Chapter and Verse

Carnivals

2004-12-02T01:06:00.000-06:00

--StoryBlogging Carnival submissions are due this Friday at midnight. If you have some fiction on your blog, and would like a wider audience, this is the carnival for you. This is the 7th installation of the SBC and it's growing and growing. It's a great way to find some new readers. Be a part of the action by clicking here.

--Also, the weekly Christian Carnival is up at David's blog. This is Christian Carnival XLVI. Ummm, that's 46?? Whatever number that is, you can check it out here.

Al-Qaida WMD attack on US likely soon

2004-11-30T02:33:00.000-06:00

Unfortunately, I agree with this Jerusalem Post article:

An al-Qaida attack on the US with non-conventional weapons is virtually "inevitable," and the organization is likely "tying up the knots" for such an attack, Yossef Bodansky, former director of the US Congressional Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare, told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday.

"All of the warnings we have today indicate that a major strike – something more horrible than anything we've seen before – is all but inevitable," he said.

Bodansky, here for the second annual Jerusalem Summit, an international gathering of conservative thinkers, added that "the primary option" for the next al-Qaida attack on US soil would be one that would use weapons of mass destruction.

"I do not have a crystal ball, but this is what all the available evidence tells us, we will have a bang," Bodansky said.

He said that al-Qaida has not carried out a second major attack on the US until now for internal psychological and ideological reasons, but after the reelection of President George W. Bush, it has gotten "the green light" to do so from leading Islamic religious luminaries, as well as from "the elites of the Arab world."

According to Bodansky's reading of Osama bin Laden's mind-set, after the elaborate attacks of 9/11 there was no need for the "bin Ladens of the world" to carry out a second major attack in the US, both because the target audience of the attacks – the Arab and Islamic world – had gotten the message that America could be penetrated, and because a second attack would necessarily have to be more grandiose.

Following the attacks and the US-led war on terror, a debate started within the operational arm of the organization over the potential use of weapons of mass destruction, Bodansky said.

If, in pre-9/11 days, the theme used by bin Laden was that perpetual confrontation and jihad against the US was the only way to protect Islam, the argument now used is the ability to punish American society, Bodansky said.

"Just as the West was challenging the quintessence of Islam by means of the globalization era, there was a parallel need by Islamic extremists to strike at – and hurt – the core of American society, this time with weapons of mass destruction," Bodansky said.

A subsequent theological debate emerged within the organization, and its supporters in the Arab world, he said, over whether the mass killing of innocents is permissible.

While bin Laden and his associates argued that by virtue of their participation in US democracy, US citizens were enabling their rulers to fight, other Islamic luminaries contended that this does not permit such massive attacks, Bodansky said. The reelection of Bush in November, he said, was viewed by bin Laden and his cohorts as a decisive answer to this deliberation, with Americans now "choosing" to be the enemies of Islam. In bin Laden's mind-set, he said, the stage was set for a non-conventional attack.

Bodansky said that while there may still be some vestiges of debate and doubt within Islamic circles, he believes that planing for such an attack is finished. "They got the kosher stamp from the Islamic world to use nuclear weapons," he said.

Moreover, Bodansky said that America is losing the war against terrorism, noting the number of recruits bin Laden is able to count on, as his call to arms gains widespread support throughout the Muslim world.

In the pre-9/11 world, Bodansky said, jihadists could count on 250,000 individuals trained and willing to die, and 2.5 million–5 million people willing to help them in one way or another. He cited intelligence estimates from this summer that suggest that as many as 500,000-750,000 people are willing and trained to die, 10 million are willing to actively support them, short of killing, while another 50 million are willing to support such a movement financially.

Typo Generator

2004-11-28T13:14:00.000-06:00

Pretty cool, eh?

Go here to make your own. I found this site through somebody on Blog Explosion, which continues to grow: 5651 blogs have already joined. And as advertised, it brings traffic to your blog.

Queen Eleanor, King Michael--Miscellaneous Jesters

2004-11-27T15:37:00.000-06:00

The folks at CrushKerry (keeping the name in case of the much anticipated 2008 run? *chuckle*) are running the Most Annoying Liberal Pundit Contest. Here's my top 5:

1. Eleanor Clift--I just. Cannot. Listen. To her.
2. Michael Moore--King Moonbat, leader of the flat-earthers: a close second.
3. Al Franken--Please run for elected office in Minnesota, please, please.
4. Keith Olbermann--All downhill since the days of "Dodgers 4, Padres 2."
5. Chris Matthews--fave CM quote: "Hey, hey, who's your favorite immigrants?"

The potato garden

2004-11-27T15:27:00.000-06:00

An old Jewish man lived alone in the country. He wanted to dig his potato
garden but it was very hard work as the ground was hard.

His only son, Saul, who used to help him, was in prison for Insider Trading
and Stock Fraud. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his
predicament:

"Dear Solly: I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won't be able
to plant my potato garden this year. I'm just getting too old to be digging
up a garden plot. If you were here, all my troubles would be over. I know
you would dig the plot for me. Love, Papa"

A few days later the old man received a letter from his son:

"Dear Papa: For heaven's sake Dad, don't dig up that garden, that's where
I buried the money & stocks. Love, Solly."

At 4 am the next morning, a team of FBI agents and local police arrived at
the old man's house and dug up the entire garden area without finding any
money or stocks. They apologized to the old man and left.

That same day the old man received another letter from his son:

"Dear Papa: Go ahead and plant the potatoes now. That's the best I could do
under the circumstances. Love, Your son, Solly."

-------------
***shamelessly plucked from the well-written blog, jerusalemgypsy.

George Washington--Happy Thanksgiving

2004-11-25T08:40:00.000-06:00

General Thanksgiving
By the PRESIDENT of the United States Of America
A PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;-- for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;-- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;-- and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;-- to enable us all, whether in publick or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

(signed) G. Washington

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

Source: The Massachusetts Centinel, Wednesday, October 14, 1789 (HT: Hugh)

Christ-mass rant

2004-11-24T01:00:00.000-06:00

Oh, how I ~~hate~~ dislike this time of the year. The Christ-mass season seemed to start this year earlier than ever. The funny thing is, before I became a Christian 7 years ago, I celebrated Christmass every year just like everyone else. And now, for the last 5 years, I have had nothing to do with it. Why?

You do know that Christmass has nothing to do with Jesus, right? That Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born in the fall of the year? That December 25th comes from papist Rome and was a celebration of the false god, Saturn, and the rebirth of the sun god? That this hollyday, is nowhere near a holy day, and is 100% pagan? Did you know our founding colonists outlawed Christmas in early America, not wanting to bring the pagan holiday over from apostate Europe?

Yada, yada, yada....Ok ok ok. Just google pagan and Christmas and see what shows up. It really has nothing to do with Jesus, and I really don't celebrate it at all, if I can help it. The Christmas spirit you hear so much about, surely isn't the Holy Spirit; if there is any kind of real spirit involved it would be a demonic religous spirit. I find it odd that fundamentalists who know the truth about Catholicism and have nothing to do with it, waste a whole month every year preparing and celebrating the "Mass for Christ."

Here are some fun facts on the symbols of the hollyday:

The wreath: pagan symbol for the vagina and the circle of life
Red holly on the wreath: menstrual blood of diana, queen of heaven.
Candle in the middle of the wreath: phallic. ie. penis!
White berrys on mistletoe: Sperm!

The Christmas Tree, this one's even in the bible--

Jeremiah 10:2-4, "Thus saith the Lord, learn not the way of the heathen; and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven. For the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain. For one cutteth a tree out of the forest. The work of the hands of the workman with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold. They fasten it with nails and with hammers that it move not."

Ok, ok...that's enough. I can't convince you of anything. I can only bring it to your attention. For 98% of you this is just funny and weird, so go about your business.

For the rest of you, do a little google research and see what you find. For those few, I believe the remnant of God already knows about this, have wrestled with this, and most have come to some kind of resolution about what to do with this pagan custom dressed up in Christian clothing.

Jots and Tittles 112304

2004-11-23T23:57:00.000-06:00

--My favorite baseball blogger, Twinsgeek, will no longer be linked to the state newspaper of Minnesota. His farewell post is found here. Evidently, Rathergate even extended to baseball:

But the most serious criticism was from journalists who felt that the weblog was an end-around of their union, providing additional sports coverage without paying the dictated wage to a member of the writer's guild. In the bigger picture, a divisive presidential campaign increased tensions, when biased bloggers would take shots at mainstream media coverage.

--I took the 10 question world geography quiz at the Geography Olympics four times. I was personally responsible for lowering the cumulative American score by 0.04%.

--My reaction to the NBA basketbrawl suspensions: Artest and O'Neal's suspensions were each a little long, although I am not going to argue them. Stephen Jackson's was not long enough--I could see him being suspended for the whole season. When he went in the stands, he wasn't looking to help his teammate, he was looking to smack somebody, anybody. Big Ben's suspension was just right. The whole tuff guy, macho man, gangsta punk attitude is disturbing. Don't know what I am talking about. Here's the video.

--The Paul Crouch front has been quiet for over a month. I thought the TBN people had gotten smart and dropped everything and moved on. Turns out that's not the case--they still have a contempt-of-court case coming up against Enoch Lonnie Ford. They are saying he is in contempt for speaking about the homosexual affair he had with Paul Crouch. allegedly.

I read your blog

2004-11-19T00:01:00.000-06:00

Todd: Hey.
Rocky: Hey.
Todd: I read your blog.
Rocky: Oh yeah?
Todd: Yeah, what is this? Poetry week?
Rocky: Umm.
Todd: I thought you were going to write about the whole gay, ex-gay thing.
Rocky: I have a little.
Todd: Not much.
Rocky: Well...
Todd: Well, you should cuz your poetry sucks.
Rocky: Thanks.
Todd: Yeah, it bores me to tears.
Rocky: Thanks again.
Todd: No problem.

October

2004-11-18T11:13:00.000-06:00

A few snowflakes fall down
like feathers from tiny birds
I catch one on my tongue
and remember the taste of winter

G life

2004-11-17T20:16:00.000-06:00

In lust we plot a dance
heaping coals upon the others head
the weary wet steps marched within
our padded circles of what
others call life we call chains--
in our bondage we bond.

The prosperity gospel of the Democrats

2004-11-16T13:27:00.000-06:00

Star light, star bright, Star Parker skewers the Democrats tonight:

The "faith factor" problem of some Democrats is not that they do not have faith. It is that some have faith in the wrong things. The Democratic gospel preaches an all-encompassing faith that politics and government will solve our personal problems. Not earning enough money? Don't have a high-school diploma? Not happy with your insurance policy or retirement plan? Is your daughter pregnant? Feel in general that your life is out of control? Turn to President, Senator or Congressman Democrat and get it solved.

...The Democratic Party is now perceived, for good reason, like a late-night infomercial selling products that will make you instantaneously rich, thin and beautiful. All that you need is faith that the salesman is telling the truth and a credit card...Democrats refuse to let go of the secular religion that they have long been hawking, that Americans should place their faith in government to solve their personal problems...

Infomercial? Maybe. How 'bout like a TBN Praise-a-thon? Sow your dough into TBN, reap a huge return. Sow your vote into the Democratic party, reap government assistance. Are you sick, we'll heal you with health insurance for all. We'll weaken our national defense, but you get free chips and salsa.

Fewer and fewer Americans are being seduced by the line that their children are not being educated because not enough money is being pumped into the public school system or that health care costs too much because government is not spending enough. More and more Americans are appreciating that no one but they themselves can think about what will happen if they or their kids don't get a good education or about being prepared for life-interrupting occurrences like loss of a job.

You know, I don't place my trust in either political party to save me. But, when it comes to choosing a party that is closest to my moral values, and makes sense from a governing standpoint, I can't help but lean Republican. Most Americans seem to agree, as our nation's map is mostly red and we have had only two Democratic Presidents since Richard Nixon.

The "faith factor" that distinguishes Republicans from Democrats today is a faith in personal responsibility vs. a faith in dependence and government. The problem for Democrats is once they come clean about the truth here, they'll all have to become Republicans.

I remember in 2000 talking to a 45-yr old woman about that year's election. She had no idea what the difference was between a Democrat and a Republican. Our conversation drew the interest of some young co-workers, and not one of the 4-5 people who joined us, and were planning on voting Democrat in 2000, had any idea what the difference was between the two parties. Personal responsibility vs. a faith in dependence and government pretty much sums it up.

Pro-Palestinianism?

2004-11-16T13:07:00.000-06:00

from Incitement to Genocide, Act Two by Steven Plaut:

The simple fact of the matter is that there is no such thing on the planet as sympathy for and identification with Palestinians. There is no such thing as pro-Palestinianism. Period. When Palestinians, or when Arabs in general, are mistreated, repressed, and tormented by any Arab regime, no one cares. When Palestinians were mass murdered by Syria and Jordan, no one cared. When more than 100,000 Arab civilians are massacred in Algeria, it does not even make the evening news. When Asad or Saddam Hussein carry out mass murders of Arabs, the “Human Rights” lobby never looks up from its cinnamon latté.

The pro-Palestinian movement is nothing more than the 21st century’s reincarnation of medieval anti-Semitism, complete with medieval anti-Jewish blood libels. People who claim to feel empathy for Palestinians are typically motivated by hatred of Jews. The reason the pro-Palestinian movement wants the Palestinians to have a state is because it understands that such a state will operate as an instrument to attack Israel, murder Jews, and seek the annihilation of the Jewish state.

Once one understands this fundamental fact of life about the Middle East and about world political motivations, everything else makes sense. The mind-numbing stupidity of the world media mourning Arafat in great cries of anguish, the fawning toadying of political leaders, the maudlin outpouring of love for the cause of the fallen terrorist nazi, are all understandable. There is nothing at all confusing about it. These people are not broadcasting their undying love of Palestinians, but rather their undying hatred of Jews.

Why our government wants to build a state of Palestine, within the borders of God's Israel, I don't know. May it never happen. (HT to Powerline for this article.)

Worship

2004-11-15T14:04:00.000-06:00

To the left, the world and all it's sorrow.
To the right, the brethren and all their discord.
And I - me - in the middle.
And we spend our time lamenting over these three realms;
But lift up your left hand and shut out the world,
And lift up your right hand and stop judging the brethren.
Lift up your hands unto the Lord your God;
Take your eyes off yourself and lift them unto Jesus the King.
With holy hands raised and a lifted up head we will worship our God.

Jots and Tittles 111204

2004-11-12T15:41:00.000-06:00

--Reason #8,193 that ecumenism isn't godly and the World Council of Churches doesn't speak for me

WCC releases statement praising Yasser Arafat, the man who "had more Jewish blood on his hands than anybody since Hitler."[more]

--Charles Krauthammer deals with the myth that gay marriage amendments won the election for Bush:

George Bush increased his vote in 2004 over 2000 by an average of 3.1 percent nationwide. In Ohio the increase was 1 percent -- less than a third of the national average. In the 11 states in which the gay marriage referendums were held, Bush increased his vote by less than he did in the 39 states that did not have the referendum. The great anti-gay surge was pure fiction.

I agree, no anti-gay surge. I am sure that there were some people who did not vote for Bush in 2000, who came out specifically to vote for the amendments and ended up voting for Bush. BUT, I would speculate that there was an equal number of voters (or more) who did not vote for Democrats in 2000, who did so specifically this year because of the war in Iraq. There are a lot of reasons why people voted this year, and it's impossible to pigeonhole one or two reasons that Bush won.

--Bill Koenig agrees with my post of a week ago about Arafat's death possibly accelerating the dividing of Israel:

Wash - Nov. 11 - KIN - Mr. Arafat’s death has incredible prophetic significance. The Lord said in Zechariah 14:2, “For I shall gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem.” Then the Lord promises in the next verse, “Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations.” Mr. Arafat’s death gives the Palestinian people opportunity to install moderate leadership and to gain world sympathy to establish a Palestinian state at the expense of dividing the covenant land of Israel. President George W. Bush, the only U.S. president to advocate a Palestinian state, said of Mr. Arafat’s death, “The United States of America will be more than willing to help to build the institutions necessary for a free society to emerge so that the Palestinian’s can have their own state. The division is two states, a Palestinian state and Israel living side by side in peace.”

The President’s intentions could very well accelerate end time prophecy by coalescing all the nations against Israel, forcing her to divide her covenant land in the name of peace. God promises in Zechariah 12:3, “I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone to all the peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces.” God also promises in Joel that he will judge the nations who divide the land of Israel. America needs to stand with Israel, not divide her, for in division there is judgment.

Bill Koenig is the brother who has documented God's warnings upon America whenever we move to divide Israel. Note that Bush and Blair released a statement today reiterating their desire to divvy up Israel in a misguided vision of a peaceful two-state solution. If anything happens over the next few days, this will probably be why.

Arafat's demons

2004-11-11T13:24:00.000-06:00

Yasser Arafat is dead and there is much rejoicing going on in the blogosphere. I will restrain myself from jumping on the jubilation bandwagon and try to give a perspective of this that you probably won't find elsewhere. There is a lot of speculation pertaining to the divvying up of Arafat's fortune. My interest has to do with the allocation of something else that the terrorist has accumulated over his lifetime. Namely, what happens to Arafat's demons?

I'm not talking about kharma, or general evil, or anything like that. I am talking about real demons, the kind that Jesus cast out of people everywhere he went, the kind that are still oppressing people today. What, you think Yasser Arafat rose to the height of evil without a little help? No, rest assured he had a legion of Satanic spirit guides pushing and prodding, leading and guiding, tormenting and indwelling him until his dying breath.

Now, demons are spirits. Without a body to dwell in, without a house to live in, they walk to and fro in dry places without rest until they attach themselves to a person. But when a person dies, their work is done, and they go off to seek a new home. So where did they go?

1. The Wife--This is the logical place for them to fly off to. The soul tie between a husband and wife is usually the strongest. The marital covenant with its sexual union of two becoming one is the natural place for demons to transfer after the death of a host. In this case however, on the face of it, it doesn't look like they had a strong marriage, with the wife living in Paris and not seeing her husband for the last 3 years. So there probably is a small transfer here amongst the smaller demons. The stronger demons probably won't go to the wife, as their vile desires of murder, political power pride, and religous oppression would find no release in the woman who is not in a position for them to lead her to act out as Arafat was able to, because of the position of leadership that he was in.

