Absolution

From My Perspective - - -

Most were able to view many hours of the Senator Edward M. Kennedy Funeral events this past week. There were some very human and touching moments as different family members shared their recollections and vignettes of the many happy experiences they shared together.

The ABC-TV Boston Affiliate shared the following report prepared by Veronica Haynes, Senior News Editor: “…Kennedy's friend, retired Washington Archbishop Cardinal Theodore McCarrick officiated the brief, but poignant, graveside service. They called him the Lion of the Senate, and indeed that is what he was. His roar and his zeal for what he believed made a difference in our nation's life. Sometimes, of course, we who were his friends and had great affection for him would get mad at him when he would roar at what we believed was the wrong side of the issue. But we always knew and we were always touched by his passion for the underdog, the rights of working people, for better education, for adequate health care for every American…McCarrick also read from a letter that the ailing senator wrote to Pope Benedict XVI asking for his prayers and guidance as he entered the final chapter of his life. The letter was hand-delivered by President Barack Obama during a recent visit to the Vatican: I am writing with deep humility to ask that you pray for me as my own health declines. I was diagnosed with brain cancer more than a year ago, and although I continue treatment, the disease is taking its toll on me…I know that I have been an imperfect human being, but with the help of my faith, I have tried to right my path."

Senator Kennedy’s letter also contained these words: “I want you to know, Your Holiness, that in my nearly 50 years of elective office, I have done my best to champion the rights of the poor and open doors of economic opportunity. I've worked to welcome the immigrant, fight discrimination and expand access to health care and education. I have opposed the death penalty and fought to end war. Those are the issues that have motivated me and been the focus of my work as a United States Senator. I also want you to know that even though I am ill, I am committed to do everything I can to achieve access to health care for everyone in my country. This has been the political cause of my life. I believe in a conscience protection for Catholics in the health care field and will continue to advocate for it…I have always tried to be a faithful Catholic, Your Holiness, and though I have fallen short through human failings, I have never failed to believe and respect the fundamental teachings…”

A key phrase is: “…I believe in a conscience protection for Catholics in the health care field and will continue to advocate for it…” Is this a carefully worded appeal seeking absolution for a personal focus and voting record on abortion? Can this be a desire to remove guilt from any inference regarding euthanasia in the much discussed National Health Plan? Absolution is: “an act of absolving; a freeing from blame or guilt; release from consequences, obligations, or penalties.” In Roman Catholic Theology, it also means: “a remission of sin or of the punishment for sin, made by a priest in the sacrament of penance on the ground of authority received from Christ. The letter is almost an appeal for Absolution without giving Definitive Statement regarding why such Absolution is being sought. In the vernacular, it would be “covering all the bases” just to play it safe! In Psalm 19:7-14 (NLT), The Psalmist David makes his appeal before God: “The law of the LORD is perfect…The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy…The commandments of the LORD are right…The commands of the LORD are clear…The laws of the LORD are true…They are a warning to those who hear them; there is great reward for those who obey them. How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep me from deliberate sins! Don't let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Words and deeds have consequences. The Grace of God alone can absolve one of sin and guilt but it has to be remembered that such Absolution is “not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:9). This kind of Absolution is based on Christ’s work on the cross, not on man’s deeds or terms. Consider these things with me!

Hypocritical Hallucination

From My Perspective - - -

Many have insisted that the words in our Pledge of Allegiance must always contain, “one nation, under God” – but – whatever happened to “and to the Republic…with liberty and justice for all. We live in a time that is marked by disillusionment and confusion. We have been bombarded by “change” that is difficult to understand and assimilate. Those who are more cynical than others suggest that: “Obama's health care plan will: (a) Be written by a committee whose head says he doesn't understand it; (b) Be passed by a Congress that hasn't read it (but exempts themselves from it); (c) Be signed by a president who smokes (and also hasn't read it); (d) Have funding administered by a treasury chief who did not pay his taxes; (e) Be overseen by a surgeon general who is obese; and (f) Be financed by a country that is nearly broke. What could possibly go wrong?” A Congressman calculated that if we halted all debt accumulation today, and froze all expenditures, and began to pay off the current Budget Deficit at the rate of one million dollars per day, it would take more than 34,000 years to pay off the national debt. Tax Revenues coming in average approximately $17,500.00 per person – but – the expenditures going out average approximately $31,500.00 per person. It is an unsustainable Debt that is being heaped upon future generations of our nation.

Some have asserted that “The Lion of Liberalism” in the US Senate, Edward (Ted) Kennedy, was part of the problem and cause of the trends of our times. However, an interesting column posted by Cal Thomas on August 26, 2009 – entitled – My Friend, Ted Kennedy - shares some of the following thoughts: “…my 25-year relationship with Sen. Edward Kennedy…began in 1983 when I received a call from a Washington Post reporter. I was working for the Moral Majority at the time and a computer had spit out a membership card for Senator Kennedy and then inadvertently sent it to him. The reporter asked if I wanted the card back. No, I said. We don't believe anyone is beyond redemption. In fact, I hope Sen. Kennedy comes and speaks at Liberty Baptist College (now Liberty University), the school founded by the late Jerry Falwell. A few days later, I received a call from Kennedy's chief of staff. The senator accepts your invitation. I was stunned and so was Falwell, but Kennedy came and was well received. He spoke on faith, truth and tolerance… Kennedy said: "I am an American and a Catholic; I love my country and treasure my faith. But I do not assume that my conception of patriotism or policy is invariably correct, or that my convictions about religion should command any greater respect than any other faith in this pluralistic society…When people agree on public policy, they ought to be able to work together, even while they worship in diverse ways. For truly, we are all yoked together as Americans, and the yoke is the happy one of individual freedom and mutual respect…Separation of church and state cannot mean an absolute separation between moral principles and political power. The challenge today is to recall the origin of the principle, to define its purpose, and refine its application to the politics of the present…"

The Core Values of Senator Kennedy are now overshadowed by the reality of those who don’t share those values and qualify for the designation of being a Hypocrite. A Hypocrite is: “a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, that he or she does not actually possess; one who puts on a mask and feigns himself to be what he is not.” In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addressed the issue of Hypocrisy in Matthew 6:2,5,16. It pertains to the ways in which the Scribes and Pharisees did their giving to the poor; how they would pray in public; and the manner in which they fasted – all to be seen and noticed by the community and organized religion. Jesus condemned it for what it was – not honoring God but merely acts of self-aggrandizement. Cal Thomas shares one other thought about Ted Kennedy: “I came to see Sen. Kennedy not as a symbol, but as a fellow human being who did not get up each morning seeking ways to harm the country. I know of things he did for the poor and homeless on his own time and in his own way without a press release or a desire for public approval. I know of other hurts and concerns he shared with a very few he could trust about which I would never speak.” How many of us give proper expression of our belief system and persuasions. Is it done in a way that honors the Lord or does it meet with His disapproval? Are we wearing a mask of Hypocrisy or are we the “real deal”? Consider these things with me!

