS spying on and trying to financially cripple organizations that oppose Obama and his Leftist oligarchy, and TSA harassment of ordinary law abiding citizens traveling within the US. We have Homeland Security buying up ten of millions of rounds of ammunition, reportedly as much or more per person than what's allocated to military personal. That sounds suspiciously like a domestic military force.

Just a reminder of what the Fourth Amendment requires of the government. "The Fourth Amendment (Amendment IV) to the United States Constitution is the part of the Bill of Rights that guards against unreasonable searches and seizures, along with requiring any warrant to be judicially sanctioned and supported by probable cause. It was adopted as a response to the abuse of the writ of assistance, which is a type of general search warrant, in the American Revolution. Search and seizure (including arrest) should be limited in scope according to specific information supplied to the issuing court, usually by a law enforcement officer, who has sworn by it. The Fourth Amendment applies to the states by way of the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment." [Wikipedia]

I'll say the usual and obvious here. If a Republican president and his political party were violating the Forth Amendment this openly and outrageously, Democrats/Leftists/Socialists would be screaming bloody murder. Remember the big kerfuffle with Bush II and the Patriot Act allowing Feds to check what people checked out of the library? Or tracking terrorist organizations financials. Or listening to known terrorist phone conversations? Oh my God, Bush is a dictator! All our rights have been violated!

And yet, here we have a president and his political party clearly ignoring the Constitution and openly spying on citizens. The Federal Government's [anti] law enforcement agencies focus on the law abiding. A couple of recent examples that have just emerged that is even more blatant violations of citizens' rights are searching cars in airports without a search warrant, and police cars that record license plates on tens of thousands of cars, and those go into a national tracking database.

Here's the report of searching cars at the airport without a search warrant or notifying the owner of the car. Full article here.

Here's what being done by the government monitoring cars. They justify it by saying there's no expectation of privacy, this is done in public domain, and there's no intent of using the information to track or monitor the public. Seriously? Of course it is.

" WASHINGTON (AP) — Chances are, your local or state police departments have photographs of your car in their files, noting where you were driving on a particular day, even if you never did anything wrong.

Using automated scanners, law enforcement agencies across the country have amassed millions of digital records on the location and movement of every vehicle with a license plate, according to a study published Wednesday by the American Civil Liberties Union. Affixed to police cars, bridges or buildings, the scanners capture images of passing or parked vehicles and note their location, uploading that information into police databases. Departments keep the records for weeks or years, sometimes indefinitely." Full article here.

It amazes me that so many Americans are willing to submit to being spied on, harassed, inconvenienced, and have all their private movements, their health issues, their communications and everything else in their lives monitored by the government in violation of the Constitution and all laws that flow from it. 

Sixty Second Summation of Obama Administration

Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.)

Obama Supporters Sign Petition to Repeal the BILL OF RIGHTS

Low Information Voters. Just frightening, and explains much about how we're in a situation socio-economically that indicates severe decline and the rise of totalitarianism.

"Austerity" Is Actually Government Growth and a Bunch of BS

Base line budgeting, only reduces the rate of growth. If last year the government increased spending by 10% and this year they only increase spending 8%, we are told that government spending is being cut cut cut, killing old people, causing starvation, poverty, babies are dying, pollution is getting worse, employment is being forced up....on and on it goes. Then we are told "austerity" measures are being used. What a bunch of BS.

Are You Really Free? Thoughts on Liberty

Truly?

I wrote an essay for my first English class in college positing the idea that eventually the explicit graphic sexual writing and descriptions (this was in 1968) would have to eventually fade because it lacked creativeness, anybody could to it. I thought writers that truly loved their craft would stop indulging in that low level of writing. The professor gave me high marks, but wrote the comment "are you serious?" I was, but for the most part I was wrong.

