The Emergent Church --Making NIce?

I'd welcome input here about "the emergent church."

My impression is that it is a phrase to describe a contemporary evangelical movement --away from political activism and toward just being "nice."

Of course, the church would not be persecuted if it is merely "nice" and "inoffensive, " and "politically correct," would it?

Is there nothing we should do or say that might get us persecuted? make us hated? crucified?

That's not the whole Gospel, is it??

Seems I recall Jesus calling people a "generation of vipers" who rejected and killed the prophets.
Offensive words!

Of course we are to love neighbor, brother, enemy. But there is no Biblical call to soft-soap truths that are difficult for modern people to swallow --like standing up for sexual morality and traditional marriage and not "shacking up." Against transgendering and gender-bending of all sorts.

After all, Jesus said a man should leave his parents and cleave to a wife. (Though I sure do like to have Rob around to take out the 5 live mice and one dead one in traps in the basement! Boy, we'll miss him when he leaves and cleaves!! )




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

Day of Truth Response to Day of Silence

It's a shame that the subject even comes up in public schools, but since it does, due to gay activism, the Baptist Press printed the following in 2005:

Posted on Mar 29, 2005 | by Michael Foust (LINK)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--The "Day of Silence" -- the annual homosexual-themed day involving thousands of public school and college students nationwide -- will have a Christian counterpart this year.

The "Day of Truth" will serve as a counterpart to the "Day of Silence," allowing Christian students to take a stand for their beliefs. It will take place April 14, one day after the Day of Silence.

Day of Truth participants will wear a T-shirt reading, "The Truth Cannot Be Silenced," and also will pass out cards to their classmates expressing their beliefs. The inaugural event is being sponsored by the pro-family legal group Alliance Defense Fund and is being promoted by pro-family groups nationwide.

Its counterpart, the Day of Silence, is sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network and began in 1996 with students vowing a day of silence as a way to protest what homosexual activists see as discrimination against homosexuals, lesbians and "transsexuals." It has since boomed, and organizers say last year an estimated 100,000 students participated. In some instances, school officials have taken part, creating uncomfortable situations for conservative students.

Joe Infranco, a senior attorney with the Alliance Defense Fund, said too many students have heard a "one-sided message" on homosexuality within their schools.

"In one sense [the Day of Truth] is a response to the Day of Silence," Infranco told Baptist Press. "In another sense it's an attempt to break this public school indoctrination in favor of homosexuality."

The Day of Truth is being held the day after the Day of Silence for a reason, Infranco said.

"We wanted to be respectful and permit the other side their day to express their message," he said. "We're not afraid to have the Gospel compete in the marketplace of ideas."

But there also is a legal reason it's being held when it is.

"Any school that permits the Day of Silence will be required to permit the Day of Truth," Infranco said. "For a school to allow the former and not the latter would be viewpoint discrimination, which is impermissible under any circumstances. The courts have unanimously struck down any restrictions based on viewpoint discrimination."

The Alliance Defense Fund has pledged free legal representation to any student who is discriminated against because of their Day of Truth participation, Infranco said.

The Day of Truth was inspired partly by Chase Harper, a San Diego-area high school student who opposed students in his school participating in the Day of Silence. Last year he was suspended after wearing a homemade T-shirt that read on the front, "Be Ashamed" and "Our School Embraced What God Has Condemned," and on the back read, "Homosexuality is Shameful" and "Romans 1:27."

ADF filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Harper, claiming that school officials participated in the Day of Silence and that Harper's religious freedoms were violated. The lawsuit is still pending.

"The school that he attends was getting increasingly active with the Day of Silence," Infranco said. "In fact, they were stretching the events out to nearly a week. They were purposefully setting up the school schedule and events to accommodate the Day of Silence. There was tremendous pressure being exerted on the students to be a part of this and to approve of this."

The card that Day of Truth students will pass out reads: "I am speaking the Truth to break the silence. I believe in equal treatment for all, and not special rights for a few. I believe in loving my neighbor, but part of that love means not condoning detrimental personal and social behavior. I believe that by boldly proclaiming the Truth, hurts will be halted, hearts will be healed, and lives will be saved."

Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, said the Day of Truth is a good way to counter the Day of Silence.

“The Day of Silence is a misnomer, because what is truly being silenced is the truth," Land said. "The Day of Truth is an excellent opportunity for students to influence their classmates from a Christian perspective.”

On the issue of homosexuality, Infranco said, many people feel they "don't have a voice."

