Is the "War on Terror" a Fraud?

By Coach Dave Daubenmire
December 8, 2011

At the risk of being labeled a “Truther”, or a “Birther” or a “Conspiracy Theorist” I thought I would take the opportunity to share with you some observations that I have recently made.

I suppose I find myself in a few head-butting incidents every now and then because I don’t just take things at face value. Although I don’t know when it happened I have become one of those who questions almost everything I hear, especially when it comes from the media.

Having spent the past decade or so dancing in and out of the public eye I have become adept at reading the bias in the media. Usually, when I get a call from one of them it is because they are searching for someone to articulate a position on a particular issue and they know that they can count on me to give them a good sound-bite.

They are not on my side. I came to understand that years ago, but in their attempts to be “fair and balanced” they call on me to give the “Right-Wing-Wacko” position that their journalistic fairness requires them to display. Rarely do I get the opportunity to have a serious discussion with a qualified, veteran reporter. They are not really interested in what I have to say.

Like so much in the media, the leg-work is done by some recently-graduated-from-journalism-school stringer who has been assigned the weekly “moral issue” for publication. Invariably, whatever this wet-behind-the-ears reporter puts in the article will be quoted over and over again as the story circulates through shared media-sources and the blogosphere. Once printed, the statement can never be clarified nor retracted. Often, the statement is out-of-context and designed to make me look like the wacko the unbiased reporter believes me to be.

But, of course, there is no bias. They are merely repeating the “facts.”

I would hope that you can tell from my writings that I am a deep-thinking man. I read and analyze volumes of materials weekly. I often receive information from readers who want to make me aware of a particular issue…I read everything, but don’t believe everything I read. Much of what I know, and believe, I never share with others.

That’s what “objective” columnists do, eh?

Let me state up front that I am non-violent but understand others are violent, so I own guns. I love my country but do not trust the government. I respect our soldiers but do not support the wars. I am a proud Christian but ashamed of what passes as Christianity. I am a life-long educator but think public education is responsible for the condition of this country. I know it is safest to keep my mouth shut, but cowardly to do so.

So at the risk of alerting the TSA, the FBI, the IRS, Homeland Security, and the Muslim Brotherhood I want to state a conclusion that I have drawn.

The War on Terror is a fraud.

I don’t want to get into 9-1-1 theories, Dick Cheney, and the free-fall exhibited by the 3 buildings in New York. That research is for those far more qualified than me. But observation of where we are in 2011 makes me tilt my head sideways as I look at what has happened to freedom in America.

Benjamin Franklin is reported to have said, "He who would trade liberty for security, deserves neither liberty nor security."

I believe the threat of Islamic terror is real and that national security is the number one job of our government, but I’ll be damned if I want to sacrifice my freedom because of what some former cave-dwelling, camel-riding recent-arrival-in-the-21st-century-Muslim might do. I fail to see how fighting in Afghanistan makes me safer in the cornfields of Ohio.

This all came home to me as I was standing in line at the airport last week…watching the “cattle-low” as they bowed to the commands of the TSA agent who just last week was an assistant manager at Pizza Hut. “Take off your shoes…no liquids in the carry on…spread your legs and put your hands behind your head…wait for permission before moving forward.” As I stood there waiting my turn to have my rights violated I was hit with an epiphany.

“What a joke,” I thought to myself. “If a terrorist wanted to kill a bunch of people, he could easily blow up a bunch of folks while he waited in line to go through the scanner. The scanner is supposed to insure that there are no bombs that make it onto the airplane, but do nothing to protect those who are waiting in line to be scanned.” On this particular early-morning flight out of Columbus there must have been 300 people waiting in line to go through security. What a terrorism opportunity!

What would TSA and Homeland Security do if a bomb was detonated by someone waiting in line? What means of security currently prohibits this from happening? Why haven’t the “terrorists” thought of this? (I am sure they have.)

What if they simultaneously did it in six airport security-lines around America? Hasn’t the “government” considered that possibility? What are they doing to provide security as we go through security? Do we actually believe that the “terrorists” have to get on a plane to kill innocent Americans?
All of the security is designed to make the cattle feel that government is protecting us.

And what about football stadiums? You mean no ‘terrorist” has thought about blowing himself up in the middle of Section B of the Super Dome during the National Anthem? What about your local high school? What about simultaneous, coordinated attacks on six schools around the nation? If their purpose was to spread death and terror can you think of anything more terrifying to the average American parent? How would TSA and Homeland Security respond to that?

And didn’t the “terrorists” miss a great opportunity for mayhem on Black Friday? Can you image the carnage that would be left as result of some suicide-bomber hitting the target by lighting up like a Christmas tree those lined up outside of the local Target Store?

How about an IED inside our churches? If it is Christianity that they hate so badly why haven’t the ‘terrorists” planned some mega –explosions at a select group of mega-churches across the country?

Just look around. Do we really think that if those who masterminded the 9-1-1 attacks were smart enough to pull it off aren’t they wise inventive enough to see all of the vulnerable targets that you and I can see? Are we really safe because of wire-taps, airport strip-searches, and the supposed-Herculean efforts of the Department of Homeland Insecurity?

When will we awaken to the fact that those who make a living off of the “war on terror” are depending on keeping us terrified?

NOTE TO ALL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES: I am not a terrorist, have no interest in killing innocent Americans, and am not interested in an armed conflict with the government. But the fact remains, I am more concerned about a black government vehicle pulling up in front of my house in the middle of the night than I am of Abdullah Appleseed blowing up a plane that I am on.

Billions of dollars are being spent at the airports to protect us from bombers in burkas, while much easier, softer, more devastating targets remain wide open to a lethal assault.

Funny isn’t it. The Department of Homeland Security has made no secret of the fact that they consider God-fearing men like me to be a greater threat to America than some terrorist named Obama Bin Lying and his henchmen.

Methinks something is amiss. Could it be possible that a “domestic terrorist attack” like the one’s I have just described could be exactly what the doctor ordered? Can you picture a scenario where the perpetrator is discovered to be an angry, right-wing, anti-government extremist…even though his remains no longer remain to be investigated or questioned?

Can’t you imagine the chaos and need for a government crackdown if one of these soft-targets is suddenly hit? Do you find it hard to believe that right-wing Christian-profiling by the Homeland Security would suddenly be in vogue?

…and just who are all of those FEMA camps for?

I hate to think like this. I wish I wasn’t so cynical, but something doesn’t seem right. Terrorism can not destroy America.

But terror can. Am I the only one suspicious of what I see?

© 2011 Dave Daubenmire - All Rights Reserved

Alpine Roller Coaster

This is a single-pipe alpine coaster in Mieders, Austria. You reach the summit via a cable car and then sit on a small car with a brake lever and off you go. This man rode it once using a little braking and decided to try it a second time without using the brakes.



This is what the cars look like.

Son Doong Cave, Vietnam

The largest cave in the world.

Pictures from National Geographic

National Geographic Article

What do you think?