A Bridge To Nowhere

From My Perspective - - -

Feeling abandoned to the inevitable is the plight of many. People find themselves in impossible situations and feel they are both trapped and helpless in their circumstance. All motivation to go on seems lost; hopes have faded; the will to be and to do has dissipated; the personal spirit has been broken or crushed; one seems suspended in time and space – uncared for and abandoned to unwanted and harsh realities. One tries to smile in spite of adversity but the pain of a broken heart prevents the brightness of that smile. What is one to do? How can one escape such complicated circumstances? How did one ever arrive at this point? It is like being on an endless treadmill or traveling on a bridge that goes nowhere – except for the further affliction, anguish and pain.

The above can describe all too many lives and marriages. It is a sad case and event of being abandoned to a very difficult context for one’s life. What is Abandonment? What does it look like? How did it occur? A frequent place where Abandonment is observed is in certain Marriages. The definition of Abandonment is: “to leave completely and finally, forsake utterly, desert; to give up, discontinue, withdraw from…” Synonyms are: Abandon, relinquish, renounce, to give up all concern in something; to give up or discontinue any further interest in something/someone because of discouragement, weariness, distaste, or the like…”

Abandonment can occur in several areas – individually, as a family unit, or a particular group (such as military units being taken as Prisoner of War). It impacts and crosses several areas of one’s being - Emotional; Physical; Financial; Fiduciary; etc. EMOTIONAL: Where a spouse no longer maintains a viable relationship with another or having any concern for another's feelings, needs, worth; PHYSICAL: where a spouse no longer maintains a viable interpersonal relationship, or is just not present to demonstrate any responsibility or care; or being harsh and cruel – abusive; FINANCIAL: where a spouse no longer provides for the upkeep of another; a family; a property; relationships; a total disregard for everyone and everything except self (narcissism run amuck); and FIDUCIARY: where a spouse ignores mortgage responsibilities (as a person to whom property or power is entrusted for the benefit of another) and other legal obligations are neglected – this is the DNA of the one who abandons and who has disregarded all duty, responsibility and trust. In a marriage and family situation, this can imperil the ones a spouse had vowed loyalty to and oneness with in a forever relationship (until death us do part). However, one is deserted and abandoned – left with hopelessness and despair – on a bridge to nowhere.

The Bible states how the irresponsible and/or abusive spouse is viewed from a heavenly perspective: (I Timothy 5:7-8 – NLT): “But those who won't care for their own relatives, especially those living in the same household, have denied what we believe. Such people are worse than unbelievers.” And the same verses in The Message: Tell these things to the people so that they will do the right thing in their extended family. Anyone who neglects to care for family members in need repudiates the faith. That's worse than refusing to believe in the first place.” That being said, what about the abandoned and/or abused person and family?

The Bible speaks of those who found themselves abandoned - trapped with no where to go – Jonah in the whale; Elijah as he fled from the threats of Jezebel; Job when he lost all of his family and possessions; Israel when they disobeyed God and chose idols instead. For these, and others, there was a reality check - their abandonment would end through deliverance by the Lord’s hand. A word of encouragement for the weary, oppressed, abandoned is Isaiah 42:5-6, “This is what God the Lord says-- He who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you…” He will take you from The Bridge To Nowhere and place you on a road to somewhere – He will hold on to you and never let you go! He will lead you safely from where you are to a place that is right and good for you! Enjoy being in His grip! Consider these things with me!

Abandonment

From My Perspective - - -

Robinson Crusoe is a novel by Daniel Defoe first published in 1719, and sometimes considered to be the first novel in English. After a tumultuous journey that sees his ship wrecked by a vicious storm, his lust for the sea remains so strong that he sets out to sea again. This journey too ends in disaster as the ship is taken over by pirates, and Crusoe becomes the slave of a Moor. He manages to escape and years later, he joins an expedition to bring slaves from Africa, but is shipwrecked in a storm about forty miles out to sea on an island - which he calls the Island of Despair. His companions all die. He proceeds to build a fenced-in habitation near a cave which he excavates himself. He keeps a calendar by making marks in a wooden cross built by himself. He reads the Bible and suddenly becomes religious, thanking God for his fate in which nothing is missing but society. The immediacy of his situation is the sense of abandonment – having been left completely and finally; forsaken utterly; deserted and alone to either survive by ingenuity or to die in despair. Crusoe chose to live and devised a plan of survival and deliverance from his Island of Despair.

In a similar way, a recent film - CAST AWAY – tells the story of Chuck Noland who is a time-obsessed FedEx systems analyst, who travels worldwide resolving productivity problems at FedEx depots. A Christmas with relatives is interrupted by Chuck being summoned to resolve a problem overseas. While flying through a violent thunderstorm somewhere over the southern Pacific Ocean, an incident occurs on Chuck's plane which results in it crashing into the ocean. Chuck is able to escape the sinking plane and is saved by an inflatable life-raft, which floats for some time in the storm before being washed up on an island. It soon becomes clear that the island is uninhabited, and Chuck's early attempts to make visual signals for any searching aircraft, and to escape the island in the remnants of his life raft are fruitless. Four years pass, and after a large sheet of plastic washes up on the island, Chuck decides to use it as a sail in the construction of a raft. After spending some time building and stocking the raft and deciding when the weather conditions will be optimal, Chuck launches the raft and finally escapes the island. After some time on the ocean, the raft is virtually destroyed by a storm. Distraught, Chuck resigns himself to his fate and abandons his attempt to find rescue. Half-dead and sunburned, he is found drifting a short time later by a passing cargo ship. Upon returning home Chuck discovers that he has long been given up for dead by everyone he knows; his family and friends held a funeral; and the love of his life had married someone else.