Part of it is our culture has degenerated into easiness and mediocrity; in all things, not just literature. At it's core, this phenomenon has to do with our giving up on liberty, the rejection of it, and replacing it with libertinism. As a culture we've redefined liberty to mean we can do whatever we want without consequence. We can reject the Judeo-Christian moral and ethical values and rules of behavior and replace them with "if it feels good, do it". In our US Constitution we can ignore "enumerated rights" and accept the government can do whatever it damn well pleases, cannot "infringe" doesn't really mean that, and freedom to practice religion and the government can't establish a State religion, is changed to meaning freedom from all religious mention anywhere, anytime, except in church on Sunday.

I had left Christianity and the church (institutional worship and service) for about twenty five years, returned, and when I say that I am more free now, that I experience and practice more liberty now than during the years of secularism and libertinism, I get that 'you're nuts' look, or "what the hell are you talking about?"

During those years I was free not to commit to anything except pleasure  I had to ask myself, how is that good? I found it lends itself to alienation, from people and groups. Now I'm committed to my Church and my friends in a way I didn't understand before, and I'm a better man for it. I also moved from Leftism\Marxism to Conservatism politically, and my political thinking is more clear and true.

At the national level we have a government and culture that ignores fiscal responsibility and have allowed ourselves to be tens of $trillions in debt; an unimaginable number, and think there's no consequences. We accept graphic sex and violence as the norm. Maybe it's only age, but I've lost interest in it. It doesn't tantalize anymore. At the national level look at the $trillions we spend on sex, drugs, alcohol, the things that only provide us with short term material pleasure. I'm all for pleasure still, but it shouldn't be life's purpose. Tithing and giving to charity and missionary organizations is much more fulfilling. 

I think if those libertine things are the most important, is what drives you, then you aren't free. I have to ask, what good is it if what's most important is getting loaded, who benefits? If politicians' greed for money and power, which they get only by taking it from you, is what drives them, not the rule of law, who benefits? The Bible and our Constitution make it abundantly clear there are specific rules and laws that work, for both national and personal behavior. Rejecting those leads to bondage to the State, and personal bondage to things that hurts oneself and others.

I have found that the discipline of Judeo-Christian living is what frees, and the Constitution is based on those principles, and is what has kept us free as a people. Both are being rejected, at our peril, and why those of us that care see more degradation, decay and corruption in our civilization. Since the 1960's we have seen these things continually increase, our problems increase, because we reject what is right for what is convenient and mediocre, comfortable and easy.

Romans 8:21 observes "....because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.' Another way to word that is, what would you rather choose, the fake freedom of liberty of the world, or the world God intended for us? For you secularists, God intended us to get along, not fight, treat others well, and care for each other. Hope, Love, Charity. 

Marketing the Conservative Brand of Politics...Coke vs Pepsi...Conservatism vs Progressivism

This is a brilliant analogy of what happens as a result of a bad marketing strategy. The Republican Elite have it in their heads that becoming more Leftist and rejecting Conservative Principles will win more elections. It's been proven time and again to be a failure. It also drives home the point Conservatives must continue to campaign against RINO's as much as Democrats\Leftists\Totalitarians. Both are about taking power from Citizens and amassing it for themselves.

Bill Whittle, once again is spot on.

Scott Pelley, CBS News Anchor, Owns Up to Horrible Journalism (vid)

Scott Pelley, CBS News Reader Anchor, accepting a journalism award, takes to task journalists, pointing out  how a lot of stories recently have been dead wrong. Admitting one has a problem is the first step. It's what happens when blinded by ideology. The Jurassic Press is more interested in supporting the president and his political party, and attacking the alternative press, so much so that it can only tell lies. Kudos for stating a part of the problem. He's managing editor of CBS (alleged) News. CBS News, after eight months has finally spent a couple minutes on Benghazi, where Obama and Sec of State Clinton took no action and let American Citizens be slaughtered by Islamofascist Terrorists, covered it up, then covered up the cover-up  Let see if he takes his own advice.

His speech starts and 14min in. It's out of sync; I've tried several sites and all I could find are.