Reverse Thinking

In order to see the message of this film you have to get through the first half to see the reverse. From Sinner to Saint, Unknown to Known, Death to Life, Christ restores us and reverses the way we were. This short video is a poem that demonstrates how God reverses the way we see things.



“Does God care?” It’s a question that’s plagued millions of minds for almost as long as man has had the capacity to think. The fact that you’re here on this page right now means you’ve probably asked the same question at some point in your life. The answer is yes. Yes, God cares. And beyond just caring, He has a plan. It’s a plan that includes the entirety of humanity—a plan that includes you. Our world and the prospect of life itself can be a dreary concept when we remove God from the picture. But when we leave room in our conceptions for a loving God who cares for His creation, everything changes. That God is real, as is His love and care for you.

My Prayer For You

My heart is deeply burdened for you, my dear lost friend.

Oh, what would happen to your soul if life should swiftly end?

What goal is it you're striving for? Where is your soul tonight?

Headed for eternal rest or trapped in sin's dark plight?

You do not have the promise of another day or breath.

So choose today; now is the time you must prepare for death.

Is your name written in the Book in pure, white words that glow?

Or are you out on mountains, where the way you do not know?

Our Father's house has mansions prepared for you and me.

It's not His will we perish in hell eternally.

Our God wants us in heaven to praise Him and rejoice.

Our God is calling, waiting, but friend, it is your choice.

And if you haven't made that choice, come do not more delay;

For time is swiftly passing, your chances slip away.

Just humbly bow before Him, repent of all your sin;

In mercy, He'll forgive you and wash you white within.

Blessed peace and sweet assurance and hope for each new day,

Will be the life of Christians who walk the narrow way.

Where will you be when Jesus in glorious majesty,

Will take His own to heaven for all eternity?

Author Unknown

Listen to God's Salvation Plan

An intimate Love Letter from Father God to you.

George Whitefield's Impact on America

George Whitefield, also known as George Whitfield, was an English Anglican priest who helped spread the Great Awakening in Britain, and especially in the British North American colonies. He was one of the founders of Methodism and of the evangelical movement generally. He became perhaps the best-known preacher in Britain and America in the 18th century, and because he traveled through all of the American colonies and drew great crowds and media coverage, he was one of the most widely recognized public figures in colonial America.

This is an excerpt from chapter five of the book, GOD SHED HIS GRACE ON THEE: How a Spiritual Awakening Transformed Colonial America and Led to the Formation of the United States of America by Eddie Hyatt.

“The multitudes of all sects and denominations that attended his sermons were enormous, and it was a matter of speculation to me, who was one of the number, to observe the extraordinary influence of his oratory on his hearers. From being thoughtless or indifferent about religion, it seemed as if all the world were growing religious so that one could not walk through the town in an evening without hearing psalms sung in different families of every street.” – Benjamin Franklin

George Whitefield (1714–1770) was uniquely prepared for his role as the firebrand of the Great Awakening that would bring all the individual flames of revival together into one blazing inferno of Divine Awakening. He was a graduate of Oxford University and an ordained minister with the Church of England. At Oxford he had come under the tutelage of John and Charles Wesley and had experienced a dramatic conversion that forever changed his life. His gifted preaching ability drew great crowds and quickly launched him into leadership, along with the Wesleys, of the Methodist revival in England. Having eyes that were crossed, his critics poked fun at him calling him Dr. Squintum.

Sensing a Divine call to America, he departed England in August of 1739 with a burden for the colonists and a prayer that they would not live as thirteen scattered colonies, but as “one nation under God.” As he travelled up and down the eastern seaboard, shopkeepers closed their doors, farmers left their plows, and workers threw down their tools to hurry to the place where he was to preach. Crowds of 8-10 thousand were common. At a time when the population of Boston was estimated at 25,000, Whitefield preached to an estimated crowd of 30,000 on the Boston Common. Through his incessant travels he became the best known and most recognized figure in colonial America.

The Awakening Impacts all Segments of Society

Whitefield became a friend of Benjamin Franklin and stayed in his home on at least one of his visits to America. Franklin’s testimony of the power of the revival is particularly significant since he did not profess to be a Christian. In his autobiography, he tells of the incredible change that came over his hometown of Philadelphia when Whitefield came there on his first of seven visits to America.

"In 1739 there arrived among us from Ireland the Reverend Mr. Whitfield who made himself remarkable there as an itinerant preacher. He was at first permitted to preach in some of our churches, but the clergy, taking a dislike to him, soon refused him their pulpits, and he was obliged to preach in the fields. The multitudes of all sects and denominations that attended his sermons were enormous, and it was a matter of speculation to me, who was one of the number, to observe the extraordinary influence of his oratory on his hearers. From being thoughtless or indifferent about religion, it seemed as if all the world were growing religious so that one could not walk through the town in an evening without hearing psalms sung in different families of every street."

Franklin admits that he was skeptical of reports of Whitefield’s preaching being heard by crowds of 25,000 and more. While listening to Whitefield preach form the top of the Philadelphia courthouse steps to a huge throng, Franklin, having an enquiring and scientific mind, retired backward to see how far Whitefield’s voice would reach. He then did some calculations and decided that Whitefield’s voice, which he described as “loud and clear,” could be heard by crowds of 30,000 and more.

The Awakening Touches All Sects & Denominations

Although ordained with the Anglican Church of England, there was not a denominational bone in Whitefield’s body. In one of his sermons, preached to several thousand gathered in the open air, Whitefield mimicked a conversation with Father Abraham who was looking over the banister of heaven at the gathered multitude representing many denominations. Whitefield cried out, “Father Abraham, are there any Anglicans in heaven?” The answer came back, “No, there are no Anglicans in heaven.” “Father Abraham, are there any Methodists in heaven?” “No, there are no Methodists in heaven.” Are there any Presbyterians in heaven?” “No, there are no Presbyterians here either.” “What about Baptists or Quakers?” “No, there are none of those here either.” “Father Abraham,” cried Whitefield, what kind of people are in heaven?” The answer came back, “There are only Christians in heaven; only those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb.” Whitefield then cried out, “Oh, is that the case? Then God help me, God help us all, to forget having names and to become Christians in deed and in truth!”

Everywhere he went the Holy Spirit was poured out in great power. On one occasion after preaching to a huge throng gathered outdoors, Whitfield surveyed the crowd and noted the amazing response. “Look where I would, most were drowned in tears. Some were struck pale as death, others wringing their hands, others lying on the ground, others sinking into the arms of their friends and most lifting up their eyes to heaven and crying out to God.” In Delaware there was such an outpouring of God’s Spirit and grace that Whitefield himself was overcome along with many of his audience.

"Never did I see a more glorious sight. Oh what tears were shed and poured forth after the Lord Jesus. Some fainted; and when they had got a little strength, they would hear and faint again. Others cried out in a manner as if they were in the sharpest agonies of death. After I had finished my last discourse, I was so pierced, as it were, and overpowered with a sense of God’s love, that some thought, I believe, I was about to give up the ghost. How sweetly did I lie at the feet of Jesus."