2. Their Child--The iniquity of the parent passes to the child, so there is an avenue here for demons to transfer. I imagine some of the small hanger-on demons may find a home here. But as their daughter isn't in a position of power like Arafat, there probably won't be much transfer.

3. The Lovers--It has been reported that Arafat had homosexual lovers, and died of AIDS. So if true, the sexual union, though not as strong as the husband/wife union, would provide a pathway for demonic transfer. Two become one when you are joined to a harlot, just as when you are joined to a wife, just as when you are joined sexually to anyone. It was said that some of his bodyguards were involved sexually with him in the past, so those former lovers may be in line for some new visitors. Any demons with a sexual specialty that skitter off to find a new home would probably go to the lovers.

4. The Blessed--Anyone who submitted themselves to Arafat, and let him bless them, or lay hands on them, would be prime candidates for some of the harsher, more powerful demons. The lovers and the family may not be adequate hosts for the evil these demons wish to compel, so his close aides and subordinates may be better homes for some of the powerful demons, if previous inroads were made by them at the time of submission.

Just like a curse without cause will not alight, demons are forced to be legalists, and cannot automatically transfer to someone without a cause. I think there is mercy involved in demonic transferrence after death, so outside of the family, the bonds between the lovers or the blessed would have to be strong for significant transferrence to take place. Meaning, the bond forged in a one-off sexual encounter, or a one-time hand on the head probably isn't strong enough for a future demonic transfer, although at the time of occurence there may have been transfer.

Some of Arafat's demons surely have found a new home in the above mentioned already. As for the rest, chances are that Satan's headquarters in the heavenlies had an influx of new soldiers reporting in, awaiting new orders. President Jacques Chirac of France, who seemed to stand at Arafat's deathbed in agreement with the terrorist wishing him godspeed, may, May, MAY be in line for a few visitors who will make him rue the day he ever met Yasser Arafat.

UPDATE: Just saw an interview on Fox News with Jacques Chirac outside of the hospital treating the terrorist. He said he came to pay his respects and "bow down" before Arafat. Yes, he actually said bow down. Maybe it's a French thing, I don't know, but that sounds like some pretty heavy duty agreement to me.

Christian Carnival 43

2004-11-11T01:25:00.000-06:00

The weekly Christian Carnival is up at Digitus. Here are some of the thought provoking posts that caught my eye. (I only highlight 8, there are 25 other posts in CC43 for you to look over)

--Violet answers a newspaper columnist's question "What would Jesus do?" in regards to homosexual marriage. A nice post, with an excellent point in the comment section by Violet:

In the end, the Spirit of God, working on people's hearts, not arguments or logic, will win the day in the lives of individuals. Only a move of God working collectively in the lives of many individuals (birthed in prayer, fasting etc. etc.) will be powerful enough to correct the course of our nation.

--Patriot Paradox expounds on the new enemy of the left, Christians. As I surf the internet, the absolute hatred from some people on the left is disarming. They really, really hate George W. And they're not very fond of those who voted him into office. I am amused at the intolerance of the left's view of all things conservative (Granted, intolerance--like the similar hammers called hate, and homophobia--is a secular word of the left whose meaning is skewed in order to intimidate...Nevertheless, I am still amused). Viewpoint has more words on the same topic.

--Cindy Swanson writes about the death of Rockford Illinois's only abortion doctor.

But I must assert today that Dr. Richard Ragsdale was not a hero. Eternity will bear testimony to his real legacy; I believe he is already discovering what that real legacy was, indeed. I'm sorry. I can't shed a tear for Dr. Richard Ragsdale today...although I should be shedding tears for his mortal soul. I am crying for thousands of human lives who were cut off...no, who were killed...who were murdered...at the Northern Illinois Women's Center.

--Douglas Bass has a series on his blog about Watchman Nee's book The Spiritual Man. If I could only read 10 books for the rest of my life, the Bible would be #1 and this book would be amongst the other 9.

--Cosmo comments on Paul Cain's fall.

--Rebecca has an excellent post on what to do when someone you know dies.

--And finally, Donald Crankshaw has Storyblogging Carnival 5 up on his website. If you are a fiction writer, this carnival is for you.

Blog Explosion

2004-11-09T14:24:00.000-06:00

I suppose it's about time I make the obligatory blog explosion post. Blog explosion is a tool to bring traffic to your blog, a traffic exchange. The concept is pretty simple. It is a community of about 4000 blogs (4000 so far, membership has increase by at least 1000 since I joined two weeks ago) , and every time you visit two blogs within the community, it assures you of having one visitor from the community to your own blog.

If you have a small to medium sized blog, and you like reading blogs, it is a pretty good thing. It seems half of my time on the internet is spent reading other blogs anyway, so for me to belong is a natural thing. And your own blog traffic increases proportionally to the time you spend surfing thru blog explosion.

It is free to join. So far I have received no spam as a result of joining. I have had about 500 extra visitors to this blog (WooHoo, mystery credits)(sometimes you get 5-10-50-100 mystery credits just for surfing on blog explosion. Each credit gives you one visitor back to your blog). And I have found a few interesting people in the blogosphere that I never would have found otherwise. (Also, speaking as a right wing, ex-gay Christian, I find that you have outside-the-box visitors that you would not normally get, and they can stretch you with the comments they leave)

You have the option to rate other blogs that you come across on a 1-10 scale. Personally, I have decided to only rate blogs I like with an 8, 9, or 10. Blogs I don't like or don't reach an 8 on my scale, I just don't rate. There is a comment section independent of the normal comment sections on blogs you surf. I don't see any merit in that, but we shall see.

So, welcome BE visitors. I think it was my turn today to make this kind of post, so you can leave your likes and dislikes about BE, of just say Hi here in the comments section, and then tomorrow it'll be someone elses turn. :-) And all you other folks with a blog, go join. It's quick and painless, and you can always unjoin if you like. At the least, your blog will be in a searchable directory where more people can find you. And who knows, maybe you'll find you like it.

Fallujah

2004-11-07T01:03:00.000-06:00

Excerpts from a Marine's letter from Fallujah:

Dear Dad -

As you have no doubt been watching, we have had our hands full around Fallujah. It would seem as if the final reckoning is coming. The city has been on a consistent down hill spiral since we were ordered out in April. It's siren call for extremists and criminals has only increased steadily and the instability and violence that radiates out of the town has expanded exponentially. If there is another city in the world that contains more terrorists, I would be surprised...

The enemy inside the town have come to fight and kill Americans. Nothing will sate their bloodlust and hatred other than to kill everyone of us or at least die trying...If we build a school or clinic, they destroy it. They would rather deny medical care or education for the children of the citizens who live nearby than to have any symbol of the West in general and America specifically among them. It is hard to comprehend. Frankly, we are done trying...

For eight months, we have been on our chain. The enemy has fooled itself misinterpreting our humanity and restraint for lack of will and courage. For eight months, we have watched Marines, Soldiers and Sailors maimed and killed by invisible cowards hiding behind some wall or in a canal as he detonates another IED. For eight months, we have been witness to suicidal sociopaths driving vehicles laden with explosives into crowds of Iraqis and into our own convoys...

Now, their own ignorance and arrogance will be their undoing. They believe that they can hold Fallujah. In fact, they have come from all over to be part of its glorious defense. I cannot describe the atmosphere that exists in the Regiment right now. Of course the men are nervous but I think they are more nervous that we will not be allowed to clean the rats nest out and instead will be forced to continue operating as is...

Go here to read the whole thing.

Sharpton to divorce

2004-11-07T01:00:00.000-06:00

The reverend Al Sharpton announced his separation from his wife after 23 years of marriage. The only reason I mention this is because one line in the statement jumped out at me:

The pair "have extremely active careers and their separation allows them to continue pursuing their work interests," the statement said.

I know it's a press release for secular use; but, for a supposed Christian leader to give this reason for his pending divorce seems to trivialize the whole covenant of marriage.

Jots and Tittles 110604

2004-11-06T16:41:00.000-06:00

--That Newsweek behind the scenes look at the campaigns during this election cycle is fascinating and is found here. Powerline, as always, has a good read on Kerry's loss found here.

--The word of the day is mandate. Bush won. He is the president. Let him govern. This mandate talk is all nonsense, an excuse for the losing party.

--Moral Values decided the election? Maybe. Surprised? Why? We are created by a Creator. For God, moral values are called righteousness and unrighteousness. Our individual consciences were created by God. They are programmed with what God declares to be right and wrong. Morality isn't flexible. What was immoral 1000 years ago, is immoral today. No matter what anyone says, the pro-abortion, pro-homosexuality folks are always going to lose to those who vote primarily on moral issues, because morality doesn't change.

--Locusts about to invade Israel? Maybe...Remembering Keith Green.

--Marriages Restored has a couple posts about keeping secrets, and how our victories are hindered when we keep our issues to ourselves...I know that for me, when I told my closest friend about my problem with homosexual sex that victory and deliverance and salvation seemed to come more readily.

Druids repent

2004-11-06T16:14:00.000-06:00

As a follow-up to my two previous posts, I note that the husband/wife Epispcopal priests have repented of their involvment in druidism. Here is the husband's public letter, and evidently his wife has done something similar:

Recently it has been brought to light by several agencies and individuals that I have been involved in work with Druid organizations in the United States and England, exploring the relationships between Christian and pre-Christian Druid spirituality and theology. These individuals and agencies have presented you with pages of documentation of my activities from the internet. You and I have discussed this material, and you have pointed out to me that it is the opinion of the church that my involvement, writings, and activities go beyond the bounds expected of a Christian and a Christian priest.

I affirm to you with all my heart it was never my intention to engage in such error, but only to help others who had lost connection to the Church to find a way to reconnect. I also thought that there was much in our early British heritage that could help those of us in the Church to broaden our understanding of Anglican tradition.

I was wrong. I repent of and recant without qualification anything and everything I may have said or done which is found to be in conflict with the Baptismal Covenant, and the historical Creeds of the Church. With God as my witness, I reaffirm my belief in the historical creeds of the Church, and the Baptismal Covenant, and reaffirm to you my faith, as expressed in that covenant. I am resigning my membership in the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids, as a sign of my repentence.

I have been a follower of Jesus Christ since my Baptism in 1947, and a faithful deacon and priest of the Church, with the exception of the error admitted above, since 1981. It is my desire to continue as such, and I ask for the mercy of the Church, and of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christian Carnival

2004-11-05T01:28:00.000-06:00

The weekly Christian Carnival is up at King of Fools. A few of the posts that caught my eye:

--Donald Crankshaw points out that the 'religous right' isn't an extreme minority like liberals and the MSM repeats over and over. Looks like we're pretty mainstream from the statistics he cites.

--David Mobley has everything you ever wanted to know about Sola Scriptura.

--Diane points out that not all Christians mindlessly back Bush. As for me, I have my own reservations about him. Not nearly as many as I had for Kerry, but a few that cause concern nonetheless. (Although I am so glad that the election is over, politics are a huge distraction from things that matter)

--Elle takes on Bill Maher.

--And finally, DeoOmnisGloria has a post up on how Catholics worship the eucharist, and concludes with these thoughts..."Do you hunger for God? Do you want a closer relationship with Him? You cannot find a more personal relationship than the Eucharist"...maybe someone should say this...I hear they have a Catholic Carnival somewhere out there in the blogosphere, and that is where this nonsense belongs. Because this stuff is Not Christian, probably even anti-Christ(ian).

Well, that is all that caught my eye. Check out the whole thing for yourself. Next weeks Christian Carnival will be held at Christweb. Deadline for submissions is next Tuesday at midnight EST.

Israel and the second Bush term

2004-11-04T22:57:00.000-06:00

Now that gay marriage is off the table for a season, we need to remember Israel. For whatever reason, God has chosen that little piece of land as something special in His eye. America's dealings with Israel are going to be front and center during the next few years. Tony Blair says that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the:

"single most pressing political challenge in our world today." Blair urged the president to seek peace "between Israel and Palestine" with the "same energy" that he has pursued his agenda in Iraq. Blair placed this quest in the context of "resolving the conditions and causes on which the terrorists prey."

President Bush responded in his first news conference since being reelected:

I'll start with Tony Blair's comments. I agree with him that the Middle East peace is a very important part of a peaceful world. I have been working on Middle Eastern peace ever since I've been the President. I've laid down some -- a very hopeful strategy on -- in June of 2002, and my hope is that we will make good progress. I think it's very important for our friends, the Israelis, to have a peaceful Palestinian state living on their border. And it's very important for the Palestinian people to have a peaceful, hopeful future. That's why I articulated a two-state vision in that Rose Garden speech. I meant it when I said it and I mean it now.

The death of Yasser Arafat, if he is indeed dead, is going to throw a monkey wrench into our dealings in the Middle East. As long as Arafat had an iron grip on the bank accounts, it was his vision that was carried out by the 'Palestinians'. And that meant much talk, but no action. As long as Arafat was in control, there would be no peace between Israel and his factions. Arafat's vision was the destruction of Israel, not peace.

Now, we await the next leader. And if this next leader is willing to accept land in order to call off the suicide bombers, to stop the conflict; well, that is not to be thought of as a good thing. Dividing the land of Israel is not part of God's plan for His nation. And if we, America, try to manipulate for the sake of peace, by dividing the land, we do so to our destruction. It is my understanding that if we divide Israel, we too shall be divided, physically, as a nation. If the new Palestinian leader is willing to deal, are we spiritually smart enough to stay out of it? I don't think we are.

I don't think there will be peace in Israel until the Lord Jesus Christ returns. And I know there will be a time that ALL nations will gather to battle against Jerusalem, including the USA (Zec 14). It would be very easy for America to draw back it's support of Israel, seeking a (temporary) respite from Islamofascism. And if that day happens, we will inevitably join the enemies of Israel. Just some things to keep in mind and in prayer. Nevertheless, Maranatha; we are Christians first, Americans second. Thy will be done, Lord God of Israel.

11 for 11 on Marriage Amendments

2004-11-03T03:01:00.000-06:00

Constitutional marriage amendments passed in all 11 states where they were on the ballot on Tuesday. Generally, the amendments define marriage as between a man and a woman, effectively banning gay marriage. The initiatives passed by wide margins in all states:

Arkansas 75-25
Georgia 77-23
Kentucky 75-25
No Dakota 73-27
Ohio 62-38
Oklahoma 76-24
Oregon 57-43
Utah 66-34
Mississippi 86-14
Montana 66-34
Michigan 59-41

A couple solid wins...a few 2-1 margins...and 6 states passed by 3-1 margins. I am happy.

Daschle sues Thune night before election in SD

2004-11-02T00:38:00.000-06:00

I am glued to the monitor, hitting refresh...and the updates aren't coming fast enough. Tom Daschle is in court right now in South Dakota suing John Thune, with a blogger live-blogging it from the courtroom...Very interesting stuff. That is truly an excellent use of blogging.

Still awaiting results here at 1:31am CST

So while I am awaiting the judges decision on Daschle's desperate lawsuit, I'll make my prediction on the battleground states. The other day I said I thought it would be Bush over Kerry, 53-46 in the popular vote; and 310-228 in the electoral college. So here's the battleground breakdown to get to 310:

Bush Wins - FL, OH, IA, WI, MN, NM, NV, CO, WV, AR, HI
Kerry Wins - PA, MI, NH, OR, NJ

Although I am having doubts the last few days about MN going for Bush.

Politics should stop at the water's edge

2004-10-31T16:09:00.000-06:00

Won't you be glad when this election is over? After next Tuesday, and about 3 weeks of Democratic lawsuits challenging the results, we can finally put this all behind us and move on, like our friends at moveon dot org want us to do. Well? Don't ya think? I think we'll move on if Kerry wins, but I don't find that likely. I think Bush is going to win, and I don't think it'll be close.

So what then? Are those in the far left going to boil over and fester in their hatred for the President for 4 more years? Jim Geraghty says "that there was an old saying about politics stopping at the water’s edge." Well, that's not the case anymore. Even Bin Laden is using Kerry talking points in his terrorist rantings (My Pet Goat)...he might as well have been wearing a Kerry/Edwards lapel pin. Kerry even went as far as to release their own polling data on how the people percieved the Bin Laden tape. Luckily, they conclude it didn't help Bush, so they can go back to disrespecting the President and the office they desire.

The hatred on the left is weakening our nation before the nations of the world. Eyes look at the extremes, and those overseas can see the vitriol of the left and think that that is the sentiment of an entire nation. Not good, not good.

Theory: Conservatives are generally more God fearing than are liberals. When Conservatives go over the edge with disdain for individuals or policies, it is more tempered and is not long lasting. We have an internal balance that doesn't allow us to go that far 'out there' or to stay there if we do. When the godless liberals go over the line into unrighteous indignation, they have nothing to draw them back to reality. Truth is relative and they have no moral code as a standard of righteousness to stop them, so they stay there and rant and rave with the Michael Moore's, the George Soros's, and the Rosie O'Donnell's. All for the good of our nation. *rolls eyes* (When I say godless liberals, I refer to the 20% of liberals on the far left of that spectrum, you know who you are).

I was reminded this morning, that even though I think John Kerry is clearly unfit to be our President, that if God gives him stewardship of the Presidential office for four years, we Christians must pray for him. Like I said, I don't think it will happen, but if it does, we as Christian citizens must submit and offer prayer on behalf of our appointed leader. There will come a day when the United States abandons Israel, and I think that day will be sooner, rather than later, under a Kerry presidency, and then we, as a nation, are done. This will be something to keep in watchful prayer no matter who is elected.

I will be glued to the TV on Tuesday, watching the election results roll in. I hope it will be a landslide for Bush, so there will be no shenanigans available for the Democrats to drag it on and on til January. And then Wednesday....the Minnesota Timberwolves begin their season. They are the favorites this year and their quest for the NBA championship should be interesting.

Jots and Tittles 103004

2004-10-30T01:28:00.000-05:00

WND has an article up on John Kerry's 'born-gay' science...A blogger gets a visit from the Secret Service after talking about killing the President on her blog...Belmont Club analyzes the Bin Laden video...