"Common Core" The Federal Education Program for the "Good of the Collective"

Common Core is the newest installment of the federal government's efforts to collectivize children, to educate them according to the needs of the State. It started with the Dept of Education in the 1970's which centralized education, taking it away from the states. Can anyone honestly say kids are coming out of school are more knowledgeable since the take over? Take a look at the tests and curriculum before the 1970's compared to now. Now it's about ensuring kids come out without math skills, speaking and writing badly, no knowledge of history or civics. What they do come out as are little drones obedient to the State. Whatever happened to simply teaching the three R's? It worked at the local level for over two hundred years. The problem for the State is it also taught personal achievement, personal responsibility, and how to think for oneself. Can't have that now. 

The program has standardized testing which is problematic to some teachers and parents. What federal standardized testing does is allow the State to determine what is taught. We have a government and political/socio-economic elite that is re-writing history as Orwell predicted to control the present, indoctrination to obey the State, and is anti-religion (specifically anti Christian). It indoctrinates kids to reject individual responsibility and to work for the "collective". Yes, the proponents of this program actually use that word.

Charter schools, magnet schools, private schools and home schoolers are all subject to this Statist takeover of education. 

Below is a great explanation of what this program is about. Glenn Beck has been demonized by the Left\Democrats\fascists\ totalitarians as an attempt to get people to avoid, dismiss and insult him. They've done the same to Rush Limbaugh, and did it to Mitt Romney during the presidential campaign. You'll be hard pressed to find, on any issue, Leftists to address the topic at hand with cogent arguments, only insults to and about the person that opposes them. Don't believe, be a free thinker, and listen to the other side if you're a Leftist\Statist. We conservatives have that opposing few rammed down our throats 24/7 so we can't help but know what our opposition is saying. 

I find it not so amazing the same people for this centralized planning of education tore down "No Child Left Behind", attributed to GW Bush but primarily written by Democrat Ted Kennedy and his staff. The thing that chaffed them is tests. Go figure. 

Christian Persecution Supported by the President

Sometimes I just have to withdraw from making any comments about events. Everything that's wrong with economics, culture, politics, religion is praised and promoted, and what's right is demonized.

We have a president, in regards to religion, making pro Palestinian/Islamist statements of support, caustically comments on Jews and Israel,  and makes personal attacks on Israel's prime minister. He's silent on the slaughter of Christians in the Middle East, most especially by the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt who recently destroyed St Mark Cathedral. It's as important to the Copts as the Vatican is for Catholics. It's also hugely important to millions of Christians worldwide. It was attacked by regular people, and the military, instead of protecting the site, joined in and gunned down Christians that were there. Not a word by the Obama administration. The only word I've heard from them is the plan to go ahead with sending fighter jets, tanks and weapons to the Muslim Brotherhood, which have set up a murderous dictatorship.

Sadly, but not unexpectedly, the Leftist Jurassic Press downplayed this destruction and slaughter, and Reuters (the new international Pravda) tried to lay blame at the feet of the Copts, calling them a "fringe" element, “an angry young fringe … of Christianity may also be turning to violence". Copts make up 12%-15% of the Egyptian population. A fringe element?  Tens of thousands have fled to save their lives, and their homes and churches are burned to the ground, usually with people in them.

American Christian pastor Saeed Abedini has been imprisoned, beaten and tortured only because he's a Christian. Not a peep (well, maybe some small peeps) from the Obama administration or his State Department. The attempt to deal with this is so weak as to be no attempt at all.

Coming back to our shores, the persecution of Christians continues, fortunately without the violence. If Obama were the Christian he claims he is, he would be using the presidential bully pulpit to speak against these things. Instead he promotes and allows his atheist\secularist fellow travelers to bully Christians. Not only is he silent on the persecution of Christians, he endorses it. An instructor at a reserve Army training facility in Pennsylvania classified Christians, specifically Evangelicals, as religious extremists, equivalent to Al Qaeda, Hamas and the KKK.. Catholics were included in the list of religious extremists. Seriously?  Of course this administration, the Army and Department of Defense pleaded ignorance. Still haven't heard the administration respond. Then again, it's against Christians, so I'm not holding my breath.

