OHIO ISSUE TWO--IS IT SUPPORT FOR FARMERS AND AFFORDABLE FOOD? I'll probably vote YES.

I normally would oppose a new gov't bureaucracy, but this new LIVESTOCK CARE STANDARDS BOARD created by State Issue 2 sounds necessary to protect us from radical left humane society folks --while still providing potential to address their concerns.

Two good but opposing Blade letters on the topic are view-able HERE.

Info below came from State Senator Steve Buehrer's piece published in the Hicksville (OH) News Tribune who did not indicate support one way or another. He notes that the opponents in the Humane Society of the US (HSUS) and other animal rights groups say the proposal is a hurried attempt by agribusiness to block meaningful improvements to the ag industry in Ohio. Other opponents argue that this particular board creation does not belong in the state constitution and that it's just designed to help large agri-business --not the small family farms who already have more free-ranging animals.

Supporting Issue 2 are The Ohio Farm Bureau, Ohio Livestock Coalition, and Ohio Poultry Ass'n. arguing that the amendment would help preserve the availability of affordable, locally-grown food, while strengthening transparency in ag production to assure consumers that Ohio farmers are operating responsibly, animals are well cared for and the food they are eating is safe...the standards board would ensure that future decisions about lifestock and poultry care in Ohio are made by an experienced group of veterninarians, food safety experts and ag professionals, as opposed to out-of-state interests.

You see, in California, the Humane Society of the US (HSUS) influenced voters to pass a ballot initiative, effective in 2015, "that would make it a criminal offense if farmers do not follow certain rules for confining pigs, calves and hens. Many in Ohio's ag community believe... [such action effected here by the likes of outside national organizations like HSUS] could increase costs for Ohio farmers, raise food prices ...and reduce availability of locally-grown crops."

I'm not sure how the crop issue mentioned by Buehrer fits in here --except anything from the HSUS that affects agri-business, as in California (home of happy cows : D,) would also affect crop-growing farmers as well? OH! It occurs to me that there will be less crop-land to feed people if the mega-farms (the money-making ones) are required to free-range all the animals!!??? It's that old argument in the musical Oklahoma! "O the farmer and the cow-man should be friends...!"

In any case, the Legislature, in response to competing concerns, approved Senate Joint Resolution 6, a constitutional amendment ...to create the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board to establish and implement guidelines for the care of livestock and poultry in Ohio --ISSUE 2 on the BALLOT NEXT TUESDAY, NOV. 3. Mandated to be on this board would be 3 family farmers, 2 vets, a food safety expert, an Ohio humane society rep, 2 members from state-wide farm organizations, the dean of an Ohio ag college, 2 reps for consumers, and the Ohio Ag Director.

I think this means Ohio hopes to be realistic in recognizing that farm methods for feeding Ohioans and the world may not always please the radical animal rights folks of the HSUS --some of whom don't realize that humans are the highest creation charged with subduing and using AND replenishing the earth and not just evolved mammals themselves who have no right to kill and eat other animals.

Not that there should be a license for UNNECESSARY cruelty to animals per se--but what would the HSUS say about Granny chopping off the turkey's head for Thanksgiving Dinner--as many of our ancestors did??? or FISHING? So far, the vegetarians still believe vegetables don't feel pain and don't experience "death" by chopping! ; therefore, plants are still fair game for our tables! May the vegans enjoy their macaroni and beans for Turkey Day!

I conclude that local control of our ag-business is in our best interest. Note, also, that the Ohio Director of Ag (an already existant officer) would serve as chair of this Board. The article did not say how these people would be chosen, nor with what compensation. I would think one advantage to a board is public accountability of the ag director to the concerns of the various ag interests. If someone can tell me we already have an ag board that should/could/does address such interests, that would be a reason to vote NO. But no one is giving that as a reason that I've seen so far.

I suspect that all these reps have competing interests and by putting them on a constitutional board together, the legislature hopes to not hear from them for awhile!!

Buehrer says farming is Ohio's no.1, multi-billion dollar industry.

"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible

A PROBLEM AT THE LICENSE BUREAU

I think I had a worse problem than Mudrake's at the Ohio DMV. I lost my driver's license and after an agonized search of everywhere I had been, calls to the businesses, and looking everywhere in the house, under all the couch cushions, etc. --I then went over to stand in line to renew it with my SS card as ID --having been told I would need that --and was told that they couldn't prove who I was from my social security card which had not been re-issued since before my marriage -- nor by any other ID I had with me(just cards with signatures of my "new" name, hmmmm--I didn't try my expired Sam's card with the insipid smile photo on it! --but there was no photo with my old name, of course, to compare it to the unmarried Barbara's SS card.) Since I had married 40 years ago and had a name change--I would need my marriage license to prove that the unmarried girl on the SS card was the same person as the one I claimed to be now.

So after calling, I wrote to the courthouse in Indiana for a copy of my marriage certificate, since I have no recollection where my original is -- paid $2 and went to stand in line at the license bureau again.

My amazement was that they claimed to NOT have my lost driver's license issued last year on line anywhere from which to verify --with picture and S.S. number ---though the number would not have been on that newer card, but not in their files either? --so even that would not have worked unless they LOOKED AT MY FACE and compared it to the picture!!! I would think, however, that since they ask you to bring your S.S. card in as one form of ID that they should have my SS number on file!!! Or what's the point??? And if the SS number WAS on file with them since they ask for it as ID, why wouldn't my old card be sufficient even with a different last name??? And they could've asked me to write my maiden name and compared the signature for verification.

Finally, I took a defunct computer printer to be fixed, and the guy called me and said he found my lost driver's license in it and he mailed it back and told me the printer couldn't be fixed as it was too old for parts. It was better than the new one -faster, and had a FAX function, etc --but my husband got the new simpler one free with a camera. Everytime it runs low on ink, it won't function--I don't know how to override its insistance that I replace the cartridge --even though the computer copies are still good enough for my purposes. Seems I'm too frequently running out of one or the other of the many little cartridges in this EPSON system--just when I need copies for CLC!