CT reports the reaction of an Episcopalian Bishop to the charges that 2 of his priests are practicing druids and promote pagan rituals:

"I am extremely concerned by the charges made against the Melnyks, yet I am also concerned about the reputations and pastoral needs of two priests who have contributed very positively to their parishes and this diocese for four years," Bennison said. "I will not allow this situation to turn into a witch-hunt of any sort."

...turn into a witch-hunt?!? Um, yeah, they are witches...what an odd phrase choice.

NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo

2004-10-29T13:44:00.000-05:00

You Are a Pundit Blogger!

Your blog is smart, insightful, and always a quality read.
Truly appreciated by many, surpassed by only a few.

What kind of blogger are you?

More on ECUSA

2004-10-29T02:06:00.000-05:00

Two posts below this post is one dealing with pagan worship in the Episcopal Church USA. If you click on the link in that post, it is no longer active as they have taken the pagan liturgy down from their website. They are taking heat from all over Christendom. It turns out that the Episcoplian priest who wrote the liturgy moonlights as a Druid--yes, she and her husband are involved with the wiccan religion.

Here is something her husband posted to a druid message board:

Raven [apparently Glyn Lorraine Ruppe Melnyk, the Episcopal rector and author of the "Women's Eucharist"] and I have come under vicious attack from Anglican fundamentalists re our connection to druidry. Hour by hour the attacks are spreading on fundamentalist BLOGs across the country

And the Episcopal church is saying this is all a big misunderstanding, and took the liturgy down from it's website because of copyright problems, even though "the Episcopal News Service sent out a dispatch Monday highlighting 'worship resources that are currently available to be downloaded and used by all.'" (including this Queen of Heaven/raisin cake pagan ritual)

The interesting Christianity Today weblog has all the info on this...they are kinda like Instapundit, but for Christians. Very interesting reading:

10-27 Beyond the Episcopal Church's Pagan Eucharist
10-28 Episcopal Women's Ministries Responds

Some election predictions

2004-10-29T00:09:00.000-05:00

My thoughts, just for fun.

Popular vote:
Bush 53%
Kerry 46%

Electoral College:
Bush 310
Kerry 228

Other:
Thune beats Daschle in SD
Marriage amendments pass in all 11 states
Kerry and Edwards challenge everything in the courts ad naseum
Terry McAuliffe spins the loss as a positive for Democrats

The field is closed--go sow elsewhere

2004-10-28T17:59:00.000-05:00

TBN has canceled next week's Praise-a-thon and instead will show 40 hours of telethon reruns in it's place. The twice annual affairs bring in $90 million for TBN. The reasoning:

Network officials said the decision was made earlier this month due to concerns about the health of network co-founder Paul Crouch, 70, and his wife Jan, 66, who are its most popular on-air personalities...Paul Crouch Jr., a network executive and son of its founding couple, said his mother had been slow to recover from recent gallbladder surgery and was not up to the weeklong telethon.

But they also acknowledge the decision would take the pressure off of guest pastors concerned about the controversy.

The controversy being founder Paul Crouch's coverup of an alleged homosexual affair. Paul Crouch Jr characterizes this as persecution and says, "It seems that when TBN is persecuted, so goes the whole body of Christ." Is this persecution, or the hidden works of darkness being revealed?

The canceling of the telethon will only serve to further cocoon them from reality in this matter. If they brought in only 1/4 or 1/3 of the cash they normally do, they would know that they have a huge credibility problem. Anyway, I guess the "good ground" of TBN is closed for now. The sowing and reaping cycles of the prosperity gospel will take a breather. So it begs the question: where will the sheep turn to get that 100-fold return on their money? Maybe a little relearning can take place. Here is a good place to start.

A walk in the park

2004-10-28T15:39:00.000-05:00

Let's say your walking through the park one day and you come across a group of women in a circle...they seem to be performing some kind of ritual. Your curiosity is piqued and you sidle over for a closer look, and this is what you hear:

"Blessed are you, Mother God, for you have given us the fruit of the earth. Red as blood, warm as life itself, sweet and intoxicating as love. We thank you for wine. We bless you for the power of this drink to remind us of our own power. We praise you for the strength and beauty of our bodies, and for the menstrual blood of womanhood. We embrace the mystery of life which you have entrusted to us, and we pray for the day when human blood is no longer shed and when woman’s blood is honored as holy and in your image."

"Thank you, Mother, for the abundance of life. Thank you for the rich, full, pleasing, and life giving milk of our bodies. Thank you for the children who drink from our breasts for they bring sweetness to our lives. We drink this cup as your daughters, fed from your own bosom. May we be proud of our nurturing and sustaining selves. May we honor our breasts as symbols of your abundance. Thank you for the milk and honey of your presence with us."

"Mother God, our ancient sisters called you Queen of Heaven and baked these cakes in your honor in defiance of their brothers and husbands who would not see your feminine face. We offer you these cakes, made with our own hands; filled with the grain of life -- scattered and gathered into one loaf, then broken and shared among many. We offer these cakes and enjoy them too. They are rich with the sweetness of fruit, fertile with the ripeness of grain, sweetened with the power of love. May we also be signs of your love and abundance."

"We thank you, Mother, for revealing yourself to us in the mystery of our womanhood. We thank you for the water of life in which we swam in the womb and which gives us the power to weep. We thank you for the blood of life which flows in and from our bodies and which makes us creators in your image as we give birth to new life. We thank you for the milk and honey of life which we receive from our mothers and which we give to our own children. And we thank you for the rich, sweet, and savory taste of life found in the grain of the earth and the fruit of the vine -- the gifts of your body shared with us. May we cherish it and ourselves always, and may we live in your peace."

You may walk away shaking your head thinking you ran across the local coven of witches, or maybe a stray group of new age pagans worshipping their false gods. But you would be wrong.

This is part of A Women’s Eucharist, A Celebration of the Divine Feminine from our friends at the Episcopal Church USA. You know, the ones with the homosexual bishop, the ones who support gay marriage. Jer 7:18 and Jer chapter 44 talk of God's anger at the worship of the Queen of Heaven. It even speaks of raisin cakes being the cakes offered, as they are in this ritual. Romans 1 talks about changing the glory of God into something it is not. You end up worshipping something you think is God, but is not. This blatant idolatry is in line with their teachings on homosexuality. It is the natural progression of things according to God's word. God be merciful to individuals within, if and when judgment falls on this organization.
UPDATE: ECUSA has taken the above link down on their website. This post has more info and links.

No respect

2004-10-27T01:07:00.000-05:00

Matthew says that John Kerry Fundamentally Misunderstands the Role of Commander in Chief:

Kerry’s persistent disparagement of the US Military in a futile effort to achieve his life’s ambition is further evidence for his unfitness to serve as CINC. Kerry has no idea how to be President, and he has no business trying to learn it on the fly during one of the most dangerous episodes in US History.

I am always dumbstruck when Kerry calls the President incompetent, when he calls him a liar. He shows no respect for the man who holds the office he seeks. All we hear is a constant harangue of derision and reviling. There can be a respectful discussion of differences, but Kerry will have none of that. I am reminded that we tend to judge others, where we ourselves are weak; and Kerry's judgments of President Bush expose the weaknesses in Kerry's character that he is trying to hide from public view.

Jots and Tittles 102704

2004-10-27T01:06:00.000-05:00

An update on Paul Cain, and why Rick Joyner and company felt they had to reveal his fall into drunkenness and homosexual sin to the church...

Andrew Olmsted thinks that a Kerry presidency will cause an American city to disappear in a mushroom cloud. I am reminded that Jonathan Hansen has prophesied that there will be a nuclear incident in Casper, Wyoming sometime before 2008....

LaShawn Barber posts on why she refuses to get in a flame war with Oliver Willis after he disparages her on his blog. He is very difficult to read, being one of the members of the far left Michael Moore-Rosie O'Donnell, moonbat wing of the Democratic party. A commenter, in the post about LaShawn, says that Oliver will one day regret the extreme hatred he is expressing on his blog. I have to admit, every time I check in on Oliver, I wonder about that same thing...

Jeff Jacoby has more on the religification of John Kerry saying, "Voters will have to judge for themselves whether Kerry's newly prominent religiosity is genuine or merely a facade adopted for political purposes."

Worse than the DUI

2004-10-27T00:33:00.000-05:00

If the Democrats play this right, Bush's newly revealed personal tolerance for gay civil unions, will be much worse for him than that last second DUI surprise during the 2000 election. The DUI conviction supposedly kept many Christian voters at home on election day in 2000:

President Bush said in an interview this past weekend that he disagreed with the Republican Party platform opposing civil unions of same-sex couples and that the matter should be left up to the states.

Bush has previously said that states should be permitted to allow same-sex unions, even though White House officials have said he would not have endorsed such unions as governor of Texas. But Bush has never before made a point of so publicly disagreeing with his party's official position on the issue.

In an interview on Sunday with Charles Gibson, an anchor of "Good Morning America" on ABC, Bush said, "I don't think we should deny people rights to a civil union, a legal arrangement, if that's what a state chooses to do." ABC, which broadcast part of the interview on Monday, was to broadcast the part about civil unions yesterday.

According to an ABC transcript, Gibson then noted to Bush that the Republican Party platform opposed civil unions.

"Well, I don't," Bush replied.

A civil union is just marriage by another name. What in the world is he thinking? Surely, he doesn't think that this will gain him any votes. It has the potential to lose him many votes by people staying home, thereby making this election much closer than it should be.

Kerry's weekend faith speech(es)

2004-10-26T13:53:00.000-05:00

Late last week I was looking forward to fisking thru Kerry's faith speech he planned to give on Sunday. Then it slipped my mind, and I didn't do it. Radioblogger has some details, so I will just point you there.

Jottings

2004-10-26T02:19:00.000-05:00

Storyblogging Carnival 4 is up at Doc Rampage...latest poll shows Thune leads Daschle in SD Senatorial race by 4 points (biggest lead for Thune of the contest)...LaShawn is mulling over being a Christian and a blogger.

The Christian Carnival will be hosted at From the Anchor Hold this week. Submissions are due by Tuesday October 26th at 10 pm Central time...If you are married, and you or your spouse suffer from mental illness, Julie needs your help with a survey.

John Kerry stuck in junior high?

2004-10-25T13:47:00.000-05:00

John Kerry, in the second presidential debate, claimed to have sat down with the UN Security Council for a few hours, a week before voting in October 2002 to authorize the use of force in Iraq. The Washington Post says this is a lie. And it wasn't just in the debate that he has repeated this anecdote. He has told the story at least seven other times. He has all the fruit of a serial exaggerator, one who lies and stretches the truth to perpetuate an aura of self-importance.

Let me compare. Let's say yesterday I went to a Bush campaign rally, and came back and reported this. Yesterday, I had a sit-down meeting with the President (I was seated in the arena). We talked about many things, especially Iraq. The President told me that he is concerned about our future if Kerry is elected. I encouraged him to stay strong (I yelled 'Go Bush' at the rally), and to stay the course (I yelled 4 more years!). At the end of the meeting, we spoke briefly about that debate question whether homosexuality is a choice. He seemed to take my words to heart.

Stretch the truth, stretch the truth, then flat out lie at the end. Kerry has been caught in a number of lies during the campaign, from running the Boston Marathon (no record of this), to being 30 feet away from Bill Buckner when he committed that gutwrenching error in Game 6 of the World Series (newspaper reports refute this, showing he was elsewhere). And they seem to be the inflating one's ego kinda lies or lying anecdotes to prove a point, like this UN one and the Christmas in Cambodia lie. Here is a longer list of his dubious deeds, with links. Michelle Malkin is also commenting on this.

Maybe those Swiftboat guys aren't lying liars after all. Maybe they were on it back at the beginning, exposing John Kerry's lies and exaggerations. It's alot like junior high, where you fib about your exploits with girls to look cool with all the guys.

As we elect the one who will hold stewardship of the Presidential office for the next four years, I am reminded that it is required of a steward to be found faithful, not vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.

Ps 12:1-3 Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things...

First Paul Crouch, now Paul Cain

2004-10-24T01:18:00.000-05:00

I said the other day that I wished the Lord spoke to me in an audible voice, with handwriting on the wall as backup. But, at this time in my life, I have found that He often has me notice patterns that I come across, which I sometimes find in hindsight that He has led me to. It can all be very sketchy at times, and I am far from trusting Him whenever I come across something that may be from Him.

Well, I have been wondering why I have been "obsessing" about Paul Crouch and his alleged homosexual affair, having blogged about that so many times recently. Now, I notice that Paul Cain, another TBN-style, Christian "giant", is having problems with homosexual sin. I'll just note it for now, and make it a matter of prayer. But I admit, my spiritual curiousity is piqued.

Abortions increase under Bush

2004-10-24T00:13:00.000-05:00

Dr Glen Harold Stassen has done a study concluding that abortions have increased under President Bush. I have said before that our pro-choice President hasn't done anything to decrease abortions in our country since taking office. I didn't think that they would be increasing however. Dr Stassen concludes abortions are up because of Bush's economic policies. That argument I believe has little merit, and so I will just give you the numbers:

Abortion was decreasing. When President Bush took office, the nation's abortion rates were at a 24-year low, after a 17.4% decline during the 1990s. This was an average decrease of 1.7% per year, mostly during the latter part of the decade.

Enter George W. Bush in 2001. One would expect the abortion rate to continue its consistent course downward, if not plunge. Instead, the opposite happened. I found three states that have posted multi-year statistics through 2003, and abortion rates have risen in all three: Kentucky's increased by 3.2% from 2000 to 2003. Michigan's increased by 11.3% from 2000 to 2003. Pennsylvania's increased by 1.9% from 1999 to 2002. I found 13 additional states that reported statistics for 2001 and 2002. Eight states saw an increase in abortion rates (14.6% average increase), and five saw a decrease (4.3% average decrease).

Under President Bush, the decade-long trend of declining abortion rates appears to have reversed. Given the trends of the 1990s, 52,000 more abortions occurred in the United States in 2002 than would have been expected before this change of direction.

Conservatives can hope that President Bush, during a second term, will act boldly to decrease abortions in the USA. However, we, the church, should not put our trust in the government in this important matter of life and death.

Mr Daschle of DC

2004-10-22T17:38:00.000-05:00

The National Review is on the Daschle residency story. Daschle listed his DC mansion as his domocile, which means he intends to live in DC and not return to his previous home, and according to law that means he gives up residency in South Dakota. All for a $288 tax break. Daschle dismissed the allegations as " . . . just another personal attack that has no basis in fact." *chuckle*

He either gives up his right to vote in SD, and probably represent them in Congress, or, faces a $1000 fine and/or 100 days imprisonment for swearing to false information in order to get the tax break. I doubt the logical conclusion to all this would come about. Wouldn't it be nice if the rules that apply to you or me, applied to all the pseudo bigwigs in Washington? (you're starting to talk like a Nader supporter--ed)

TBN seeks jail for Crouch accuser

2004-10-22T01:00:00.000-05:00

I have been following the story of TBN founder Paul Crouch and the accusations that he had sex with a man while that man was employed by TBN. I have contended that they have mishandled this messy affair at every turn. I probably have a dozen posts on this blog about this topic, so you can look thru the archives if you are interested. This post here may be the most comprehensive.

There is a secrecy agreement in place between Crouch and Enoch Lonnie Ford, Crouch's accuser, which means they are not supposed to talk about what went on between them. The LA Times ran a few articles about Crouch, revealing the gay sex allegations. Crouch and TBN responded to the LA Times. Ford thought they violated the agreement right there. When the LA Times asked Ford for an interview, he gave it to them. TBN says to that, "we demand he has to stop talking." Now TBN wants Ford jailed or fined for violating the court ordered secrecy agreement. This comes a week after Crouch sought and received an arbitrator's ruling forcing Ford to pay $136,000 in fees to TBN's legal team, for a court action that Crouch himself initiated.

When are they going to show this guy grace and mercy, like they said they did back when he was an employee? How can we not conclude that the gay sex allegations have merit given TBN's hysterical treatment of Ford and the press? Unless pettiness and bullying into silence are some secret Christian virtue that I have never heard of, and if they have nothing to hide, they need to just let everything run it's course and be done with it.

Daschle out?

2004-10-21T14:48:00.000-05:00

In South Dakota, Democrat Tom Daschle could very well be retired from his Senate seat. He is running neck and neck with John Thune in his efforts to be reelected. In a state that overwhelmingly supports President Bush, it is somewhat odd that they want to send back to Washington the man who opposes the President at every turn. I guess they think Daschle's clout as a Senate leader has a transferrence effect on how people see little South Dakota. (it does, just not the way they think it does)

The latest interesting item in this campaign is that they may not be voting to send Daschle to Washington DC after all, but rather sending him home. It looks as if Daschle has given up his official residency in South Dakota, and listed his permanent residence as Washington DC for tax purposes. At the least, he and his wife probably aren't able to vote legally in South Dakota. At the worst, he may not be eligible to represent the state in the Senate.

Go to Daschle v. Thune, South Dakota Politics, or Sibby Online and just keep scrolling down for more information on all this. I have a feeling that these guys are making a tangible difference in the politics and media coverage of their state.

Christian Carnival 40

2004-10-21T13:01:00.000-05:00

The Christian Carnival is up and hosted this week at the excellent blog Proverbial Wife. 34 different articles from Christians all over the blogosphere. Here are some things that caught my eye as I read thru the entries and the blogs that they come from.

Chap 29 - Abiding - Wow, what a very well written blog.

Chap 28 - Mr Standfast - This is a great post about journaling. He says "I believe that God wants to draw us out of our self-concern, which can form a kind of insulating crust around our hearts, and into the dangerous world where people hurt and need help." My history with journals is all over the board. I have many notebooks in various states of emptiness, notes from here and there. Many aborted beginnings...writing I can't read, and phrases with exclamation marks behind them, that today, I have no clue why I found significant at the time.

Chap 27 - Dr Pritchard - Very interesting. The post speaks of a husband and wife who have been keeping a prayer journal for 30 years. They keep track of the effect their prayers may be having. Mathematically, 89% of their prayers are answered yes; 2% are answered no; and 9% are in the Not Yet category. I think that shows how the agreement of a husband and wife in prayer is an awesome, powerful gift from God.

Chap 20 - Karagraphy - Great post. "There’s no TiVo for discipleship. No fast forwarding from conversion to sanctification."