Obama, further using the military to persecute Christians, has appointed Mike Weinstein as a Pentagon Adviser on matters of “religious toleration.” Weinstein is an anti Christian bigot, that has reinterpreted the freedom of religion establishment clause to mean freedom from religion and throws up the false separation of church and state. It doesn't exist, no such thing is in the Constitution. Weinstein is the founder and president of the anti Christian hate group and President of The Military Religious Freedom Foundation.

Weinstein told Defense Secretary Hagel and the Washington Post: “This is a national security threat. What is happening…is spiritual rape and what the Pentagon needs to understand is that it is sedition and treason.  It should be punished.”

Weinstein wants anyone serving in the military to be court-martialed if they talk about their Faith to anyone. Re-read what I've italicized;  that anyone speaking of their faith is guilty of sedition and treason, acts that are punishable by imprisonment or execution. Seriously? The military is controlled by the commander in chief, and not one word of this has been addressed by him. Not going out on a limb here, but if such a charge were launched against Islamists, he'd knock it down immediately

Another word about Weinstein.  In 2011 he sued to stop Air Force Cadets participating in Operation Christmas Child because the project is Franklin Graham project. There were Christian cadets asking for donations for poor children, and that was unacceptable because Graham is an evangelical, and therefore an extremist and anti Constitutional. Really, that coming from a knucklehead that says the establishment clause says freedom "from" religion, not that the government can't establish a religion you must practice and be a member of. Since Obama and the Dept of Defense have not spoken against this, I can only assume they must, once again, support the persecution of Christians. Weinstein has called Christians "monsters". He's in charge of forming "religious toleration" policies for the military. Denying food and gifts to poor children because of anti Christian bigotry, intolerance and hatred.

In Texas, at Columbus High School, runner Derrick Hayes won his race, pointed to the sky, and was disqualified, it being deemed a religious gesture and "excessive celebration".  Seriously? Another example of Christian persecution. Of course if an Islamist runner turned and kneeled to Mecca and gave thanks, nothing would have been done.  The centralized Dept of Education supported no praying at high school football games, so I can only assume they support this anti Christian ruling too.

We have a president and his cabinet that supports anti Christian foreign and domestic policy, along with his political party and their supporters, the Main Stream Press.

Christian Tim Tebow has practically been driven from his career in football, but a guy that comes out as gay is celebrated for about two weeks now. Obama reached out and called the gay guy.

Religious  history proves that whenever God is denied by a people, that nation collapses into slavery to the State, dictatorships, no liberty of any sort.

The Steno Pool for Obama, Dems, Leftists

Every single time there's violence, TEA Partiers, Conservatives, Christians, are assumed to be the perps. Never have they been with the obvious exception of abortion center bombings. The latter is immediately announced and shunned by Christians and Conservatives.  Fort Hood mass murders was done by a registered Democrat and Muslim. Columbine murderers were raised by Leftists/Democrats. Virginia Tech mass murderer wrote hate mail to GW Bush and was a registered Democrat. The murderer that shot up the theater in Colorado was a registered Democrat, worked on the Obama campaign, and was an Occupy Wall Street guy. The Newtown murderer was a registered Democrat and anti Christian bigot. For days after Gabby Gifford was shot, the Obama/Democrat steno pool (aka mainstream media) kept repeating it was right wing extremist, which to them is anybody that doesn't adhere to their Leftist lockstep ideology. Not one shooting or terrorist act has been done by a Republican, Tea Partier, Conservative, or Christian.

The Left is all about deconstruction, rejection of the Constitution, destitution, powerlessness for citizens, forced poverty except for the few that support Statism. This is the best summation of how the mainstream media handles all these tragedies.