"For many people [the Day of Truth] is a point of entry into the debate," he said, "and it's a way that they can respectfully and in a Christ-like manner say, 'We do not approve of this message. We don't approve of the lifestyle. And we think it's important that there be an alternative voice in society.'"



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

OPEN LETTER TO BEDFORD H.S. ON THEIR CREDIT FOR DAY OF SILENCE

Administrators

Bedford High School

47 B Nashua Road

Bedford, New Hampshire

Dear Sirs:

We were concerned to hear about your advancement of the homosexual agenda through giving academic credit for participation in the Day of Silence. We can understand teachers appreciating silence, but you need to be aware that young people often have some homosexual attractions that do not determine they will feel homosexual or live that way as adults. We really don’t want them exploring sexuality to find out if they are hetero- or homosexual. The public health risks for homosexuals are overall much greater than those of heterosexuals, due to the nature of the activities. All sexual activity before marriage should be discouraged in youth for their own and society’s good.

It is our conviction that adulterers, sexually active unmarrieds, people who live together sexually without marriage, pedophiles, incestors and homosexuals --all have choice that starts in the mind. They share in common a fixation, compulsion and preference, an indulgence in activity that should be rejected at the mind’s entry-way. If we view it as wrong to be fixated sexually on under-age youth or other people’s spouses, why are we more sympathetic to activities like anal sodomy and same sex relations?

While it is true that homosexuality is rarely observed in nature among animals, we are not animals. We have discernment and choice. We have a respectable drive to procreate –and it is most beneficial within life-time heterosexual marriage. All other sexual behavior is inevitably frought with difficulties, especially for our offspring.

We influence youth. Encouraging the Day of Silence in favor of homosexual activism is not a wholesome, positive direction.

The American College of Pediatric Physicians has recently notified schools that it is harmful to promote and encourage homosexual identity and activity among youth.

Sincerely,

Now, will the schools allow the rebuttal in a Day of Truth observance? See the next article.

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

An Atheist's Question and My Response

A self-proclaimed atheist blogger wrote: I believe in freedom of ideas and beliefs, and this means that you are allowed to believe in god and I am allowed to believe god is all xxxxxx, yes? Do you have a problem with this? Or do you believe your right to believe in god is greater than my right to NOT believe in it?

Of course you have your right and freedom to believe whatever you wish. You have the right to be wrong, too. In religion it is called “free will.” Your right to disbelieve is as great as the right to believe –but that doesn’t mean you ARE right –or that God will honor your unbelief the same as He promises to reward belief. That’s the risk you choose to take.

When you look at nature and all the life forms and their ingenious designs –their amazing functions –the interdependence of their working parts –the interdependence of every part of a living cell –the amazing beauty and balance of elements sustaining life on our planet –the amazing colors and your eyes which can see those colors and transmit the messages of beauty to your amazing brain–how can you think all of this just “happened?” The intricacies of life certainly SEEM to be DESIGNED –they are amazing! If they seem so “designed,” why not a designer? And if there’s a designer, why would He not make Himself known to people?

I believe He has. That’s the message of the Bible –that God has revealed Himself clearly throughout all that He has made --throughout all of history and the written Word –(and yet, subtly, to us today, who do not claim to hear audible voices –but more like inspiration and HIs presence --and yes, through the truths of the Word) –and then He sent His son who did amazing exploits –like miraculous healings and rising from the dead –so that we would believe and KNOW HIM –and emulate Him –and be filled with His Spirit –and live forever.

No one says you HAVE to believe it –it’s a choice. But believers believe that it is a choice with consequences here and now –and forever. God loves us –and has offered us immortality.

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

Modern Day Miracle --Listen to the whole Tape!

This moved me to tears. It will bless you. The healing of Rev. Duane Miller:


Edit:
For some reason, after a couple of trys, the wrong video was embedded. Here's a link to the video at tangle.


Duane Miller, the subject of the video has a website here:

link



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

Revised: My Reaction to Newsweek, April 4th ~ on Iraq War Vets

Iraq War --Julia Baird writes on The Moral Weight of War: the Marines Deserve to know the Truth ~ based on her review of Mike Sciotti's documentary Severe Clear.

The upshot of this article is that soldiers/marines coming home were disillusioned in that there were not significant findings of WMD's. She says rightly that there is psychological anguish about killing in general --and moral guilt --but especially when they get home and hear they "may not have needed to be there in the first place."