Staying on Message

Although such outward manifestations were common in Whitefield’s meetings, he neither encouraged nor discouraged them. He was aware that in special times of Awakening, when the Holy Spirit is manifest in remarkable and unusual ways, there will be genuine but unusual responses from many. Nonetheless, as early as 1739, he had cautioned John Wesley to not over-emphasize these outward manifestations lest people become preoccupied with them and be led away from the truths of God’s word.

"I think it is tempting God to require such signs. That there is something of God in it, I doubt not. But the devil, I believe, does interpose. I think it will encourage the French Prophets, take people away from the written word, and make them depend on visions, convulsions, etc., more than on the promises and precepts of the gospel."

Early Preparation

A person who had been deeply dealt with by God, Whitefield had grown up in Gloucester, England in an inn operated by his mother. Being from a poor family, he did not have the means to attend college. He, therefore, entered Oxford University as a “servitor,” the lowest rank of students at Oxford. In return for free tuition, he was assigned as a servant to a number of higher ranked students. His duties included waking them in the morning, polishing their shoes, carrying their books and even assisting with required written assignments.

It was at Oxford that he met John and Charles Wesley and became a part of the Holy Club at Oxford, out which came the Methodist revival. At Oxford he became aware of the corruption in his own nature and spent many days and weeks wrestling in prayer and study before coming to a place of inner peace after trusting himself completely to Jesus Christ. He then experienced a voracious hunger for God’s word and wrote, “My mind now being more open and enlarged, I began to read the Holy Scriptures upon my knees, laying aside all other books and praying over, if possible, every line and word.” He was ordained to the ministry at the age of 21 by Dr. Benson, the bishop of Gloucester. He later recalled that when hands were laid upon him at that time, “My heart was melted down, and I offered up my whole spirit, soul and body, to the service of God’s sanctuary.”

Although a native of England, Whitefield became best known for his ministry in America’s First Great Awakening. He loved America and made seven visits to this land. A tireless worker, he travelled incessantly from Georgia to Maine preaching primarily in the open air and raising money for his beloved orphanage, Bethesda, which he had founded in Georgia. He died during his final visit to America at the age of 58, probably of congestive heart failure brought on by fatigue.

Whitfield Burns Out for God

Worn from his constant labors, Whitefield had for some time been hampered by chest pains and difficulty in breathing. Seemingly moved by a sense of urgency he, nonetheless, kept up his unrelenting pace. In 1770, during his seventh and final visit to America, he preached in Boston and, in spite of pain and weariness, traveled on to Exeter in New Hampshire.

Appearing worn and haggard, someone said to him, “Sir, you are more fit to go to bed, than to preach.” “True,” gasped Whitefield, and then glancing heavenward he prayed aloud, “Lord Jesus, I am weary in Thy work, but not of it. If I have not finished my course, let me go and speak for Thee once more in the fields, and seal Thy truth, and come home and die.”

Whitefield then stood and began to speak to the large crowd that had gathered in the open field. His voice, however, could barely be heard and his words were rambling as if he was having trouble focusing his mind. He stopped and stood silent. Minutes passed. Then he said, “I will wait for the gracious assistance of God. For He will, I am certain, assist me once more to speak in His name.”

Suddenly, according to those standing by, Whitefield seemed to be rekindled by an inner fire. His voice grew strong and clear and he preached for an hour, leading one observer to later comment, “He had such a sense of the incomparable excellences of Christ that he could never say enough of Him.” He preached on for another hour and then cried out, “I go! I go to rest prepared. My body fails, my spirit expands. How willingly I would ever live to preach Christ! But I die to be with Him.”

That night he retired at a friend’s home but had a fitful, unsettled sleep. In the early morning, with a crushing pain in his chest, he pulled himself out of bed and made his way to a nearby window. George Whitefield then died as the first rays of the morning sun burst over the horizon.

The Significance of Whitfield’s Contribution

Whitfield’s contribution to the First Great Awakening was enormous. More than any other person he, by his incessant travels, helped make the Awakening a national event. It was the first time the scattered colonists of various denominational and theological persuasions had participated together in a single event. Denominational walls were broken down and, for the first time, they began to see themselves as a single people with one Divine destiny—”one nation under God,” as Whitfield had prayed.

The preaching of Whitefield and other revivalists of the Great Awakening also helped democratize the inhabitants of the colonies by putting everyone on the same level (guilty sinners before God) with only one solution for the sin problem (faith in Jesus Christ). They also bridged the gap between clergy and laypeople by insisting that it was the responsibility of all to know God in a real and personal way and by encouraging their followers to carry out ordinances and activities that had been traditionally reserved for an ordained clergy.

The preaching of Whitefield, Edwards, Frelinghuysen, the Tennents, and others thus paved the way for nationhood. This is why Harvard professor, William Perry, said, “The Declaration of Independence of 1776 was a result of the evangelical preaching of the evangelists of the Great Awakening.”

Nothing in Competition with the Lord

See to it therefore that there be nothing that stands in any competition with God in your esteem. Value Him more than all riches. Value His honor and glory more than all the world. Be ready at all times to part with all things else and cleave to God.

Let God be your peculiar friend. Value His friendship more than the respect and love of all the world. When you lose other enjoyments, when you lose earthly friends, let this be a supporting, satisfying comfort to you, that you have God left. You haven't lost God.

--Jonathan Edwards, "Christians a Chosen Generation," in Sermons and Discourses, 1730-1733, p.318

Gay culture war: It's nearly lost

By Scott Lively
© 2011

Many Christians are only now awakening to the seriousness of the threat to our society posed by the homosexual movement. But, unfortunately for us all, it is only the sounding of the victory trumpets by "gay" activists that has stirred Christians from their slumber. The watchman's walls have been broken and breached, the village is in flames, and triumphal "gay" culture warriors are leading a long string of young prisoners by their necks into the woods. Most disturbingly, many of the captives, including some of the children of these still sleepy-eyed Christian parents, seem happy to go.

I have long warned that the homosexuals agenda is not about tolerance but control. It started, of course, with a plea for tolerance, but then immediately shifted to a demand for acceptance and in due time to celebration of all things "gay."It wasn't enough, however, for prominent public officials in every major city to lead the "Gay Pride" parades. No, the agenda continued to unfold to another level, requiring forced participation in "gay" culture. Much of the country is on that cusp of celebration/coercion today, led by California with it's new aggressive K-12 homosexual advocacy curriculum, mandated by law.

Even conservative Texas is not immune. Just this week Fox News covered the story of a ninth grader suspended from school for telling a classmate he believes homosexuality is wrong. The outraged teacher who demanded punishment for the boy reportedly keeps a picture on the classroom wall of two men kissing and frequently steers classroom discussions to the homosexual issue. It took the intervention of a Christian public-interest law firm to get the school to rescind the suspension. But how many students of this same teacher have over the years simply assimilated his values as normal, their parents none the wiser?