Aging, Civilization: A Look Through Life's Rear-view Mirror

I've worn it out, but I had a tee shirt the color of red dirt found in "red rock" country, that said on the back "Older Than Dirt". Humorous to be sure, but it's how I feel sometimes as I sit on the cusp of the far side of middle age. I'm in my early 60's now, and the world I came into is passing away. It's not just that my body isn't as dynamic as it once was, but the moral values that contributed to a stable civilization is passing out of existence.

I've thought for many years the Victorians had it right, and the morals and values of the mid-twentieth century were correct. There are behaviors the rend the social fabric, but in previous times these were indulged in quietly, behind closed doors. Now we do such things openly with braggadocio. I can't see we are better off for it.

When I was in high school in the 1960's it was a shock when a girl got pregnant. Premarital sex was something most of us didn't even consider; it wasn't a good thing. I recently saw a vid with Ann Coulter and John Stossel in an auditorium filled with young libertarians. Coulter said divorce was too easy, it's violation of a contract. The idea was met with boos and hisses. I think now people enter into marriage no longer viewing it as a sacred relationship and as entirely disposable. The family is all but destroyed since marriage has become that, and we're moving toward marriage meaning a State sanctioned coupling of anyone. Our schools are being allowed to teach first and second graders that homosexuality is a desirable thing. In my school days, we didn't get sex ed until seventh grade, I think. Homosexuality, and I don't care who you're poking, is not normative, yet it's being promoted over cross sex relationships. 

When I was a kid, most everybody went to church. There we were in contact with all ages, and there was continuity and exposure to other's knowledge and wisdom. It's were we were taught ethics and values that formed the foundation of our society. How we were to treat people, how and why to serve others.  That and our families were the focus and center of our lives. Life was in fact more simple then.

Things fall apart. There now exists the idea since these values can't be lived up to, don't even try. If one does try, and fails, you're a hypocrite. I remember studying existentialism in high school and college, and part of that philosophy was nihilism. From Wikipedia: Nihilism is the philosophical doctrine suggesting the negation of one or more putatively meaningful aspects of life. Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of existential nihilism, which argues that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value. Moral nihilists assert that morality does not inherently exist, and that any established moral values are abstractly contrived. Nihilism can also take epistemological or metaphysical/ontological forms, meaning respectively that, in some aspect, knowledge is not possible, or that reality does not actually exist.  [emphasis mine]

From that I ponder if our country, our civilization, is too far gone into nihilism. Any behavior is acceptable, even if it destroys the family (the foundation of civilization), exploits kids sexually (pedophilia is on the rise and becoming more acceptable, parents dressing their daughters like street walkers as examples), and destroys the Church, the foundation of care and charity, the source of moral teaching. Now that schools have become the source of that, the moral teaching is any traditional behavior is to be rejected, religion is to be rejected along with the church, pastors and priests are to be reviled and mocked and replaced by the State and politicians. Politicians are now the priests. Judges wear priestly robes, but ignore the law; interpret it anyway they want. Together they enforce the secular religion of the State.

We have degenerated in moral relativity and nihilism. It saddens me that 5000 plus years of tyranny being the norm of civilization, the United States comes along and rights things with the Declaration and Constitution, providing law based on moral Judeo-Christian foundations, and that is being rejected in favor of returning to tyranny and the embracing of a meaningless existence except pleasing one's self, mostly materially.

Despite all the problems existing in my childhood, life was simpler then, and I would say better. Many of those problems were resolved or at least partially corrected, but it was because of Faith, Family, Communion and Service with each other.

Life was simpler then. This is from the Monkey's song “Only Shades of Gray” and I share this lament (though it meant something different when I was a kid).

When the world and I were young,
Just yesterday.
Life was such a simple game
A child could play.
                            
It was easy then to tell right from wrong.
Easy then to tell weak from strong.
When a man should stand and fight,
Or just go along.
                             
 Refrain:
But today there is no day or night
Today there is no dark or light.
Today there is no black or white,
Only shades of gray.
                             