"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible

OBAMA GAFFES BUSH COULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN AWAY WITH

I feel sorry for Obama --really I do. He's afraid to appease the radical left because that's a sure way to lose the next election--but he's afraid to lose his best friends and fellow ideologues by not kowtowing to them and their agenda!

I got this in my email and I post it here in defense of the much maligned George W. Bush.

These are some great questions:

[questions for the media, I might add!]

If George W. Bush had been the first President to need a TelePrompTer installed to be able to get through a press conference, would you have laughed and said this is more proof of how inept he is on his own and is really controlled by smarter men behind the scenes?

If George W. Bush had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to take Laura Bush to a “play” in NYC, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had reduced your retirement plan's holdings of GM stock by 90% and given the unions a majority stake in GM, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had made a joke at the expense of the Special Olympics, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had given Gordon Brown a set of inexpensive and incorrectly formatted DVD's, when Gordon Brown had given him a thoughtful and historically significant gift, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had given the Queen of England an iPod containing videos of his speeches, would you have thought this embarrassingly narcissistic and tacky?

If George W. Bush had bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had visited Austria and made reference to the non-existent “Austrian language," would you have brushed it off as a minor slip?

If George W. Bush had filled his cabinet and circle of advisers with people who cannot seem to keep current on their income taxes, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had been so Spanish illiterate as to refer to "Cinco de Cuatro" in front of the Mexican ambassador when it was the fourth of May (Cuatro de Mayo), and continued to flub it when he tried again, would you have winced in embarrassment?

If George W. Bush had misspelled the word “advice” would you have hammered him for it for years like Dan Quayle and “potatoe” as proof of what a dunce he is?

If George W. Bush had burned 9,000 gallons of jet fuel to go plant a single tree on Earth Day, would you have concluded he's a hypocrite?

If George W. Bush’s administration had okayed Air Force One flying low over millions of people followed by a jet fighter in downtown Manhattan causing widespread panic, would you have wondered whether they actually get what happened on 9-11?

If George W. Bush had failed to send relief aid to flood victims throughout the Midwest with more people killed or made homeless than in New Orleans, would you want it made into a major ongoing political issue with claims of racism and incompetence?

If George W. Bush had ordered the firing of the CEO of a major corporation, even though he had no constitutional authority to do so, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had proposed to double the national debt in one year, which had taken more than two centuries to accumulate, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had then proposed to double the debt again within 10 years, would you have approved?

So, tell me again, what is it about Obama that makes him so brilliant and impressive?

Can't think of anything?

Don't worry. He's done all this in 10 months -- so you'll have three years and two months to come up with an answer.


The guy's an embarrassment along with being scary........plain and simple!

"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible

Something different for a Change.

Interesting Post at Mudrake's

I think there is a worthy post at Mudrake's since yesterday. I would like to comment on it here.

First of all, he alludes to me as a Calvinist --and said I dumped a load of manure on his doorstep. No, I just made one statement as a comment to his blog: "I am not a Calvinist." Since he said I was in the blog. I knew he wouldn't print it.

However, I agree with MUCH of the quoted article Mudrake posted by Rev. Andrew Sandlin. (Link above) I would like to read it more closely and respond to that and Ms. Diamond's view when I have some more time.

Obviously, Mudrake doesn't understand the terms or he would not call me a Calvinist --even though I share much of their perspective. Especially when I have tangled over this issue in past blogs with those who are "Reformed" "Calvinists." Mudrake has no apparent understanding of Arminian Weslyans and how they differ from the Calvinists in some respects.

He alludes to me as one of the so-called "stealth candidates," "reconstructionists" getting into politics --when I was on a school board.

I was NO STEALTH CANDIDATE! Nor a "reconstructionist, Calvinist, Reformed theology advocate." But I did come right up front with my concern for values. My campaign flier said, "Swing the Pendulum" --back toward traditional Judeo-Christian values and away from secular humanism as the ideology of America --and emphases on the Three R's in education, e.g. I was very clear in my church affiliation. I somehow had the misperception that being an evangelical Christian with a concern for public values and culture did not disqualify me from politics!!! Silly me!!! I didn't realize that I was supposed to be a persona non grata in America because of my religious beliefs and concerns for values and character in education and culture.

At the time, American schools didn't think they could search lockers, tell kids how to dress for school, advise on sexual values ("you should decide for yourself what is right and wrong for you!") Everything was "me-centered," self-esteem and "what's good for me and my future" as supreme values --and choice was to be determined with the help of non-judgmental teachers facilitating brain-storming sessions where there are no right or wrong answers. School libraries were awash with books for kids featuring witchcraft, native American beliefs --lauding all beliefs except Christian--in fact, Judy Blume's books were unacceptable to believers and promoted in schools --as the child character ponders that religions are like smorgasbord choices --a matter of preference --and the neighborhood peeping tom can't decide if he will peek in his friend's window anymore or not, "Maybe I will; maybe I won't." End of story.

Planned Parenthood told school board members that they should not promote abstinence until marriage because so many parents had not made that choice and we would offend them by telling their kids to do so. I countered that many women WISH the men in their lives believed in responsibility, fidelity, and marriage --and did not really enjoy being single, unwed mothers. That we would do ourselves and future mothers more good to promote abstinence until marriage, family and fidelity (even if those ARE traditional Judeo-Christian values) because strong, traditional families parented by both mother and father are best foundation for children's success, security and happiness. This is still true by all social measurements. It is still true that most of the guys in jail are from single-parent households.

I remember when one of the school's liberal educators, a colleague of Mudrake's, looked at me in a meeting about AIDS concerns and said, in so many words, "We thought we were doing the right thing to teach safe sex with birth control and condoms --and now we know that abstinence and monogamy are truly the only way to be safe." Her epiphany!