Some situations of abandonment occur by accident, whereas others happen by design. In Genesis 37, there is the account of Joseph being sold into slavery. His older brothers feel he is more loved by their father than they are, and come to the point where they hate him. At first, they plan to kill him but them decide to sell him to a passing caravan. A commentator (Boice) shares his impressions of Joseph: “Joseph, being seventeen years old: He was loved and hated, favored and abused, tempted and trusted, exalted and abased. Yet at no point in the 110 year life of Joseph did he ever seem to get his eyes off God or cease to trust him. Adversity did not harden his character. Prosperity did not ruin him. He was the same in private as in public.”

What is it that sustained Joseph in his abandonment? How did he manage to survive rejection, hatred, being alone, and having become chattel in the hands of others? It is the truth shared throughout all generations and eloquently stated in Isaiah 41:10, “Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; I will help thee; I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” There comes a time during a famine when Joseph will be in the company of his brothers one more time. They are at his mercy and revenge could be so sweet. But - what will Joseph do at such a moment? How will he respond to those who hated him and wanted him dead? In Genesis 50:19-21, “Joseph said to them…You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done…And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.” He forgave them and fed them! Don’t let adversity or abandonment harden your character. God has not abandoned you! Consider these things with me!

Foils, Foibles, Fools

From My Perspective - - -

A Foil is one who sets out “to prevent the success of; to frustrate…” the goals and plans of another, The design is “to keep (a person) from succeeding in an enterprise, plan.” This is illustrated in the Novel – Vanity Fair - by William Makepeace Thackeray who was born at Calcutta in 1811. On his way to England from India, he saw Napoleon on St. Helena. His attendance at a school run by a Dr. Turner gave him experience later used in his book, Vanity Fair. A visit to Weimar bore fruit in the sketches of life at a small German court which appear in Vanity Fair. In 1848, while he was on the staff of Punch, he wrote Vanity Fair, the work which placed him in the first rank of novelists. It is a Novel of scheming, intrigue, relentless pursuit of a selfish desire, and how the attempt was foiled.

Vanity Fair focuses on “Amelia Sedley, of good family, and Rebecca Sharp, an orphan, who leave Miss Pinkerton's academy on Chiswick Mall to live out their lives in Vanity Fair — the world of social climbing and search for wealth. Amelia does not esteem the values of Vanity Fair; Rebecca cares for nothing else. Rebecca first attempts to enter the sacred domain of Vanity Fair by inducing Joseph Sedley, Amelia's brother, to marry her. George Osborne, however, foils this plan; he intends to marry Amelia and does not want a governess for a sister-in-law. Because of George's marriage, old Osborne disinherits him. Both young couples endeavor to live without sufficient funds. When Rawdon discovers Rebecca in her treachery, he is convinced that money means more to her than he or the son whom she has always hated. Because her parents are starving and she can neither provide for them nor give little Georgy what she thinks he needs, Amelia gives up her son to his grandfather Osborne. William Dobbin comes back from the service, reconciles old Osborne to Amelia, whereat Osborne makes a will leaving Georgy half of his fortune and providing for Amelia. Rebecca, having lost the respectability of a husband, wanders in Europe for a couple of years and finally meets Joseph, Georgy, Amelia, and William on the Continent. Rebecca sets about to finish what she started to do at the first - ensnare Joseph. She does not marry him, but she takes all his money and he dies in terror of her, the implication being that she has, at least, hastened his death. At the end of the book Rebecca has the money necessary to live in Vanity Fair; she appears to be respectable. William has won Amelia…”

The Novel serves in show the interweaving of Foils, Foibles and Fools. In today’s Wall Street Journal Online, Peggy Noonan concludes her column on: “Pull The Plug On Obama-Care” with these words – “It's not especially pleasurable to see history held hostage to ideological vanity, but it's not the first time. And if they keep it up, they'll help solve the president's problem. He'll have a Republican congress soon enough.” The mystique of a Vanity Fair Syndrome. Vanity can blind one to Reality and that which is Right! Vanity can compel one to drive into the obstructions no matter the peril or cost. Two of the several meanings of Vanity are: “excessive pride in one's appearance, qualities, abilities, achievements, character or quality of being vain; conceit;” and “lack of real value; hollowness; worthlessness.”

The Book of Ecclesiastes could be viewed as an Essay on Vanity. Is it any wonder that the wisdom writer would pause and note: Ecclesiastes 2:1, 11 – “I said in my heart, Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure; but surely, this also was vanity. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.” And then Vs.15-17, “So I said in my heart, As it happens to the fool, It also happens to me, And why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, This also is vanity. For there is no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever, Since all that now is will be forgotten in the days to come. And how does a wise man die? As the fool! Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind.” Life is more than the undaunted and vanity-driven pursuits. Godly and Righteous Values must be the reality and not merely a political ploy to achieve a personal goal. Vanity is not our Victory. Consider these things with me!

Vision

From My Perspective - - -

Every individual should have meaningful anticipations, expectations, goals, dreams and a vision in terms of what might and can be. Lives should not be lived in a vacuum or be satisfied with merely a status quo lifestyle. Three parts of the meaning of vision are: “the act or power of sensing with the eyes; the act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be; an experience in which a personage, thing, or event appears vividly or credibly to the mind, although not actually present, often under the influence of a divine or other agency…” It is the second of those definitions that captured the imagination and desire of people over the years, and that should serve as a motivation to stretch oneself beyond self-imposed limits.