I remember when the answers seemed so clear
We had never lived with doubt or tasted fear.
It was easy then to tell truth from lies
Selling out from compromise
What to love and what to hate,
The foolish from the wise.
                             
It was easy then to know what was fair
When to keep and when to share.
How much to protect your heart
And how much to care.

 In case you're not  familiar with the Monkees

This lament combined with aging and what comes with it. Once again from much rejected scripture.

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come And the years approach of which you will say, I have no pleasure in them; Before the sun is darkened. and the light, and the moon, and the stars, while the clouds return after the rain; When the guardians of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, And the grinders are idle because they are few, and they who look through the windows grow blind; When the doors to the street are shut, and the sound of the mill is low; When one waits for the chirp of a bird, but all the daughters of song are suppressed; And one fears heights, and perils in the street; When the almond tree blooms, and the locust grows sluggish and the caper berry is without effect, Because man goes to his lasting home, and mourners go about the streets; Before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is broken, And the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the broken pulley falls into the well, And the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the life breath returns to God who gave it. Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, all things are vanity! (Ecclesiastes 12:1-8)

Things fall apart. I lament the falling apart of our nation's traditional mores and values, but don't lament my aging. I embrace it. I'm saddened that following generations may not know the sweetness of liberty and making decisions and judgments for oneself. 

News the Mainstream Media Doesn't See Fit to Print or Tell

There's lots of news not getting reported by the Jurassic Press. They're successful in under and misreporting events that don't fit their pro Statist and anti-Liberty agenda, but this past week and few days there have been stunning omissions.

There's a madman killing people in California. If he were a Conservative, Republican, practicing Christian, the headlines and stories would be about his political or religious affiliations. He has a manifesto praising Leftists and Democrats; a Leftwing whack job. Thus, no mention of that. Usually, right out of the gate the Jurassic Press blames TEA Party members, Rush Limbaugh, or some other Conservative oriented person or group as the perpetrator or reason for the carnage. Turns out never to be true. Michelle Malkin chronicles those:

 "... including the 2009 massacre of three Pittsburgh police officers (which lib journos falsely blamed on Fox News, Glenn Beck and the “heated, apocalyptic rhetoric of the anti-Obama forces”); the 2009 suicide insurance scam/murder hoax of Kentucky census worker Bill Sparkman (which New York magazine falsely blamed on Rush Limbaugh, “conservative media personalities, websites and even members of Congress”); the 2009 Holocaust museum shooting (which MSNBC commentator Joan Walsh blamed on Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly and yours truly); the 2010 Times Square jihad bomb plot (which Mayor Michael Bloomberg falsely blamed on tea party activists protesting Obamacare); and the 2011 Tucson massacre, which liberals continue to blame on former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin." Full article here.

Now the Jurassic Press has nary a word to say about the political, Leftist, racist sources and motivations of the murderer. It's not important this time.

There's a history of sex scandals in Washington DC, and when it's a Republican it's top of the fold, lead story, and usually the person is driven from office. Most recently Sen. Bob Menendez (Statist-N.J.) is under fire because of some stuff involving prostitutes. Jurassic Press's response? Nothing to see here, move along. In about the same amount of time this story has been out, Herman Cain had 99 stories about affairs with no sources, only hearsay, and Menendez with lots of sources...well, crickets.

Testimony this week about Benghazi, four dead Americans because of no response for eight hours, it turns out neither Sec of State Clinton nor the President were to be found during that time. They were absent, no one heard from them or got any instructions. This is a tired old charge, but if a Republican were in the White House and there were Americans killed on foreign soil and he was absent, it would be above the fold and headlining every electronic news program. This is not even being reported by any Mainstream Media outlet I can find.

Obama has killed by drones over 2,000 people, but that number is hard to confirm since the "most transparent" administration covers up everything. Leftwing extremist Newsweek/Daily Beast editor Tina Brown finally get's it, and said on alleged "comedian" Bill Maher's show, " I mean, he'd be impeached by now for drones if he was W. Bush."