Chap 18 - Brad Hightower - I like this man's post very much. Go read it yourself, an excerpt would do it no justice.

Chap 11 - Derek Gilbert - Derek ponders the rapture happening during the middle of the World Series. :-) I don't think that there will be baseball during the tribulation, and considering that the rapture isn't pre-trib....no chance of the World Series happening at the time of Christ's return. But, hey, lotsa baseball references on his blog, which is cool with me.

Well, that was interesting. I read thru all the posts, surfed a little on some of the blogs, and was encouraged by much of what I read. I only highlighted 6 here, but there is something for everyone in the 34 Carnival posts. God is at work in many of the bloggers who submitted a post, and I praise Him and thank Him for that. The Christian Carnival is truly a great way to find some people in the blogosphere that you may not have found otherwise. I have added a few of these folks to my favorites list. The schedule of future hosts for the weekly Carnival is found on the sidebar here.

9 Things

2004-10-20T14:54:00.000-05:00

9 Things I've never done:

1. shot a real gun
2. played hockey or cricket
3. visited a Methodist or a Episcopalian church
4. been enamoured with the books of Job or Habbukuk in the bible.
5. been to Maine, New York, or anywhere in the NE USA.
6. visited a foreign country apart from Canada and Mexico.
7. driven a motorcycle or a snowmobile.
8. had a pet bird, hamster, or rabbit
9. run a marathon or more than 2 miles at once for that matter

When the well is dry, bloggers can go with the list, or the quiz....the ones that tell you "Which Brady Bunch character are you," or "Which type of tree" you are. Why the need to blog something, anything? Hmmmm. I suppose it has to do with motivations for blogging. Why are you blogging? Why am I blogging?....Hey, wait a minute here, I was just gonna post a list, and go on to the Astros game. The well is dry, remember?....Oh well, I do have a motivation for blogging, but I will keep that to myself for now...because if I told you, then you would know that posts like this, aren't coming out of that pure(?) motive I had when I started this thing. Have a blessed day all.

Why Christians cannot support gay marriage

2004-10-19T00:48:00.000-05:00

On another blog, a few of us are having a discussion about gay marriage. A Christian brother is endorsing gay marriage and believes we, as Christians, should support the rights of men to marry men, and women to marry women. I disagree, and believe no Christian should support gay marriage.

First, a foundation:

A. Sex between people of the same sex is sinful behaviour, a sinful act. If you believe that the Bible speaks the truth of God, you shouldn't have a problem agreeing with this statement. We agree with this because this is what God has declared.

The argument:

1. Christians believe that marriage is a lifetime covenant. Two individuals are joined together in marriage for life. We believe that divorce should be a rare occurrence. What God has joined together, should not be divided.

2. We believe that God can and does transform human beings. We agree with God that 1Cor 6:11 speaks to those caught in homosexuality, when it says "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." We believe in the transforming power of God. We believe the testimony of ex-gays, myself included, that God has worked a work in their lives and transformed them.

3. We believe that God is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2Pet 3:9)

4. It is impossible for us then to support gay marriage. We believe that marriage is a lifelong covenant. If 2 men marry, we, as Christians, believe that they should be together their entire lives, save for the cause of adultery.

5. At the same time, we hope that all men turn from their sin and worship and serve the one true God. We are to be holy and blameless before God, our Father. We hope that all men would be free from bondage, including sexual bondage. Our hope is that the gay identified person would find freedom from all sin, including homosexual sin.

6. So, what happens when a man is married to another man in a lifetime covenant and is set free, by the power of God, of his desires to have sex with those of the same sex? We have added a stumblingblock for them to overcome by supporting gay marriage. Do we now say to the man, stay married to your gay spouse? Even though now his lust is past, and his desire is to live godly and please the God who made him...Even though now he desires to know the Lord fully and walk in His ways...Even though his long suppressed natural desire is now blooming for a helpmeet, for a wife, for a mother of his children. Do we now say, marriage is for life, and you are stuck, so make the best of it?

No, we cannot endorse or support the joining of two people of the same sex in a lifelong covenant and at the same time, pray for their freedom from sin and bondage. Our duty to God, as part of His family, as citizens of His kingdom, is that His ways become our ways. Man may try to argue that marriage is a civil right for gays, but the saints of God cannot agree.

UPDATE: On one of my favorite blogs, another discussion on gay marriage where they speak of the rights and wrongs of legislating morality, even though they believe gay marriage is immoral. My post here, however, is a response to the Christian brother at intheouter who is in favor of gay marriage itself.

I guess Walt Brown won't get my vote

2004-10-18T14:08:00.000-05:00

Via Parableman, here is a quick test to see how compatible your views are with those of the Presidential candidates. Here are my Results:

1. Your ideal theoretical candidate. (100%)
2. Bush, President George W. - Republican (87%)
3. Badnarik, Michael - Libertarian (62%)
4. Peroutka, Michael - Constitution Party (35%)
5. Kerry, Senator John, MA - Democrat (32%)
6. Cobb, David - Green Party (7%)
7. Nader, Ralph - Independent (7%)
8. Brown, Walt - Socialist Party (1%)

I was surprised that my Peroutka number wasn't a little higher. On the surface, and in a shallow sorta way, I thought I agreed with him more. I'm not surprised that my Nader number is so low. Why is that guy in the race again? It's one thing to try and build a party based on principles, like the libertarians, constitution folks, or even the socialists. But what is Nader trying to build? for he is an independent. Hmmmmm.

Better late than never

2004-10-18T00:54:00.000-05:00

In the last presidential debate, the question was asked, "Is homosexuality a choice?" John Kerry's invocation of Mary Cheney and his agreement that homosexuality is not a choice, caused quite an uproar (the former much more than the latter). What I missed was that CNSNnews ran a story of ex-gay reaction. I don't see a permanent link for it, so I will just give you the relevant excerpts:

"Senator Kerry, in his answer, basically invalidated me as a person," said Jeralee Smith, a self-proclaimed former lesbian who runs a support group for "ex-gay" educators. "I have experienced significant change in my sexual orientation and my feelings."

Ex-homosexuals told CNSNews.com that Kerry obviously didn't have a grasp of the issue. Even though some research has pointed the possibility of a "gay gene," other scientific studies have shown that environmental factors are equally responsible for a person's sexual orientation.

Shortly after Kerry made the remark Wednesday, reaction started pouring into Warren Throckmorton, a professor at Grove City College in Pennsylvania. Throckmorton said ex-homosexuals expressed outrage to him about Kerry's comment.

"Kerry's views, unfortunately, present a view of homosexuality that science does not support," Throckmorton said. "Bush, wisely, has reserved judgment and his views are closer to where science has progressed to at this point. I'm concerned that Kerry misled the country."

Throckmorton, considered an authority on sexual orientation research, recently released his own documentary, "I Do Exist," which chronicles the lives of ex-homosexuals.

"If people are born gay and they're being who they are, then what about all these ex-gays?" he asked. "What about all the people on my film, 'I Do Exist,' who once believed they were born gay, but through a process of change and reflection, now are attracted exclusively to the opposite sex."

One of the people who contacted Throckmorton was Chad Thompson, 25, of Des Moines, Iowa, who described himself to CNSNews.com as someone who was confused about his sexuality as a teenager. Thompson runs a group called Inqueery, which helps ex-homosexuals in schools.

"It sounds like John Kerry is saying that I don't exist," Thompson said. "I certainly wouldn't want someone representing me who isn't even willing to acknowledge that I'm here."

Thompson added: "I wasn't surprised by the position that he took. But the way in which he stated it really was an insult to the tens of thousands of people that have struggled with homosexual orientation and have chosen to come out on the other side."

A spokesman for the Kerry campaign didn't return a message Thursday. The Human Rights Campaign, a homosexual activist group supporting Kerry, released a statement Wednesday accusing Bush of putting "politics ahead of the science" on the homosexual choice question.

Some ex-homosexuals wish Bush knew more about them so he could have given a more definitive answer at the debate. One such person is Alan Chambers, executive director of Exodus International, a Christian ministry that counsels homosexuals.

In his personal capacity, Chambers, a former homosexual, supports Bush. In a letter he drafted to the president, Chambers said he was proud of Bush's leadership, but he wanted him to better understand the issue and get to know ex-homosexuals.

"We all have a choice to do what is best, and with regard to acting on my homosexual feelings and inclinations, I did not choose God's best for me or for society when I chose to act upon them," Chambers wrote. "However, I did finally choose to live beyond those feelings and today I am not a homosexual nor am I tempted to be one."

Exodus International plans to make a public pitch Friday, said Randy Thomas, the ministry's communications director. Thomas, also an ex-homosexual, said he was personally offended by Kerry's comments, but not necessarily surprised.

"There is absolutely zero scientific evidence that would suggest people are born gay," Thomas said. "It's a simplistic answer that will pander to people that he is winking at when he says he is not for gay marriage. But in reality, he promotes rhetoric that is straight out of a gay activist brochure."

Kerry's answer aside, ex-homosexuals had praise for Schieffer for merely asking the question in the fashion he did.

"Just the fact that the question was asked was incredible," said Smith, a teacher from Grand Terrace, Calif. "It is indicative of the progress we've made as a movement."

The letter that Alan Chambers wrote to the President is found here. And Dr Throckmorton's full comments are found on his website here. I wasn't outraged or in a huff over all this. I saw a politician speaking rhetoric about something he probably knows nothing about, trying to score, in his misguided way, as many political points as possible. Kerry isn't really about truth, as truth is relative to him--his position on gay marriage is what it is today, but he says, that might change twenty years from now, if the culture changes, so who knows; life begins at conception, but abortion isn't murder--and he will use rhetoric to get as many votes as possible. Alas, sadly, he's actually pandering to the majority for once:

Yet, on the question of whether homosexuality is a trait or a choice, more people take Kerry's position. A third of likely voters call homosexuality a choice; 10 percent have no opinion; and, 57 percent say it's the way people are. (That compares with 49 percent in an ABC News/"Washington Post" poll of the general population in 1994.)

Flu Vaccines

2004-10-16T23:43:00.000-05:00

This is fascinating. From Rush Limbaugh via RWN:

Do you remember something called the Clinton Government Vaccine Buying Program? It was sold to us as a way to get prices down and get more children vaccinated and, of course, to keep the evil drug companies from making a profit. The Wall Street Journal says today, "Companies that decided to run these regulatory traps also know that they'll be doing so for very little reward. Before her big health care reform crashed and burned in '94, Hillary Rodham Rodham managed to get Congress to pass a government vaccine buying program for children. Her sales pitch was free vaccines for all kids and higher immunization rates. If we would give this stuff away, she said, more children would be immunized." Oh, goody, wonderful, wonderful. Thus, as a result of Hillary's plan, the government now purchases about 60% of all pediatric vaccines, forcing huge discounts and imposing price caps. The manufacturers were told, ''You can only make so much profit, and you're gonna make this amount, and we're gonna give it away.''

What all this did was screw up the whole private sector mechanism of manufacturing and distributing vaccines. In 2001, the private sector cost of immunizing children with the 20 recommended doses of vaccines was $600 per child. The government price was just $400 per child, with the vaccine makers swallowing the difference. What has this achieved? Vaccination rates for two-year-olds have stagnated at about 74% for the past several years while adult rates are significantly lower, and with the profit margin squeeze to practically zero, some manufacturers have simply said, "We're not making the stuff anymore. It doesn't make sense. We've got this government program that tells us the maximum we can charge, regardless what it costs to make, we're going to be threatened with lawsuits the first time somebody gets sick for whatever vaccine. Screw it!"

And that's why American companies are out of the business and why we have to import vaccines from Great Britain, a combination of Hillary's plan that put a cap on profits, put a cap on prices, and nothing to do with the manufacture price. You combine that with the fact that these manufacturers are subject to constant lawsuits and they said, "Screw it. We're not going to make the stuff anymore," and that's why there is a shortage. This can be traced back to Hillary Clinton's great sounding, compassionate idea, to make sure that every child had a flu shot and every child had a vaccination against various childhood diseases. Well, the fact is only 74% of kids do because there's not enough vaccine. This is not the first real shortage, but because American manufacturers have thrown up their hands and said, "It makes no sense. We are in business, and we don't give things away, and we're certainly not going to take a loss on this."

So they just simply got out of the business. In addition to that, one of the companies that remained and stayed in business was a company called Chiron. They're being sued left and right over financial problems that have nothing to do with the quality of their vaccine. I'm not going to detail what those problems are because it's not relevant, but they're being targeted now. So that's another manufacturer that has put up their hands and said, "Whoa, it isn't worth all this," and so that's why we have to import from Britain, and, lo and behold, they had a company that ended up with their flu vaccines contaminated. Half the supply had to be dumped and this is where we are. We have "outsourced" flu vaccines, essentially, to use a John Kerry word because of Mrs. Clinton's great-sounding program -- remember the name -- the government vaccine buying program."

Paul Crouch "vindicated"

2004-10-15T00:36:00.000-05:00

TBN sent out a press release today titled "Paul Crouch Vindicated". Here's the whole thing--

TUSTIN, Calif., Oct. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Arbitration Association Arbitrator, through Honorable Robert J. O'Neill, Judge Retired, submitted to the Orange County Superior court its final ruling that it has awarded Paul Crouch Sr., founder and president of the Trinity Broadcasting Network, $136,000 in legal fees from former TBN employee and convicted felon Enoch Lonnie Ford.

Ford, whose current whereabouts are unknown, violated an April 2003 court order that barred him from discussing his 1996 allegations of wrongful termination and sexual harassment.

"As a man of faith, I took the advice of advisors to avoid a long and costly court battle with Mr. Ford and reluctantly agreed to a $425,000 settlement. The fact that Mr. Ford abrogated the agreement and is now avoiding service of the court's process to hide from legal responsibility for his conduct is vindication for me, my wife and the entire TBN family," Paul Crouch Sr. explained.

Vindication means "To clear of accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with supporting arguments or proof." This isn't vindication.

Here is what happened. Ford alleged that he and Crouch had a gay affair while employed by TBN and that he was then fired afterwards. Crouch denies everything. Ford considered suing Crouch and TBN. He didn't sue them, but was considering suing them. TBN agreed to settle with Ford. The agreement said both parties couldn't talk about the agreement or what happened to precipitate it.

Ford decides years later his story might be worth some cash. He writes a book. TBN offers Ford $1 million for the book. Ford says how about $10 million. Paul Crouch sues Ford to enforce the secrecy agreement. Crouch wins. This press release is saying that an arbitrator has ruled that Ford must pay Crouch's legal fees. This isn't vindication.

This is a court proceeding, initiated by Crouch, that Ford is getting the bill for. Now, I know that Ford has culpability in all this; but, to have a guy pay your TBN legal team $136,000 when you have (literally) $269 million in cash and bonds on hand--this just aggravates me the more I think about it.

These are not the actions of a man of faith, a Christian leader. A Christian leader would not pay a settlement for something that he says is not true. A man of faith would not put his trust in the legal system in order to preserve his reputation; but, puts his trust in God in all things. TBN and Paul Crouch should be ashamed of themselves over their handling of this whole matter, not claiming vindication.

That odd debate question

2004-10-14T13:21:00.000-05:00

I was shocked during last night's Presidential debate when the question was posed to the candidates, "Is homosexuality a choice?" The media refuses to pose this question in any type of forum, and those who actually bring up the question respectfully, are shouted down as homophobic or are completely shunned. The media won't touch this with a 10-foot pole and it shows up in a Presidential debate? What's up with that? Maybe, just maybe, a public debate will be started in this area.

As an ex-gay, I know the answer to the question. It is a choice, for I, and many others, have chosen to leave that lifestyle behind and walk in freedom from sexual sin. Homosexuals--and such were some of you, says the scriptures and the God who made us. I remember my college days, pre-Christ. I went to bars, I drank much alcohol, I got drunk. I did this many times during those years; it was a pattern of behaviour at that time. I guess, if you had to label me, you would have called me and my circle of buddies, drunks, or scripturally speaking, drunkards. Now, I choose not to drink. I just don't do it anymore. I was a drunkard, now I am not.

Having sex with someone, is a behaviour, it is an action, it is something you do. You can choose who you have sex with, just like I chose to drink, and now choose not to. Yes, there may be feelings of attraction, but that is a choice also. We are to guard and to tend the gardens of our hearts, and this is where these thoughts or feelings come from. Those thoughts die when they are not given nutrients to sustain them. God promises us a new heart when we are born again, and I praise Him and thank Him for this promise that has come to fruition in me.

Really, the question in the debate should have been more pointedly about gay marriage, because that is an issue this election cycle. Or if they really wanted to paint the President in a corner they could have asked, "Is homosexual behaviour a sin?" Moderator Bob Schieffer did use the word sin in a question to Kerry about Catholicism and abortion, so it wouldn't have been out of line in that context.

The choice question was posed to Bush and he responded "I don't know" and went on to discuss the sanctity of marriage. A nice safe answer on a question that I am sure wasn't discussed during pre-debate preparations.

On the other hand John Kerry said:

KERRY: We're all God's children, Bob. And I think if you were to talk to Dick Cheney's daughter, who is a lesbian, she would tell you that she's being who she was, she's being who she was born as.

I think if you talk to anybody, it's not choice. I've met people who struggled with this for years, people who were in a marriage because they were living a sort of convention, and they struggled with it.

And I've met wives who are supportive of their husbands or vice versa when they finally sort of broke out and allowed themselves to live who they were, who they felt God had made them. I think we have to respect that.

Now, the media is framing this question as if it were one about gay marriage, which it really wasn't. They ignore the fact that Kerry didn't answer the question. He said Mary Cheney would say it wasn't a choice, and those people called "anybody" would say it is not a choice. And, they are focusing on whether or not it was appropriate for John Kerry to bring Mary Cheney into the debate. Here's what Momma Cheney thinks about the whole thing:

"Now, you know, I did have a chance to assess John Kerry once more and now the only thing I could conclude: This is not a good man," she said. "Of course, I am speaking as a mom, and a pretty indignant mom. This is not a good man. What a cheap and tawdry political trick."