I believe there WAS evidence of a WMD agenda --and that it certainly was NO LIE that WMD were suspected and that Iraq had proven itself dangerous and would continue to be under Sadam, sharing the malicious vision of al Qaeda toward the U.S. and Israel. They did harbor one of Osama's leading ideological bed-fellows, injured in Afghanistan, in their hospital before the war and we had no reason to believe Sadam would not harbor and help fund all of al Qaeda, given the chance, considering his hatred of the U.S.

The Congressional Quarterly reported that "more U.S. military personnel had killed themselves in 2009 than had been killed in either" of our two wars that year. (Maybe they were depressed about Obama's weak commitment to national security and the fear that his general liberalness would result in reducing our nuclear capabilities, putting gays in the military, and pulling us out of the middle east too soon, undoing the purpose of all the sacrifices we made there.)

She concluded that the soldiers ended up suicidal because of this lack of WMD, plus the deaths and general carnage of war. CBS reported that young vets killed themselves at 2 and 4 x the rate of civilians aged 20-24 in the year 2005. In their 2007 report, CBS claimed that 120 vets of all ages committed suicide each week in America in the year 2005. These were not all vets from the current war on terror, however. She didn't print that figure.

I feel dreadful about war's effects on the maimed soldiers. If anyone should feel depressed, these should. The marvel is that, like the Christian Joni Tada, many of these do far better than could be expected with their limitations --and there are certainly many charitable groups raising money to help the vets and their families. And the gov't owes them.

But who has researched the reasons behind veteran suicides in 2005 or the personnel suicides of 2009?? How many were depressed because their marriages failed or their girlfriends didn't wait for them? No doubt PTSD (post traumatic....) played a role as with the Nam vets. But I wonder if for some it isn't like the end of your run in a dramatic event, a musical or play -- a let down. You aren't with your unit anymore. You come home to find your family is still dysfunctional. And there's no job --certainly none with the camaraderie and high drama of war -where you are at least treated like grown-ups for the most part though your days are planned for you.

It's interesting that the attitude about going to Iraq hasn't seemed as bad or as feared as the troops going to Viet Nam. Perhaps because in the Green Zone, life included good food, entertainment, tv, video games and women--at least some of the comforts of home? Plus the ability to phone and have email (to a point?) and not feel so completely shut off from home? Plus the fact that the soldiers were not drafted. And some CO's were better than parents.

Furthermore, I know some vets--they felt good about their service and their humanitarian works in Iraq. They took the hot weather, their heavy body gear, the danger and the deaths of their friends with the bravery of real men who believed their cause was just and that their dead friends were heroes with a heavenly destiny --and Iraqi people have expressed appreciation to them individually. After all, who wants their country ruled by those who would shred human beings, behead strangers, hide behind women's skirts, and blow up their own children's schools and public places? Who wouldn't welcome peace, order, and democracy --as these people did with their votes.

It's not surprising, however, that there are different perspectives and propaganda among soldiers as everywhere else. Surely, a great many of them come from democratic party homes --and surely some would be malcontents in any setting. And a certain percentage of the young vets would certainly be depressed because there was no job or career awaiting them at home.

And sadly, our colleges can't guarantee that anything they are teaching will result in a job. That's depressing, too.





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

AMERICAN COLLEGE OF PEDIATRICIANS WARNS SCHOOLS AGAINST GAY DIAGNOSES IN KIDS

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=137709

Hurrah! Some common sense among physicians! This is an article in WorldNet Daily that every educator and parent needs to read.



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

Hey Don't Say Gay -- article by a Baptist, Alan Dunn

Piano Princess sent me this by email:

Hey Don’t Say Gay
In Reformed Baptist Fellowship on Monday, February 16, 2009 at 3:50 pm

Recently I conducted the wedding of an unconverted couple with whom I met some dozen times for premarital counseling. Alas, during the wedding I committed a costly cultural crime. I commended the couple for getting their sexuality aligned with biblical norms in a day of rampant fornication, adultery and homosexuality. That was it: one innocuous reference to homosexuality in a list of sexual sins. The fornicators and adulterers in the crowd apparently took the comment in stride. But the homosexuals and a surprising coterie of the concerned complained to the couple. My cultural faux pas has occasioned a fresh realization of just how far common grace has eroded.

It’s not like I’m unaware that homosexual activists are being culturally successful. Their success at cultural infiltration has happened in my generation. I remember attending the first meeting of a new homosexual campus group at a state university in Ohio in 1973. I wanted to hear how these people were justifying themselves and what they hoped to accomplish. When the time came for input from the audience, I asserted that their main concern should not be their sexuality but their idolatry. Scowls and murmured opposition turned into shouting abuse after I read Romans 1:24-27. For the rest of the meeting I was honored to be the example of the kind of people the gay group needed to silence. I knew, of course, that it was not me they wanted to silence, but the voice of God speaking to their conscience in the words of Scripture.