For instance, just think of HENRY FORD – who became famous for pioneering the assembly line and in the process, becoming the first man to successfully mass produce automobiles; JOHN ROCKEFELLER – who after scratching and scrimping to buy his first oil refinery in 1862, was already a dominant force in the industry by the 1870’s. From there, he almost single-handedly revolutionized the mass market for oil. By offering discounts to the railroads that carried his oil cross-country, Rockefeller was able to, in turn, sell it to customers for low prices that were previously unheard of; ANDREW CARNEGIE - did for steel what John Rockefeller did for oil. But long before that, Carnegie set to work as a lowly telegrapher in the 1850’s. By the 1860’s, his investments in railroads, bridges, and oil derricks gave him the means to develop US Steel; THOMAS EDISON – while he is best known for inventing the modern electric light bulb in 1878, he was also one of the fathers of the modern electrical grid…The impact of this innovation has been staggering. Prior to the electrical grid, the only available lighting was sunlight during the day and gas-powered lamps at night. In 1882, however, Edison took the world by storm, introducing one of the first commercial electric grids in the world; SAM WALTON - was the mastermind behind Wal-Mart. After opening his first store in 1962, Walton vowed to remake the retail industry in the vision of his radical cost-cutting philosophy. By 1966, his fledgling chain was up to 20 stores and growing fast. As of August 31, 2008, there are now in the United States: 4,227 total units, and Internationally: 3,210 total units. There are countless numbers of Visionary people like STEVE JOBS and BILL GATES and the development of the Computer; etc.

The one thing common for all Visionaries is that they stretched themselves beyond any self-imposed limitation or confinement. They looked at the possibilities and translated that into reality. It was acting upon what they saw in their minds-eye – a dream – a vision – a possibility! John C. Maxwell does excellent work in the area of Leadership. In a recent book, PUT YOUR DREAM TO THE TEST, he gives encouragement and guidelines to bring Dreams to Realities. He writes: “For me, the whole process begins with questions I must ask myself. The dream is always rooted in the dreamer, in his or her experiences, circumstances, talents, and opportunities. I ask: WHAT AM I FEELING? - What are my emotions telling me?; WHAT AM I SENSING? – What is my intuition telling me? WHAT AM I SEEING? – What is happening around me?; WHAT AM I HEARING? – What are others saying?; and WHAT AM I THINKING? – What do my intellect and common sense say? If I can get a good sense of where I am, what I know, and what I want, I’m on my way to clarifying my dream…”

In JOEL 2:28-32, the prophet speaks to the people of his day about future events – things that can be anticipated and that will become realities. He writes: “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, YOUR OLD MEN WILL DREAM DREAMS, YOUR YOUNG MEN WILL SEE VISIONS. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved…” These dreams and visions are to give fair-warning that the end is near and tremendous events will occur. Some will choose to ignore it! The wise will make preparation for it! Consider these things with me.

Up and Uppity

From My Perspective - - -

Language is vital for verbal communication but it can often stymie one when it comes to clarity of expression and definitive discourse. Those with communicative skills and abilities are a delight to hear. Those who have mastered the English Language should be appreciated. In our lifetime, we have been exposed to speakers and orators who possessed these skills – Martin Luther King, Jr.; John F. Kennedy; Billy Graham; William F. Buckley; Ronald Reagan; Barack Obama. Their political agenda and personal persuasions aside, they possessed the necessary skills to communicate in an excellent fashion.

However, they – like us, are trapped by the way words are used in the English Language. Someone came up with these thoughts regarding a simple word “UP”! In the Online Dictionary, there are 13 Definitions and 93 examples of usage given for the word “UP”! The following is an illustration submitted for the word “UP”: "It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP? At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends and we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, warm UP the leftovers, and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car. At other times the little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses. To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special. And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP. We open UP a store in the morning, but we close it UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP! To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions. If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more. When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it wets UP the earth. When it doesn't rain for a while, things dry UP. One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now my time is UP, so...Time to shut UP!”

When it comes to the word “UPPITY”, there is a significant change and the Online Dictionary submits just two meanings and applications: “affecting an attitude of inflated self-esteem; haughty; snobbish; rebelliously self-assertive; not inclined to be tractable or deferential.” It’s difficult to ever get to know an uppity person. There is so much façade and image-projection that prevents one from ever seeing or knowing the “real” individual. Some have a drive and felt-need to impress others with their loftiness and persona. They walk through life impressed by themselves and hoping to impress everyone else with their air of self-importance.

An interesting contrast occurs in Colossians 2 regarding the use of the word “UP”! First, Colossians 2:6-7, “… just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, ROOTED AND BUILT UP IN HIM, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Second, there is an opposite use given in Colossians 2:18, “Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and HIS UNSPIRITUAL MIND PUFFS HIM UP with idle notions.” The one who is brought low before Jesus Christ becomes the one who is built UP in Him, whereas the one who struts in his self-importance and is PUFFED UP will one day be brought low. The message should be clear to each one – no matter the difficulties of life or on the journey – Keep Looking UP – and – Never Give UP! Consider these things with me!

Audaciousness

From My Perspective - - -

The House of Representatives – what does it represent; who does it represent. You elect these people by actively voting for them, or passively by your failure to vote. In some instances, it appears there are self-interested, dysfunctional demagogues who following a party line. Two-thirds of the Congress are not even taking time to visit their Districts or State during their recess, or show interest by speaking to those whom they represent. Linking some of them to the adjective “audacious” might actually denigrate the meaning and value of the word. Some of the definition of Audacious is: “…without restriction to prior ideas; recklessly bold in defiance of convention, propriety, law, or the like; insolent; brazen…”

There is a line that separates one being audacious and being stupid. There have been several instances of confusing behavior and signals that are sent: A suspicious Flyover of New York City to get pictures for White House Distribution (without any forethought of the panic it might cause after the 9-11 incidents); the chastising of the Automotive CEOs for coming to Congressional Hearings and flying in Corporate Jets, and now the Congress attempting to order similar planes to satisfy their travel needs/wants; the President and his wife flying into New York City for a “Date Night” at a time when Government Deficits are soaring, and the Citizenry has been enduring foreclosures, investment losses, and rising unemployment; and then a current example is an incident that occurred at a recent Town Hall Meeting in Texas. An August 13th report reads: “Sheila Jackson Lee…at a time when the Democrats are really fighting a disastrous PR image because of the Town Hall response to Healthcare Reform…decided to hold a town hall meeting in her district…But during her Town Hall Meeting a woman stands up and starts to explain why she is opposed to the Democrat healthcare plan. While the woman is speaking, Sheila Jackson Lee…answers her cell phone (and carries on a conversation)…while a constituent is speaking during this Town Hall” At the minimum, it is inconsiderate and/or rude - -At the maximum, it is a combination of audaciousness, arrogance and stupidity.