It is just so true that condoms don't protect our kids from broken hearts. I once read that teen suicide was most often a result of break-ups of intimate relationships. Like kids getting divorced. Bad enough when they are the children of divorce; worse when they are divorced couples as children. Yet, the revisionist advocates of gay life have claimed that most teen suicides were disappointed homosexuals --either disappointed in unrequited love or by lack of societal acceptance. The academic/sociological solution: approve homosexuality.

What we need is more traditionalists in politics --who know better than to throw babies out with bath water --and know better than to abort them as well.

"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible

Christians are Dangerous Americans, Mudrake Says

The blogger Mudrake wrote in concern about a Catholic email he received as follows:

President Obama has nominated Chai Feldblum to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Deacon Keith Fournier wrote [about her]:

"Ms. Feldblum’s work to, in the words of the announcement, advance “lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights”, places marriage and religious freedom in America at grave risk."

Then Mudrake writes:

Founier is essentially saying that Feldbaum's advocacy of basic human rights under the law somehow threatens the very fabric of the nation. We must counter this hysterical nonsense. Hysterical nonsense. Nonsense to the majority of Americans who uphold the Constitution and the 'human rights' articulated in many of the sacred documents upon which this nation was founded. Nonsense to most of the first-world nations on this planet.

How is it "hysterical nonsense," when Mudrake also wrote this:

The IRS ought to investigate and Homeland Security should be notified.
Fundamentalist christians are a threat to the security and functioning of this nation. They openly subvert the Constitution [by putting the Bible's view of homosexuality above the constitution, he thinks] and many openly support a foreign government [Israel]. Therefore, they engage in treasonous activities.

On the one hand, the blogger Mudrake is saying evangelical Christian concerns about the future of marriage and religious freedom in America are hysterical nonsense; on the other hand, he is saying such Christians who oppose gay marriage are committing treason. I'd say such a charge is CERTAINLY a threat to our religious freedom.Hopefuly, he's an aberration, a nut off his rocker --and not representative of growing hostility toward people who DO put the Bible above the Constitution as he said, "Apparently, to the evangelical, fundamentalist Christian, the Bible is a more valid document than the United States Constitution. In other words, these christian bigots 'believe' that they owe more allegiance to the Bible than to the Flag."

Of course we do. That's what religious freedom is about. However, our Bible doesn't give us license to murder, terrorize, deny others their religious freedom, etc --IN fact, we have historically concluded that certain religious liberties ought not be allowed --ought to be criminalized --no matter what a religion or immigrant culture says --like Voodoo, Santeria chicken sacrifices, hallucinegetic drugs, honor killings, female circumcision, and polygamy. (I'm not sure where the law stands on all these religious practices today.)

The Koran says, "Kill the infidel." We Christians have a problem with that!!! Our constitution agrees with the Bible about murder and the right to life--and just as abortion should still be illegal, so is killing the infidel illegal--no matter what their religion says about it. But we don't see homosexual acts as a right like the right to life--anymore than any other sexual perversion or imposition is a "right."

So America historically has had a limit to religious freedom--and sexual freedom -- and limits to any harmful inclinations humans tend to follow. Gambling, e.g., should STILL be illegal.

Interesting that in Mudrake's constitution, there is a right to sodomy and same-sex marriage --but there is no right to speak out against these unhealthy arrangements. Mudrake says, to oppose gay marriage and to support ISrael --are treasonist acts. To us, they are part of our free speech and freedom of religious belief and practice.
I don't think it's at all silly hysteria to see that the Spirit of Mudville is a threat to religious freedom and free speech. Already, he won't let people disagree on his blog--at least not conservative or evangelical women.

"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible

Beware of FOX TV Entertainment

It's odd that conservatives tend to prefer Fox news for at least representing the "right" side --when you consider the trash tv they produce like Nip/Tuck, Sons of Anarchy, Rescue Me and Testees. The Parents Television Council lists these as "among the worst, most depraved programming available on television" --available in 80 per cent of U.S. households as part of expanded basic cable packages.

Sons of Anarchy has encouraged necrophilia, violence and lawlessness. Dangerous criminals lead exciting lives without the downsides of reality. The lead character in Rescue Me is about a fire fighter who is an abusive, adulterous, recovering alcoholic and drug addict. 20 or more uses of explicit obscene or profane words and graphic sexual terms occur every episode --and masturbation is a running theme.

Testees --obviously a play on words --is about two human guinea pigs at a testing facility who endure various obscene situations that I won't describe here.

PTC urges us to become informed and active in convincing cable and satellite providers that this network should at least be a pay channel, so we can reject it and not have to pay for it!

Suffice it to say, we need to tell our cable and satellite suppliers that we're fed up with this particular Fox channel and they need to exercise some restraint in what they make available to 80 per cent of American homes. It's all well and good to exercise parental controls on televisions --or "just turn it off," as liberals are wont to say, but what about those children whose parents are unaware --who won't exercise restraint --or whose kids get around the controls when Mom and Dad can't be home? Do we really want our children influenced by kids who grow up on this junk? And they WILL be affected.

"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible

SEX ED FOR GAYS INEFFECTUAL AND COSTLY

Taken from the September 2009 publication from Family Research Institute:

According to the CDC, August, 09, from 2004 to 2007, new infections among gays in the US increased 27%. Among non-gays, the increase was 6%. In 2004, gays accounted for 48% of new HIV infections; in 2007, 53%.

This, despite the fact that gays get PLENTY of sex education at gov't. expense.

Gays accounted for 30,820 new cases of HIV infection in 2006.

We are 3 decades into the epidemic; yet AIDS ed fails to work --and would appear to stimulate even more gay infections!

Yet, the U.S. and UNESCO are promoting the same AIDS ed for other countries that doesn't work here.

The new CDC test to show whether an HIV infection is recent (STARHS) was used in 39 areas that permit name-based identification (these areas house 68% of the US population.) From '04 to '07, 4% more IV drug users and 20% more high-risk heterosexuals got infected. And 27 % more homosexuals.