In the 1980’s the gay movement swelled. Marshall Kirk, a researcher in neuropsychiatry, and Hunter Madsen, a public relations consultant, set the gay agenda in their 1989 book After The Ball: How America Will Conquer Its Fear and Hatred of Gays in the 90’s. The book urged gay activists to target three sectors of society: the media, the judiciary, and the institutions of education. They advanced a six-point strategy:

• Talk about gays and gayness as loudly and often as possible.

• Portray gays as victims, not aggressive challengers.

• Give homosexual protectors a “just” cause.

• Make gays look good.

• Make the victimizers look bad.

• Solicit funds from corporate America and major foundations in support of the homosexual cause.

The onslaught of AIDS in the 90’s set the stage to promote the profile of victimization and advance the language of “rights-speak” to move the discussion away from sexual sin into civil rights and needed legislation. The media, the judiciary, and the educational institutions have extensively become conduits to convey the “gospel of gay” to an American populace increasingly ignorant of the “gospel of God.”

The argument that we meet now is the “they were born that way,” natural orientation argument. In other words, the issue is not what homosexuals do but what they are. The terms “sexual preference” used in the 70’s and 80’s revealed too much of an exercise of personal choice. Now the issue concerns “sexual orientation,” a much more clinically sounding term that points to biology, nature. I admit that sorting through all this “orientation” stuff is not easy. There is no scientific consensus that homosexuality originates in genes, or parental influences, or cultural conditioning, or any combination thereof.

As a fallen creature, it doesn’t surprise me that my physiological and psychological proclivities render me liable to certain sins more than others. Psalm 58:3 The wicked are estranged from the womb, these who speak lies go astray from birth. Scripture teaches me that I am a “natural” liar. In my now fallen nature, I am born with an inbred orientation to lie. Lying may come naturally to me, but “to lie” is still an act, a behavior which is measured by God’s moral law. The act of lying is not rendered less immoral simply because the Bible tells me that I’m a natural-born liar. No, I’m naturally born in real trouble. Both my fallen nature and my sinful acts render me blame-worthy before a holy God. I need to be saved, big time!

Could a man, in this fallen state, have an inbred orientation to homosexuality? That’s where the debate rages. But is not homosexuality constituted by one’s sexual acts? Do not homosexual acts first serve to identify the homosexual who only after indulging in such activity has warrant to even ask “Was I born this way?” What pattern of sin, sexual or otherwise, is not traceable to our fallen nature? If we were not sinful, we would not sin. Who of us does not go astray from birth into various patterns of sin?

Peter tells us that righteous Lot (was) oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (2 Peter 2:7). The word oppressed means tormented, distressed, or worn out: subdued after a hard struggle. Lot was offended by Sodom’s society, but he eventually capitulated and was worn down by the oppressive prevalence of their sensual conduct. Are we being worn down, subdued after a struggle? Mark Bergin’s article “Evangelical Shift” ( WORLD January 31, 2008 ) indicates that we are.

A Pew survey from 2006 revealed that 30 percent of white evangelicals and 35 percent of black Protestants favor same-sex civil unions. Another Pew study from last year found that 14 percent of all white evangelicals and 15 percent of all black evangelicals support the more radical same-sex marriage.

What’s more, a Greenberg Quinlan Rosner survey conducted for Religion and Ethics NewsWeekly in September found that 58 percent of white evangelicals ages 18 to 29 support either gay marriage or civil unions. For those 30 years and older, the number dipped to 46 percent. (The Rosner poll included those who identified themselves as fundamentalist, evangelical, charismatic, or Pentecostal or who said they were born-again Christians.)

According to the Rosner poll, a full quarter of white evangelical young adults agree that “gay and lesbian couples should have the same legal right to marry as do a man and a woman.”

The spike in such nontraditional views among youth suggests substantial movement on the issue over the past decade. But is a reexamination of Scripture driving that shift?

Good question, Mark. Are almost 50 percent of Evangelicals being Scriptural or being subdued? We cannot allow the homosexual agenda to wear us down. Al Mohler concludes his 2008 volume Desire and Deceit: The Real Cost of the New Sexual Tolerance by alerting us to seven strategies homosexual activists are employing to wear us down:

1. The psychological strategy: to change the discussion from what a person does to what his self-conscious orientation is. This strategy seeks to remove moral accountability from sexuality.