Gay conservative writer Andrew Sullivan thinks the exchange is exposing the homophobia of us all. Chuckle. Dean says it shows how the Kerry/Edwards team doesn't know how a Christian's mind works if they think this will turn off the Bush base. A sensible Powerline probably hits the nail on the head:

One set of candidates is going to come out of this looking bad, and I'm pretty sure it's going to be Kerry-Edwads. We may be becoming an "Oprah" society, but I think most Americans still believe that you have volunteer to go on Oprah before your daughter's private family life becomes "fair game" for "discussion" by your enemies.

Boifromtroy gives us the kind of response you would expect if a national debate were ever started on this topic:

Forget Mary Cheney, let's say John Kerry believes being gay is as genetic as being black or being a woman. How can you then say that the Government SHOULD NOT grant equal rights?!?!!!?

And Indepundit has a nice roundup of reaction.

As for me, this was a political ploy that will, if it effects anything, be on the negative side for Kerry. It had to be politics, because in the VP debate, Edwards did the same thing. I agree with Mrs. Cheney that it was cheap and tawdry. If Kerry didn't want to answer the question, he could have made his point using Barney Frank as an example. But Kerry is a politician, first. And he thinks this is going to get him a few votes (very few), either by people directly voting for him, or more likely, people staying home and not voting for the President.

Welcome Bush verse Kerry searchers

2004-10-13T19:54:00.000-05:00

The first time it happened I chuckled. The next time I said, Wow, what a coincidence. Every time it has happened since...well, that's a trend. Almost every day I seem to get a visitor who arrived here by trying to search "Bush verse Kerry." So I went to MSN search and there I am at number 2. So, welcome to you if you got here that way.

If you are wondering whom to vote for amongst those 2. Go for Bush. Squelching Islamofascism, gay marriage, and abortion are my big 3 issues and Bush is on the right side of them all. Kerry has been on both sides of every issue for 20 years, so you don't quite know what you'll get. If you are looking for other alternatives, try searching 'Nader verse Peroutka.' Maybe that'll send you to a nice Constitution party website.

If you want more info on the election from blogs: Hugh Hewitt is good, maybe Powerline, or blogsforbush. That will get you started. God bless you in your internet travels. BTW, I have found an online dictionary that is really helpful.

Thumbprints

2004-10-12T23:34:00.000-05:00

Study finds gay gene flourishes because mothers in families of those who identify as gay give birth to other children, sometimes in large quantities. It explains the Darwinian paradox, whatever that is. At least it's more than thumbprints determining sexuality.

John Kerry--the great physician?

2004-10-12T23:00:00.000-05:00

Regarding embryotic stem cell research. John Edwards says:

Christopher Reeve just passed away, and America just lost a great champion for this cause, somebody who was a powerful voice for the need to do stem cell research and change the lives of people like him, who have gone through a tragedy. Well, if we do the work that we can do in this country, the work that we will do when John Kerry is president, people like Christopher Reeve are going to walk, get up out of that wheelchair and walk again.

Vote for Kerry, be healed. This is just so sad.

I eagerly await the day when we will see real healings taking place. You know, the signs that are supposed to follow us believers. I long for that. Paralysis, HIV, Cancer, Loss of a Limb, Psoriasis, Blindness, Deafness--all healed by the Father using the hands of His sold-out children. God is still the Great Physician and this stem cell research using embryos--I cannot see it working. We truly worship, serve, and seek salvation from the creature first, ignoring the Creator.

Twins-Yankees Game 4 Live Blogging

2004-10-09T15:29:00.000-05:00

Yankees lead the series 2-1. Do or die for the Twins. Twins have their ace on the hill, Johan Santana. A few more games to pitch before being awarded the Cy Young. Go Twins. On to the game.

Top 1--Jeter out...NY being patient, Santana pitching for the first time on 3 days rest....ARod walks...Sheffield fouls out to Blanco on a 1-2 pitch...Santana has faced the NY 3 times in the last 11 days, so advantage NY...Matsui knocked to the ground by a high fastball--Stop Leaning Over The Plate....Santana not getting the low strike called, c'mon blue...Matsui strikes out on a slider...HooHaa.

Flippin channels--Mikey Waltrip, my bud, 9th in the Kansas Busch race with 18 to go.

Bottom 1--Shannon Stewart, absent so far this series leads off with a single to center...Jacque Jones, who just buried his father a few days ago, singles off the baggy in right...first and third, noooooobody out...Twins could use a nice crooked number in the first...Hunter sac fly to right, twins up 1-0, woohoo...Morneau up, a huge improvement over former first baseman Doug Meintkewicz...Vaszquez has a good breaking ball working, breaking late and ending up below the knees...ARod can't get to a popup in foul ground by the twins bullpen...ugh strike em out, throw em out, as Jones tries to steal second...twins get hosed, no tag made...it's a conspiracy, I tell ya. Twins up 1-0

Flippin channels--Hey, Sewing with Nancy is on PBS...

Top 2--Bernie Williams leads off with a single to right, off of a high fastball--keep it down Johan...Posada flies out to the warning track in center...Santana not dominant so far--when he is awesome, he flies through the middle innings, so, hopefully that is what we will see......Ruben Sierra, who last smiled in 1998, hitless in the series, walks...Santana throwing a lot of breaking balls...Fastball, changeup is why he dominated and will win the Cy Young, probably trying to vary things because of facing NY so many times recently...John Olerud, first and second, one out, strikes out looking, Y-E-S!...Now we are just a Nine Hitter away from out of the inning...Cairo, he ain't much Johan, c'mon...fly to right, can o' corn...Twins 1 NY 0

Bottom 2--Corey Koskie, zzzzzzz.....Verylongatbats for the twins 3b....great play by ARod to throw out Corey...one out...Lew Ford, who should be playing left instead of Stewart, because Stewart is banged up and Ford is probably better in the first place, and is playing there today as opposed to the first 3 games of the series, is HBP--way to take one for the team Lulu...Goooooozman's up--had a good series, hitting .455 and playing great D...Leeeeew steals second, no chance to throw him out...Guzy strikes out swinging, ugh...Cuddyer up, Cuddyer down--swinging...Twins 1 NY 0

Flippin channels--Wisconsin 14 Ohio State 10, just before the half, Go Badgers. (lesser of two evils)

Top 3--Jeter singles to center....big boys coming up...the turf at the Metrodome is new--they used to have this concrete flooring and the old astroturf and it was a lot faster surface...it's still fast but not like it used to be...ARod, pops to center, one out...if you make $34,000 per at bat, you could do a little better than this I would think...ugh, Blanco can't find a poput in foul territory, Morneau too late to get there--that's not Twins baseball...Henry you're in there for your defense, c'mon...Twins have an awesome catcher injured, Joe Mauer...He may be the next Johnny Bench if he can play catcher--he might have to move to another position because of an injury to his knee and the agony of crouching 3 hours a day...Meanwhile, Sheffield taps out to second, Jeter advances...Ok, Johan is getting a few low strikes called, this is good news...Matsui, singles to right, Jeter scores, Johan doesn't back up the plate as the throw gets away from Blanco--error Blanco--Matsui to 2nd...Hmmmm...Play Some D Blanco...Bernie flies out...Twins 1 NY 1

Bottom 3--My favorite Twin of all time is Rod Carew...when they traded him to California, I stopped being a Twins fan and switched over to the Cubs...so, of course, I missed being a fan during their 2 World Series wins...And the Cubs break your heart every year...Twins down 1-2-3...And we are still tied.

Top 4--Santana up to 57 pitches thru 3...Gardenhire doesn't trust anyone besides Nathan and Rincon in the bullpen, so this is not good...Hore Hay Posada sit down...Ru-Ben of Legkick singles to left...no easy innings for Santana, so far...Nice play by Morneau to force out Posada at 2nd, of course Dougy Defense would have turned two on that hard hit grounder...Cairo lines to left off a high fastball...Jeter, who sucks, :-), has a 14 game hitting streak in Division Series games...the crowd comes to their collective feet on a 1-2 pitch, curve in the dirt, swing and a miss...and we are still tied 1-1...WooHoo

Bottom 4--I remember going to a Twins game back when I went to school in the Twin Cities...this was when I was in my Not-A-Twinsfan stage...Torii Hunter walks to lead off the inning...this is a good thing...anyway, Roy Smalley was playing in his last season as a Twin and it was late in a blowout game...fans had left, the silence of the Dome was deafening...We were sitting in about the 7th row, right parallel to the first base bag...WooHoo, Sheffield loses a fly in the roof, Morneau doubles Hunter to third...So, Smalley singles and is standing on first...With a few beers in me, I yelled out 'Smalley, you suck.'...my heckle could be heard in all parts of the ballpark...and Roy Smalley stared me down--he kept staring until I was the one to look away first...I felt so little...(Beer drinking was pre-Christ)...back to the live action, Koskie, on the first pitch, sac fly to left, Hunter scores...Leeeeeew Ford pops out to third, and as Harry Caray would say, 'that wouldn't be a homerun in a phone booth'...Guzman, swinging and missing like a little leaguer, somehow, doesn't swing at 4 pitches and draws a rare walk...first and second, two out...Cuddyer, 3-2 pitch, runners going, grounds to first...where's Chuck Knob-block, where's Rob Wilfong...Oh well, Twins take the lead, 2-1...I'll have to blog another brush with fame, the time Bobby the Brain Heenan spit on me...that'll be coming up.

Flippin Channels--Mikey finished 12th in the Busch race...Wally Dallenbach finished 11th, what's up with that.

Top 5--ARod, lead off walk..."Walks haunt" goes the Jumbotron...Sheff strikes out on a pitch in the dirt...the bullpen is up--Huh?...ARod steals second, Blanco's throw is whack...(let's pinch hit for him next inning)...Matsui strikes out...Santana is hoppin' now, too bad the pitch count is way up there for him...Burny grounds weakly to short, inning over...Twins 2 NY 1.

Flippin Channels--Notre Dame beats Stanford 23-15...ugh

Bottom 5--My Bobby Heenan spit on me story...this is from back in the days when there was the WWF, the NWA, and the AWA wrestling circuits...The AWA's home was in Minneapolis and they would go to all these small towns in Minnesota to put on shows...A friend and I went to a high school gym to watch the show...at the time, Bobby the Brain still wrestled a little bit...He was in a tag team match that I think included Buck 'rock and roll' Zumhoff...After they lost, I got in the walkway where the wrestlers walked back to the dressing rooms...I said 'Good match, Bobby'...Bobby said to me, 'get your dirty f---ing hand away from me'...and then he spit on me.

Ummmmmmm...HENRY BLANCO just homered to left...who said anything about pinch hitting for him...Doh!...Awesome, Henry, you da man...Stewart out 5-3...Jones, who Fox tells us is a avid bowler in the off season, strikes out...Hunter, probably the worst #3 hitter in the majors, which isn't a knock on him, he just isn't a 3 hitter, blooooops a single to left...Justin--time to step up--we need a crooked number here...Vasquez up to 90 pitches...Morneau, infield single, first and second, two out....we need more runs here folks...no action in the NY bullpen...C'mon Corey buddy ol' pal... Koskie takes one for the team, HBP (it)(y)(itch)...Wave those homer hankies kids....Lew Lew, bases loaded...C'mon Luuuuuu...one run scores, two run score, double by Ford....Woohoo...The crowd goes Looooo and morphes into Goooooo, as Christian Guzman is up...strikes out looking, that's ok, go play some D...Twins 5 NY 1...Yeah!

Flippin Channels--That Wilson guy on Home Improvement is funny...Whatever happened to him?

Top 6--Grant Balfour is in...crazy name for a pitcher...Ball Four...pronounced Bal-for, rhymes with pal door...1...2...3...easy inning...phew...Twins up 5-1.

Bottom 6--Esteban Loiza um Loisa um Loaiza in the game for NY...Cuddyer greets the ex-White Sock with a single to left...Henry, Henry, Henry...Cuddyer out stealing, 3rd Twin today caught pilfering...Henry, Henry, Henry...Blanco singles to center...lol...pinch hit for Henry, whatta idiot...Ghosts of White Sox past, haunting the Yankees...White Sox suck against the Twins, and Loaiza has some of the WS iniquity left in him, having come over to NY midseason from Chicago...Stewart fouls out before Jones singles up the middle, Henry to third...argh, Torii fouls out to first on the first pitch...still too close... Twins 5 NY 1

Top 7--Wow...Balfour looks good...strikes out Cairo, high heat, take a seat...now I think the crowd is chanting 'homer hanky'...I have one of those from last year, and the year before when the Twins were in the playoffs...didn't get to go to the games, but friends brought me back one...oh boy, Grantbuddy is fired up, yelling as he strikes out Jeter...ARod fouls out...not quite good morning, good afternoon, good night, but we'll take it...1-2-3...Twins up 5-1.

Flippin channels--Tenn 19 Ga 14, bye-bye national championship for the Bulldogs

Bottom 7--Morneau out, Koskie out...LuuFord single to left...Lew Ford, who once literally ironed a shirt while he was wearing it and burned his chest, thrown out stealing...looks like 5 is all we get...Twins 5 Yankees 1

Top 8--Juan Rincon in...Sheff infield hit, to 2nd on wild pitch...ummmm...breath in, breath out...Matsui, who is a man with very large ear lobes, walks....ok, ok...deep breaths...Gardy, get someone up NOW...JC Romero, get him up...Bernie singles to center, scoring one, first and third, nobody out....I need an aspirin... Joe Nathan is up in the pen, he who pitched 3 innings, like yesterday...ok ok 3 days ago...NOOOO...Gardy what are you doing....We are done, it's over, I can't believe it...Posada strikes out...5 outs to go...Sierra up, you can cut the tension with a knife...my cat runs from the room when I give her the 'look'...Not now Punky Brewster, I cry... NOOOOOOOOOOOO

Sierra 3 run homer, game tied 5-5... Why'd you take Balfour out Gardy, he had 2 easy innings...Rincon is tired, he's pitched in every game in the series...Gardy, Gardy, what are you doing man...Olerud doubles off the wall...Bout Time Gardy, I cry as he comes out to yank Rincon...Rincon's pitched great this year, but he's obviously tired... Nathan in, and we are officially toast...oh boy...Cairo strikes out, 2 outs...relax, it's not over yet...oh wait Jeter's up...cry, it's over, sob, we're thru, whimper... ok ok ok Jeter grounds to Guzman, inning over...Twins 5 NY 5...argh

Bottom 8--2 outs, Kubel pinchhitting for our man Henry???....Double to right...But, Stewart lines out to short, and we are done, stick a fork in us... 5-5 tie game.

Top 9--ARod double to center, Sheff pops out...I hate to be a pessimist, but I have been a fan of those kinda teams that break your heart...Cubs, Vikings...IBB to Matsui...first and second, one out....Nathan still in the game, now they have Lohse warming up, he their worst starter all year...what's wrong with Romero?... loooong at bat with Burny Williams...they keep showing shots of Twins fans covering their face, covering their eyes--all things i am doing...Williams strikes out...Twins are just leading me on...Posada up, passed ball advances the runners...Henry woulda had that one Pat Borders... oh boy...Posada struck out and the inning is over...We are still tied 5-5....Maybe we still have a chance.

Bottom 9--ooops, missed an out, bladder relief needed, sure you wanted to know that...jones musta made an out, Hunter flies out to left...Justin, strikes out swinging...1-2-3... still 5-5, all over but the crying.

Top 10--Kyle Lohse is in...he can be pretty good, or be pretty bad in the same appearance...9-13, 5.34 ERA...Sierra out, Tony Clark out...hey, Lohse is looking pretty good...Cairo out on a bunt attempt...123...still tied 5-5.

Bottom 10--Well, when I told you the Roy Smalley story, the Twins scored...when I told you the Bobby Heenan spit-on-me story, the Twins scored...racking my brain for another brush with celebrity...Did I ever tell you how I was almost in a Hollywood movie...Oh No, Rivera is in for NY...maybe save that for when the Twins get a guy on base, like in the 13th when Rivera is out of there...Koskie pops out to Jeter... Ford pops out to 2nd...Guzman grounds out to Rivera...1-2-3...this is not good... although we are still tied 5-5.

Top 11--Top of the order for NY...Jeter, Jeter, Jeter... strikes out for the 4th time today...ARod doubles for the 2nd time today...yikes--ARod steals third, now a flyball scores him...Exhale...I need more aspirin...Lohse is shaking off his catcher...this is where he gets in trouble...'Forget about the curveball Ricky, throw him the heater'...Curveball in the dirt, wild pitch...ARod scores...crying begins shortly...popout to Rivas, 2 out... homer hankies work well to wipe away years...Matsui strikes out, inning over... NY 6 MN 5

Bottom 11--Well, I almost was in a Hollywood movie...I was in Vegas and they were shooting Vegas Vacation while I was there, you know, with Chevy Chase...They were shooting outside a casino and needed some people for background shots...They almost chose me, it was soo close...I saw a bunch of the actors, though not Chevy...that's it...That story should be worth 2 runs...of course, I am not supersticious...this story if for entertainment value only...

Offerman pinch hitting... weak groundout to second...Lecroy pinch hitting...Matty go Boom-Boom???...do i have a rally hat anywhere... closes eyes, can't watch...Lecroy flies to left....down to their last out...Shannon Stewart...It's been a good year for the Twins...But...groundout to 2nd...Twins lose, twins lose....6-5 the final...

It's been a good year...I can't help but think they should have won this series...remind me not to liveblog again, especially for a team I want to win...not that I am superstiscious, and not like I can spell it...Vikings on Sunday...just say no to liveblogging that...oh well, another season cut short, but they got there, to the playoffs...Great year Twins...See ya next year...Cubs vs Twins in World Series in 2005. :-)

Matt LeBlanc knows how to deny something

2004-10-09T13:38:00.000-05:00

I have questioned the TBN responses to allegations that founder Paul Crouch had a homosexual affair with an employee. The denials have been along the lines of 'the allegations are utterly false.' You don't know quite know what allegations they are denying: the homosexual affair or the firing or the sexual harassment. The answers are always convoluted and they seem to be more legalese than flat out denial.

Actor Matt LeBlanc's former driver, Damian Plumleigh, is saying that LeBlanc cruised for gay sex while in the back of the limo he drove. LeBlanc knows how to categorically deny something:

"I have never asked to be set up with gay hustlers," he said. "It's absolutely not true. I am not bisexual. I am not gay. I have never had sex with men. Setting the record straight is not only important because of me and my life, but also because of my family."