According to Dr. Paul Cameron of the Family Research Institute (whom gays and liberals discredit for obvious political reasons,)

"Every year, a gay is 50 times more apt to get HIV than a straight. [in the u.s., I assume] Rectal sex--with or without a condom--is the main culprit. Not engaging in rectal sex and not shooting drugs --and avoiding sex with those who do --drop your chances of getting HIV close to zero. The new CDC findings demonstrate that touting condoms for 'safe anal sex' is dangerously misleading and counterproductive."

His publication notes that, "Failure never troubles organizations funded by governments. Indeed, failure is reason to 'double down,' and spend even more on what hasn't worked."

Lancet reported that HIV rates among gay men in some African countries are 10 times higher than among the general male population and Lancet says the discrepancy is "driven by cultural, religious and political unwillingnessto accept [gay men] as equal members of society" (BBC 7/20/09). But the reality is that as homosexuals have become more accepted, their HIV rathes have gone UP, not down.

UNESCO wants to teach kids, aged 5-8, that "many different kinds of families exist around the world (e.g. two-parent, single-parent, child-headed, guardian-headed, extended and nuclear families, same-sex couple parents, etc.)" (UNESCO: International guidelines on sexuality education: An evidence informed approach to effective, sex, relationships and HIV/STI education June 2009; Lansky A., Nat'l HIV Prevention conference, Sept 2009.)

...kids age 9-12 are not only to be taught the evils of "homophobia and transphobia" but are also to learn to speak out against such "bias and intolerance" [ p.32]. This is all part of "respect for people with diverse sexual expression and orientation" [p. 39].

Meanwhile, while we refuse to recognize that homosexuality should be discouraged in youth, the U.S. Census Bureau says, "Within 10 years, for the first time in human history, there will be more people 65 and older than children under 5 in the world."

Who will pay the taxes? Who will support and care for all these elderly who chose not to have children?

We need more heterosexual folks marrying and parenting --not more explorers of sexuality and transgenders indulging a desire to be something they were never designed to be--and becoming diseased and childless in the process.




"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible

FROM MY EMAIL BAG --ABOUT KEVIN JENNINGS AS OBAMA'S APPOINTED "SAFE & DRUG-FREE SCHOOLS" CZAR

I don't know who authored this as my source did not say, but I have no reason to doubt the facts herein.

October 6, 2009

Kevin Jennings is not qualified under any ethical standard to be entrusted
with the safety of our nation's public school children. Therefore I urge
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to immediately call for Jennings's
resignation. I also call on my members of Congress to urge the Secretary
of Education to ask for Mr. Jennings' resignation.

Jennings is the founder of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education
Network (GLSEN), which pushes so-called "anti-bullying" policies which
even GLSEN admits are really about promoting "affirmation" of homosexual
behavior in the school system.

Jennings is intolerant of the "religious right," 90% of whom enroll their
children in public schools, and said in a 2000 speech "I'm trying not to
say '[F---] 'em'...I don't care what they think. Drop dead!"

He wants homosexual indoctrination of students at all levels, having
written the forward to a book entitled "Queering Elementary Education,"
and saying in 2004, "Ex-gay messages have no place in our nation's public
schools...There is no 'other side' when you're talking about lesbian, gay
and bisexual students."

By his own admission he failed his legal duty to report what he believed
to be a case of statutory rape when a young student approached him for
counsel after the boy had been preyed on by an older adult in a local bus
station bathroom. Jennings' main piece of advice: "I hope you know how to
use a condom."

He writes in his 2006 memoir without any remorse of frequently getting
"drunk and stoned" when he was a teenager.

It is time for the "Safe and Drug Free Schools" Czar to resign.

"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible

Findings of Religious Survey --2007 Pew Research

Addendum/Prelude to this post: It occured to me that the anti-Evangelical, anti- Bible-believing Christian sentiment of atheist/agnostic/social liberal bloggers makes them the group that should remain a small minority--for the good of freedom. They long to see their ranks grow so they can predominate in law and culture --but they are a greater threat to the believers than the believers are to them. Their two main fears would be the illegalization of gay marriage and abortion --and the way they recoil and roil like the devil himself at public prayers and public acknowledgements of a supreme being --such that they can't even abide our comments on their blogs--can't stand the religious freedom expressed by the majority. They openly scorn and detest Bible-believers and Creationists--and they unabashedly claim intellectual superiority over them and want to see them repressed and shrink in numbers.

I only want to see the number of atheists shrink for their own sake --that they might know the joy and fellowship and forgiveness of God and have the hope of Heaven. I don't detest people who don't agree with me --REALLY! But I will verbally and with my vote oppose them if they want to encourage the nation's children to approve homosexuality in kindergarten --in schools generally --if they want to redefine marriage to mean any combination and number of consenting adults in covenanted LEGAL relationship, on a par with God's male/female design-unit as the foundation for rearing children. And of course, we oppose the taking of human life in the womb.

I have no reason not to believe that homosexuality is like adultery, pedophilia, incest, etc. --in starting with a thought and an attraction that should be rejected at the gateway of the mind. The Bible says so. Biology says so. STD's as a consequence of "exploring sexuality" say so.

Atheists/liberals, et al have nothing to fear from evangelicals --except not having their way in law and culture. Granted, too many evangelicals have exchanged their salt and light roles in a misbegotten idea of love. In fact, love includes steering the culture in godly directions--standing up for God's Word as Truth regarding sin and righteousness --that we might know how to live and for what we need to repent.

http://religions.pewforum.org/reports

Apparently, this Pew survey actually took place in 2007 and was reported in 2008.

Engineer of Knowledge at Mudrake's blog writes of the demise of Christian faith, but the link above doesn't confirm that, seems to me. Though, Engineer notes, the survey does report that protestant majority is down to 51%. But perhaps that's because the Catholic Hispanics are a growing minority and expected to outnumber the rest of us at current rates. However, I notice that Catholics have been the biggest losers, from 31 to 24% --but I don't expect that trend to continue as the Hispanic population grows. The priest scandals have hurt them, I'm sure.