2. The medical strategy: “Anything that can be ‘psychologized’ can also be ‘medicalized.’” The history behind the American Psychiatric Association’s decision to remove homosexuality from The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1973 reveals a rationale of political and ideological pressure, not the scientific discovery that homosexuality is in fact, normal. Mohler points out that the APA’s decision not only affected how we are to view homosexuality, but also how we are to view ourselves. One day in 1973 the AP agreed that an indicator of healthy moral thinking was to view homosexuality as abnormal. The next day the APA saw such a view as unhealthy, bigoted, repressive, whereas they then saw the evidence of mental health to be an acceptance of homosexuality as an “alternative lifestyle.”

3. The political strategy has been the least effective. Recent voting indicates the American populace, while being worn down, is yet reluctant to give homosexuality full societal sanction.

4. The legal strategy however has been very effective. (See Robert Bork, Slouching Towards Gomorrah, Regan Books, 1996 which argues that the radicals of the 60’s, bent on social engineering, have extensively permeated the judiciary.)

5. The educational strategy seeks to separate the child from his or her parents and to advance deviant sex education curricula from elementary schools through universities.

6. The cultural strategy employs the media and entertainment industries.

7. The theological strategy seeks to dismantle biblical morality in those institutions which train future leaders of the church. Activists justify sexual perversion with a perverted, twisted interpretation of biblical texts which clearly indict homosexuality as abominable sin. (See Al Mohler’s Bog, “Sex and the Seminary” January 13, 2009 for an eye-opening look at the audacity of those pushing this agenda into the theological arena.)

Mohler concludes his book warning of the potential collapse of Western culture if society allows ungodly social engineers to dismantle the moral foundations of sexual normalcy and the family. He calls us to counter the attack at each of the seven battle lines drawn above. He urges us to bear witness by being ourselves sexually pure and exemplifying godly family life. He calls for us as Christians and as churches to reach into the lives of those ensnared in sexual sin and declare the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are all only saved sinners.

Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

We need to call men to be what God created us to be: image of God. Only in Christ are sinners of every sort remade in God’s image, and given the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth (Ephesians 4:24).

Alan Dunn

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

Investor's Business Daily on Healthcare and Businessmen in Presidential Cabinets

From the ol' Email Bag!

A recent "Investor's Business Daily" article provided very interesting statistics from a survey by
the United Nations International Health Organization, England & Canada.

Percentage of men and women who survived a cancer five years after diagnosis:
U.S. 65%
England 46%
Canada 42%

Percentage of patients diagnosed with diabetes who received treatment within six months:
U.S. 93%
England 15%
Canada 43%

Percentage of seniors needing hip replacement who received it within six months:
U.S. 90%
England 15%
Canada 43%

Percentage referred to a medical specialist who see one within one month:
U.S. 77%
England 40%
Canada 43%

Number of MRI scanners (a prime diagnostic tool) per million people:
U.S. 71
England 14
Canada 18

Percentage of seniors (65+), with low income, who say they are in "excellent health":
U.S. 12%
England 2%
Canada 6%

I don't know about you, but I don't want "Universal Healthcare" comparable to England and Canada .

Moreover, it was Sen. Harry Reid who said, "Elderly Americans must learn to accept the
inconveniences of old age."

SHIP HIS BUTT TO CANADA OR ENGLAND !

He is "elderly" himself but be sure to remember his health insurance is different from yours as
Congress has their own high-end coverage! He will never have to learn to accept "inconveniences!"

AND THE WINNER IS VERY INTERESTING!
The percentage of each past president's cabinet who had worked in the private business sector prior
to their appointment to the cabinet. You know what the private business sector is? A real life business,
not a government job. Here are the percentages.

T. Roosevelt.........38%
Taft......................40%
Wilson ................52%
Harding................49%
Coolidge..............48%
Hoover.................42%
F. Roosevelt.........50%
Truman................50%
Eisenhower..........57%
Kennedy...............30%
Johnson...............47%
Nixon...................53%
Ford.....................42%
Carter...................32%
Reagan.................56%
GH Bush...............51%
Clinton.................39%
GW Bush..............55%
And the winner of the Chicken Dinner is: Obama....8%!

Is this because he wants to be the smartest one in the room?

Yep! That's right! Only Eight Percent!!! The least by far of the last 19 presidents! And these people
are trying to tell our big corporations how to run their business? They know what's best for GM...
Chrysler...Wall Street...and you and me?
GOD HELP US!!

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

CAN THIS BE SO? ILLEGALS GETTING MORE MONEY THAN CITIZENS IN USA?

I got this in an email -haven't gone to SNOPES yet. You can!