On the website, Reasoned Audacity (http://www.charmaineyoest.com) August 11th, the topic was: TWO KEYS WORDS IN LEGISLATIVE WRITING: SHALL & MAY. The thoughts are how the Congress, when drafting a Bill, makes extensive use of the words “may and/or shall”! The ideas shared are by Gary Bauer as he references "Obama's Death Panel"! He writes: “Sarah Palin is making headlines again, this time by expressing her views on the national debate over healthcare reform. In a Facebook blog entry, Palin wrote, ‘The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama's 'death panel' so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their 'level of productivity in society,' whether they are worthy of health care. Such a system is downright evil.’ I think it's clear where she stands!” Washington Post columnist Charles Lane explored the legislation at the root of this particularly controversial aspect of healthcare reform -- Section 1233 on end-of-life decisions. Here are some excerpts of his column: "...at least as I read it, Section 1233 is not totally innocuous…(it) addresses compassionate goals in disconcerting proximity to fiscal ones…If it's all about obviating suffering, emotional or physical, what it’s doing in a measure is to bend the curve on health-care costs…the [end-of-life] consultations envisioned…aren't quite purely voluntary…Section 1233…lets doctors initiate the chat and gives them an incentive - money - to do so… that's an incentive to insist…Section 1233 dictates, at some length, the content of the consultation. The doctor 'SHALL' discuss advanced care planning, including key questions and considerations, important steps, and suggested people to talk to…and a list of national and State-specific resources to assist consumers and their families.”

Psalm 12:1-4 alludes to the issue of arrogance and audacity: “Help, Lord, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men…May the Lord cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue that says, We will triumph with our tongues; we own our lips--who is our master?" Man may boast but the Lord will have the last say. The Godly and Righteous need to be assertive in our culture. You can and must try to make a difference. Consider these things with me.

Audacity Absurdity

From My Perspective - - -

Audacity means: “boldness or daring, with confident or arrogant disregard for personal safety, conventional thought, or other restrictions…effrontery or insolence; shameless boldness…” The concept gained attention in a book authored by the current U.S. President entitled, The Audacity of Hope. In an October 2006 Book Review by the NY Times, the following is observed: “The Audacity of Hope…is…a political document…Mr. Obama…rejects what he sees as the either-or formulations of his elders who came of age in the 60’s. The victories that the 60’s generation brought about - the admission of minorities and women into full citizenship, the strengthening of individual liberties and the healthy willingness to question authority - have made America a far better place for all its citizens. But what has been lost in the process, and has yet to be replaced, are those shared assumptions - that quality of trust and fellow feeling - that bring us together as Americans…Mr. Obama writes that conservatives and Bill Clinton were right about welfare as it was previously structured: By detaching income from work and by making no demands on welfare recipients other than a tolerance for intrusive bureaucracy and an assurance that no man lived in the same house as the mother of his children, the old A.F.D.C. (Aid To Families With Dependent Children) program sapped people of their initiative and eroded their self respect…Mr. Obama strives in these pages to ground his policy thinking in simple common sense — be it growing the size of our armed forces to maintain reasonable rotation schedules or reining in spending and rethinking tax policy to bring down the nation’s huge deficit…”

In July 2009, a news item appeared - The Audacity Of Honduras with a sub-title, As The OAS Stumbles, Give Diplomacy A Chance. The subject is the ouster of the President Manuel Zelaya of Honduras. “On Sunday, July 5, Honduran authorities rejected the ultimatum issued by the Organization of American States (OAS) to reinstate ousted president Manuel Zelaya…The international community is so fixated on the car wreck that they have failed to notice that Hondurans have put their own legal house in order. Although the duty fell to the military to enforce a court order against Zelaya, no soldier ever held power. The duly constituted Congress--about half of whose members are from Zelaya's own Liberal Party--reviewed Zelaya's crimes and voted almost unanimously to remove him from office…While Honduran authorities have opened an inquiry into Zelaya's treatment, the Supreme Court has held its position that the military acted properly. Zelaya has been indicted on many crimes--including treason--and some of his associates with ties to corruption and drug trafficking are finally facing justice.

This week, the idea of American Audacity appeared in a column: Liberals urge Obama to do more on Honduras By Mike Soraghan. “A group of liberal lawmakers urged President Obama to do more to reverse the coup in Honduras, such as freezing the assets of those involved, and denying them entry into the United States. We are … increasingly concerned by the many reports of flagrant human rights violations that are being committed under the current de facto regime," said a letter to the president, which was signed by Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and 16 fellow members of the caucus…President Obama has repeatedly called for Zelaya's return to power, but the President also said Latin American critics calling on him to do more are hypocritical…those criticizing the U.S. for not intervening enough are the same people who say, ‘Yankees, go home.’ You can't have it both ways…”

Psalm 2 asks a question: “Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?” The reason given by this Psalm is that nations and rulers “…set themselves and take counsel together against the Lord and His Anointed…” In other words, all restraints and all sound values have been diminished and jettisoned. The result is an increase of chaos in the world of men and in individual lives. Will nations and lives naturally become better? No! The Psalm states: “…He (The Lord) shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure…” It appears our nation has succumbed to ‘The Audacity of Hype’ and forgotten the possibilities of Biblical Hope. The only remedy is yielding to the Authority and Control of God. Consider these things with me.

Taxing Times

From My Perspective - - -

The challenges, events, massive legislation, financial upheaval, spending programs of Congress, frustration, inability to gain audience or redress, ridicule and demeaning verbiage for those who protest, loss of civility, a total lack of consideration for “We The People…”, incredibly increasing national debt, international power ploys and posturing, an “Enemy’s List” (those who make “fishy” statements about the current administration, government, programs), a fabricated rush to enact various Bills of Congress that very few have read or understood, a growing polarization in the nation – the List could be longer and more overwhelming – but all of this is being done “for the American people”!