He added that Plumleigh's claims that he used to work for him were also untrue. "Plumleigh drove me on a few occasions. When he says he hooked me up for gay sex, it's a 100 per cent lie. He worked for the company that Warner Brothers used. He was part of a hired limo service. He was not employed by me. I was uncomfortable with him so I stopped using him."

That's a solid denial. No questions left unanswered. TBN take note.

Will Paul Crouch Earn Reward in Heaven? Listen In

2004-10-09T01:12:00.000-05:00

TBN has been like a rabbit hiding in its hole the last few weeks. The LA Times ran a series of articles exposing the legal wranglings of Paul Crouch trying to hide a homosexual affair, the opulence of the founders lifestyle, the reliance of the prosperity gospel for fundraising, and the bank account of the network itself. TBN foolishly engaged the Times issuing press releases in an attempt to rebut the assertions of the articles. But for the last few weeks they have been in hiding.

Today, LA Times columnist Dana Parsons takes a stick and jabs it in the rabbit hole, seeing if TBN will come out to play. In a snarky column, titled as this post is titled, Parsons shows she doesn't understand that salvation is by grace, thru faith, not of works, having St Peter standing at the pearly gates grilling prospective heaven dwellers before entry. It compares the schtick of TBN to that of professional wrestling and picks a few quotes that makes Crouch look silly. It opens:

I'd love to eavesdrop on St. Peter the day he grills TV evangelist Paul Crouch outside the Pearly Gates. Based on his body of work, Pastor Crouch probably will slip in, but that doesn't mean St. Peter has to give the guy one of the better tables.

Crouch probably considers himself a shoo-in, based on the worldwide ministry spawned by his Trinity Broadcasting Network. He'll claim credit for millions of otherwise lost souls, and St. Peter will be forced to say, "All right, you're in."

As they say, read the whole thing. Hopefully, someone with wisdom will prevail at TBN and they will not respond to this drivel. Knowing how well their spiritual advisors have advised in the past, I await a press release within the next 48 hours.

Eject x 3

2004-10-09T00:11:00.000-05:00

I was watching my beloved Twins fall to the Yankees tonite, and so missed most of the debate. I did switch over during commercials and the extended Corey Koskie at-bats which usually take 10 minutes before resolution. Every time I flipped over and Kerry was speaking, it was, 'Bush is wrong, I have a plan, Bush is wrong, I have a plan.' Every time, every issue. I pity those folks who play drinking games while watching the debates. Those who downed a shot every time JK said 'I have a plan' are out of commission for the weekend.

The impression I get is that Bush wants to be President for the next four years in order to lead our nation in troubling times. I get the impression that Kerry wants to be President because he wants to be President.

Kerry has no respect for the office he is seeking. The man in office is worthy and due our respect, and Kerry gives him none, reviling him at every opportunity. You can disagree and still be respectful.

I saw an abortion question asked. Bush is weak on abortion, middle of the road, moderate. Abortion shows the true Kerry. A man who believes something but is not willing to act on it because of its political implications. And this isn't a mundane issue like tax cuts or the environment. This is about a human being's life. And if you believe that life begins at conception, as Kerry does, there is no way you can rationally support abortion.

Bush debating Kerry--we all know that the earth is round, a sphere. For Bush, it's like debating someone who believes the earth is flat. You look on and have no idea how to answer, because the rationale behind the answers is so convoluted. I pity Bush because everything that comes out of Kerry's mouth is rhetoric. He either contradicts something he has previously said or uses facts that have already been debunked--he takes positions that contradict his voting record and leaves Bush with so many options to rebut, it must be confusing for the President. I don't blame him for smirking or acting incredulous to what Kerry says. (someone used this earth flat analogy in a blog somewhere, don't remember where, but I think it is on the mark)

I am very leary of a Kerry presidency. Bush isn't a bed of roses, but Kerry.....makes me more than a little apprehensive.
***

It's not often that you read something that changes your opinion all by itself. Some writings persuade, or maybe inform, but this article at ejectejecteject may change how you look at the candidates and the global war on terror. It's been floating around the blogosphere the last few days, and if you haven't read it yet, you really really really should. Awesome work.

Deterrence part 1
Deterrence part 2

10 Prophetic Justice Principles

2004-10-08T01:50:00.000-05:00

Democratic National Convention speaker Rev. James A. Forbes Jr. is touring churches touting his prophetic justice principles as a guide for Christians, to help them decide for whom to vote in November. Forbes' website says they are non-partisan and non-political; but, they are brought in to counter the Christian right and their website says they advocate progressive programs and policies (progressive being the new hip word for 'liberal').

Here are the 10 Prophetic Justice Principles intended to convince you to vote Democrat, along with my off the cuff comments:

1. Seek the Common Good--This sounds good but it is just the reasoning of man making decisions from the wrong tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We are to partake of the tree of life. Jesus: "Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God." (Mt 19:17)

2. Be truthful in facts and motives--ok, no problem.

3. Promote unity and inclusion--including reducing the polarization and fragmentation of the society due to...sexual orientation. Inclusion and unity at the expense of truth is of the devil. Jesus: "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." (Mt 10:34)

4. Care for the poor--Not governments job. The church doesn't fully do it's job in this arena, because they rely on government to do it for them, missing the blessing.

5. Protect the Vulnerable--This should read protect the American people. Phrased 'protect the vulnerable' it is liberal victimology. Be not a respector of persons...an action that's good for one is good for all the rest.

6. Guard the Freedom of Thought and Discussion--ok, as long as this thought includes biblical thought, which liberals like to call 'hate speech.'

7. Respect Other Nations and Peoples--Respect is nice, as long as we don't go for a world government, Tower of Babel kind of thing.

8. Ensure Stewardship of Creation--sounds ok. Probably means kowtowing to the environmentalists who value the animal over the human being.

9. Cherish the Human Family--Abortion? How does abortion cherish the human family?

10. Provide Moral Leadership--How does the normalization of all things homosexual provide moral leadership?

Vote Democrat? On #'s 9+10 alone, I cannot.

Right wing Jewish activists

2004-10-08T01:22:00.000-05:00

Don't know what to make of this.

Activists rebel against Israeli government leader, Ariel Sharon...(rebellion is the principle of Satan, and is as the sin of witchcraft)...They thought of instigating a death curse against the God appointed leader...But, they decided to go with a ritual intended to bring about the removal of the secualar Israeli gov't...

"Sharon's plan is insane and I wish for his death," he said. "We want a Jewish monarchy in Israel and not a secular government with secular political parties. The decisions made by the majority are not decisions since the majority is stupid."

The nisuah hamayim ritual finds its source in the Mishna. During Succot in the time of the Temple, the priests would gather water from the holy Shiloah Spring and would pour it onto the tabernacle in the Temple, accompanied by songs and trumpets. The religious meaning behind the ritual, Weiss said, was to draw strength and spiritual powers from the water, which would then sustain the priests throughout the year.

After reading the whole thing, they are not calling on God to act. They are performing a ritual intended to give them power, namely that the "religious powers will grant us the strength"

First, God recognizes authority and submission to authority, and gives grace to the humble. He resists the proud and self-willed...and the rebellious, as these men are being. Second, performing a ritual for power is the religion of Satan, and these guys are messing with the wrong religous power.

TBN notes

2004-10-07T14:29:00.000-05:00

No news in the last few weeks on TBN and Paul Crouch. The LA Times reported the legal wranglings of the network and its founder trying to keep an alleged homosexual affair secret. TBN responded, LA Times responded, etc. etc. I probably blogged about 12 times on the matter, so check the archives if you are interested. Today, Christianity Today has a brief summary on it's website. If it appears in it's print magazine, I suppose the story could continue. But, for now, it appears to have lost all steam.

And, Jan Crouch is out of the hospital after having surgery last week for pancreatitis and gall stones.

Johan Santana and the American People

2004-10-06T17:19:00.000-05:00

Well, my picks from yesterday afternoon proved to be a little high.
I predicted Santana would give up 2 runs to the Yankees--he gave up 0.
I thought Cheney would verbally smackdown Edwards 3 times--he only did once or twice.
126 seconds for blogger to publish--not sure, but it was less than 60. (what's up with blogger being soooooo painfully slow the last few days)

I can only hope my Green Bay Packers season win total was a little high too. I said 4 wins, which would make them 4-12 on the year. I suppose I could live with 3-13 or 2-14. :-)

I also said John Edwards would use the phrase "American people" 37 times during the VP debate. I checked the transcript. I was a little high here too. He used it 27 times. Edwards can be really ~~prophetic~~ psychic. He likes to opine on what the American people are thinking and what they are going to do. It's almost tough to listen to him speak if you are aware of this idiosyncrasy.

Here's an interesting exchange in the debate:

EDWARDS: May I respond briefly?

What the vice president has just said is just a complete distortion. The American people saw John Kerry on Thursday night. They don't need the vice president or the president to tell them what they saw. (They don't need Bush or Cheney to tell them what they saw...Let me tell them what they saw--ed)

They saw a man who was strong, who had conviction, who is resolute, who made it very clear that he will do everything that has to be done to find terrorists, to keep the American people safe.

He laid out his plan for success in Iraq, made it clear that we were committed to success in Iraq. We have to be, because we have troops on the ground there and because they have created a haven for terrorists.

IFILL: Mr. Vice President, you have 30 seconds.

CHENEY: Your rhetoric, Senator, would be a lot more credible if there was a record to back it up. There isn't.

And you cannot use "talk tough" during the course of a 90-minute debate in a presidential campaign to obscure a 30-year record in the United States Senate and, prior to that by John Kerry, who has consistently come down on the wrong side of all the major defense issues that he's faced as a public official.

***I know that politicians use rhetoric all the time to get elected. But, doesn't it seem that Kerry and Edwards go way overboard with the rhetoric. We can do better. I have a plan. Bush is wrong, wrong, wrong and we can do better. Does Style win over Substance? In our Hollywood, soulish society I wouldn't be too surprised if it did. But, when all you have is rhetoric.....it just doesn't seem right.

Factcheck dot what

2004-10-06T01:53:00.000-05:00

Between innings of my Twins awesome victory over the Yankees tonite, I checked in with the VP debate. I noticed that Vice President Cheney referred to a website to back up a point he was trying to make. He said go to factcheck dot com and see such and such. I said to myself that was a missed opportunity. The actual site is factcheck.org. And via Allahpundit, I see that the factcheck dot COM people are referring people to the George Soros website--he of the Michael Moore wing of the Democratic party. Give them credit for some quick thinking. Sneaky, but quick.

DeMint and teachers

2004-10-06T01:12:00.000-05:00

South Carolina Senate candidate Jim DeMint says, "We need the folks that are teaching in schools to represent our values." Because of this, he has said during the campaign that he believes that homosexuals and single mothers living with their boyfriends should not teach in public schools.

Gay activists, of course, called for an apology. No discussion of the merits of the argument, just the old 'shut up, and apologize' mantra, a reflex triggered when their politically correct radar is activated. Gay activists try to stifle all dissent without a conversation. They interpret the general silence of the people as agreement with their positions. I think the public's silence is more a result of fear of being politically incorrect than a tacit agreement. I am always amused that activists are shocked when voters support such things as marraige amendments by a 2 to 1 margin. Anyway...

Does DeMint's statement have any validity? Should gays and women 'living in sin' be public school teachers? First, I think it's refreshing that a politician has a conviction and has the courage to express it in the face what he had to know would be a gaggle of naysayers. Instead of just dimissing it offhand, let's look at it.

On the one hand, most Americans are unrepentant sinners. Most teachers in the public schools are unrepentant sinners. So, to single out a class of sinners to the exclusion of the others, isn't fair. Unless we say that all teachers must be born again Christians, we can't exclude selectively as DeMint is saying (btw, this is a personal belief of DeMint and he has no plans to implement programs to carry this out).

On the other hand, teachers aren't like accountants or factory workers when it comes to jobs. They are put in a position of authority over kids daily and play a part in their development. We have specific education requirements for teachers. Isn't it OK to have moral standards for them as well? Hmmm.

I suppose some would say let them do what they want in the public schools. It's not just gay teachers, but also the evolution, the God denying, the liberal agenda, etc., that make public schools not worthy of our concern. Scriptures exhort parents to teach their own children. Isn't this a 24 hour a day exhortation or is it just a 16 hour a day duty, leaving them to others for the 8 hours they are in school? Answer--Homeschool, private Christian school, they say. Hmmm.

I don't know. I don't just dismiss his position as idiotic. But, I do have trouble convincing myself that this would be ok to do. Is there a scriptural argument that can be made on this issue? And this is just asking if they should be hired as teachers. More questions come to mind. How about the question of whether they can be effective teachers? Regarding sinners...can the deceived teach kids the truth? Teachers--should they not be role models and examples to those they teach?

Questions, questions, questions.....Come let us reason together, He says. I think I'll avoid the gay activists and look elsewhere for the answers to my questions.

Tuesday afternoon prognostications

2004-10-05T14:50:00.000-05:00

Index

2 - number of runs Johan Santana gives up tonite against the Yankees
3 - number of verbal smackdowns VP Cheney lays on John Edwards tonite
4 - Green Bay Packers wins this season (one can hope, can't one)
37 - times John Edwards uses the phrase "American people" during the VP debate
126 - seconds Blogger takes to post this once I hit publish

My Picks--baseball playoffs

St Louis Cardinals in 3
Boston Red Sox in 4
Minnesota Twins in 4
Atlanta Braves in 5
Chicago Cubs in '05

Christian jottings

2004-10-05T01:49:00.000-05:00

Some notes from a few of the Christian blogs I like to read:

Julie writes well, and here she writes about sexual brokenness:

It was that book that made me realize the significance of my sexual sin, and it truly broke me, but not in a painful way. Sometimes, when God breaks you, it really does feel like He's snapping bones, at least figuratively speaking.
But other times, He breaks you very gently. You don't realize you've been broken until you're looking back over your life, and you see that you've had a major change in perspective.

RLP's book came out, and he had a online virtual book signing.

Michael Main reminisces about the prominent politicians he has met from Ford to W. On Gerald Ford:

I turned around and there was Gerald Ford. He reached out his hand and said, "Hi, I'm Gerald Ford." I shook his hand while looking around nervously. There was no one else in the room with us. No secret service, no entourage, only me...Gerald Ford and a plentiful supply of donuts. My first words were, "Hi...I'm Michael Main...um...Mr. President aren't there supposed to be people around guarding you from people like me?"

And Parableman links to one of posts, saying:

I just found a followup to the homosexuality discussion from two weeks ago. It's on a blog called Chapter and Verse, and it seems to be from someone who left the homosexual lifestyle and considers himself ex-gay. He compares his treatment by gay people as what black conservatives receive from their community those who see them as traitors. One thing he mentions is that he thinks many Christians don't understand homosexuality. He doesn't quite put it this way, but I think he's also saying many gay people don't understand Christians. I think both are quite true.

I wanted to nominate the post he refers to for the worst blog post of the year. I tended to ramble a bit; but, I think it expresses the conflict within me regarding homosexual issues--wanting to step out and help vs. wanting to crawl in a hole and keep out of sight. Yes, I am an ex-gay...even though I don't like that term, it's the best out there right now. Yes, my experience is that many (most) Christians don't understand homosexuality. And, yes, I think many gay people look at Fred Phelps (of the God hates fags website) and think that he represents Christianity's view on homosexuality.

(And that reference to black conservatives isn't the greatest comparison; but, I do feel a certain kinship with them. They have come out of a culture with one prevailing viewpoint and are seen as loony for believing the opposite viewpoint.)

Lastly, the bloke trackbacks to the parableman's post and notes some of his life-experiences with the topic of homosexuality:

The class ripped my paper apart not because it was a bad paper but because of its contents. I had advocated that the church's duty was to love its neighbor -- and who is her neighbor? The homosexual community, I had written. I just didn't get their strong reaction and opposition to my opinion. The class became so agitated because somehow my views threatened their sense of balance in their world.

I have a theory on why the Christian attitude toward homosexuals is oftentimes a condemning one. It is because gay sex is the one sin where most have a clear conscious before God. It is the one sin they have never committed, so they can rant all they want about it without being a hypocrite. They can have a compassion and an empathy for the drunkard or the talebearer, because they themselves have slipped in that area. But, they have very little love available for the homosexual because they are without understanding on the issue and have nothing in their personal experience to compare it to.

Every twenty years

2004-10-04T19:12:00.000-05:00

Boots and Sabres reminds us of the twenty year presidential "coincidence":

1840 - Harrison, died of sickness 1860 - Lincoln, shot and died 1880 - Garfield, shot and died 1900 - McKinley, shot and died 1920 - Harding, died of a heart attack 1940 - Roosevelt, died of a cerebral hemorrhage 1960 - Kennedy, shot and died 1980 - Reagan, shot and lived 2000 - Bush, ????

I know that there are a few prophecies out there regarding Bush's second term. The one I remember specifically is from Thomas Gibson. The gist of all the words is that Bush will win reelection, but not serve out his full term. One I remember has Bush dying after the election, but before being sworn in. Gibson's and others have him dying (Gibson specifically says killed)some time in the second term. One even goes as far to say that he is killed in a parking garage explosion.

I wish I had all the links for these. Most of them I have seen on private prophetic lists.

I really don't know what to do with this sort of information. Does that 20 year thing matter? I do believe in curses, as the Bible lays out. Curses are the opposite of blessings. You believe in blessings, no? I wonder if someone somewhere broke that curse when Reagan was President. Curses can be broken, for Jesus was made a curse for us. Hmmmm.

Delaware Bible Readers Beware

2004-10-02T19:30:00.000-05:00

Reading from the bible = hate speech in Delaware. Trial starts Oct 28.

"Council perceived what he was reading as hate speech. It would be homophobic today. They couldn't let him go on. You can't go up to the podium and start reading from the Bible,"--Assistant District Attorney Alyssa Kusturiss

Michael Marcavage, the man who read from the bible, gives a synopsis of what went on at the council meeting here. They told him:

"I am not going to allow you to come before this council and use it as a forum to engage in hate speech,"

So, reading from the bible is homophobic hate speech. The passage he was reading was the last half of Romans chapter 1. He wasn't preaching, wasn't interpreting, wasn't comparing scripture to scripture; he was just reading. Makes you wonder where this slippery slope will end up, eh? Mr Marcavage actually has a whole website devoted to reclaiming his city.