Evangelicals outnumber Catholics at 26.3 percent and all who call themselves some form of "Christian" are 78.4 %. No wonder the anti-Christian boys in Mudville are always upset!

I also saw where the United Methodists, the Catholics, and the Lutherans very recently had a conference discussing "justification by faith alone," which was Martin Luther's famous emphasis as he led the protestant reformation. Evangelicals believe in this doctrine, and yet note that the rest of the NEw Testament does ask us to "run the race" and "be watchful lest we stumble" --and suggests we could be people like soil that nurtures the Gospel seed --or like soil that initially allows the seed to grow but then lets it be choked out by the cares and concerns of this world. In other words, faith does not mean "easy believism" whereby Jesus doesn't ask anything of us since He died for our sins.

The numbers of atheists are still VERY small --though "practical atheists" may be a majority of us --people who act as though God does not exist --who make up what they want about God and accept no source of divine revelation as valid.

Like the other major groups, people who are unaffiliated with any particular religion (16.1%) also exhibit remarkable internal diversity. Although one-quarter of this group consists of those who describe themselves as either atheist or agnostic (1.6% and 2.4% of the adult population overall, respectively), the majority of the unaffiliated population (12.1% of the adult population overall) is made up of people who simply describe their religion as "nothing in particular." This group, in turn, is fairly evenly divided between the "secular unaffiliated," that is, those who say that religion is not important in their lives (6.3% of the adult population), and the "religious unaffiliated," that is, those who say that religion is either somewhat important or very important in their lives (5.8% of the overall adult population).

However, half of those unaffiliated as children are now affiliated with a religion. Notice that 5.8 percent of the overall adult population who are unaffiliated with a particular religion, nevertheless, say that religion is somewhat or very important in their lives.

"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible

Ardi --4.4M years old --upright ancient relative of ours --RIGHT!

O boy, here we go again! Ardi --Ardipithecus --a transitional fossil who might be a distant cousin to homo sapiens --"a remarkable shattered skeleton" pulled together by researchers as "fossils so fragile they had to be excavated with dental picks and porcupine quills." According to the Washington Post.


So, she is 4.4 million years old. NOt 4.3 million or 4.5 million?

Forgive my skepticism, but scientists still can't decide if coffee and eggs, butter, etc. are good for us or not! How hard can THAT be? Yet, we are supposed to believe they can scrape together some pre-historic bone finds in the desert and conclude an age of 4.4 million years and a link to the evolution of humans.

Research teams get paid for publishing research discoveries --saying something new. And the eagerness to support evolution is REALLY hot!

But here we have a 4-foot-tall creature with long arms and short legs and feet that can climb and grab onto vines, etc. ----that sounds very much like some kind of ape to me. Even if it's extinct, I'll bet a steak dinner to anyone that it's just an ape!!! who mostly scurried through the branches using all 4's. and no form of pre-historic ancestor of ours at all. But, of course, scientists insist that we share with the apes a monkey's uncle!

"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible

WE ARE ON THE RADIO TODAY--HFM CHURCH--SOME OF MY KIN

3 pm to 5 pm today, Holland FM church's "SING" at WPOS is being broadcast at 102.3FM. Our worship team and various special numbers. Paula Swan on guitar, our new drummer, Bob Sutton on tech, Steph Hulbert on piano and voice, Andrew Winkles, Joe & Andrea Conklin, Chrissy, Rob & Jonathan Rohrs, Mary Colledge --did vocals and me on keyboard doing "strings" or organ. (Some of our usuals couldn't be with us though all were invited to be on platform like a Gaither homecoming!) Can also be heard on www.wposfm.com -- though I couldn't make it work. Through a link there, I'm wondering if you have to pay something to hear the station live?!! Surely not! but I couldn't hear anything. Click the tower at the top of the website where it says, "Listen here" --or go to the radio.

We were dealing with a sound system new to us --and hope it recorded OK.

The 2nd half of program is The Richardson Trio --a father and 2 sons, aged 14 and 10 --southern gospel group from Waterville --good group.





"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible

David Beckwith of Perrysburg Clarifies Tea Party Roots

A Blade letter by David Beckwith of Perrysburg defended the Tea Party folks gathered in D.C. on Sept. 12. He was writing in response to an earlier Blade writer who claimed that the posters carried were professionally made at Big Pharma's or insurance company expense --that people were bused in and orchestrated (and even paid?) by healthcare business interests.

In fact, Beckwith asserts that park police estimated unofficially that 2 or 2 1/2 million people attended. He reported that the well-behaved protesters were all ages and protesting President O's policies in general. He clarified that he certainly paid his own way and made a one-day trip.

I do remember when doctors and other individuals (admitting their affiliation with the industry by wearing their white coats) bused themselves voluntarily to Columbus in search of tort reform in Ohio a few years back. After all, the crisis was such in John Edwards' state, North Carolina, that malpractice insurance companies were abandoning the state because of lawyers like him --and with the insurers followed the doctors. We don't want that to happen in Ohio. There needs to be a cap on the obscene process whereby settling out of court is cheaper than obtaining justice --because of our disgrace of a legal system --whereby malpractice insurers can't afford to defend doctors anymore because lawyers are so expensive and juries are too generous about unfortunate situations --at the expense of really punishing malpractice.

I am truly annoyed with those who say these Tea Party demonstrators and those who agree with them are such a small per cent of the nation, duped by lies, stoked by Limbaugh, Fox, et al --incapable of coming to their skepticism of socialist gov't on their own--incapable of reading and following national news from sources other than EIB and FOX.

Again, I say to Obama, get the economy going (by doing less, not more); don't raise taxes; don't increase spending; DO address waste, graft, and corporate, gov't, public and private greed -- and labor greed --and deficit spending at all levels, all of which have brought us where we are today. Do stress studying hard and self-reliance, honesty and responsibility, self-reliance and good character --to school children --and DO protect this nation against global Sharia and Muslim extremism and communist regimes like No. Korea. If we can't defend ourselves against beheaders and suicide bombers and nuclear holocaust, nothing else will matter. Healthcare is a secondary concern to national defense and global terrorism.