There were more deliberate and reasonable times in America. The year – 1963. The President – John F. Kennedy. The Minority Report for August 9, 2009 indicates some of the thinking of this charismatic leader who raised the hopes of the citizenry by challenging them: “Ask not what your country can do for you – Ask what you can do for your country.” In an effort to adjust fiscal fairness and to stimulate the economy, John F. Kennedy stated: "A tax cut means higher family income and higher business profits and a balanced federal budget. Every taxpayer and his family will have more money left over after taxes for a new car, a new home, new conveniences, education and investment. Every businessman can keep a higher percentage of his profits in his cash register or put it to work expanding or improving his business, and as the national income grows, the federal government will ultimately end up with more revenues." In his tax message to Congress in 1963, Kennedy asked that the top income tax rate be brought down from 91% to 65%. His goal was to reduce all statutory income tax rates by about 30%, including a reduction in the bottom tax rate from 20% to 14%. He allowed in January 1963: "Lower rates of taxation will stimulate economic activity and so raise the levels of personal and corporate income as to yield within a few years an increased – not a reduced – flow of revenues to the federal government…: In September 1963, he addressed the nation and said: “Our tax system still siphons out of the private economy too large a share of personal and business purchasing power and reduces the incentive for risk, investment and effort – thereby aborting our recoveries and stifling our national growth rate…"

In I Kings 12:3-7, a change in government had occurred and a hopeful moment presented itself: “Jeroboam…and the whole assembly of Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him: Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you." Rehoboam answered, "Go away for three days and then come back to me." Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. "How would you advise me to answer these people?" he asked. They replied, "If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants." In other words, lighten their load of forced labor and heavy taxation.

However, Verse 8 states: “Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him…” So the King chose to ignore the opportunity to bring reasonable “change” or to grant “hope” for the oppressed and disenfranchised. Instead, he followed the counsel of his generation (the group with a Chicago-type political instinct and mentality, and A.C.O.R.N. skill at organizing)…” In Verses 10-11: The young replied, "Tell these people who have said to you, 'Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter'--tell them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist. My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.” The rest of the Chapter is a sad commentary regarding what occurs when compassion and wisdom is disregarded. Rehoboam chose to surround himself with his Czars and minions who were adept at organizing Astroturf Rallies, but who had a flagrant disregard for the citizenry. A day of true change and valid hope will occur. Abraham Lincoln allowed in 1859: “Let us have Faith that Right Makes Might!” He was right! Stay Hopeful! God Is Still Able! Consider these things with me!

Paranoia Realities

From My Perspective - - -

The Literature Network gives a summary of the George Orwell Book, 1984, in which the author visualizes a new and different world. “1984 is set in a world beyond our imagining…1984 is set in Oceania, which includes the United Kingdom, where the story is set, known as Airstrip One. Winston Smith is a middle-aged, unhealthy character…an underling of the ruling oligarchy, The Party has taken early 20th Century totalitarianism to new depths, with each person subjected to 24 hour surveillance, where people's very thoughts are controlled to ensure purity of the oligarchical system in place. Figurehead of the system is the omnipresent and omnipotent Big Brother. But Winston believes there is another way…his job is to change history by changing old newspaper records to match with the new truth as decided by the Party. ‘He who controls the past, controls the future’ is a Party slogan to live by and it gives Winston his job, but Winston cannot see it like that. Barely old enough to recall a time when things were different, he sets out to expose the Party for the cynically fraudulent organization that it is. He is joined by Julia, a beautiful young woman much in contrast with Winston physically, but equally sickened by the excesses of her rulers.”

The London Evening Standard reported in 2007, “According to the latest studies, Britain has a staggering 4.2 million CCTV cameras - one for every 14 people in the country - and 20 per cent of cameras globally. It has been calculated that each person is caught on camera an average of 300 times daily. Use of spy cameras in modern-day Britain is now a chilling mirror image of Orwell's fictional world...On the wall outside his former residence, flat number 27B, where Orwell lived until his death in 1950, an historical plaque commemorates the anti-authoritarian author. And within 200 yards of the flat, there are 32 CCTV cameras, scanning every move…”

And now the 21st Century, where from the White House Website (www.whitehouse.gov) the following is a current Big-Brother-Type solicitation: “There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end of life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we can't keep track of all of them here at the White House, we're asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to: flag@whitehouse.gov.” The interesting words used – “…If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy…” Words that seem “fishy” – you are to report them to your government. Nothing is said in terms of what they will do with these reports about your “fishy” email or words. Why do you think they want to know? Is this a step in the direction of Big-Brother-Mind-Control? Is it to bring us to a stupor-like response as indicated in the following description from 1984: “Love of Big Brother - A spontaneous ritual of devotion to Big Brother ("BB") is illustrated at the end of the "Two Minutes Hate": At this moment the entire group of people broke into a deep, slow, rhythmic chant of 'B-B!...B-B!...B-B!'- over and over again, very slowly, with a long pause between the first 'B' and the second - a heavy murmur-sound, somehow curiously savage, in the background of which one seemed to hear the stamps of naked feet and the throbbing of tom-toms. For perhaps as much as thirty seconds they kept it up. It was a refrain that was often heard in moments of overwhelming emotion. Partly it was a sort of hymn to the wisdom and majesty of Big Brother, but still more it was an act of self-hypnosis, a deliberate drowning of consciousness by means of rhythmic noise…”

The path to demise and perishing is stated in II Thessalonians 2:7-11, “For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work…And then the lawless one will be revealed…The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.” We are stampeding toward a godless culture and a certain destruction. Many choose to avoid this truth and do so to their own peril. Don’t you be one of them! Consider these things with me!

Money, Money Everywhere?

From My Perspective - - -

The saying: “Water, Water everywhere but not a drop to drink!” is sadly familiar to the plight of the nation in terms of “Money, Money everywhere and not a dime to spend (or spare)!” The current monetary philosophy and policy is spend more - print more - increase debt more - - The solution to everything is to increase the Taxes on the “Rich” in this nation. After all (it is said), they have all the money and benefits – let them pay for the extravagances (needs?) of others. If only there was some integrity to research and report the facts!