Were the Nazis anti-homosexual? Far from it! Find out the truth in Scott Lively's jaw-dropping book "The Pink Swastika"

More importantly, how many other classrooms across America are headed by such men and women? Their activist network, the Gay Lesbian Straight Teachers Network (GLSTN – later changed to "education network" GLSEN to hide the teacher/activist association) was powerful enough to launch its founder Kevin Jennings to the position of Obama White House "safe schools" czar for a time. I'd guess their agenda is an influence in just about every classroom by now.

I'm old enough to remember the debate about whether homosexuals should be allowed to be teachers at all, let alone allowed to punish students for disagreeing with the class-time advocacy of their sexual lifestyle. I remember the protestations from the pro-homosexual side, that "gays and lesbians just want the right to be left alone. They would NEVER interject their private lives into the classroom." They all lied, and we believed them, and now our children and grandchildren are being forced to celebrate "gay" culture under penalty of law.

That is the end game for the "gays." The final stage of their agenda, which has always been about taking control of things, is the power to punish dissent: to silence or crush their detractors. They only have this level of control in a few places yet, but they are moving fast to achieve it everywhere, and the momentum is on their side. And wherever they have it, they use it.

This brings me, in conclusion, to the subject of "gay marriage." Huh? How does "gay marriage" in any way relate to homosexual propaganda in schools? Or to Christian parents awakening late to the indoctrination of their children?

It is the same issue, my friends. "Gay marriage," "gay" curriculum, "gay" parades, "gay" TV shows, "gay" soldiers, "gay" adoption, "gay" diseases, "gay" recruitment and on and on. So many seemingly separate issues that are really just one issue: the unnatural, dysfunctional, personally and socially destructive phenomenon of homosexual sin. We are warned clearly and emphatically about it in the Bible. We have seen its corrupting effect in history. And we are literally watching its ethic of sexual anarchy supplant the biblical model of family as the guiding value system of our society.

I'm not going to add here how much I really love homosexuals and just hate their sin. As a question of public policy it really shouldn't matter what I think about the perpetrators, just whether I am telling the truth about their agenda. I don't want to reinforce the ridiculous assumption that Christians need to offer a disclaimer to prove they aren't haters. It wouldn't mitigate their hostility toward me for saying it anyhow. Trust me.

I'm not saying here that Christians are without hope of overcoming the challenge before us. Nothing, after all, is impossible with God. What I am saying is that we cannot possibly win, especially at this late stage of the game, if our "heroes" continue to fiddle about with the "definition of marriage" and fall all over themselves trying to prove they're not haters by endorsing other, non-marriage-related bits of the "gay" agenda.

We need to stand firmly and unapologetically on the hard truth that homosexuality is not a benign, morally neutral social phenomenon. It is an insidious and contagious form of sexual perversion condemned by God as an abomination. I cringe even writing these words because I know the wrath I am inviting on myself. Still, someone needs to say this boldly and publicly because it is the truth, and only the truth can set us free of the political correctness that has imprisoned us until now.

The homosexual agenda represents an existential threat to Christian civilization and we're in the final phase of the war, losing badly. It all hinges upon you, Christian reader. Either get into the "game" in earnest, immediately, or wave goodbye.



Dr. Scott Lively is an attorney, pastor and author of several books on the homosexual agenda, including "The Pink Swastika: Homosexuality in the Nazi Party" (co-authored by Jewish researcher Kevin E. Abrams).

180 Film Turns Opinions Around Regarding Abortion

What would you do if...? Thus begins the complete turnaround in the mindsets of all pro-choice people to whom the question is posed. While skeptics of 180 say they can't believe anyone would change his or her mind so quickly, Ray Comfort accepts and even understands their disbelief, stating that he could hardly believe it himself when he first viewed the footage in the editing room. Initially, 180 was not the film he meant to produce. At the time, Comfort was taping interviews for a DVD to go along with a book on Hitler and the holocaust. In the course of the interviews, one question led to another, and the discussion led to abortion. Comfort explains, "It began with two male university students completely changing their minds about abortion when we asked them this one question. We realized it wouldn't be convincing to have only males speaking on the subject, so we took to the streets, asking that one particular question, and found that six women changed their minds from pro-abortion to pro-life in a matter of seconds. It was amazing!"

Comfort quickly recognized the film's potential to open the doors of discussion. "I have held up pro-life signs. I have printed pro-life literature and spoken against abortion in pulpits and in my books, but I have felt that all my efforts were almost futile -- that is, up until now. In 180 we have a nation changer." Comfort adds, "Most of us know that we should be doing something to stop this horror, but the thought of protesting is a little unnerving, especially with the demonization of those who do so. But here is something each of us can easily do -- we can give this DVD out. We can pass them out on the streets, leave copies on park benches or on seats in malls or give it to the checkout lady at the supermarket. This isn't hard to do, and it will save lives -- perhaps millions of lives."

Challenging the Status Quo

"One hundred religious persons knit into a unity by careful organization do not constitute a church any more than eleven dead men make a football team." -- A.W. Tozer

"We live in a day of itching ears but I have no commission from God to scratch them." -- Leonard Ravenhill

"A true love of God must begin with a delight in his holiness." -- Jonathan Edwards

"Religion today is not transforming people; rather it is being transformed by the people. It is not raising the moral level of society; it is descending to society's own level, and congratulating itself that it has scored a victory because society is smilingly accepting its surrender." -- A. W. Tozer

"The early church was married to poverty, prisons and persecutions. Today, the church is married to prosperity, personality, and popularity." -- Leonard Ravenhill

"Trying to do the Lord's work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you." - Corrie Ten Boom.

"We put men into pulpits because they have degrees. But you can have 32 of them and still be frozen!" -- Leonard Ravenhill

"We're so far removed from God's way of doing things- we think a man is a good man if he can draw a crowd these days. Do you know what Finney did? Finney preached sometimes, and the whole congregation got up and walked out on him. That's a good meeting! He sent them out horrified! I only preach for two reasons these days: either to send people out that door blazing mad at me or blazing with the peace of the Holy Ghost! That's all!" -- Leonard Ravenhill

"If you're going to be a true Christian, I'll tell you one thing amongst others: it'll be a lonely life." -- Leonard Ravenhill.

"If you look at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within, you'll be depressed. If you look at God you'll be at rest." -- Corrie Ten Boom

"Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart." -- Corrie Ten Boom

Too Many Concerns

"Moses spent forty years in the king's palace thinking that he was somebody; then he lived forty years in the wilderness finding out that without God he was a nobody; finally he spent forty more years discovering how a nobody with God can be a somebody." - Dwight L. Moody.

"We have a tendency to think of God being glorified only in the manifestation of His mercy - He is just as glorified by His justice." - R.C. Sproul

"Too many preachers are more concerned about filling the church building than they are about filling the pulpit." - Steven J. Lawson

"The one question on the table, 'What can a dead man do?'. Answer: 'stink'. We cannot birth ourselves." - Steven J. Lawson

"A Christian is someone who shares the sufferings of God in the world." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown." - William Penn

"At the timberline where the storms strike with the most fury, the sturdiest trees are found." - Hudson Taylor

The Southern Ten Commandments

Some might argue that these southern commandments are much easier to remember.

1. Just one God
2. Put nothin' before God
3. Watch yer mouth
4. Git yourself to Sunday meetin'
5. Honor yer Ma and Pa
6. No killin'
7. No foolin' around with another feller's gal (or 'nother gal's feller)
8. Don't take what ain't yorn
9. No tellin' tales or gossipin'
10. Don't be hankerin' for yer buddy's stuff. 

Now that's plain an' simple.

And bless your little cotton pickin' heart.

Bible Illiteracy

Most Christians don't know a whole lot about the content in their Bibles. It is sad that atheists and agnotics know more about the Bible than the average Christian and this illiteracy can be solved by just picking up your Bible and reading it. One of the reasons that Mormon's and Jehovah's Witnesses are so successful in reaching and converting Christians is that they know their material and most believers in Christ can't adequately defend their faith.

I'm sure the idea of reading the whole Bible can be daunting but the Holy Spirit will guide and show you many wonderful things. Contrary to what most believe, the Bible isn't thousands of unrelated stories, and it isn't necessary to have commentaries when God is there and merely waiting for you to open His book and learn more about Him. The Bible is a love story of God's pursuit to get us back and bring you and I into an eternal relationship with Him. It’s starts with creation unraveled and ends with creation restored. The story of the bible is not primarily about all the things we must do to be good and moral people but what God has done to bring us back to Himself. Jesus didn’t come to the earth to make bad people better but to make dead people alive.

"There is a lot of talk today in 'church' circles about how little people know about the Bible....Biblical illiteracy is not a new trend. It has been around a long time. The underlying cause is explained by the Apostle Paul (Romans 1:18-32)....It seems almost impossible to have an accurate concept of God apart from the knowledge of certain foundational biblical stories.

The biblically illiterate need to begin with an understanding of who God is, and where they are in relationship to their Creator-Owner -- truths set forth in the pages of the Old Testament. They need to know these things before we can expect an accurate response to what Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross."

--Paul Humphreys, GoodSeed Gleanings, No. 6, Sept. 2000

Parental Rights Amendment

The right of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their children is presently a fundamental but implied right guaranteed by the United States Constitution. Yet one of the main reasons that parental rights are in danger today is due to their status as implied rights. That's because the meaning of an implied right is never entirely stable. Since parental rights are implied rights, the Court is free to redefine their meaning whenever it wishes. With international law poised to reposition parental rights into mere responsibilities, essentially robbing parents of their rightful place in a child’s life, the parental role and child-parent relationship is more endangered than ever before.

Though they seem effective on the surface, both state constitutional amendments and state laws protecting parental rights are insufficient to fully protect the right of parents to raise their children, for the simple reason that the US Constitution places treaties in a superior position in relation to state laws and constitutions. Additionally, the federal courts can undo any state level effort.

However, if the Parental Rights Amendment passes successfully, the right of parents to raise their children will become an explicit right and receive the highest protection in the federal courts. As an explicit right placed within the black-and-white text of the Constitution, the right of parents to raise their children will be protected by the federal courts as a fundamental right. This will place parental rights in an undeniably superior position to any treaty obligation entered into by the United States—overcoming the threat of international law, and guaranteeing the long-term protection and preservation of parental rights.

Join the fight

Help Me Get Rich

by Lee Stranahan

I’m looking for some advice. It’s about money.

I don’t need to tell you that times are tough. It seems like half the experts think we are about to plunge into the second part of a double-dip recession and the other half think that we’re there already. Like a lot of people, the week to week struggle is tiring me out and it’s not just about me, either. I have a wife and kids to think about, too.

I won’t lie; the idea of getting $50,000 tax-free sounds pretty good to me.

I know exactly how I can get it, too. It wouldn’t take more than a few hours of work. All I need to do is fill out some forms and talk about the time that my sweet, dearly departed mother tried to get a farm loan from the USDA.

You may be thinking that it sounds too good to be true.

Trust me, it’s not. This is the real deal. I’ve been working on a documentary about the USDA’s “black farmers” settlement for months now. I’ve interviewed dozens of people and it’s very clear that you can collect a $50,000 check if you know how to fill out the paperwork correctly. And I know how to fill that paperwork out.

Basically, you tell the USDA that you or a relative attempted to farm during a certain period of time but that you or the relative were a victim of discrimination and the USDA didn’t even give out the loan paperwork. No proof one way or another. The claim is judged by an “adjudicator” who looks at your paperwork and if it seems specific, detailed and believable, they approve the claim and you collect a $50,000 check tax-free.

In the Pigford black farmers settlement, over 15,000 people collected these checks and I’ve been told by a number of people that over 80% of them collected on this “attempted to farm” standard. If you’re still skeptical, here’s the official government accounting. The U.S. government paid out over billion dollars in claims and most of it didn’t go to farmers.

“Great, but I’m not only not a farmer but I’m not even African-American.” Keep reading. We’ve got that covered.

Since I’m not black, I couldn’t file under Pigford or the new Pigford 2 legislation. Sure, some white people actually did collect under Pigford by providing farm information for a black claimant and then splitting the money. Sure, the lawyers and adjudicators were mostly white and they made out like bandits, too. But let’s ignore the whole race issue.

The “black farmers” settlement was such a success that the lawyers realized they could create an entirely new settlement that almost everyone can qualify for. Me, you, everyone. All you need is a mother.

The government created a new discrimination settlement for “woman farmers.” They put up a website about it, too – FarmerClaims.gov — and as much as people complain about the quality of government services, this one even has a toll-free number that’s open from nine in the morning till eight at night.

And if you’re still sitting here scratching your head and thinking that the ‘attempted to farm’ thing must be too good to be true, just visit that website. It’s the official government site and look what it says in the FAQ.

I went into the USDA office and they wouldn’t provide me an application, so I don’t have a denial letter or anything from USDA. Am I eligible for a claim and if so what do I need to provide?

You may be eligible to submit a claim depending on your specific circumstances. You may request a claims package and review the eligibility criteria contained in the claims package. If you have questions, you may consult with counsel or another legal service provider.

Right there in black and white. Fifty thousand tax free dollars, ripe for the taking. Request a claims packet, toll free.

Stop judging.

I don’t normally think this way but like I said, times are tough. It’s not my fault that the government got the economy in this big mess. Lots of people seem to be taking advantage of it, too. Look at the bailouts for the banks and the auto industry. That’s billions of dollars, not a measly $50,000. Maybe this is MY little bailout. Right?

And now that I think about it, $50,000 might sound like a lot but really it isn’t that much. It’s not like you can buy a house or anything. We rent and my wife would sure like to own a house.

Wait! My wife! I need to check and see if she went to the USDA office, too. That would be another $50,000 free and clear. And if my wife went to try to farm, there is a pretty good chance that her mother went as well. And probably her late grandmother, too. Now we’re up to about $200,000 and starting to sound like real money. We may have to split some of that with her mom. Whatever, we’ll work that out.

It occurs to me that since we’re splitting money, that my ex-wife might want to know about the settlement as well. Her two sisters would definitely be interested and I believe when their mom passed away a couple years ago, they might remember something she said about trying to get a USDA loan but those awful people wouldn’t even give her paperwork.

I actually do know quite a bit about the mistakes you can make filling out this paperwork and how to avoid them, so I’m really be doing my ex and her family a big service by helping them through the process. Collecting is easy when you know how.

Oh! You know what? I could actually help total strangers fill out the paperwork. I mean, I wouldn’t do it for them or anything. I wouldn’t lie for them. I’d just do what I’m doing here and explain the opportunity, then tell people the right way to fill out the paperwork if they want get their own $50,000 check.

Would you pay $100 to learn how to make $50,000? Of course you would. That’s simple math. I bet there are thousands of people across the country would pay for a seminar or join an organization that helped them out.

It’s not like the government is out there prosecuting anybody for this. That ought to tell you something. And it’s also not like the media is covering the story in any way. Even a lot of people who know about the farmers settlements just shrug their shoulders. Nobody’s getting busted. Just business as usual, right? People complain about tax dollars being wasted every day. It just goes in one ear and out the other for all of us and this is just a drop in the bucket. A couple of billion dollars. Look at how much money the government spends on other stuff. Trillions. They won’t even notice if my family takes a quarter million or so.

Huh. When I started this, I thought I’d be asking for advice. Now that I think about it, I guess that I don’t really have any questions at all.

The Object of Our Faith

Some people say faith moves mountains. That is not true. God moves mountains.

Faith is no better than its object. Faith in faith is nothing but positive thinking. If you put faith in positive thinking, you are going to become discouraged.

There are some who teach that if you will simply believe God for something, that He will give you that thing. That is simply not true.

If you try to apply that teaching to your life, after awhile Satan is going to say, "You really don't have what it takes."

Don't get the idea that because your faith is weak that your prayers are not reaching heaven. Weak faith in God is better than strong faith in anything else. Faith is what counts. It is not the size of your faith it is the object of your faith that really counts.

  -- Adrian Rogers, from the Love Worth Finding series

Living the Christian Life

Too often there is no difference between Christians and unbelievers. Here are some quotes that ascertain what it means to be a follower of Christ:

"To be right with God has often meant to be in trouble with men." - A.W. Tozer

"If your faith does not make you pray, have nothing to do with it: get rid of it, and God help thee to begin again." - Charles Spurgeon

"To bear the cross means that you refrain from doing what you have the power to do. You are qualified to fulfill your desire, yet you refrain from doing so. A person like this is the strongest person. The strongest person is not the one who is able to do something, but the one who is able not to do what he has the power to do." - Watchman Nee

"If you are under the dominion of sin, you are yet an utter stranger to the salvation of God." - Catherine Booth

"The popular gospel of this day, is the laughing-stock of Hell; it dare neither damn the sinner, nor sanctify the saint." - Catherine Booth

"Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right." - Charles H. Spurgeon

Hell and the Lake of Fire motivate us to witness to unbelievers but it is the love of God that compels us to share the Gospel with those who are on the brink of eternal separation from God and torment beyond measure:

"Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell."  - C.T. Studd

"Hell is a lesson learned too late." - Unknown

Different from the World

Why does the Church needs to be different than the world?

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you..." (2 Corinthians 6:17)

The church's mightiest influence is felt when she is different from the world in which she lives. Her power lies in her being different, rises with the degree in which she differs and sinks as the difference diminishes.

This is so fully and clearly taught in the Scriptures and so well illustrated in Church history that it is hard to see how we can miss it. But miss it we do, for we hear constantly that the Church must try to be as much like the world as possible, excepting, of course, where the world is too, too sinful...

Let us plant ourselves on the hill of Zion and invite the world to come over to us, but never under any circumstances will we go over to them. The cross is the symbol of Christianity, and the cross speaks of death and separation, never of compromise. No one ever compromised with a cross. The cross separated between the dead and the living. The timid and the fearful will cry "Extreme!" and they will be right. The cross is the essence of all that is extreme and final. The message of Christ is a call across a gulf from death to life, from sin to righteousness and from Satan to God. (-The Set of the Sail, 35, 36)

  -- A.W. Tozer, "Tozer on Christian Leadership"

Quotes on Compromise

"It is perilously easy to have amazing sympathy with God's truth and remain in sin." - Oswald Chambers

"The vague and tenuous hope that God is too kind to punish the ungodly has become a deadly opiate for the consciences of millions." - A.W. Tozer

"An unholy church! it is useless to the world, and of no esteem among men. It is an abomination, hell's laughter, heaven's abhorrence. The worst evils which have ever come upon the world have been brought upon her by an unholy church." - C.H. Spurgeon

"The chief danger of the church today is that it is trying to get on the same side as the world, instead of turning the world upside down. Our Master expects us to accomplish results, even if they bring opposition and conflict. Anything is better than compromise, apathy, and paralysis. God give to us an intense cry for the old-time power of the Gospel of the Holy Ghost!" - A.B Simpson

"All God's giants have been weak men, who did great things for God because they believed that God would be with them." - Hudson Taylor

"Beware in your prayers, above everything else, of limiting God, not only by unbelief, but by fancying that you know what He can do. Expect unexpected things, 'above all that we ask or think.' Each time, before you Intercede, be quiet first, and worship God in His glory. Think of what He can do, and how He delights to hear the prayers of His redeemed people. Think of your place and privilege in Christ, and expect great things!" - Andrew Murray

"Controversy for the sake of controversy is sin; controversy for the sake of truth is a Divine command." - Dr. Walter Martin.

Hot Under The Collar

The day was unseasonably warm when my husband and I got married and, to make matters worse, the air conditioning in the church wasn't working. Becoming increasingly uncomfortable in my gown, I grumbled during the photo session, then endured the receiving line, cutting the cake, even opening the presents.

But when I saw the mountain of cards to open, that was it. Smiling, I said to the guests, "You'll have to excuse us, but we're very hot and need to do something about it." My face grew even hotter when I saw my husband's look and realized what I had said.

  -- Rita Fischer, Christian Reader "Rolling Down the Aisle."

Moral of the story: It's not what you say but what people hear that's important.

The Oil Crisis

A lot of folks don't understand why we have an oil shortage in our country. There's a very simple answer: Nobody bothered to check the oil.

Our oil is located in Alaska, California, Coastal Florida, Coastal Louisiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Texas.

Our dipsticks are located in Washington, D.C.

Any Questions?

The NIV Bible

I'm no fan of the newer Bibles, all of which claim to the most accurate version to date because they are based upon "older and more reliable manuscripts." This is complete hogwash when you consider the fact that the King James translators had access to the same 44 manuscripts that the NIV and its ilk are based upon but rejected them because they were from questionable sources. For instance, do you know the NIV is only based upon 3 of those 44 manuscripts and it is rare that these three ever agree in just two successive verses.

David Daniels lays out the following scenario:

"Imagine a stadium with 5,366 people. 5,322 of them are in harmony, agreeing with one another and enjoying themselves. But there are also 44 other people. These are not like the first. They dislike the crowd around them and slander their words when they can. But have another problem: they also disagree with each other.

Which group would you rather listen to? The one with people in one accord or the one that is filled with discord. The one that knows what it is saying or the one that cannot agree on what to say? The answer is obvious."

 Answers To Your Bible Version Questions, David Daniels, pp.16-17

Interestingly, the director of Voice of the Martyrs has come out swinging against the NIV and its paraphrase translation.

New NIV “was written, it seems, by cowards for cowards” says Voice of the Martyrs Director

In the May 2011 print edition of Voice of the Martyrs, Director Tom White states, “I do not need to be shielded by a miserably comfortable religion, existing in what I call a numbed down Christianity. One current example of this dangerous numbing down of the Christian faith is the 2011 NIV Bible. It was written, it seems, by cowards for cowards. In Job, Amos, Psalms, Isaiah and Jeremiah, the translators have removed all 16 references to our greatest motive for evangelizing – the “shadow of death” – and replaced the phrase with “darkness.”[1]

Mr. White continues, “The words ‘shadow of death’ in the Old Testament are from the Hebrew word  ’Tsalmaveth,’ which literally means the ‘grave’ or figuratively, ‘calamity.’ The grave has been artfully removed. Now Job in his struggles never has to face death. He only faces some kind of internal ‘darkness.’ Today he could simply get a prescription to avoid this challenge.”[2]

1. Voice of the Martyrs May 2011, From The Director, pg. 2, “Taking the Bull by the Horns,” by Tom White
2. Ibid., pg. 2

There is a huge difference between a translator and a teacher. Click here if I've piqued your curiosity and you want to learn more about the many different bible versions and why they're not just "updating the words" but changing the meaning and deleting sections of God's Holy Word.

Letter From College

Leaving home and attending college can be expensive if money is not managed properly. The following is letter asking for help:

Dear Dad,

$chool i$ really great. I am making lot$ of friend$ and $tudying very hard. I $imply can't think of anything I need, $o ju$t $end me a card, a$ I would love to hear from you.

Love,
Your $on

It is a considerate father who knows how to help his son learn to fly on his own:

Dear Son,

I kNOw that astroNOmy, ecoNOmics, and oceaNOgraphy are eNOugh to keep even an hoNOr student busy. Do NOt forget that the pursuit of kNOwledge is a NOble task, and you can never study eNOugh.

Love,
Dad

Winning Business Slogan

Bob was tired of being a taxidermist after fifteen years and decided that working with living animals would be a nice change. Bob chose to attend veterinary school, but the problem is that his new business never got off the ground, so he decided to operate both his taxidermy and vet business together to save money. His new slogan was:

"No Matter What Happens - You Get Your Cat Back!"

How Are You Feeling?

Farmer Joe decided his injuries from the accident were serious enough to take the trucking company responsible for the accident to court.

The trucking company's fancy lawyer was questioning farmer Joe. "Didn't you say at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine,"' asked the lawyer.

Farmer Joe responded, "Well, I'll tell you what happened. I had just loaded my favorite mule Bessie into the..."

"I didn't ask for any details," the lawyer interrupted, "just answer the question. Did you not say at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine!'"

Farmer Joe said, "Well, I had just got Bessie into the trailer and I was driving down the road..."

The lawyer interrupted again and said, "Judge, I am trying to establish the fact that, at the scene of the accident, this man told the highway patrolman on the scene that he was fine. Now several weeks after the accident he is trying to sue my client. I believe he is a fraud. Please tell him to simply answer the question."

By this time the judge was fairly interested in Farmer Joe's answer and said to the lawyer, "I'd like to hear what he has to say."

Joe thanked the Judge and proceeded, "Well, as I was saying, I had just loaded Bessie into the trailer and was driving her down the highway when this huge semi-truck and trailer ran the stop sign and smacked my truck right in the side. I was thrown into one ditch and Bessie was thrown into the other. I was hurting real bad and didn't want to move. However, I could hear ol' Bessie moaning and groaning. I knew she was in terrible shape just by her groans.

Shortly after the accident a highway patrolman came on the scene. He could hear Bessie moaning and groaning so he went over to her. After he looked at her, he took out his gun and shot her between the eyes. Then the Patrolman came across the road with his gun in his hand and said, "Your mule was in such bad shape I had to shoot her. How are you feeling?"

Conforming to the image of Christ

"Christians don't tell lies - they just go to church and sing them."
-- A.W. Tozer

"It's Jesus - only Jesus"
-- Denny Kenaston

"To the degree that I'm willing to submit to God, He is able to change and conform me to the image of Christ."
-- Jerry Benjamin

"The greatest glory Jesus brought to God was not when he walked on lthe water or prayed for long hours, but when he cried in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane and still continued to follow God's will, even though it meant isolation, darkness and the silence of God. Thus, we know that when everything around us fails, when we are destroyed and abandoned, our tears, blood and dead corpses are the greatest worship songs we have ever sung."
-- Ziya Meral

"One of these days some simple soul will pick up the book of God, read it, and believe it. Then the rest of us will be embarrassed."
-- Leonard Ravenhill

Big John Doesn't Pay!

A new bus driver was driving his route and there were no problems for the first few stops as a few people got on, a few got off, and things went generally well. At the next stop, however, a big hulk of a guy got on. He was 6' 8" tall, built like a wrestler and had arms hanging down to the ground. He glared at the driver and said, "Big John doesn't pay!" and sat down at the back.The new driver was small in stature and wasn't happy with the answer but he didn't argue with Big John.

The next day the same thing happened as Big John got on and made a show of refusing to pay and sat down. And the next day, and the one after that, and so forth. This grated on the bus driver, who started losing sleep over the way Big John was taking advantage of him.

Finally he could stand it no longer. He signed up for body building courses, judo, and all that good stuff. By the end of the summer, he had become quite strong; what's more, he felt really good about himself. So on the next Monday when Big John once again got on the bus and said, "Big John doesn't pay!" The driver stood up and and screamed, "And why not?" With a surprised look on his face, Big John replied, "Big John has a bus pass!"

Christ's Call

"Christ's call is to save the lost, not the stiff-necked; He came not to call scoffers but sinners to repentance; not to build and furnish comfortable chapels, churches, and cathedrals at home in which to rock Christian professors to sleep by means of clever essays, stereotyped prayers, and artistic musical performances, but to capture men from the devil's clutches and the very jaws of Hell. This can be accomplished only by a red-hot, unconventional, unfettered devotion, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to the Lord Jesus Christ."