"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible

Three B Production, Jekyll & Hyde, Maumee, Ohio

Two more chances to see this excellent cast perform the musical Jekyll & Hyde at the Maumee Indoor Theater, 606 Conant St. in Maumee, today at 8 PM and tomorrow at 2:30 PM.

UPDATE: Show's over --I saw the final performance today. The following was written after opening night.

I was PROUD of my city's local talent --as my brother and wife from Indiana and my aunt and uncle from Savannah attended (she used to ride the train in to see Broadway shows frequently when she lived near NYC) --along with my 90-year-old mother and mother-in-law, 87. The grandmas were scandalized by the Red Rat Dancers, but we expected that. The whole idea of prostitution as a story feature is not something they could appreciate. And they probably couldn't hear too well, either.

It seemed faster-paced than some productions --I've seen 4 now (Croswell in Adrian, Waterville Playshop, Elmwood High School, and now Three B's.) This was a troupe of mature actors --I don't mean old, but experienced, with several theater and music grads and students with many theater credits to their names.

This show was outstanding in male vocals and acting talent throughout the whole cast, and a whole chorus of talented people really comfortable on the stage. I couldn't keep all the male characters straight --several tall, dark and handsome actors with beards were excellent vocalists/actors.

To mention a few, however:
Outstanding was Eric Hillenbrand as Sir Danvers Carew --who has sung with the Toledo Opera--and he was delightfully operatic, a commanding presence. Danvers plays the father of Jekyl's fiancee.

Rick Reed in his lead role was again exceptionally strong--amazing--reprising his role from Waterville Playshop's production 6 years ago. He has the "voice of an angel," my daughter says, and I agree.

John Carmack plays Utterson, Jekyll's attorney? He was the music director, and also a leading man talent, getting his Masters' in vocal performance and choral conducting.

Patrick Toth, a Springfield H.S. and Sienna Heights theater grad, played both Stride and Spider and showed off his exquisite theater diction and voice --he was heard clear as a bell whenever he spoke or sang.

Stephanie Heck was a great "Nellie" --the Madam of the Red Rat girls.

The lead girls, Joy Lemke as Lucy, and Kristen Basore as Emma, have a theater degree and vocal performance degree, respectively. Joy played Lucy, the happy hooker, very convincingly, and Emma was lovely as Emma, the fiancee of Dr. Jekyl.

The quartet with Emma, her father, Jekyll and Utterson --was beautiful.

The energy and professionalism in chorus numbers and choreography by Bob Marzola were very impressive for community theater. Too often, people with talent to be leads won't settle for chorus parts --and that makes for amateur aspects in shows. This show had a lot of talent willing to be faces in the crowd.

Damian Stout, as usual, was a genius at the keyboard, along with one or two ladies, very effective and never drowning out vocals.

On the whole, the choreography, strong acting, characterization, and overall professionalism made this a truly excellent production, directed by the very effective Joe Barton --perhaps elegible for awards. I saw Joe's Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with Waterville Playshop (with Joy Lemke as narrator)--a real step up from Waterville's former productions --and the same for Les Miserables, directed by Joe at Springfield H.S.

The story is one worth telling --about a highly idealistic scientist/physician whose experiments with drugs bring out the worst in him and lead him and others to ruin --about the love and tolerance of a loyal sweetheart --about the longing in the soul of a prostitute for a better, wholesome life with the love of a wholesome man. It's about hypocrisy, also, with the members of the hospital board and the church being fakes in their regard for God's concerns. It's a dark story, compared to most musicals --and based on the classic story by Robert Louis Stevenson --who didn't even get a mention in the program!!!

"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible

CHURCH! DON'T LOSE THE SALT AND LIGHT! --A Blog Repeat

TWO COMPETING KINGDOMS! Christians abroad are being killed. Is this a Church wake-up Call?
Christians, what do you think of the following?

Erwin Raphael McManus wrote:


“Domesticated Christians are far too willing to abdicate the battle for the soul of the world. Civility focuses our energy on all the wrong places. We spend our lives emphasizing our personal development and spiritual well-being….In contrast Jesus calls us to a different way. He tells us this is a battle of kingdoms….To see from a kingdom perspective is to know that there is a conflict of invisible kingdoms and that people’s lives are forever changed by what happens in the unseen. We are called to be warriors of light in dark places.” (The Barbarian Way, pp. 108-109.)


I got the above from the director’s article by Tom White in the Voice of the Martyrs magazine, Feb. 09.

I have always said that, contrary to the charge that we are only railing against homosexuality and abortion, the American evangelical churches are focused on personal piety, spiritual ecstacy in worship, feeling love for all people and that we do not like to get our feathers ruffled or our feelings riled. Hence,the move by some away from political action and discussions regarding abortion and gay rights. After all, there are angry foes on the other side defending these sins as legitimate choices. The challenge for us is the same as for the wife of a polygamous cult: Staying sweet. Never showing tempers. Always feeling love and showing forgiveness –always feeling the joy of the Lord. So, many of us avoid conflict and the resulting unpopularity. Being civil in disagreement IS Christian --no name-calling or insulting of others' intelligence. But I think being so civil as to avoid controversy is to cater to the wrong kingdom.

Many such Christians are also involved in ministry to each other, to their extended families, active in church activities/ministries and givers to charity and missions. They may be prayer warriors. So, I'm not meaning to judge those who don't contend for the faith or confront the culture openly --but to challenge us to do so.

Love over hate and temper is part of the continual battle between the kingdoms ---personal spiritual well-being would include that as described by the above author. But the director of VOM cites John, author of Revelations, who goes back into the persecuted church instead of staying in exile where God gave him the Revelation of Heaven. Instead of biding His time on the Isle of Patmos, waiting for his transport to paradise, he chose to “identify with those who carried their crosses in the steps of the Savior.” This was when Emperor Domitian infamously executed Jews, Christians and his own relatives for not worshipping the emperor.