The latest figures from the year 2007, according to the Tax Foundation (and posted by Neal Boortz) are: “The top 1% of taxpayers officially paid 40.4% of total federal income taxes. This is the highest percentage in modern history. Compare that number to twenty years prior (1987) when the top 1% of taxpayers paid 24.8% of income taxes. Lest you think they monopolized the wealth, they actually earned about 22.8% of total adjusted gross income. How much does a person have to earn to be in this top 1%? Total: $410,000. The share of taxes paid by the top 1% of taxpayers now exceeds the share paid by the bottom 95% of taxpayers. Again, the top 1% paid 40.4% of incomes taxes while the bottom 95% paid 39.4% of the income tax burden. This means that the top 1% of taxpayers (which is 1.4 million people) paid a larger share of the income tax burden than the bottom 95% of taxpayers (which is comprised of 134 million people). The key to and problem with these numbers is that 9 out of 10 Americans will never see them nor will anyone ever share these numbers with them. The Democrats will, in spite of these numbers, be able to continue to demonize the evil rich and spread the lie that somehow they aren't ‘paying their fair share.’ To make things worse, Democrat demagogues will continue to promote the idea that all of their social welfare programs can easily be funded with additional taxes on the rich. Where do they stop? When the top 1% is paying about 80% of all income taxes?”

For too long in our nation, we have ignored Biblical Principles by which our lives could and should be governed. In 1 Timothy 6:6-12 we read: “Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it…People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with much grief…” Some may identify with the old country preacher who lamented: “It’s not the love of money that’s my problem – it’s the lack of money!” The key is (a) Contentment, and (b) Confidence that God will provide and sustain! This precise point is stated in Hebrews 13:5-6, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence, The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" The answer to that postulate is: Nothing! Absolutely Nothing! The entire world may be turned upside-down, and financial bankruptcy become universal – but – that does NOT change who God is or what He is able to do for those who will seek and follow Him.

An argument can be made for one having “pride” in his/her appearance, accomplishments or accumulations. Care must always be exercised to prevent that from becoming one’s sole preoccupation and/or sense of self-worth. An important balance to this is found in Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” A classic example of Pride is given in Daniel 4:29-34, “…as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty? The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle…until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes…” The King ultimately repented: “I…raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.” Have you? Will you? Consider these things with me!

When Outgo Exceeds Income

From My Perspective - - -

One would easily get the impression that our nation is currently insane, stupid, drunk, or controlled by the greatest number of miscreants (depraved, villainous, or base) ever assembled to form the Congress of the U.S. Perhaps – it is all of the above. The lead story this morning on Yahoo News is an AP Item entitled simply: “Federal Tax Revenues”! The article states how bleak the financial horizon is currently and the blindness of the big spenders who keep promoting large programs, entitlements and stimulus spending. “The recession is starving the government of tax revenue, just as the president and Congress are piling a major expansion of health care and other programs on the nation's plate and struggling to find money to pay the tab. The numbers could hardly be more stark: Tax receipts are on pace to drop 18 percent this year, the biggest single-year decline since the Great Depression, while the federal deficit balloons to a record $1.8 trillion. Other figures in an Associated Press analysis underscore the recession's impact: Individual income tax receipts are down 22 percent from a year ago. Corporate income taxes are down 57 percent. Social Security tax receipts could drop for only the second time since 1940, and Medicare taxes are on pace to drop for only the third time ever. The last time the government's revenues were this bleak, the year was 1932 in the midst of the Depression. Our tax system is already inadequate to support the promises our government has made…”

The article continues: “While much of Washington is focused on how to pay for new programs such as overhauling health care — at a cost of $1 trillion over the next decade — existing programs are feeling the pinch, too. Social Security is in danger of running out of money earlier than the government projected just a few month ago. Highway, mass transit and airport projects are at risk because fuel and industry taxes are declining. The national debt already exceeds $11 trillion. And bills just completed by the House would boost domestic agencies' spending by 11 percent in 2010 and military spending by 4 percent…” An important question is asked: “Is there a way out of the financial mess?” An answer that could and should be given is – “Yes!” Stop the grandiose programs and spending! It is the road and path to Bankruptcy! The article’s rationale is: “A key factor is the economy's health. The future of current programs…will depend largely on how fast the economy recovers from the recession…” The numbers for 2009 are striking, head-snapping. But what really matters is what happens next…If it's just one year, then it's a remarkable thing, but it's totally manageable. If the economy doesn't recover soon, it doesn't matter what your social, economic and political agenda is. There's not going to be any revenue to pay for it…The sheer magnitude of the tax decline, however, points to the deep recession that is reducing incomes, wiping out corporate profits and straining government programs…"

From an article in The Christian Century: “Christian realism had become all too rare among those entrusted with the common good—as should have been evident when Alan Greenspan, commenting last fall on the collapse of major financial institutions, confessed with uncharacteristic clarity, ‘Wow! I didn't see that coming!’ How could he not have seen it coming? Where did we ever get the idea that financial institutions were best left to regulate themselves, as if the all-too-human tendencies toward greed, wishful thinking and incompetence somehow diminished as the size of bonuses for investment bankers increased? …The rich are as capable of egregious levels of self-deception, recklessness and indifference to the common good as any of us, under similar circumstances, might prove to be. Why then would anyone have fallen for the idea that leaving them to pursue their collective self-interest would result in anything other that the wholesale pillaging of our hard-earned savings and investments?

An apt warning and instruction from the Word of God in Deuteronomy 8:17-21 – “You may say to yourself, My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me. But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth…If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. Like the nations the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God.” Consider these things with me.

Overwhelmed and Overloaded

From My Perspective - - -

There are two fatal flaws that can become part of one’s psyche and culture: Ignorance and Apathy. It degenerates to – “I don’t know and I don’t care.” This is the beginning stage of being overwhelmed. The word means: “to surge over and submerge; engulf; to defeat completely and decisively; to affect deeply in mind or emotion; to present with an excessive amount – overwhelm.”