Not a word about these drone killings in the Jurassic Press, including an American Citizen murdered by him without due process.

"Newsweek" (Nov 2012) and "Foreign Policy" (about three weeks ago) magazines have Obama as the "Second Coming". Alleged comedian Chris Rock says Obama is our Dad and Boss. Jamie Fox called Obama 'our Lord and Savior': "It's like church over here. It's like church in here. First of all, give an honor to God and our lord and savior Barack Obama. Barack Obama..." And remember "Newsweek" editor Evan Thomas a few years ago" He's ( Obama ) sort of God " - June, 2009.

This is the terrifying mindset of the cultural elite and Mainstream Media. If the press doesn't inform the public and only propagandizes for a particular political Party, political and world view, and man-child, how long can freedom last?

Dr. Benjamin Carson at National Prayer Breakfast: Truth Be Told In Front of Obama

This is a speech given by Dr. Benjamin Carson at the National Prayer Breakfast, with Obama in attendance. It was a remarkable speech, faith filled, and made more remarkable because Dr. Carson addressed political correctness (a Leftist tool suppressing free speech and Obama is a Leftist), education (we are at the bottom of nations), taxation (he advocates a flat tax using Scripture and Leftists advocate progressive taxation), the national debt (increased more in Obama's administration than all previous presidents combined) and privatized healthcare and health savings accounts (vs State controlled like ObamaCare). What he has to say is profound and true and well worth the 26 min. 

So God Made a Liberal

Hysterical! A take off on Paul Harvey's "So God Made a Farmer". Great stuff!

Paul Harvey's "So God Made A Farmer" Used In 2013 Superbowl Commercial-Best Commercial EVER

 This was from a 1978 speech he made.

Apostle Paul's Suffering and Our Christian Lives Now

Paul's Jail Cell in Philippi

Tonight we're reading in 2nd Corinthians, where the Apostle Paul is taking some pretenders to task. Some preachers and self described apostles have moved in on the church he had founded, and were teaching lies for personal  profit and gain. Paul is reduced to exposing them by defending himself, the founder of the church. During the nearly three thousand miles of travel, mostly walking, and a lot of time on dangerous boats in dangerous waters, he suffered much.

While he was pushing back against these 'false apostles' he sums up his suffering. All what he went through to bring God's truth into pagan society, into Jewish culture and belief, is spread through much of the New Testament, so it's a bit diluted.  It's shocking to imagine the sacrifice, agony and pain of this magnitude when condensed like he does here.  

Take a listen:

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I.  Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.  From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.  Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;  in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;  in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—  besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

 Beaten with rods, stoned and left for dead. The forty minus one lashings was was to avoid breaking the law's limitation of forty lashes. Five times he received this. What scaring his body had to have been covered with. I think of Christ's suffering, to absolve us of our sins, followed by Paul's sacrifice and suffering to lay the foundation of our Church.

We in turn live in luxury, and scarcely speak of what we believe, and know to be true. We personally are diminished by our lack, our church is diminished, those we could reach out and touch are diminished, our neighborhoods are diminished, our loved ones diminished, and it keeps going until our nation is diminished, and our world is diminished.

To have just a portion of Paul's passion for the Good News, for love of God, to so dedicate all my heart and all my soul, all my mind to Him. I'm so stressed and tired from work at the end of the day I just want to withdraw and be done; but so was Paul making tents and running his business. Yet he made the time, had the passion to speak, teach and pray. If we all could do a just a little more, just 2% a day more, loving God 2% more, loving others 2% more, praying just 2% more than the day before.

I pray for myself the discipline to do this, and pray for other Christians to speak their faith in public a little more, reach out a little more, love God a little more, be Christlike a little more, pray a little more. When we do it we don't get 39 lashes, stoned, beaten with rods, shipwrecked or imprisoned. It's got to be a heck of a lot easier than what Paul went through.