Having spent three weeks in a hospital in Naples, Florida with my wife I couldn't help noticing what was going on in the hospital and I had a lot of time to talk to the doctors and nurses about what I had observed. Below is a commentary from an ER Doctor. Do you think this might be a big reason our health care system and our social security system are so screwed up? Do you think this might be a big reason our taxes keep going up? Who do you think these people are going to vote for?
From a Florida ER doctor:

"I live and work in a state overrun with illegals. They make more money having kids than we earn working full-time. Today I had a 25-year old with 8 kids - that's right 8; all illegal anchor babies and she had the nicest nails, cell phone, hand bag, clothing, etc. She makes about $1,500 monthly for each; you do the math. I used to say, "We are the dumbest nation on earth." Now I must say and sadly admit: WE are the dumbest people on earth (that includes ME) for we elected the idiot idealogues who have passed the bills that allow this. Sorry, but we need a revolution. Vote them all out in 2010. "

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--- REMEMBER ---
IN NOVEMBER 2010, WE HAVE A GOLDENOPPORTUNITYTO CLEAN OUT THE ENTIRE HOUSE AND ONE-THIRD OF THE SENATE!

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This is an insult and a kick in the butt to all of us...

Get mad and pass it on - I don't know how, but maybe some good will come of this travesty.
If the immigrant is over 65, they can apply for SSI and Medicaid and get more than a woman on Social Security, who worked from 1944 until 2004.
She is only getting $791 per month because she was born in 1924 and there's a 'catch 22.'
It is interesting that the federal government provides a single refugee with a monthly allowance of $1,890. Each can also obtain an additional $580 in social assistance, for a total of $2,470 a month.
This compares to a single pensioner, who after contributing to the growth and development of America for 40 to 50 years, can only receive a monthly maximum of $1,012 in old age pension and Guaranteed Income Supplement.
Maybe our pensioners should apply as refugees!
Consider sending this to all your American friends, so we can all be ticked off and maybe get the refugees cut back to $1,012 and the pensioners up to $2,470. Then we can enjoy some of the money we were forced to submit to the Government over the last 40 or 50 or 60 years. And not to receive a increase for 2010 Vote them all out of office...
Please forward this to every American to expose what our elected politicians have been doing for the past 11 years to over-taxed Americans.
SEND THIS TO EVERY AMERICAN TAXPAYER YOU KNOW.

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

KOHL'S CEO MAKES OBSCENE INCOME --in times when others need jobs

According to the Associated Press, Kevin Mansell, head of Kohl's, Inc., received nearly 9 million last year --down 22 percent from the year before. The bulk of his $11.6 millions in 2008 came as stock options when he was promoted to CEO (Chief Exec. Officer.)

Why do corporate boards do this? Do they really think they couldn't hire a guy for half a million who would be as good as the 9 million a year guy?

I hope Kohls has good benefit and retirement packages for their people. I do believe in business being the provider for their employees --and not the gov't as much.

We are better off when people work for a living and pay taxes --than when they calculate that the gov't should take care of them and will. Of course, the managers and corporate heads deserve to profit from their skills and their years of study, their experience and their MBA degrees. But 9 million dollars a year???? 2 million for the heads of medical corps?

Gee willikers --they WILL work for less --and think what the company could do if they put that money into daycare for employees and exercise rooms, diet plans, etc.? They could help their employees and hire more people.

I call on corporations to help the American economy, starting at the top --before government thinks they can do better --which is what they think now! as they cultivate the non-workers' sense of entitlement to the workers' pay in a nanny nation.




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

HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN, INDEED!!! HFM WORSHIPS!

What a wonderful Holy Week at HFM Church! Palm Sunday's service opened with the children waving palm branches, saying "Hosanna!" as they joined the adult choir in a joint choir number we had all worked on for several weeks. Contemporary and traditional music recalled Christ's entry into Jerusalem as King of the Jews.

On Good Friday, in our 4th annual Tenebrae Service, we were led by scripture and song and our pastor's remarks to reflect on the Last Supper and The Crucifixion. Courtney Simmons and Bill Dusseau read the scriptures most eloquently.

During the service, Patty Bersinger sang her moving rendition of, Watch the Lamb! Inga Wood moved us also with her dramatic reading ofThe Rag Man by Walter Wangerin, Jr. about a rag man (a literary Christ figure) who takes on the rags of others and replaces them with NEW rags --restoring sight, limbs, healing for all. Andrea Conklin, Chrissy Rohrs and Stephanie Rohrs Hulbert sang Calvary Covers It All. Rhoda Roloff soloed about His Kind of Love--and the choir sang a piece, starting with a solo by Andrea, and did a round In the Cross of Christ I Glory, featuring Chrissy as soloist. The choir sang a capella throughout the Communion service, something we had never done before. Congregational songs and responsive readings were included.