Then White tells that the VOM has a video tape they don’t show because of the horror and tragedy of it –a video of a 12-year-old girl stoned to death in Egypt because she accepted Jesus. He then calls us to be co-participants, helpmates and encouragers to those who suffer tribulation in dozens of nations.

He notes that “Muslim converts to Islam are usually very bold; such is the liberating joy that flows out of them.” He quotes a Christian convert from Islam, “If you think there is a place you will be safe when you follow Christ, you are wrong….but Islam is cracking. The crack is becoming bigger with those who want to know Christ the Lord. This is why the fundamentalists (Muslims) are angry.”

I think this is not a day in OUR nation to retreat from proclaiming the Truth of the Gospel where people hate Christians for their doctrines and their definitions of sin and the message to repent. This is a time to shine the light of truth in dark places –to be that shining city on the hill –that light on the lampstand –where all can see it. We ought not retreat from proclamation of the whole truth –including Biblical definition of sin vs. righteousness

And just because they hate us doesn’t mean our method is wrong or that we have truly behaved hatefully as charged. St. Paul proclaimed the truth about homosexuality in ROME where it was an issue. In the U.S., it is again an issue –as is abortion. No matter how you say it, liberals want to cast you as a “gaycist” –just as wrong as racists.

Yes, if people would truly convert and follow Christ, they would all agree on the social issues. The Bible is full of preaching and teaching against the sins of the day –that we may know what displeases a Holy God. We CANNOT avoid the issue of sin in our culture –we must stand against it in public square, in government, as well as in the church. The majority of those who are calling evil good are not IN the church to hear the messages –so how will they know what it is that they should repent of, if we aren’t salt and light speaking Truth to power and to our culture –even on places like blogs?

How have we helped people gain eternal life if we don't teach and preach the whole truth about God's definition of sin --Christ's command to repent of sin? Do we love people or not? If we love, we speak truth --kindly--but nevertheless, TRUTH --that sinners may be converted and gain eternal life.

Read more about today's Christian martyrs:

http://www.persecution.com/





"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible

Agreed! Health Care Reform Needed!

I agree that reform is needed --but get the economy going first; get tort reform. As long as lawyers make their living by suing doctors and settling out of court because of suffering people --regardless of fault for their suffering, there will be no real reform in the high cost of healthcare. A national system will simply mean that you pay your exorbitant monthly insurance premium per month to the gov't in new taxes to squander wherever --instead of to the health insurer who would invest the money in order to cover your healthcare.

Profit-motive in people of integrity can mean efficiency and prudence in healthcare and business --the gov't purse covering everything guarantees greed and graft, inefficiency and sloth and ever rising pay for poor service. That's why we need to keep gov't local and small --and look for REAL reforms. Gov't and law should help to keep private industry honest and fair --not replace it. And they'd do well to start policing the malpractice lawyers --and limit their rewards for chasing ambulances.








"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible

FOR OLD & YOUNG, THE MEN AND THE WOMEN
AND THE BOYS AND THE GIRLS!

SING PRAISE! OF THE WONDERFUL GRACE OF JESUS!

HOLLAND FM MUSICIANS AT WPOS CHRISTIAN CENTER ON ANGOLA TONIGHT

6 TO 7PM: Rhoda is serving a picnic-type supper for $2, according to WPOS plan for these events which they hope to do now and then with the various local churches.

7 PM: Our worship team folks will lead a narrated worship segment about 45 minutes long –preceding a 15 minute segment by:

THE RICHARDSON TRIO
– a father and 2 sons, ages 14 and 10.

SO the kids will be interested in this!

The beautiful flute and vocal praise medley heard a few weeks ago by Steph and Chris at church will be performed with Andrea added.

A men’s ensemble, a mixed trio, Patty Bersinger’s Watch the Lamb and various solo leaders will be featured on gospel songs and contemporary praise in a narrated praise service of scripture and song.

Support our church, WPOS, and come out to fellowship and praise the Lord in music with other Christians in the WPOS audience.
Bring friends and relatives!






"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible

On Obama

I like the guy's big FDR/JFK sort of smile. He lights up wonderfully when amused. I loved the Jay Leno fake interview with him on Jay's first show. I would like him to be successful in making America better, stronger, safer --and more virtuous/moral/family strong.

But I'm not impressed that he's any smarter than Dems thought Bush was--or as virtuous as Bush. He speaks faciley --but what does he say? contradictory things that have holes so wide in his arguments that you can walk right through them! E.g. --"no addition to deficit with a new healthcare 'option'". RIGHT! "You'll be able to keep your private insurance." Not if the employers drop them to save money --since everyone's taxes will ultimately HAVE TO be higher to cover all our entitlement progams. Everyone is happy to sign up for a gov't. freebie --but will it be what we want??? I don't think so.

However, if the economy were strong, then insurance for everyone WOULD be feasible --if it's like the systems that still do it through ALL private agencies --like Japan.
Right now, employee health insurance is a motivation to a person to get a job. Yes, most people want work and good new jobs are scarce --but we have a percentage in USA who do not want to work at the skill levels they have --who have, indeed, found it more profitable to not work --because they can get more gov't help than the money they could earn. Free healthcare, foodstamps, rent subsidies, welfare payments. It's not a rich life being on the dole --but some calculate that the benefits outweigh those from work for which they have skill.








"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible

George Will on ObamaCare

Nobody is smarter than George Will when it comes to analysis of the political realities. See the whole article here.

Here are highlights from his column in Newsweek, Sept. 21, p. 26 --with my remarks in brackets:

On the 233rd day of his presidency, Barack Obama "grabbed the country's lapels for the 263rd time" --counting all his public speeches. His speech to Congress on health care was the 122nd speech on that subject.

[Didn't I tell you I was tired of his voice and the over-exposure of him.]

"His incessant talking cannot combat what it has caused: An increasing number of Americans do not believe that he believes what he says

[Even if I think he's dumb enough to believe what he says, I still think he's wrong. I concluded as he talked to congress that he is either an idiot on the realities of this topic or he believes we are!]