-- C.T. Studd (1860-1931) Missionary to China, India and Africa.

Shaved by Grace

There was a small church in a rural community who pastor doubled as barber to make ends meet. In this small community happened to be a man who had invested wisely and was enjoying his newfound comfort. This man got out of bed one day to go through his daily routine and looked into the mirror as he was about to shave and decided, "I make enough money now, I don't have to shave myself. I'll go down to the barber and let him shave me from now on." So he did.

He walked into the barbershop and found the preacher/barber was out calling on the shut-ins. His wife, Grace, said "I usually do the shaves anyway. Sit down and I'll shave you." So he did. After she finished shaving him he asked, "How much do I owe you?" "$25," Grace replied. The man thought that was somewhat expensive and that he may have to get a shave every other day. Nonetheless, he paid Grace and went on his way.

The next day, he woke up and found his face to be just as smooth as the day before. No need for a shave today, he thought, well, it was a $25 shave.

The next day he awoke to find his face as smooth as a baby's bottom. Wow! He thought. That's amazing, as he normally would need to shave daily to keep his clean-shaven business look.

Day 3, he woke up and his face was still as smooth as the minute after Grace had finished. Now, somewhat perplexed, the man went down to the barbershop to ask some questions.

This particular day the pastor was in and the man asked him why his face was as smooth as it was the first day it was shaven.

The kind old pastor gently retorted, "Friend, you were shaved by Grace ... and once shaved, always shaved."

Who'll Take The Son?

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art like Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art. When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art. The young man held out his package. "I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this."

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. "Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift."

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. "We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?" There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted. "We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one." But the auctioneer persisted. "Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?" Another voice shouted angrily. "We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh's, the Rembrandt's. Get on with the real bids!" But still the auctioneer continued. "The son! The son! Who'll take the son?"

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting." Being a poor man, it was all he could afford. "We have $10, who will bid $20?" "Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters." "$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?" The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!"

A man sitting on the second row shouted. "Now let's get on with the collection!" The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction is over." "What about the paintings?" they cried. "I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will which I was not allowed to reveal until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!"

God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on a cruel cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is, "The son, the son, who'll take the son?" Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.

Michele Bachmann's Christian Zionism

Epidemic Bubble of Discordant Faith

Charles E. Carlson Jul 1, 2011

The wave of Judeo-Christianity, popularly known as Christian Zionism, seems to be a prerequisite to American presidential candidates today. It can be best thought of as an acquired mental illness because it results in discordant actions among those who admit to having it. Unfortunately some are in public office, and then it becomes the business of each of us. Christian Zionism has grown so large that it is fair to call it a religious bubble, and is the number one enabler of the economic and moral dilemma that faces the USA and other north American states.

Most victims of Christian Zionism, like those who develop a tragic eating disorder known as Anorexia Nervosa, can not see their illness and need help to recover from it. I am told by professionals who treat them, that many Anorexics victims will eventually starve themselves to death if not treated, and most are said to resist treatment. It is has finally been acknowledged to be a disease even thought it is self induced, and I do not pretend to have a clinical replantation. But I do know what causes Christian Zionism. It is taught, and no one is born with it, but it is a sickness because those who have it cannot see it nor can most seem to get over it without some outside help or tutorage. It is a social problem because those who have it act in ways that are often discordant with and anathema to the well being of the rest of the population in several distinct ways.



Christian Zionists cannot see the lack of common sense they portray to others, and they overlook multiple Bible inconsistencies taught to them by their spiritual leaders, who tell them they and Zionists are the beautiful members of God's society, and all others are ugly by comparison. What makes Christian Zionism so dangerous is that it is promotion by those who benefit from it politically, and by institutionalized recruitment by those who profit from it directly, the leaders. It now inflects as much as 33% of USA voters.

Anorexia nervosa seems to serves no one, but Christian Zionism serves one important national political end, it enables serial wars that serve the interests of investment bankers, Warmakers, and that state of Israel. It is in turn supported by persons, powers, and a media that would not for a moment believe one word of what Christian Zionists teach. Most obvious among these promoters are the Israel Lobby and the Serial War lobby, which overlap.

Because Christian Zionist is a mental illness, and not a coherent faith, it allow little tolerates nor debate. This is evident from many personal letter and calls I have received since I began writing about it many years ago. One recent reader wrote of the painful and inexplicable separation that developed between himself and two long time male friends who each distanced from him without a word, no longer returning phone calls or answering e-mails, over discussion of what seemed to him to be a normal political questions. My reader finally realized the nerve he had hit, without knowing it, was Christian Zionism, though he never directly addressed that topic to his friend. Many readers have told us painfully about close family members who stop communicating all together once the subject of the state of Israel is broached in religious context, sometimes broken over a single offhanded statement.

My own family was characterized by heated partisan political argument about Democrats and Republicans at family gathering. But these did not drive the family apart, rather it brought a vitality to gatherings that drew them back together at every opportunity. The arguments were strident but instructional and thought shaping for younger onlookers. Some of us looked forward to maturity when our views might be heard in these family harangues. But no such honing of views can exist in a setting where even one Christian Zionist is present. Far from crating kinship and love within the family, it creates separation.

Most Republican party candidates appear to cater to, if they are not themselves Judeo-Christians, because so many votes are at stake. Michele Bachmann from Minnesota, is said to be a serious candidate for US President and is a living example of discordant and bazaar thinker, but she will resonate with some 70 million Americas who are know to be influence by the the Judeo-Christian illness. Here are some of her words from he own website that should be carefully examined:

"Most American recognize that Israelis and American are two sides to the same coin because we share the same values...we even share the same mission, to be a light to the nations.. "

"We learned that our Christian Faith is rooted in Judaism." Without the laws of Moses, without the Temple (at Jerusalem) there would have been no sermon on the mount."

"It was this love for Israel and the Jewish state" that brought me to volunteer for a kibbutz in 1974.

"Upholding American values"...means "we must stand with Israel." "I stand with Israel... "our policies in the Middle East must be guided by this imperative."

It is clear to this author that Bachmann can not function in national office under oath because her first commitment is to another flag, not to USA, to another people, not to Americans first. Other irrational belief common to and defining Christian Zionist that she might or might not admit to, and that are incompatible with following a traditional Jesus Christ, include:

1. Wars are just, if they are Israel's wars...
2. The present world will be destroyed by God to punish the evil doers, and the Christ followers will be save and ushered into a spiritual kingdom, the rest left behind.
3. The state of Israel is God's fulfillment of the Old Testament prophesies (Jesus too).

This bubble is about to burst, as all bubbles do. Fortunately for the Americas, Judeo-Christianity is coming apart at the seams from its own weaknesses. Next time, the end of Judeo-Christianity, based on a study by the Pew Forum.

We Hold These Truths
http://www.whtt.org