I had the honor of playing the chimes --7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, as each of 7 candles was extinguished by Kayla Perez after 7 scripture readings about Christ's final hours --and finally one last chime --as the Christ candle is carried out to signify His death on the cross --and I made the thunder roll on the Korg Keyboard (placed in the balcony for the first time.) And darkness reigned --and then the Christ Candle was brought back in--because Christ's Spirit was not extinguished. We would celebrate His resurrection on the 3rd day after His crucifixion (which was the first of the 3 days.) Then Pastor read Isaiah 53, the pre-Christian, Jewish prophecy which was fulfilled on Good Friday. He dismissed us to go in reflective silence, grateful for the Sacrifice of the Lamb.

Then came Easter joy--Resurrection Sunday! There was a little nip in the air, but the sun was shining, the grass bright green; the birds were making a heavenly chorus --nature's spring-time resurrection --as if they all knew it was a special day! An Easter Sunrise Service was conducted in the yard at the side of the church, followed by a brunch.

After getting Mother ready, I had gone to my car at 8:20 as I had to practice trumpet and keyboard with the worship team. I get the horn out twice a year, Christmas and Easter --and God gives me just enough lip endurance and intonation for the morning's music --no more and no less. It even amazes me that I still have "lip" and decent range and tone quality without any practice! High A! It must be that He likes to hear trumpets! I don't play perfectly --I had one high measure I couldn't master --but if I DID practice, I run the risk of ruining my lip. It's very tricky for me--playing brass. I just can't guarantee my sounds! But I'm always asked to try and it went well this morning.

At the 10:40 service, we were overflowing into our balcony with people! The worship team included Stephanie Hulbert singing at the piano, Andrea Conklin, Courtney Simmons, Joe Conklin, Ashley Perez and Chrissy Rohrs. The new projector brightly showing song lyrics on our screen with Easter backgrounds, the corsaged ladies, the Easter lilies and tulips at the foot of a cross decorated by Conklin with a golden crown and white drape upon it --were all delightful features of a joyous celebration. (I sort of see Sue as like those ladies who took the spices to the tomb --to prepare Jesus' body. She, like those ladies, religiously cares for His house and the decor --preparing for these special high holidays.)

We opened with Up from the Grave He Arose with 6 harmony singers leading, trumpet, simulated pipe organ and piano --and The Easter Song ("Hear those bells ringing..." --with bells on our Keyboard played by Pastor Keith) Christ the Lord is Risen Today with trumpet descant and pipe organ --and then the choir sang a contemporary resurrection song (4 Rohrs, 3 Conklins, Rhoda, Courtney, Patty, Camille, and Paula.) This was followed by 3 contemporary Easter pieces led by singers, with drums, sax, keyboard strings, and piano. The last of the contemporary, celebratory songs was the beautiful, worshipful Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) by Michael W. Smith.

The pre-schoolers were then brought in to see an Easter-themed children's sermon as a puppet show featuring "Jack the Rabbit" with the Whartons and Hulberts behind the curtain.

Before the sermon, John Heisinger sang beautifully the exciting solo, He's Alive!..."and I'm forgiven --Heaven's Gates are opened wide!"

Pastor Keith gave a stirring Easter message on the power that is ours because of the Resurrection --from Ephesians. We concluded singing the traditional gospel song, He Lives! ...Christ Jesus Lives Today ...You ask me how I Know He Lives --He LIVES within MY HEART!"

An Easter to remember --much thanks to the musical planning and labors of Stephanie Hulbert and the prepared, scholarly, eloquent, inspired preaching of Pastor Keith Simpson. Bob Sutton hooked up our new screen projector the day before Easter; Alex Rodewald, Bob Sutton, and Bob Perez gave us good sound and Deanne Simpson and Patty Bersinger ran the lights and song lyrics after Stephanie programmed them.
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After music practice, I had picked up a family of 4, a single mom and her 3 children who don't have a car (the daughter had been my CLC student last year.) I had also picked up a different car-less family for the Tenebrae. Today's family had dinner plans already or I would've had them come to our home for dinner, since our married children were with their in-laws today, leaving only 6 of our family for dinner.
So, we invited a couple with an exchange student from So. Korea and a friend of my son's to join us for Easter dinner at our home --for a total of 10 for dinner. Both Grandmothers were with us, age 87 and 90.

Thanks go to my family for their helps with the dinner. Rob is the masher --potato masher, that is. Chrissy did the table setting, many errands and clean-up. Jon provides more desserts than we need and handled the ham. I plan, give orders, direct traffic, keep the dishes and pans clean as we go, peel potatoes (the night before) and prepare the relish tray and sweet potatoes. Before that, our friend Courtney came Friday to put on table cloths and clean the house --while I dealt with laundry, dishes, mail, paper, mail, magazines, and more paper--and, oh yes, blogging!

I'm tired --but happy. Because He IS Risen! INDEED! And I'm glad that I had signs that I needed a surgery before cancer took my mortal life. Nevertheless, the greatest comfort is the promise of life after death, come what may. Pastor talked about that today--suffering with Christ. If He had to suffer before resurrecting, why should I expect not to? I'm also grateful for the love and support of a dear family --AND church family. God is good and His ways are blessings for our good--in a world where we will have trials and tribulations but grace to bear them. I hope I never fail to look UP, out of the muck and into the light --to receive the crown!




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

It's MUDRAGEOUS to Reward Westboro Baptist Church

Read about another crazy judicial decision in most every newspaper --like this one sent to me in Mudrake's recently deleted (by him) post on my blog.

The Westboro Church and any other group should be denied the right to harrass people and demonstrate negatively at funerals. If people want to stand outside with signs honoring the dead and bearing flowers, that should be legal. But this is an example of hate speech I would not condone --which I think the country should not condone --at funerals --anyone's funeral. Would we let political dissenters cause a ruckus at the funeral of an assassinated president, I wonder? Should our courts defend that? I think not.

Just as we say it is not constitutionally interpreted as legal to yell "fire" in a crowded room where there is no fire, we should make negative funeral demonstrations illegal anywhere near the funeral route and sites. But people through all other forms of MEDIA should be able to teach and preach and in casual conversation say that the only sexual intimacy that is NOT sin, according to the BIble, is that between a man and his wife. All other sexual intercourse/intimacy is sinful and counter to God's plan for our bodies. They should be able to blame American deaths on America's sinfulness if that's their view [it is not mine] --but not near the funeral or the grave site.

As for the money ordered as a fine to be paid to the Westboro Church, I dare say it will all go to the lawyers who took their case.

It IS time we kicked more lawyers out of gov't --even the courts --and sent some ethical citizens with common sense. Interestingly, you do not have to be an attorney, by law, to be a judge, as I understand it.

As for the rationale of the WB church, besides their horrid manners, lack of common sense, lack of compassion, and lack of Christian love for sinners and grieving people and our war dead-- they are referring to the OT's description of homosexual conduct as an "abomination" --something God hates. They are referencing Paul's writing where he says homosexual acts are punishable by death ("They receive the recompense for their acts in their own bodies,") and that those who APPROVE homosexuality (like the USA leadership --and thus our military ultimately) deserve death also. They are saying God's hand of protection is not with our nation because of our tolerance, approval, and promotion of homosexuality.

I DO think God may allow certain events into national life to remind us that we NEED HIS protection--that we NEED to acknowledge Him so He can direct our paths into paths of "righteousness," instead of into destruction.

But this country does not overall YET approve homosexual acts. The majority of us have voted to uphold the Biblical and traditional definition of marriage --between a man and wife -- and most of the military knows how inappropriate it is to house out-of-the-closet gays with straights --just as inappropriate as to house heteros together. It makes for a sex-focused climate in bathroom, barracks, and fox holes --where there should be none of that.

But, the fact is, all sin (sexual and non-sexual, homosexual and heterosexual) and approval of sin are punishable by death already, not at society's hands, but by the fact that WE ARE ALL MORTALS WHO ALL DIE FOR ALL SIN. That was the Adamic curse for mankind's sinfulness. But the Bible says, thanks to events celebrated on Good Friday and Easter, "we shall all be made alive" --if we confess our sinful need for the Savior and believe in Christ as that Savior.

The Westboro B Church would have a Christian message if they bore signs at Christian funerals that said, "Death, where is thy sting? Grave, where is thy victory?" In Christ Jesus we have hope that all can be saved because all the sins are paid for.

We just need to look up above our muck and receive the "Celestial Crown" --a "Crown of Life" which our Heavenly Father offers us.

Westboro Baptist Church does seem to be focusing on the muck instead of the Crown of Life offered to all of us, homosexuals and straights, who will repent of sin and receive the Crown.