The HinzSight Report on June 14th, 2009 asks in a column: “Overwhelmed and Feeling Like Giving Up?” In that column, David Hinz writes: “TARP! Federal Government takeover of the banking industry! Cap-and-Trade! Stimulus Spending Bill! Automobile Company bailout and takeover by the federal government! Employee Free Choice Act! ACORN criminal activity! Fairness Doctrine! Omnibus Spending Bill! Universal Nationalized Health Care! Federal government regulation of the internet! Defense spending cuts! Worldwide apologize for America tour! Mainstream media adoration for President Obama! Dozens of Czars approved by the President! As your head reels from one federal government sucker punch to another, do you ever reach a point where you find yourself ready to give up? To just…let them do whatever they want, I am just too sick of hearing about it anymore to fight it?" This is maximum Overwhelmed Overload!

A major influence upon liberal thinkers and proponents of “change” was Saul Alinsky in his book (1971), RULES FOR RADICALS. Some of the 13 Rules are: 1. Power is not only what you have, but what the enemy thinks you have. 2. Never go outside the expertise of your people…3. Whenever possible, go outside the expertise of the enemy. Look for ways to increase insecurity, anxiety and uncertainty. 4. Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules. 5. Ridicule is man's most potent weapon. It is almost impossible to counteract ridicule. 6. A good tactic is one your people enjoy. 8. Keep the pressure on, with different tactics and actions, and utilize all events of the period for your purpose. 9. The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself. 13. Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it…” Other comments include: “What we are finding today is every group finding itself eligible for government benefits -- rich, poor, weak and strong. All business is finding itself suddenly engulfed by government.” The American Thinker outlines how ACORN has been instrumental in bringing about the current crisis through its housing demands, and how President Obama was a part of that. “In the 1980s, groups such as the activists at ACORN began pushing charges of ‘red-lining’-claims that banks discriminated against minorities in mortgage lending. In 1989, sympathetic members of Congress got the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act amended to force banks to collect racial data on mortgage applicants; this allowed various studies to be ginned up that seemed to validate the original accusation…” Some conclusions reached by Hinz: “Having orchestrated the mortgage house-of-cards collapse that brought about the financial house-of-cards collapse, which caused the credit house-of-cards collapse, which lead to the automobile house-of-cards collapse, all of which has contributed to the staggering unemployment house-of-cards collapse -- President Obama has now rewarded ACORN with billions of dollars in new 'stimulus' money, with which to carry on its valuable work. And the public, bombarded on all sides with media calling for the very solutions that caused the crisis -- supporting the perpetrators who initiated the crisis -- throw up their hands in disgust and give up…” Some of it is similar to the techniques used by Tokyo Rose and Axis Sally to demoralize Allied Troops during World War II. This is a different kind of war – but – war nevertheless.

EZEKIEL 3:14-15 states: “The Spirit lifted me up and took me away…I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the Lord upon me. I came to the exiles who lived at Tel Abib near the Kebar River. And there, where they were living, I sat among them for seven days--overwhelmed.” Why was he overwhelmed? It was not just the Vision he saw but the Words that he heard. It was about how the people appeared to God: rebels, transgressors, impudent, stubborn, refusing to listen. It will result in their exile to Babylon… He could not persuade them otherwise and the reality that no one cared enough to repent and change their behavior caused him to be overwhelmed. Sound familiar? Consider these things with me!

Bottoms-Up

From My Perspective - - -

Overexposure is a concern for many performers. Perhaps it would be a good concern to be embraced by many politicians, not the least of which is our current President. Because of a comment he made “off the cuff” (or with his favorite prop – the Teleprompter), the focus for several days on racial profiling and the actions of a white policeman arresting a black professor in Cambridge, MA. In an attempt to ameliorate this situation, the President invited Officer Crowley and Professor Gates to the Rose Garden for a Beer Summit (and to balance the racial components, Vice-President Biden was a late minute addition to the Beer-garden. It was somewhat ironic that a Summit called to try and bring some unanimity they were unable to agree on one beer to be served – four different beverages were served (one to each person at the table).

Did anything significant occur at this “Summit”? Was there any apology offered by anyone about anything? Was there any agreement about anything at all? The answer is – “No!” Many people are beginning to get annoyed at the constant statements about racial divides and racial-profiling in our nation. An illustration of this is: “In a March 21, 2008 syndicated column headlined "A Brief for Whitey," conservative commentator and MSNBC contributor Patrick J. Buchanan asserted, ‘America has been the best country on earth for black folks. It was here that 600,000 black people, brought from Africa in slave ships, grew into a community of 40 million, were introduced to Christian salvation, and reached the greatest levels of freedom and prosperity blacks have ever known.’ Buchanan was discussing Sen. Barack Obama's March 18 speech addressing race and controversial comments by his former pastor, Jeremiah A. Wright. He continued, ‘Wright ought to go down on his knees and thank God he is an American.’ Buchanan then asserted that ‘no people anywhere has done more to lift up blacks than white Americans…

Buchanan continued his statement by adding: “Barack says we need to have a conversation about race in America. Fair enough. But this time, it has to be a two-way conversation. White America needs to be heard from, not just lectured to. This time, the Silent Majority needs to have its convictions, grievances and demands heard. And among them are these: First, America has been the best country on earth for black folks. It was here that 600,000 black people, brought from Africa in slave ships, grew into a community of 40 million, were introduced to Christian salvation, and reached the greatest levels of freedom and prosperity blacks have ever known. Second, no people anywhere has done more to lift up blacks than white Americans. Untold trillions have been spent since the '60s on welfare, food stamps, rent supplements, Section 8 housing, Pell grants, student loans, legal services, Medicaid, Earned Income Tax Credits and poverty programs designed to bring the African-American community into the mainstream. Governments, businesses and colleges have engaged in discrimination against white folks - with affirmative action, contract set-asides and quotas -- to advance black applicants over white applicants. Churches, foundations, civic groups, schools and individuals all over America have donated time and money to support soup kitchens, adult education, day care, retirement and nursing homes for blacks. We hear the grievances. Where is the gratitude?”

It seems there are many assumptions – the vocal minority with their sweeping claims and indictments, and the silent majority with varying views on race and what is fair and right for our nation. ACTS 17:24-30 is comprehensive when it declares: "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us…since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone--an image made by man's design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.” Consider these things with me.