"He used to say that American's health-care system is going to wrack and ruin and requires root-and-branch reform --but that if you like your health care.. nothing will change for you."

[He still says the latter.] Geo. Will says BO had to stop saying that since analysts agreed that his plan will give many employers incentives to stop providing coverage for employees. Why should they pay for it if the gov't is paying?

"He deplores 'scare tactics' but says that unless he gets his way, people will die."

[The same magazine, on healthcare in comparable nations, says that the egalitarian view (the virtuous view--i.e. socialistic) of equal healthcare for all as a "right" will, of course, mean RATIONING. Therefore, working hard to buy the healthcare insurance you want, will not advantage the person who wants to put money into his healthcare, in order to have MORE of it and BETTER. (I wonder if there is STILL a double system in other countries --do they have private insurance available for those who want better coverage or have they made such coverage illegal?? --or have they just so impoverished everybody with high taxes that hardly anyone can afford private health insurance, which is what will happen here. Obamacare is currently an incremental approach to a single payer system. There is no way that the so-called "single-payer system" with gov't as the single payer --or a private gov't. option, won't destroy the private insurance industry. And people will all be equally disadvantaged as inevitable rationing occurs --partly because many doctors just won't work 24/7 for the government for the compensation that gov't now pays them for Medicare. There's waste in the system, alright, but it isn't all because of the high cost of doctors.

Meanwhile, Congress will continue to give themselves unlimited Cadillac care while rationing care for the taxpayers who elected them --just like the egalitarian Communist party leaders took care of their numero unos!

Furthermore,

"He praises temperate discourse but says many of his opponents are liars."

Exactly!!! Just like the democrats to go after the So. Carolina Congressman for his emotional outburst, "LIE," when Obama was telling such egregious untruths --forgetting how nasty and discourteous they were to George W. How can Pelosi look herself in the mirror if she demands public reprimand for the congressman who already apologized for being intemperate, while calling a spade a spade?

Will notes that Obama praises Medicare on the one hand --[because people have been satisfied with its present in-the-red, nearly unlimited care] but then goes on to say that BO says,

"...Medicare is unsustainable and going broke, and [says] that he will pay for much of his reforms by eliminating the hundreds of billions of dollars of waste and fraud in this paragon of a program, and in Medicaid. He says Congress will cut Medicare (it will not)by $500 billion--without affecting benefits.

"He has said he will not add a dime to the deficit when bringing 47 million people into government-guaranteed healthcare. But Wed. night, 17 million people went missing, [as Obama said,] "There are now more than 30 million citizens who cannot get coverage." Almost 10 million of the uninsured are not citizens, and most of them are illegal immigrants. Presumably the other 7 million [from the former stat] couild get insurance but chose not to. Democrats propose fines to eliminate that choice.

[Most amazing of all,]

He says a "public option"--a gov't insurance program--would not be subsidized to enable it to compete unfairly with private insurers. (The Post office and the gov't's transportation "public option," Amtrak, devour pubic subsidies.)

Who can believe that sort of statement??? NOT ME! But most perplexing: if gov't healthcare is poorly run now and not sustainable, why would we want the whole system to be in the same boat???

He [Obama] says, "the time for bickering is over." Will notes that "presidents of both parties disparage as mere bickering all inconvenient arguments about what gov't can and should do.

We who oppose national healthcare at this time of great debt and deficit and failing economy, don't disagree that everyone should be cared for --and they are; they just don't pay for it --or some have bankrupted because of lack of insurance or good insurance and not being poor enough to qualify for gov't care. We Americans don't want to see anyone suffer or bankrupt over illness and tragedy --we believe in finding aid for such people and writing off medical debt --but everyone SHOULD pay who can get a job --but FIRST OF ALL, government cannot handle another big expenditure.

Take care of AFghanistan and the economy first, and then let charity and various write-offs undertake for the underinsured --as they so often do. And let people pay some of their burger, movie, video game and Cedar Point money for health insurance.







"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible

SAVE FOR RETIREMENT! It's an Obamanation!!!

I see Senator Obama has made a good Republican suggestion --encourage people to save more for their own retirement funds!!!

Meanwhile, the economy is so bad --and he has so indebted us trying to fix it, that the 401K's he recommended don't seem like a safe place to save!!

On top of that, he wants us all taxed more --sure, he says, those making over 250K, but the reality is that every government agency and every utility and college is RAISING PRICEs, fees, taxes --you name it. Inflation is here and escalating.

How can people save for retirement when they can't afford the high cost of living now!!! Granted, we've been self-indulgent as a society for too long, spending up the credit cards. And now some of the elderly are in debt because the band played on! and those of very modest means are used to restaurants and Branson and Florida trips! And are unable to live by that standard now.

He says out of one side of his mouth that we should save to take care of ourselves in old age --and out of the other side, that gov't should provide everything for everybody. He says the death panels are a fiction --but I heard him say it himself, that end-of-life decisions should be planned with these panels.

My husband does note that it's the people who are completely dependent on government who want a "full code" --everything done for Grandma even though she's out of it; the people who pay for things put a "no code" on their elderly who are demented and no longer able to make any decisions or do anything for themselves or enjoy life. Who don't even know their own family anymore, whose health is so deteriorated that nothing really can be done to prolong their lives in more than a vegetative and/or pained state. There is a time to let nature take its course --but no one likes a bureaucratic panel "helping us" to make those decisions. IT's just one more panel on government salary interfering with our lives!

Gov't healthcare surely means more impersonal bureaucracy --like the overworked welfare case workers.

Private sector needs to improve in insurance policies --(and gov't is some of the hinderance for them --because of the lack of tort reform, for one thing)--and competition and free enterprise are the way to get better insurance coverage. Gov't hires and maintains inept employees and burdens everyone with paper work. In fact, much of the doctor office paper (and money for the paper pushers) is because of gov't.





"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible