"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible
GOT PUBLISHED IN THE BLADE ON FATHER'S DAY --YAY!! This was in response to article saying zika virus could become bigger problem because of climate change.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE BLADE:

Regarding the Zika virus — what’s new?

Mosquitos proliferate in hot weather, and pestilence and disease are the curse of the fall of man. We are in a constant battle against these two — and against the chemicals used to combat them in pesticides and medicines.

We are always having to adapt to our environment for survival.

Man’s history recorded in the Book of Genesis explained and predicted it.

Whatever we do to combat “climate change,” (which is not always predictably “warming,” and no matter how real and severe the change is or isn’t,) everything we do to have energy and ​power brings new environmental problems to solve.

From solar panels, to wind turbines, their use of farm land, to lithium, and destruction by mining for batteries -- electric vehicles and the manufacture and disposal of such things — These will always present problems to solve for our survival on the planet.

Man’s solution?

Fewer people. Abortion of our young. And live without the comforts of home heating, air conditioning, watering lawns, travel by air and cars — unless you are the rich and have a private jet for flying to your climate conferences.

PROCLAIM TRUTH!

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

Truth is what it is. WE don't have all truth --much mystery about the universe and its Maker still. Our existence on our earth in the "just right" Goldilocks zone of the universe --just right for life to thrive--is amazing. The marvels of our earth, all life, our bodies and minds --Amazing!

The Bible tells us OUR Creator revealed Himself to the first family and others --Noah's family--and Abraham and all his descendants. The Jews still celebrate the Passover and the Exodus telling their young to "remember." NO reason to believe it didn't happen just as the bible records it. And so Christians celebrate the ultimate Passover --Christ's resurrection from death and His saying to His followers, "Because I live, you shall live also!'

This is the Gospel --the Good news. Yes, you do not have to believe it and no one can force belief. Nor should you refuse the right of Christians and Jews to repeat their histories and promote them to their children on their tax monies --just as you can promote what YOU believe in your home reinforced by schools of your choice. If Judeo-Christian Bible and beliefs are TRUTH --then we must tell the world --as God intended --as Jesus commanded. To love is to proclaim God's Good News of eternal life through faith in Christ.

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

To an otherwise liberal FB poster who at least opposes abortion:

 You THINK there is no eternal law forbidding same-sex relations , but what if you are wrong --and the Creator said even those who APPROVE same-sex relations are deserving of death--that is, the death that is the wages of sin--because sin has brought all of us death.

St. Paul didn't mean we are to kill for sodomy , but we are to teach that it is a sin for which the wages are death--like all other sins. Because of our sin, and His mercy, God provided salvation from eternal death through Christ's sacrifice --"The lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." He didn't do that so we could say "sin is not sin." Jesus said to REPENT --for the KINGDOM IS NIGH.

Both Testaments teach that sodomy is forbidden by our Creator. It's gross --and highly risky for STD's. Now Monkey Pox --which can spread to all through the air and surfaces near those who have the disease, is particularly acquired by men who have sex with men --and trans and others who have sex with men who have sex with men. Homosexuality is not God's design for humans --sodomy is abnormal and bodily abuse and highly diseased.

You illustrate why we need school choice --so traditionalists can teach traditional morality to their children as virtue --and that "righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people."

Tolerance of different beliefs is one thing --promoting those beliefs to our children --like telling them abortion is a woman's right and same sex marriage is OK --it is sin to teach contrary to the Bible.  A sin we need to stop doing --for which we need to repent.

Letter to school friends during Covid19 isolation

To my young friends: 

Hope this letter finds you enjoying your time at home and getting your school work done.   I do miss you a lot!  But I don’t miss going out –I do like staying home –as I’m trying to get stuff done and am disappointed at my slow pace.  I hope we’ll have summertime for the lake –and maybe church camp and a late VBS.  You would be in Young Teen camp this year, and that might be more fun for you.

HERE is one  Christian teaching lesson –for your home school studies.

The  Lord has been schooling me at home, too.    I’m finding that daily Bible reading really DOES inspire me –I had been lax about this –because I do know a lot of scripture to share to others and  for situations that arise, etc. having been exposed to sermons, S.S  teachers,  youth group leaders  and then Christian college and their chapels and classes –all my life.    My parents were believers who saw to it that we were in church Sunday morning,, Sunday night, and Wednesday night  and in a youth group called “Christian Endeavor.”   (Endeavor means  effort with purpose, I suppose.  We use it in a sentence the way we would use the word “try.”   “ I Try to be a Christian”  or  “I endeavor (try)  to live for Him.”

I’m keeping  a prayer list, too, and praying more.  –I’m praying for you girls and your families by name –your parents and grandparents  --and their significant others.    Praying for my family, the church families –praying for the missionaries and the ones being persecuted for their faith in Iran, Africa, India, No. Korea, China, Bangladesh, Indonesia,  Pakistan, Iraq, --all the Middle East.  I pray that God will send them some kind jailers and jail-mates –that they will be helped in their sufferings –that they will get out soon –that their rulers will  feel convicted about their cruelty and put an end to it.  And we pray against the virus  and for those suffering and who have lost loved ones–and we pray  against poverty and starvation in the world.  And for those suffering pain of any kind  (which God  has helped ME with recently –as I believe He helped Vlada with  her issue.)      And the Bible tells us to pray for Israel  (the descendants of Abraham, father of the People of the Bible –the Jews)  and the Peace of Jerusalem, which our nation recognized as their capital city recently, something the Muslims did not like because they claim Jerusalem  and any land they once owned as forever theirs  (though God  made The Promised Land, Israel,  a  Jewish nation first, before the Muslims controlled it.)    And we pray for all unbelievers that they will come to know the salvation of the Lord and have ETERNAL LIFE.

SO WHAT IS PRAYER  for one who believes  and has invited Jesus into your heart?     It’s an INTERNAL DIALOGUE, conversation.   The Lord gave me that idea of “internal dialogue”  this morning.    God is  not your “make-believe friend”  but a real friend  who dwells (lives)  INSIDE YOUR HEAD –your SPIRIT –when you invited Him to be your Savior –and “confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believed in your heart that God raised Him from the dead.”    “Behold, I stand at the door and knock;  If anyone hears My voice,” says Christ, “ and will open the door, I will come into him/her  and dine with him/her –fellowship with him/her.”   –as in the elements of the Communion when we eat the bread representing His sacrificed body and drink the  grapejuice  or wine  (the fruit of the vine--representing His blood shed to cover and forgive our sins..)   We invite  Him “into our hearts.”    Heart, meaning our INNERMOST BEING –our MIND and our SPIRIT. 

I’ve no doubt that Jesus is alive with His Father  (and with us in His Holy Spirit ) as the Bible says –and rose from the dead.    Many people in HIS  day  denied it was possible –but the Bible  says as many as 500 people SAW HIM ALIVE after His certain death and burial.   And  that is why the Bible writers believed, told others, were willing to die to proclaim  the salvation of God through Jesus –and started a world-wide  church  (all the believers)   that exists to this very day.     WHY?  Because God loves us enough to make  a way for us to live  free from slavery to sin and eternal death.     It’s not the plan WE might’ve come up with –but it is consistent with the history of all peoples –they felt a need to make sacrifices to appease the gods of nature –in hopes they would have a good harvest, good weather, safety, victory against enemies who would harm them.     For all the ancient peoples KNEW  they did not make themselves –and did not exist by accident –but by an Intelligent Designer.   They looked for Him –God -- in the moon and the sun and in things made with their hands –and worshiped these things.

SO the REAL DESIGNER/ CREATOR  REVEALED HIMSELF to the first couple He made in HIS image –we are made like Him –and He says  He is not the things He has made in the universe and  that we should NOT worship those things. –His people  sinned, disobeyed God, listened to the enemy of God and obeyed HIM instead of their Creator -- which brought death and disease in the world.  The world got so evil that God chose   Noah and his family  to survive in the ark and start the human race over --  when He sent the global flood (evidence is in the geology and fossils of the earth  and found  in the cultural history of all ancient people groups.)   Then,  many generations later,  when the evil on the earth had increased again, God  revealed Himself  to Abraham –and all His descendants, the Jews,  through Moses and the prophets –who have given us our Bible.   And then He revealed Himself in His Son Jesus who proved His Deity (God-ship)  by   miracles –raising people from the dead –and rising HIMSELF –which we celebrate at Easter.   (If you still have it –and can find it,  I recommend  watching that Jesus movie –the kids’ version—which we gave you –in remembering and celebrating Easter.   HERE it is on YOU Tube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thZeb2MlAMw

Then in the first chapter of the Book of Acts,  God  gave us  His Holy Spirit –as Jesus promised “a comforter would come” --God’s very presence within us --so that we might have Him live inside OUR spirits –keeping us from evil –and saving us from death.       Still, there is temptation by the Tempter, named Satan or Lucifer in the Bible, a fallen angel –God’s enemy --who wants our souls to be destroyed.  He hates us humans.    People  may doubt his existence –but  WE CANNOT DOUBT THE EXISTANCE OF EVIL –AND THE TEMPTATION TO DO WRONG –nor doubt that it brings misery and unhappiness in both the short and  long run –broken relationships, harmful addictions, crime, murders, harm to others, wars,  selfishness, feelings of guilt, dislike for others, hatred, even boredom, and desires to do and think  things we KNOW IN OUR HEARTS we ought not do –or think. 

There is always that tension between good and evil in our minds –but  the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD in the believer is THERE to remind us and help us  to do what is right –and to KNOW what is right –with the help of Bible, church, church camp, youth group, sermons, songs –and the counsel (advice)  of other Christians including parents.

The Holy Spirit of God is like the internet in  a much greater way.  He is ALL GOOD as the internet is NOT.  HE IS EVERYWHERE and accessible ALL THE TIME   We can”go on line” –calling on the Name of the Lord –JESUS -- and  learn from Him, be comforted by Him, be helped and taught by Him.   Jesus said our every thought and deed is recorded –but repentance for our sin can erase our sinful record –and remove our sins from us “as far as east is from west” ---as if “buried in the deepest sea” –to be held against us and remembered against us NO MORE.    Jesus says even the hairs of our head our numbered –and that a sparrow does not fall from the sky without God’s notice.     Think of the internet and those computer chips that store minutia of all kinds –that COUNT EVERY WORD as we type them –and we can pull up a total word count.   If our machines—computers—can do the amazing storage  they can do –and produce  stuff INSTANTLY and make  amazing calculations – so it is even more so with the CREATOR of the UNIVERSE –about whom we know VERY LITTLE  except what He has REVEALED  and had men record  in the Bible.  –WE KNOW HE HATES EVIL –and has defined it  in His book.  And He has  revealed Himself to us  and He has had men record those revelations  and the history of the Jews and their relationship with God –and then ours –through Christ’s Jewish followers -- over about 1500  years of writing starting with Moses –and then 2000 more years  since Christ came –of  Christians preserving and translating the original Book –the Bible. 

I KNOW from my own life, that God can guide our decisions, protect us from our own sins when we DO lapse (sin) –as everyone does at times. I KNOW that admitting our sins, and  believing in Him and striving to live to please HIM is the way to  be blessed in life –not that we shall never know trouble or loss –that is part of our earthly situation on a sin-shadowed, sin-damaged planet.    –But   I can tell you that God CAN  give you a blessed marriage,  happy children, -and meet your daily needs,  “our daily bread” –and help you avoid the sadness that comes with broken or abusive and miserable  relationships,  and can give you a wonderful life going forward as you maintain that “internal conversation”  with Him as YOUR LORD and Savior.    As you become part of a church community  that teaches the Bible and prays and loves each other.  (Granted, some churches are better than others in that regard, and there are people in churches who are NOT listening to the Spirit and loving as they should –especially immature people and youth –but in a good Bible-believing, teaching church,  we do fortify each other’s faith –and look out for one another.)   I can’t over-recommend Christian colleges  during those years when we are learning about things beyond our upbringing.   For me, it was a great place to find my wonderful husband –as well as a place where I  became even MORE sure  that  our Christian faith  is grounded in historical TRUTH about God and man –and the way to eternal life.

I pray  the following   prayer will be YOURS –forever.   

“Spirit of the Living God –fall fresh on me –Fill me –Use me --

Well here it is in  the song:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BagH-zTfnsQ

If this becomes your heart’s prayer, then the following song tells of  the result –sung by a college singing group, called Heritage Singers-–don’t laugh at the 70’s people !–the way MY generation dressed alike in their singing groups (I like it!)  and  notice the hairstyles –and the bell bottom pants!      (You may recall this song played in my car, Vlada and Katience—as sung in church by Steph, Chris and Andrea.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2bIsboZz0g

LOVE,  Barb







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

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

To my young friends:
Hope this letter finds you enjoying your time at home and getting your school work done.   I do miss you a lot!  But I don’t miss going out –I do like staying home –as I’m trying to get stuff done and am disappointed at my slow pace.  I hope we’ll have summertime for the lake –and maybe church camp and a late VBS.  You would be in Young Teen camp this year, and that might be more fun for you.

HERE is one  Christian teaching lesson –for your home school studies.

The  Lord has been schooling me at home, too.    I’m finding that daily Bible reading really DOES inspire me –I had been lax about this –because I do know a lot of scripture to share to others and  for situations that arise, etc. having been exposed to sermons, S.S  teachers,  youth group leaders  and then Christian college and their chapels and classes –all my life.    My parents were believers who saw to it that we were in church Sunday morning,, Sunday night, and Wednesday night  and in a youth group called “Christian Endeavor.”   (Endeavor means  effort with purpose, I suppose.  We use it in a sentence the way we would use the word “try.”   “ I Try to be a Christian”  or  “I endeavor (try)  to live for Him.”

I’m keeping  a prayer list, too, and praying more.  –I’m praying for you girls and your families by name –your parents and grandparents  --and their significant others.    Praying for my family, the church families –praying for the missionaries and the ones being persecuted for their faith in Iran, Africa, India, No. Korea, China, Bangladesh, Indonesia,  Pakistan, Iraq, --all the Middle East.  I pray that God will send them some kind jailers and jail-mates –that they will be helped in their sufferings –that they will get out soon –that their rulers will  feel convicted about their cruelty and put an end to it.  And we pray against the virus  and for those suffering and who have lost loved ones–and we pray  against poverty and starvation in the world.  And for those suffering pain of any kind  (which God  has helped ME with recently –as I believe He helped Vlada with  her issue.)      And the Bible tells us to pray for Israel  (the descendants of Abraham, father of the People of the Bible –the Jews)  and the Peace of Jerusalem, which our nation recognized as their capital city recently, something the Muslims did not like because they claim Jerusalem  and any land they once owned as forever theirs  (though God  made The Promised Land, Israel,  a  Jewish nation first, before the Muslims controlled it.)    And we pray for all unbelievers that they will come to know the salvation of the Lord and have ETERNAL LIFE.

SO WHAT IS PRAYER  for one who believes  and has invited Jesus into your heart?     It’s an INTERNAL DIALOGUE, conversation.   The Lord gave me that idea of “internal dialogue”  this morning.    God is  not your “make-believe friend”  but a real friend  who dwells (lives)  INSIDE YOUR HEAD –your SPIRIT –when you invited Him to be your Savior –and “confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believed in your heart that God raised Him from the dead.”    “Behold, I stand at the door and knock;  If anyone hears My voice,” says Christ, “ and will open the door, I will come into him/her  and dine with him/her –fellowship with him/her.”   –as in the elements of the Communion when we eat the bread representing His sacrificed body and drink the  grapejuice  or wine  (the fruit of the vine--representing His blood shed to cover and forgive our sins..)   We invite  Him “into our hearts.”    Heart, meaning our INNERMOST BEING –our MIND and our SPIRIT. 

I’ve no doubt that Jesus is alive with His Father  (and with us in His Holy Spirit ) as the Bible says –and rose from the dead.    Many people in HIS  day  denied it was possible –but the Bible  says as many as 500 people SAW HIM ALIVE after His certain death and burial.   And  that is why the Bible writers believed, told others, were willing to die to proclaim  the salvation of God through Jesus –and started a world-wide  church  (all the believers)   that exists to this very day.     WHY?  Because God loves us enough to make  a way for us to live  free from slavery to sin and eternal death.     It’s not the plan WE might’ve come up with –but it is consistent with the history of all peoples –they felt a need to make sacrifices to appease the gods of nature –in hopes they would have a good harvest, good weather, safety, victory against enemies who would harm them.     For all the ancient peoples KNEW  they did not make themselves –and did not exist by accident –but by an Intelligent Designer.   They looked for Him –God -- in the moon and the sun and in things made with their hands –and worshiped these things.

SO the REAL DESIGNER/ CREATOR  REVEALED HIMSELF to the first couple He made in HIS image –we are made like Him –and He says  He is not the things He has made in the universe and  that we should NOT worship those things. –His people  sinned, disobeyed God, listened to the enemy of God and obeyed HIM instead of their Creator -- which brought death and disease in the world.  The world got so evil that God chose   Noah and his family  to survive in the ark and start the human race over --  when He sent the global flood (evidence is in the geology and fossils of the earth  and found  in the cultural history of all ancient people groups.)   Then,  many generations later,  when the evil on the earth had increased again, God  revealed Himself  to Abraham –and all His descendants, the Jews,  through Moses and the prophets –who have given us our Bible.   And then He revealed Himself in His Son Jesus who proved His Deity (God-ship)  by   miracles –raising people from the dead –and rising HIMSELF –which we celebrate at Easter.   (If you still have it –and can find it,  I recommend  watching that Jesus movie –the kids’ version—which we gave you –in remembering and celebrating Easter.   HERE it is on YOU Tube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thZeb2MlAMw

Then in the first chapter of the Book of Acts,  God  gave us  His Holy Spirit –as Jesus promised “a comforter would come” --God’s very presence within us --so that we might have Him live inside OUR spirits –keeping us from evil –and saving us from death.       Still, there is temptation by the Tempter, named Satan or Lucifer in the Bible, a fallen angel –God’s enemy --who wants our souls to be destroyed.  He hates us humans.    People  may doubt his existence –but  WE CANNOT DOUBT THE EXISTANCE OF EVIL –AND THE TEMPTATION TO DO WRONG –nor doubt that it brings misery and unhappiness in both the short and  long run –broken relationships, harmful addictions, crime, murders, harm to others, wars,  selfishness, feelings of guilt, dislike for others, hatred, even boredom, and desires to do and think  things we KNOW IN OUR HEARTS we ought not do –or think. 

There is always that tension between good and evil in our minds –but  the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD in the believer is THERE to remind us and help us  to do what is right –and to KNOW what is right –with the help of Bible, church, church camp, youth group, sermons, songs –and the counsel (advice)  of other Christians including parents.

The Holy Spirit of God is like the internet in  a much greater way.  He is ALL GOOD as the internet is NOT.  HE IS EVERYWHERE and accessible ALL THE TIME   We can”go on line” –calling on the Name of the Lord –JESUS -- and  learn from Him, be comforted by Him, be helped and taught by Him.   Jesus said our every thought and deed is recorded –but repentance for our sin can erase our sinful record –and remove our sins from us “as far as east is from west” ---as if “buried in the deepest sea” –to be held against us and remembered against us NO MORE.    Jesus says even the hairs of our head our numbered –and that a sparrow does not fall from the sky without God’s notice.     Think of the internet and those computer chips that store minutia of all kinds –that COUNT EVERY WORD as we type them –and we can pull up a total word count.   If our machines—computers—can do the amazing storage  they can do –and produce  stuff INSTANTLY and make  amazing calculations – so it is even more so with the CREATOR of the UNIVERSE –about whom we know VERY LITTLE  except what He has REVEALED  and had men record  in the Bible.  –WE KNOW HE HATES EVIL –and has defined it  in His book.  And He has  revealed Himself to us  and He has had men record those revelations  and the history of the Jews and their relationship with God –and then ours –through Christ’s Jewish followers -- over about 1500  years of writing starting with Moses –and then 2000 more years  since Christ came –of  Christians preserving and translating the original Book –the Bible. 

I KNOW from my own life, that God can guide our decisions, protect us from our own sins when we DO lapse (sin) –as everyone does at times. I KNOW that admitting our sins, and  believing in Him and striving to live to please HIM is the way to  be blessed in life –not that we shall never know trouble or loss –that is part of our earthly situation on a sin-shadowed, sin-damaged planet.    –But   I can tell you that God CAN  give you a blessed marriage,  happy children, -and meet your daily needs,  “our daily bread” –and help you avoid the sadness that comes with broken or abusive and miserable  relationships,  and can give you a wonderful life going forward as you maintain that “internal conversation”  with Him as YOUR LORD and Savior.    As you become part of a church community  that teaches the Bible and prays and loves each other.  (Granted, some churches are better than others in that regard, and there are people in churches who are NOT listening to the Spirit and loving as they should –especially immature people and youth –but in a good Bible-believing, teaching church,  we do fortify each other’s faith –and look out for one another.)   I can’t over-recommend Christian colleges  during those years when we are learning about things beyond our upbringing.   For me, it was a great place to find my wonderful husband –as well as a place where I  became even MORE sure  that  our Christian faith  is grounded in historical TRUTH about God and man –and the way to eternal life.

I pray  the following   prayer will be YOURS –forever.   

“Spirit of the Living God –fall fresh on me –Fill me –Use me --

Well here it is in  the song:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BagH-zTfnsQ

If this becomes your heart’s prayer, then the following song tells of  the result –sung by a college singing group, called Heritage Singers-–don’t laugh at the 70’s people !–the way MY generation dressed alike in their singing groups (I like it!)  and  notice the hairstyles –and the bell bottom pants!      (You may recall this song played in my car, Vlada and Katience—as sung in church by Steph, Chris and Andrea.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2bIsboZz0g

LOVE,  Barb

WHY I OPPOSE KASICH FOR PRESIDENT --his cupcake instruction

The following is from a Facebook discussion on the GOP candidates:  I was saying Kasich is weak on the religious liberty issue --weak on the defense of those who are being persecuted for refusal to use their businesses for same-sex weddings.  He said they should just get along and "bake the cupcake."  (Wedding cakes, he meant --because the bakers WOULD  bake them generic cupcakes.)

LGBT's SHOULD  be treated equally --but not accommodated (or financially enabled) nor even CONDONED and HELPED in their confusion-- nor should our young be encouraged toward this disorientation and gender identity problem --which is what is happening now. More and more youth are pondering "Wonder if....?" --and then "sex-perimenting" with same gender friends -damaging their self-image-and then becoming addicted to orgasms abnormally achieved --and putting themselves at high risk for STD's.

The Bible-believing Christians (and even Muslims who agree on this one issue) do believe Gender is an assignment,  as both Moses wrote it in Genesis and Jesus said it in Matt. 19:4-6. We are created male and female --it is an assignment from God and the Bible says he literally HATES it when we seek orgasms outside hetero-marriage. He forbade it --seeing that people animalistically were seeking them any way they could get them - and promiscuously --to their everlasting detriment.

It is natural for kids to idolize and even envy same gender friends --and to long for such friendship with admired persons. This is not to be romanticized or sexualized. It is delayed development when kids arrest at the same- sex- preference- for -friendship stage. Many roads lead to this disorientation: relationships with parents, peers, seducers, molesters, and porn --role modeling by others --promotion at schools and in media and entertainment --affecting self-image and gender identity and orientation. ENOUGH ALREADY! WE NEED TO HELP OUR KIDS BE MORAL AND GET TO THE MARITAL ALTAR WITH ONE OF OPPOSITE GENDER.

Homosexual temptation and ideation are like other sins which enslave. Sex-perimentation before marriage with people who don't end up as your spouse --often leads to lifetime of singleness --and with single parenting of fatherless kids, in case of heteros. I am blessed to be growing old with my wonderful husband who has never been with anyone but me --and adores me. We are blessed by the social network and safety net my kids are for us and each other. I want this for others --and for our youth --marriage and sex as God intended it. Church and family make communities and nations strong --and ARE a boon for the economy with families (and church communities) looking out for each other and able to help the poor.

  It SHOULD be a top issue when bakers, photographers, florists, t-shirt designers, wedding chapel owners, and caterers are SUED or FINED out of business as happening right now--because they cannot do gay weddings because of the religiously based convictions about what is RIGHT and what is WRONG in God's sight. The State is denying them their first amendment right to freedom of religion. This will eventually--soon--extend to the Christian churches and colleges and schools --which already may have to ADMIT self-identified homosexuals and transgenders to their student bodies in order to compete for tax dollars for their students -- and will be sued if they TEACH the Bible on the topic and don't provide unisex bathrooms, dorm rooms, etc. In Canada the preachers can't broadcast on this topic. A Swedish pastor announced he WOULD preach against homosexuality and the nation took a fresh look at his religious rights by THEIR courts and legislatures to keep him out of jail and let him preach the Bible as written. All based on the lie that homosexuality and gender dysphoria are in-born --genetic. They are not (granted the very rare cases of extra x or y on chromosomes --who usually identify early on as male or female according to predominant characteristics of their anatomy and live successfuly, accordingly, though are sterile. They are the only ones entitled to confusion. The rest of us have an assignment with our anatomy to live as male or female --either in heterosexual monogamy or celibate. That would end ALL STD's, you know --and most poverty related to single parenting.

 These people who are being sued or fined did not refuse to do business with LGBT's --just not wedding business because they know marriage is a sacred matter and defined as union of man and woman by our Creator. the T shirt guy refused pride parade business. They recommended others they knew would do the businessfor them--but LGBT's won't be satisfied until there is no whisper of stigma against their unions as perverse -- and they intend to persecute Christians until they are quiet on the topic -- such that culture loses their sense of right and wrong about sexuality. "Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people." We fear the removal of God's hand of blessing on the USA if we continue down this hedonistic, selfish path regarding sex --and it's not just the LGBT's at fault, either.

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

RATIONALE FOR FAITH --TO AN ATHEIST WHO DEFENDS GAY MARRIAGE

RESPONDING TO AN ATHEIST WITH WHOM I HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING  GAY MARRIAGE AT THE ADF WEBSITE (ALLIANCE DEFENDING FREEDOM)

Yes, our Creator allows judgment, death, troubles in this world --but as Jesus said, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." Hallelujah!!

IT SHOULD BE NOTED  how none of the 21 (OR 22)  Egyptians who were beheaded recently renounced Christ -- some praised Him as they died and it was heard on the videos ISIS released --and the mother of two slain brothers said her boys went straight to Heaven and she would forgive their slayers, invite them into her home, and share her faith-- as Christ forgives.

See the SAT7 website  on this and how the ISIS tapes have fortified Christian faith instead of terrorizing them--on Lebanese Christian tv throughout the middle east. That's the Christian difference: forgiveness of those who trespass against us. Rather than "eye for an eye" --which is strict justice. It's against our human nature to forgive, but the Holy Spirit enables perfect love. (That doesn't mean the world's latest bullies shouldn't be stopped forcibly--just as happened in the Old Testament.)

We are the planet shadowed by evil --where the light strives with the darkness for dominance. Jesus --the light of the world.

YOU and I might have created a world where man could not have chosen to sin -- no free will with which to  worship and believe in God or not.  I  don't know any reason for a blood atonement for sin --but the Bible says that "life is in the blood." Whether sacrifice for atonement was God's idea or primitive man's matters not --it's the idea in every people group and it is demanded of Cain and Abel in Genesis.  Ever since, all people groups have appeased the deities that they were sure were there.

How else could you explain beautiful earth, with life-sustaining elements --and our bodies so compatible for each other as male and female to procreate the human race --like all other creatures with gender.  We have beautiful colors to see --and eyes to see color. Beautiful music to create and hear --and ears to hear. Amazing computer brains which have invented so much helpful and life-easing technology using God's principles of science and math. A night light in the moon; the sun for day and to nurture all life. And amazing water --which sustains life, cleanses, refreshes, cooks, transports, and provides fun and sport -- and is beautiful to look upon.

No designer? No Creator? in all the vast universe with all its barren planets --we have earth --and people --and creatures --and food --and happiness and love amidst sorrows and hardships.

Into this world stepped Jesus Christ --who died a criminal's death --and was raised to life 3 days later. And raised others and healed many --and calmed the sea --and changed water to wine --and ascended before hundreds --jump-starting the church.

A favorite story of mine is found in Acts 3 and 4 --after Christs' crucifixion, etc. --when Peter and John go into Jerusalem, heal a man lame from birth who sits at the gate called "Beautiful," and Peter preaches a powerful, contemporary sermon to the Jews there --telling them what they have done --and that Jesus arose! They said there were 5000 converted that day. The authorities marveled at the eloquence of these unlearned fishermen from Galilee. It's a great read --can be found at Bible Gateway.com. https://www.biblegateway.com/p...

When you say Christians divorce at the same rate as non-Christians, you'd be including a lot of "nominal" Christians who claim Christianity like an ethnicity. The question would be, do the Bible- believers who take their faith personally and seriously divorce at the same rate as nominal Christians? I doubt they do. Certainly not in the church and Christian circles in which I circulate. Also, the divorce rate is pushed higher by the divorced themselves who marry and often divorce again --and again. I heard that recently that it's the oft-divorced and re-married who push up the divorce stats.
Granted, what I want is irrelevant --what God wants is not. What HE intended about gender and what HE says about homosexual relations in His book --and what biology says about the purpose of gender --all relevant.

I don't work for any of your named groups --but I support them. and agree with them --ACLJ, ADF, AFA, Focus on the Family, --just basic Christianity which says celibate singlehood, heterosexual marriage and parenting are God's design for gender --and homosexual coupling is not.
What is your dog in this "fight" anyway? Are you homosexual yourself --which would explain your efforts here?

You malign Christians as having "illogical hatred." We don't. I don't hate homosexuals. I just wouldn't participate in their weddings in any way because of my Bible-based belief that God doesn't force us to be homosexual --doesn't design us to be homosexual --doesn't want us to be homosexual --it is sin --like many other sins for which we do not or ought not have "pride." Like any other sexual temptation that afflicts mankind, homosexual sex acts can be avoided.

IF there is a God, as our founders mostly believed, it behooves us to define right and wrong as He does. "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people."

Bless you as you pursue truth.

^{2 Peter 3: 9} The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.  "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  1 John 1:9   "For God sent not His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."  John 3:16

Bedrooms and Happiness --a Correlation for Political Concern

My response to a liberal Christian --on  bedroom issues of politics --which she believed should be irrelevant concern for the Church today:

Bedrooms have a great deal to do with happiness, actually.   Pre-marital fornication and Adultery are ruinous for the faithful who love --and  ruinous for their children --and expensive when  they cause divorce and the need for gov't subsidies.  Divorce and bed-hopping result in multiple households needing money and lacking the love and supervision of mom and dad as faithful role models in the home.

The increasing prevalence of  oral sex cancers is going to come as a shock for those who said "it's not sex"  --as in "I didn't have 'sex' with that woman."   Sexual promiscuity of sodomy practitioners from America  gave the nation AIDS and they still have 2/3 of the 50,000 known new cases annually in US.  though they are less than 4% of the population so far.  Expect that percentage to go up with heteros approving and sex-perimenting with the same behaviors as LGBT's --which young women in my day knew were repugnant.  

It may take awhile --but when our national economy collapses (many say this year)  --and the poor (and the drug addicted) rise up in fury and hit the streets and neighborhoods with break ins and looting because the freebies run out  to which they are "entitled" -- you may have to re-think your view that bedroom activity was irrelevant and merely divisive.  It's divisive alright --especially between the workers and the poor on entitlements  who are making babies without fidelity or marriage --without  good education and supervision of their  disrespectful kids --who make some teachers' and school peers' lives (and malls) a living H.  (Which is why the respectful and diligent kids and parents should have a voucher system to take their education money to other schools --including  private and religious schools.) 

You think that homosexual marriage has nothing to do with this --yes, it does.  It spreads its lies about God and man and God's plan for gender --to kids who now feel licensed by media and SEICUS (the professional sex educators)  to "sex-plore" their sexuality.  Being immature youth, they are NOT responsible to use the condoms --after all, if we get pregnant we can get an abortion.  But they ACT oblivious to the STD risk --no matter how educated they are on the topic.  TV and rappers give a false sense of security about results of promiscuity.  "Not me" --or "it can be fixed."
Parents are distracted by their own troubles and their careers  and their own messed up bed lives--leaving kids alone with peers after school --to their risk.  Some live in neighborhoods with lots of youth and no sober parents home.   The adults have  lost control and respect long ago --because they come from the same kind of youthful sex-perimenting  with  unwed teen pregnancy themselves.  This problem is epidemic. and inter-generational.   (Remember 84% of Chicago black youth being single parented  and mostly gov't dependent--and thus vulnerable to all the dysfunction of gang life --many illegally-owned guns and  deaths and headed for jail.)  White youth are now up to almost 1/3 single parented.
Believe me, our sex life matters.

As for the rest of your post --what a party  believes and says it will work for in a political platform CAN be morally superior.   Dems think they are morally superior about the environment and compassion. which they want expressed through money borrowed from China --who owns us now.  I think the GOP HAS been morally superior about  very important matters of immigrating legally, faith-based compassion and social aid and the right of religious groups to compete for public aid same as secular groups --because they ARE more efficacious in improving people's lives, REALLY helping the poor, and  getting over addictions, etc.  The GOP's stance on porn, marriage and abortion IS superior morally and put there BY and FOR voters like me --whether or not there are some hypocritical politicians on the Right who don't sincerely care about anything but lower taxes and smaller gov't. and getting elected for their overly generous lifetime pensions and perks and connections for  personal wealth-building  --advantages to politicians of the Left and the Right.  (Feinstein's husband is reportedly making BILLIONS handling the sale of the closed post offices.  Why so much?  Why isn't that put back into federal debt pay off?)  Of course he will also fund democratic campaigns with his windfall.

Conservative religious Christian people truly are not as prone to egregious bad behavior as others.  They surround themselves with christian radio, tv, Bible study, prayer, accountability to church discipline, sermons and fellowship, and our churches just aren't hotbeds of lust and carnal activity.  Even at their wedding dances, you don't see people dancing with anyone but their own spouses or kids.   I've never seen married people fliirting with others like on tv  --except at medical receptions and school board convention socials  where the bar is open.  

I've been around a lot of churches and church people all my life --and they are truly more moral than the general public --nonsmokers, non-drinkers, faithful husbands and wives, salt of the earth in their neighborhoods, church communities and school communities.   I've never known a philandering pastor, though I've heard of them in some denominations.   My husband has been a devout compassionate Christian MD  who works with and on women all the time --and has proven himself trustworthy --though handsome and desirable by anyone's description.  He fears God --even more than me!     He earnestly wants to be remembered as God's man --so that Christ won't say to Him in eternity "Depart from me --I never knew you."  He wants to set a good example for his kids and theirs.  And he does.   With my understanding of the weaknesses of men, I was not automatically a trusting wife --he turned heads when we walked into that hospital for a tour of his residency hospital with his plain pregnant wife beside him.  I felt inferior (was) but he never let me feel that way  --because of Christ in Him.

I'd like all people to be so blessed in their marriages --and I KNOW what makes for those blessings --faith in the living Christ and involvement in a Biblically faithful Christian church.    That's not a Pharisaical statement of Christians being saved by their works and goodness --no, it's CHRIST's perfection and sacrifice which atones for our sins --and we respond by trying to be "More like the Master."  (a song --More like the master I would ever be --more of his love and more humility....")   We don't attain "perfect love"  but we strive for it.  And I love any homosexuals whom I know --but loving does not mean approving their relationships or agenda --perpetuating the lie about God and His plan for gender.  They can truly love and be faithful to a partner --they can live outwardly respectable lives on par with heteros --but they are still missing the boat of God's Design for Gender --and encouraging others to do so by their examples.
"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible

The Alcorn Boy Who Wanted to be Leelah

To One of the Facebook Memorial pages: 

You have no business telling this grieving family that they have to bury their son using a girl's name --which I understand to be on the agenda of these memorial and vigil events. The consequences of the LGBT ideation, ideology, idolatry of self over God and others are sad ones. Depression comes with the decision to be what we are not --and act as we should not. Every effort should be made by parents, society, and church to prevent this sad mental dissatisfaction with one's gender identity and assignment. We should be more vigilant to protect the kids from those who want them to become sexually active early --either gender. We don't need sex educators telling them the only risks to early sex occur if you don't use condoms. There is no condom for one's self-esteem, gender self-image, or sex addiction.

We've caved to temptation and evil-doing in every way lately. Our permissive PC culture has decided that If people want to be stoned on marijuana, we should just legalize it. If thugs want to break the law, we call them "gentle giants." If presidents want to have sex with interns, we'll make them our party heroes. If people want to have experimental marriage and shack up, that's OK. If people break the law to get into our country, we'll give them benefits. If they want to cheat at the voting booth, we'll look the other way. If they want to make babies with multiple partners, we should pay for them and their children --because goodness knows, no one can afford more than one household. If people want to be the opposite gender, we should provide their mutilation surgery, sterilization of their healthy procreative bodies, and their lifetime of hormones to maintain the deception. If people want to have anal and oral sex with persons of their own gender, we should call it marriage instead of sodomy. We are probably in the last days --when evil is called good and good, evil, according to the Bible.

Former Lesbian, now Christian married to a man and happy to be so, Rosaria Butterfield, says, "We are all born that way." i.e. born with a sin nature --all temptable by many sins.

.The devil had his way with this young man--sin always brings us down. Satan wants the death of humanity. He loves abortion, LGBT thinking, depression and suicide. Sin is sin--and sin matters. His death was a tragedy --and he was not a girl --even though he wanted to be. Where did he get the idea it wasn't sufficient to be a male --or that HE made a better female? from family--or bullying peers. from culture's propaganda --or from Satan himself?"


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