Townhall column about ex-gays

2004-10-01T20:12:00.000-05:00

I usually check out conservative website Townhall every day. Many conservative columnists from Sowell to Coulter, Malkin to Will, have their columns hosted here. Today, Ryan Zempel, one of the editors of Townhall has a column up regarding ex-gays. He reviews the new video produced by Dr Warren Throckmorton called I Do Exist. It's pretty basic, but a good read. Excerpts:

A 52-minute documentary, "I Do Exist" utilizes the stories of five ex-gays to demonstrate that change is possible for those with same-sex attractions...The video also includes remarks from 2 psychologists who challenge the popular misconception that homosexuality is hardwired.

They do so by citing a seemingly unlikely source -- an American Psychiatric Association (APA) fact sheet on sexual orientation:

Some people believe that sexual orientation is innate and fixed; however, sexual orientation develops across a person's lifetime... To date, there are no replicated scientific studies supporting any specific biological etiology (meaning cause), of homosexuality.... Similarly, no specific psychosocial (or life circumstances) or family dynamics cause for homosexuality has been identified.

While the video [offers] anecdotes and assertions regarding the possibility of change for homosexuals, it notably makes no suggestion that homosexuals should change. Instead, it simply argues that they can if they wish to.

In this, one might falsely assume they have a message that is inoffensive to the gay community. Spitzer, however, describes the severe criticism his study faced and attributes such reactions to gay activists who feel that their political goals are threatened by any suggestion that homosexuals can change.

The existence of ex-gays remains one of the biggest untold stories today. Generally ignored by the media, ex-gays are often shouted down by gay activists when they try to raise their voices. They are misunderstood by both a secular society that largely accepts homosexuality and a religious world that largely doesn't. But they won't remain closeted forever. This documentary is simply chapter one in a story that's just beginning to unfold.

Very nice. Even a touch of the prophetic at the end there. As they say, click the link and read the whole thing.

Bush-Kerry as a Tennis Match

2004-10-01T01:01:00.000-05:00

[WARNING: CONVOLUTED, MANGLED ANALOGY AHEAD. PROCEED WITH CAUTION]

Just finished watching the first presidential debate. Powerline did a blow by blow using a boxing analogy to grade the debate, and says Kerry is back in the game. Hugh Hewitt has a nice little graphic on his blog, detailing the debate as he live-blogged it. He says it's game, set, and match for Bush. I don't think it's over yet. But, Hugh has inspired me; let's look at this election as a tennis match. In my analogy, tonight was the opening of the third set. As we are joining the coverage in progress, let's recap.

Bush vs. Kerry--Best of five set match, Davis Cup rules (no tiebreaks)--winner is the President of the United States for the next 4 years.

FIRST SET--The first set of our match occurred from the time Kerry won the Democratic nomination and ended the week after the Democratic convention. This set was hard-fought. Kerry led in many national polls during this time, holding his own with Bush. Bush plodded along, being Presidential. Each player held serve throughout the beginning of the set. No major gaffes. Bush is like a wall though--returning every Kerry shot, sending him from sideline to sideline. Kerry's doing a lot of reacting, running all over the court, returning each Bush topspin shot right into the middle of Bush's court. Bush hardly has to move, Kerry seems to be getting winded.

Kerry struggled a little bit with defining himself. We knew what we had in Bush, but Kerry hadn't passed the 'Can this guy be President?' test yet. Going into the Democratic convention, they had split the first 10 games of the set. It's all tied up at 5-5. Kerry has the serve--and he has the convention. He can close out the first set strong and lead the match if he can only do something, anything, during his free week of media attention.

Kerry starts off the game with a double fault named Al Gore, love-fifteen. The media loves Obama, Kerry gets transference, fifteen all. Turay-zah Heinz Kerry, oh my it's fifteen-thirty. He follows with a way too-deep backhand named Al Sharpton that hits a ballboy in the head, fifteen-forty. JFK, reporting for duty, game President Bush. Bush leads 6-5 and serves for the first set.

No bounce out of the convention. Oh wait, a negative bounce, that's unprecedented. Bush holds serve and wins the first set, 7-5.

SECOND SET--The second set happened during August and September. Kerry is being hammered by the Swifties. Turay-zah is saying silly things. Republicans have a good convention. Kerry's falling in the polls, blames his racket stringer. Kerry contradicts himself daily. No one's listening. Rathergate takes away 10 days of coverage for Kerry. Windsurfing backfires.

Bush plods along. He looks slow afoot. But, he has a deadly backhand, smacking Kerry silly. Kerry's plummeting in the polls. Kerry blames a linesman and the umpire for his poor performance. "John Kerry doesn't foot fault," he says. No one can find John Edwards. Kerry's changing rackets between every other point now. His campaign staff seems to be overhauled weekly. Bush wins this set handily, 6-0.

Bush leads 7-5, 6-0 heading into the first debate. Kerry needs to get on track. Bush tries to stay the course.

THIRD SET--The first debate. Kerry serving. He looks presidential. He's not too orange. His demeanor is good. He stands up well to Bush. Bush is slouching. Kerry is writing away, ala Daschle, while Bush is speaking. Bush looks annoyed and incredulous while Kerry is speaking. On appearance only, Kerry holds serve, leads 1-0.

Bush serving. On substance, Bush is winning. Bush hammers away at the flip flops. How can you gather a coalition for a war, when it's the wrong war, wrong place, wrong time. I know next to little about North Korea. Kerry wants bilateral, Bush says 5 nation coalition. Bush convinces me that this is better than what Kerry wants. Kerry's going all over the board with his answers. Bush answers most questions with the same answer. Stay the course. Be firm. We will win. Bush holds serve and we're tied 1-1.

Kerry serving in the third game. Bush isn't losing the debate. Kerry isn't losing either. Kerry hasn't pushed Bush over the edge which seems to have been a good stratergy going in. Both candidates are doing OK. Bush catches Kerry in a gaffe: preemptive war only if it passes the global test, point Bush. Kerry stands toe-to-toe, matching the President's groundstrokes, deuce. Back and forth they go, Bush is getting tired, Kerry stays strong throughout the debate, advantage Kerry. Kerry doesn't screw up his closing statement, point and game to Senator Kerry. Kerry leads 2-1.

Bush serving. Most pundits are saying the debate was a draw, point to Kerry. Organized Democrats load up on internet polls saying Kerry won the debate, point to Kerry. And that, my friends, is where we are today in the election.

Bush leads 7-5, 6-0, 1-2 (0-30).

Other reactions for your perusal. American Mind says the debate was a draw that prolongs Kerry's campaign. The Moderate Voice uses a baseball analogy, saying the game's far from over, and could go extra innings.

Captain Ed says Kerry lives to fight another day. And Jason, in an interesting post, says Bush mopped the floor with Kerry. Actually, Allah has a huge blogdom roundup of debate reactions found here.

MinistryWatch calls for TBN reform

2004-09-30T12:09:00.000-05:00

A Christian financial watchdog organization called Ministry Watch (who?--ed. Exactly) is calling for an overhaul of TBN. (blood is in the water and the sharks are circling?--ed. Let's not go too far.) It's really a so-what moment, except that the LA Times reported this in yesterday's edition. (plus the audacity of the watchdog group is humourous--ed.) Here are excerpts from the press release:
----------
(TITLE) MinistryWatch.com calls for establishment of an independent commission to take over governance of Trinity Broadcasting Network

(SUBTITLE)Dubious theology, likely personal enrichment and refusal to be authentically transparent all lead to call for dramatic steps.

MATTHEWS, N.C. – Newly revealed facts and allegations regarding questionable financial transactions at Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) – initially reported in the Los Angeles Times – coupled with MinistryWatch.com’s previous concerns about the dubious “prosperity theology” often heard on TBN and the unusually large profits and investments generated by TBN’s operations, have caused MinistryWatch.com to issue a second Donor Alert for this ministry.

Wall Watchers CEO Rusty Leonard observed, “Their exorbitant lifestyle is apparently financed by well-meaning donors who would naturally expect that their hard-earned money would go completely to further the Gospel of Christ, not to personally benefit the Crouch family.”

Mr. Leonard said, “Our concerns have only increased as a result of TBN’s public response, which is at times both caustic and misleading.” He continued "Accordingly, MinistryWatch.com is recommending a dramatic plan of action for the restoration of donor confidence in TBN. We are calling for the establishment of an independent commission to take over governance of TBN and thoroughly investigate and review what future steps should be taken to restore the world’s largest Christian television network to a place where authentic Christian theology is espoused and transparency in all activities is the norm.”

Mr. Leonard commented further upon TBN’s response to the newspapers’ articles, saying, “Since these facts and allegations have become public, TBN responded in a press release that demonstrated an attitude of arrogance and which lacked the humility one might expect from a Christian organization. This should be of grave concern to Christians because nonbelievers following this story may develop false lifelong impressions about Jesus Christ based upon TBN’s aggressive response.”

Indeed, said Mr. Leonard, TBN’s methods are ironic. “At present, the defense offered by TBN seems to be hypocritical in that it reflects a lack of faith in the Lord’s provision for the future of the ministry. Since TBN regularly asks its viewers to step out in faith and make donations larger than they feel able to do because ‘the Lord will ultimately provide for the donor’s needs,’ it seems odd that TBN itself is so lacking in a similar faith! In essence, TBN’s response indicates that TBN wishes its donors to trust in the Lord’s provision so that TBN will not have to!”

The plan outlined by MinistryWatch.com would allow for a full investigation of the issues by a newly formed, completely independent commission of Christian leaders. The specific recommendations include:

1) A commission of respected Christian leaders, composed of experts in counseling, theology, financial affairs, and other appropriate disciplines be put in place to establish a pathway of restoring Paul and Jan Crouch to a proper relationship with Jesus.
2) A new board of directors be selected who could lead TBN in a new direction where respect for the ministry’s mission and donors’ rights are the sole concerns.
3) The new board should also do a thorough overhaul of the ministry to put it on a path to teaching authentic Christian theology and which operates in a manner that rejects self-serving actions and is respectful of donors’ intent.
4) Future board composition should draw upon talents, treasures and time and be composed in a manner that guarantees independence.
5) The board should ensure that whistleblower protection and document destruction policies are in place, as required by law.
6) The board should establish an independent audit committee, with at least one board member a financial expert and other board members trained in accounting terminology.
7) Paul and Jan Crouch should step aside from leadership positions until this process is completed and the commission has concluded that true repentance has occurred. The commission would decide if the Crouch’s should return to any leadership position, as executives, board members or on-air personalities.
----------
(chuckle) This isn't really news, but the LA Times reported it and got a comment out of Paul Crouch's son:

An executive for TBN, the world's largest Christian network, rejected the idea but said he would meet with critics and review audited financial statements and other related documents with them. "We will turn over to them whatever we need to turn over," said Paul Crouch Jr., a network executive.

I am literally chuckling over #'s 1 and 7 above. If we take this all at face value, we have a Christian watchdog ministry publicly dressing down another ministry, telling TBN how to go about their business. It tells Paul and Jan Crouch, 'Step down, stop teaching what we don't want you to teach, and let some other people run your ministry.'

Paul Jr, no doubt following the sage advice of the same spiritual advisors who got TBN in this mess in the first place, basically says, 'no problem, we'll give our financial records to these nice folks.' Again, they choose the face saving, reputation preserving, compromising way of the world in the face of conflict.

OK, I hope TBN stops with the press releases and this story dies. I am a Christian, but I am not part of the TBN crowd. I don't want to blog about this anymore, but it's like a train wreck in slow motion, and it's hard not to look. Please, story, die down, go away, no mas.

Protest and conflict

2004-09-29T13:01:00.000-05:00

Stephen Bennett gave a talk last weekend at Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, Il. Gay activists held a protest. Excerpts:

Protesters chanted "Shame!" and "House of Hate!" as parishioners of Calvary Memorial Church entered the service, where Stephen Bennett spoke about his life as a homosexual before he got married and had two children.

"We're talking about it because everybody else is talking about it," Rev. Ray Pritchard, the pastor, said after the service. "I think the church has a responsibility to speak to the issues that are foremost on people's mind....You don't have to agree with us. But I want to issue a challenge: Go home and read the Bible. Don't take my word for it."

"We sent a clear message that there are some in Oak Park and surrounding communities that know that hatred against any group needs to be opposed," Andy Thayer, co-founder of the Chicago Anti-Bashing Network, said of the evening protest.

Where to start, where to start? I have been thinking about homosexuality alot lately. If you read that little sidebar on the left, I tell you that I am an ex-gay. I haven't really talked about it on this blog and I am not sure why. It is about the only thing I could be considered an 'expert' on, or have a knowledge that is unique and not common to the common man. Write about what you know. I suppose that should apply to blogging, eh?

This thread over at parableman started me thinking. Not the main post, but some of the comments. Christians don't know much about homosexuality. Now, I am not of the camp that says you have to do something to understand something or be able to speak coherently about it. But, there is an understanding that one has, when he has lived through something, that others probably don't possess. God has been gracious and merciful to teach me about homosexuality in ways that someone who didn't live through it, wouldn't understand.

I've went thru a few stages post-homosexuality. When I was born again, and after the glow of newness wore off a bit, I felt led of the Lord. I felt He was leading me into some kind of ministry involving men who want to leave the homosexual life. I said to Him, I'll do anything you want, as long as it has nothing to do with homosexuality. I lived in that state for awhile. Then I came around a little. I said, OK, I'll work in that arena if you want me to. All the while, hoping He would take that cup away from me. Secretly hoping He would see my agreement with Him and then move on to something else.

I know I am rambling on. Sorry. I think I am almost past that last stage now. Accepting a reality where I am helping men who want help. I don't have problems with gays who don't want to change, who want to live a the normal gay life. But I know that there are many, many men who would jump out of that life if they were thrown a lifeline. I know many would like to be given the chance (not to mention those kids right now who are struggling with same sex attractions, who are being told by the whole wide world to just give in to them, it's natural). But it is a thankless ministry.

See, there's not a lot of love coming at you if you are an ex-gay. To a point, you are seen as a traitor, kind of like a black conservative. You are seen as a deluded self-hater. Gays generally hate you, and deny that you exist. The world doesn't really know about you, and those who do, deny that you can exist. Christians are wary of you, wondering when you are going to fall back into your sin. The failure rate is high. David Wilkerson said that only 1 in 1000 men succeed in leaving the gay life. This was 30 years ago, or so. Hopefully the percentage is alot better today, but I wouldn't think it's much better than 1 in 75 or 1 in 100. (and we are talking about those who Want to leave the gay life)

I am not like those Satan-led fools who think they are doing the Lord's work in their "ministry" to homosexuals by protesting at gay funerals. I am not a hater, I do not hate anyone. Unfortunatey, I think many people think that those kind of folks represent all Christians. They don't.

I am really going on and on here and not really saying anything.

Regarding that protest that led this post--Gays may win every debate about a ton of issues. But the one that they will never win is the God argument. God declares homosexual sex a sin. And He's not going to change His mind about that. And it's not hatred against a group of people when you say that. It's not hatred against drunkards when you say drunkenness is a sin. It's not hatred against talebearers when you say that gossip is a sin. It's a battle they can fight and fight til forever, and there will always be Christians willing to believe the Bible and say that that behaviour is sinful.

The myth is homosexuality is something you are. The truth is homosexual sex is something you do. I am living proof of that truth. Thoughts and behaviours can be changed. There's about 25 blog posts in this paragraph explaining what I mean, but...

It's late. And if there is a place on the web to nominate the worst blog post of the year, I will be the first to nominate this uneven post. I guess what it is showing is a heart in conflict. I want to jump into the fray, but....but....but; there are a million excuses not to. God have mercy on me as I sit on the sidelines in conflict.

Debate Zingers

2004-09-28T01:35:00.000-05:00

Polipundit has a post up inviting readers to contribute potential zingers to be used during the upcoming debates. Remember "Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy.”

Highlights:

My opponent’s habit of following the prevailing winds may work for windsurfing. But it is not a strategy for dealing with our enemies.

Senator Kerry, I’ve faced undecided voters before. But until this moment I’ve never met an undecided candidate.

No, not “Are you sure?” The correct zinger response to anything Kerry says is, “Is that your final answer?” (ala Who Wants to be a Millionaire)...Expanding on the “Is that your final answer” add, “or would you like to poll the audience?”

“I could respond to that comment, but I think I’ll wait a few minutes. By that time I’m sure Senator Kerry will have changed his position again.”

Senator I know you say you can win friends and influence people better than me, but I don’t even see Tom Dashle using YOUR picture!

“I’d like to hear Mr. Kerry explain how he’s going to get France to send troops to Iraq when he keeps telling everybody we shouldn’t be there ourselves. How do you say, “Join us in the wrong war, in the wrong place, at the wrong time” in French?

Do you get the impression that Bush honestly believes that he is running again to protect our nation from terrorism, and that Kerry is running for himself, just to get elected? I get that impression.

[aside]OK. I just saw a clip of Kerry from a week ago. He is surely more tan today that he was a week ago. No biggie. But it is a George Hamilton kind of tan. looks overdone. hmmm

misc.

2004-09-28T01:03:00.000-05:00

Storyblogging Carnival II is up. Looks like it is a bi-monthly kinda thing so far. Check it out.

Christian Carnival XXXVII is now accepting submissions.

When fasting, it's important to remember not to eat...

Is it just me, or does John Kerry look a whole lot more tan today, then he did a few days ago.

(Scriptive #1) John 15:5-6

2004-09-25T14:05:00.000-05:00

A few days ago, a strong wind ripped through the backyard, leaving the weakest elm branches scattered around their former hosts, discarded. Monday, they'll come and take the limbs to the dump. Today, the dead leaves wither, curling inward and down, as if in prayer.

fictive: #1 ...library signs

2004-09-25T01:20:00.000-05:00

Two deaf girls whisper violently at the library. Their quick hands paint speech on a canvas without plane--the memory of words hover above the oak table between them. Patrons eavesdrop with a curious glance.

The pope speaks on terrorism

2004-09-25T00:21:00.000-05:00

This month, the pope has issued two statements concerning terrorism. Noted:

[H]umanity is facing a frightening upsurge in terrorism. The repeated heinous attacks against human life trouble and worry our conscience...In the death of Jesus, we find the moment in which the triumph of evil meets the final victory of Good...For believers, the Cross of Christ is an icon of hope for, through it, God’s salvific design came to pass...With our gaze set on the Crucified Christ and in spiritual union with the Virgin Mary, let us continue on our path...

May Mary shield humanity at a time of disturbing bursts of violence. May she shield more than ever the young generations who want to build a future of hope for all.

Personally, I prefer the living Christ of today, rather than focusing on the three days when Jesus was crucified and buried. I prefer the blessed hope of our Lord returning, rather than putting my hope in any icon or idol. And, I look to God, and Him alone, in these disturbing times of violence, rather than put my faith in the earthly mother of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

Jan Crouch in the hospital

2004-09-25T00:02:00.000-05:00

I will make a note of this only because I have been following the TBN story. TBN issued a press release yesterday stating that Jan Crouch has been admitted to a hospital with severe abdominal pain. They have diagnosed her with acute pancreatitis and gall stones. May the Great Physician heal her body.

As an aside, I noticed the press release refers to her husband as Pastor Paul Crouch. Previous press releases have called him Dr. Paul Crouch. In an earlier post, I pointed out the folly of using the title 'Doctor' when your degree is a favor from a friend; namely, an honorary doctorate from Oral Roberts University. I have had some visitors from California lately, maybe a TBN staffer is reading my blog.

Marriage poll updates

2004-09-24T14:31:00.000-05:00

First of all, Polipundit has an excellent, well-researched roundup on the companies that do national presidential polling. It is a fine example of blogging at its best. His article is something that the big media can't do, and I highly recommend it.

Voters in 10 states will decide in November whether to amend their constitutions to define marriage as between a man and a woman. There has been a few new polls since my last update a week ago, so here are all the latest numbers:

Oklahoma
poll taken Sept 20-22, 2004
75% favor amendment
22% oppose

Kentucky
poll taken Sept 7-9, 2004
72% favor amendment
25% oppose

Georgia
poll taken Sept 15, 2004
68% favor amendment
23% oppose

Michigan
poll taken Sept 15-19, 2004
54 % favor amendment
37 % oppose amendment

Utah
poll taken Sept 6-9, 2004
63% favor amendment
30% oppose amendment

Montana
poll taken May 24+26, 2004
60% favor amendment
31% oppose

Arkansas
2001 poll conducted by the University of Arkansas
63% favor amendment
32% oppose

Oregon
poll taken Aug 26-Sept 1, 2004
61% favor amendment
34% oppose

Ohio
poll taken Aug 18-27, 2004
62% favor amendment
26% oppose

No polls found for North Dakota. The margin in Michigan is the narrowest among the states voting. And in Utah, the language of the amendment is causing concern, so much so that all candidates for state attorney general have come out against it.

Probably not true--but it made me laugh out loud

2004-09-23T21:29:00.000-05:00

A letter to Larry Elder.

Dear Larry,

Last Thursday I put out one of my Bush/Cheney signs in my front yard. Between midnight and 3:00 a.m. someone stole it. On Friday night I put out sign No. 2. Since I didn't have to get up early, I thought my dog and I would "stake out" our sign. This time I put the sign a little closer to the gate leading to my backyard. With my dog on an extra long leash, I planted myself on a lawn chair and read "Unfit for Command" by flashlight until about 1:00 a.m. Here comes the fun part . . . I noticed that the car coming down the street was slowing down and pulling over to the curb right next to my yard. Sure enough, he gets out of his car and heads right for my sign. Just as he was about to uproot and desecrate it, I opened my gate and let my dog make the initial introduction! As he ran to hide behind the rear end of his car, I promptly moved to the driver-side door, which was still open. It was a fairly nice car with power everything and still running. While my dog continued to "introduce" herself, I rolled up the window and hit the power door lock button. With that, I slammed the door, grabbed my Bush sign and headed into the back yard.

And now for the "rest of the story." About 40 minutes later, I heard a knock at the door. I opened the door to one of our city's finest . . . the Vancouver Police Department. The officer asked me what was going on and when I told him, he could not stop laughing! I followed him out to the perp's car and stood there while he asked the guy a few more questions. Upon learning that the guy lived a couple of streets down, I -- knowing what was about to happen -- asked him, "Why do you have Oregon plates on your car if you live just down the street (here in Vancouver, Wash.)?" Larry, Oregon has no sales tax, so often Washington residents will buy and register cars in Oregon to avoid paying sales tax . . . it's a crime and the fine is pretty stiff. Here comes the best part. . . . The look on this guy's face told me he knew he was about to get busted. When the officer asked for his license and registration, the "Democrat" mumbled that (his license) was suspended. Just for kicks and giggles I asked the officer if he smelled any alcohol coming from the guy! The officer looked at me, smiled and promptly gave him a field breathalyzer test. Guess what? You got it, he blew a .10, legally drunk in the state of Washington.

Sincerely,

John

(h/t Wizbang)

Exclusive interview with Paul Crouch's Reputation

2004-09-23T16:24:00.000-05:00

Rocky River Press recently sat down with the reputation of Paul Crouch in its first one on one interview since allegations surfaced connecting Crouch to Enoch Lonnie Ford in a gay sex scandal.

ROCKY RIVER PRESS: You look a little tarnished. Are the recent gay sex allegations taking a toll on you?
PAUL CROUCH'S REPUTATION: That's coincidental. I just had a Botox injection which leaves behind an orange pallor.
RRP: You also seem to have lost a little weight?
PCR: Now that is true. I still have a healthy ego which helps my, um, stature. But the rabid dog media can have a deflationary effect on most reputations. Just because I happen to be attached to a well-known Christian, I am not immune.
RRP: Let's talk about Paul and Lonnie. You were there. Anything untoward happen?
PCR: It's important for me to be seen in a good light at all times. Presentation is everything. The illusion of grandeur is everything. Lonnie was the kind of guy who didn't know which fork to use for his salad. He had this funny laugh that could be heard throughout a restaurant. I felt during the times they spent together that I was seen in a lesser light amongst the unwashed masses. So, I tried to keep them apart as much as possible.
RRP: But what about the gay sex allegation at the Lake Arrowhead cabin? Any comment on that?
PCR: Paul left me in the car when they went into the cabin. A reputation isn't needed in private matters such as that.
RRP: But you are big and powerful? How could you be left behind in the car?
PCR: True, I am powerful. Thank you. But like most reputations, I am no match for the power of lust. Not that I know for sure that lust played a part in what happened.
RRP: So you have no firsthand knowledge of what occurred inside the cabin?
PCR: No.
RRP: You are the reputation of an important Christian leader. Is there any long-term damage to you here?
PCR: Maybe. My host is getting pretty old. I heard that that Rod Parsley guy is hot, hot, hot. I might join up with him if things get too out of control here. I'm not a specialist either. I don't have to limit myself to Christian leaders. I might branch out and find a politician to attach myself to. Or maybe a gay activist.
RRP: You'd dump Crouch if things started to look bad for him?
PCR: In a heartbeat.

--Rocky River Press
(see sidebar about RRP)

Lawyers--Lord of TBN and Paul Crouch?

2004-09-23T02:42:00.000-05:00

This is part 2 of today's soap opera concerning Paul Crouch and TBN and gay sex. Please read part 1 first.

TBN seems to think by making more statements that the whole thing will die down. Yesterday, they released their 2nd press statement responding to the last 10 days worth of LA Times coverage, including the Lonnie Ford interview. The opening 2 paragraphs are written by those looking like they have something to hide:

A recent article published by the Los Angeles Times was full of inaccuracies, condescension and mischaracterizations about the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), its ministry and operations," said TBN spokesperson Colby May.

"It also confirmed that the press at times refuses to understand, respect or appreciate religious issues, particularly Christian inspirational television. One has to wonder what it is these days regarding the elite press' integrity. Over the past year it has collected quite a shameful, dishonest record: B Jayson Blair, a reporter who concocted stories for the New York Times; Jack Kelly at USA Today who did the same; Dan Rather and CBS using fraudulent documents seeking to damage President Bush; and the LA Times, which lost 10,000 subscribers for its partisan attacks on Arnold Schwarzenegger. Readers deserve better," said May.

The whole 2nd paragraph is a blanket attack on the media. This is a deflection tactic used by ~~Democratic~~ political operatives, not a supposed Christian leader. 'The LA Times is wrong because, hey look at the shameful things the media has done.' This is how they open the press release before addressing individual facts in the news coverage. If this doesn't raise red flags with you, dear reader, double-check to see if your heart is beating.

Red flags duly raised, we look for a refutation of the gay sex allegations that started this whole mess. I have pointed out twice before that Crouch and his spokesman have given quotes that don't quite say, 'Crouch did not have sex with Ford.' They try to leave the impression that the sex didn't happen, but they don't come right out and say it. Searching the 19 paragraph press release, we see TBN uses only one paragraph, #9, to address that charge:

TBN officials also state that the newspaper also could not resist once again mentioning a previous story which reported a false allegation that the 70-year-old Dr. Crouch had a homosexual liaison a few years ago. What was omitted, of course, was that the false accusations were manufactured by a convicted child molester and drug user as part of a wrongful termination claim. The claim remains false, no matter how often the story is repeated.

Please read that paragraph carefully. Colby May is a TBN lawyer and this is a written press release. This was surely vetted by lawyers and they know exactly what they are saying.

false allegation about a homosexual liaison--Enoch Lonnie Ford probably details in his book what happened before, during, and after the liaison. His allegation about the liaison could be false if Crouch disputes one of the details. For example, Ford might say they got to the cabin at 9pm; but, Crouch says they really got there at 9:15pm and that would make the 'allegation' false. (what's the deal with putting in there that Crouch is 70-years old...he's so old, there's no way he could do this? what's the point of that little detail)

false accusations--see above. If a point in the allegation is false, then the accusation is also false. They are talking about the allegations made by Ford concerning the liaison, not the actual sexual encounter itself.

the claim remains false--What claim? Which claim? It looks like they are saying the wrongful termination claim is false. There could have been a host of reasons Ford wasn't rehired. Ford alleges it was because of the sexual encounter. TBN can dispute that allegation and say 'the claim remains false.' Doesn't mean the gay sex didn't happen, just means he wasn't fired for that.

Again, this statement, especially this paragraph, is fishy. It's lawyerspeak. It tries to spin that no gay affair happened without actually saying that no gay sex occurred between these two men. Take this, with the other non-statements issued earlier, the hush-money payoff, the $1 million offer, and what do you have? A lot of questions, with the fundamental question left unanswered. Honorary doctorate or not, Dr Paul Crouch isn't really behaving like an esteemed Christian leader.

Ultimately, it matters little whether or not a sexual encounter actually occurred between Ford and Crouch. What's galling me is the inept handling of this matter by Crouch and TBN. They keep digging themselves in deeper, releasing suspicious statements, and trusting lawyers instead of the Lord. Christians 'in-the-know' have many suspicions about the TBN leaders, and this whole sordid affair isn't alleviating any of them.

TBN, Paul Crouch saga continues

2004-09-23T01:03:00.000-05:00

Paul Crouch, founder and patriarch of the Christian TV network, TBN, continues putting his trust in the legal system, instead of God. I don't want this site to be TBN central, but I notice I posted about the first salvo here, the official TBN response, a TBN lawyer's interview, and then 3 LA Times hack jobs on TBN's financing: here, here, and here. Now, before going into what transpired today, here's a recap of the relevant points.

--Enoch Lonnie Ford met Paul Crouch while in a TBN sponsored drug rehab in 1991. He later went to work for TBN. TBN paid some of Ford's debts, spoke with judges on his behalf, and gave him continued chances by employing him despite his continued run-ins with the law.
--Ford claims that, while he was employed by TBN, in 1996, Paul Crouch coerced him into having sex with him at a TBN-owned cabin at Lake Arrowhead.
--Ford was in prison for parole violation in 1997, when TBN lobbied on Ford's behalf with the legal system, saying he would have a job waiting for him when he was released. Ford criminal record includes convictions for drug offenses and for the statutory rape of a 17-year old boy.
--Upon release, TBN refused to employ Ford.
--Ford threatened a sexual harassment suit against Crouch for the gay sex encounter.
--Crouch, under the advise of his lawyers and spiritual advisors!, settled with Ford, Before he filed suit. The secrecy agreement handed $425,000 to Ford from TBN in 1998. No ministry money used.
--In April 2003, Ford walked on the set of TBN's Praise The Lord program and handed Crouch an autobiographical manuscript that included an account of the Arrowhead gay sex encounter.
--TBN offered to buy the manuscript for $1 million.
--Ford offered to sell the manuscript to TBN for $10 million.
--During negotiations, Crouch sued to enforce the secrecy agreement signed in 1998.
--Judge ruled that Ford could not publish the book without violating that agreement.
--LA Times runs a story detailing the above. TBN responds. LA Times does a hack job using anecdotes from Crouch's autobiography to paint him and TBN in a negative light.

Phew.

Anyway.... yesterday's foray into the absurd has TBN taking the LA Times to court to prevent them from running this article. In it, Ford gives an interview and tells his side of the story. He feels that TBN broke the secrecy agreement by sending out a press release after the LA Times' first story. Some of the details of that article:

"There were times that I didn't make the right decisions," [Ford] said. "This is all true. But this man is using my mistakes to get away with this." ..."I'll take a lie-detector test on national TV. Paul Crouch needs to be exposed, and the truth needs to get out."

...In October 1996, Ford said he and Crouch spent two nights at the same hotel in separate rooms. During that time, Ford said they worked out together at the hotel gym and ate expensive meals with bottles of wine and after-dinner drinks. "I knew what he was doing," Ford said. "He was seducing me."

After checking out of the hotel, Ford said, Crouch took him to a TBN-owned cabin near Lake Arrowhead. It was there, Ford said, that Crouch first had sex with him. "I did it because I didn't know if this man is going to throw me straight out of that cabin," Ford said. "And I didn't want to lose my job. I was going to be in trouble if I said no."

The next morning, Ford said, Crouch read a Bible passage to him in an attempt to reassure him about the night before. The passage, Proverbs 6:16-19, details seven "detestable" attitudes and acts in God's eyes. Ford said Crouch told him that because homosexuality wasn't listed, the Lord wasn't worried about what they had done. Still, Ford said, Crouch warned him to keep the encounter quiet "because people wouldn't understand."

In addition to characterizing the Arrowhead encounter as the "first" time they had sex, another tibdit the latest article discloses is that Ford now lives openly as a gay man. But, the craziest thing about the story is that TBN took the LA Times to court to prevent them from running this piece. (as they say, read the whole thing)

What in the world are they doing? Every step of the way, they are making foolish decisions, putting their trust in man and the legal system, instead of putting their trust in God. This whole mess started when they settled out of court for something that, they (sort of) claim, Paul Crouch is innocent of. We are to be of no reputation; and by trying to preserve their reputations they are reaping the fruit of what they sowed in folly.

This is part 1 of what has transpired. Part 2 is found here, and concerns TBN's latest response to this whole mess.

Troubled teen needs help

2004-09-22T18:38:00.000-05:00

Evangelical Outpost has posted 'This Weekend's Useless Post.' It is a fictional (I think) letter from a troubled teen asking for advice:

Dear Joe, My parents are driving me crazy. I’m fifteen but they treat me like I’m ten. They act like I am incapable of doing anything right. Everything I do is wrong. All I ever hear is how when I’m their age I’ll see things differently and that I’m too young to understand. They don’t realize that the world has changed since they were my age. Kids know more at fifteen nowadays than eighteen years olds used to know. Help me out, Joe. What can I do to get them to understand me? [signed] Frustrated Teen

Joe goes on to give pearls of wisdom to the young teen. I'm not a frequent reader of his; but, I think this question and his answer are meant to be comedy and nothing serious. But it sparks something within me.

The question alluded to is a good one. It is something I have been thinking on lately; so, let me put words to paper and see if I can articulate what's on my mind. What should a teen do when he thinks his parents aren't doing something the right way? How can a teen affect the situation in a godly way?

I think the key to this kind of situation is the authority of the parent. Children are to honor their parents and submit to them. This is true whether the parents are acting godly or not. They are to submit to the authority that God has placed within the parent. Their job is not to change the parent or chastise the parent for what they perceive to be wrong behaviour. The teen's job is to submit.

Authority comes from God. He vests authority in certain people in certain situations. The President has authority over the citizens. A husband has authority over his wife. And parents have authority over their children. The principle of Satan is rebellion against authority. The principle of God is submission to authority--humility is currency in the Kingdom of God, for God gives grace to the humble but resists the proud and rebellious.

In the parent-child relationship, a child's responsibility before God is to submit to the parent's authority. Only then can God work to 'fix' the relationship, for He resists rebellion and pride in all its forms . The proper alignment between the three parties is God first, then the parent, then the teen. In order to affect the situation for the Kingdom of God and for the betterment of the parent-child relationship, the teen must first align himself in God's proper order.

God removes authority and can change those in authority. Permanent change in an individual happens when the Creator changes you. Authority comes from God and is changed from the top down, not the bottom up. If a child counters a parent's ungodliness with reviling, talebearing, discord, and pointed correction, the child is following the principle of Satan and is in rebellion. No lasting change will happen in this dynamic. A teen may think he is speaking the truth in love, but he is acting out of self-will and under the principle of Satan, which is rebellion.

Obedience is better than sacrifice and it is the Father's desire to see His children submit to His authority. To submit to God Himself means to submit to His authority. We cannot submit to God's authority and rebel against the authority that He has vested in certain individuals who are above us in God's order.

So, when a teen submits to a parent, God sees humility and a heart devoted to following Him. He has found godliness and a teen walking in faith, not self-will; and God will move heaven and earth to bring godly harmony in that relationship, for He has found one who obeys.

Activist Journalists

2004-09-22T00:36:00.000-05:00

ABC News regarding Rathergate and CBS news producer Mary Mapes:

John Carlson, a former commentator at KIRO-TV who is host of a conservative radio talk show in Seattle, remembers Mapes as a talented producer with whom he often argued politics in the newsroom. Mapes was "quite liberal" and disliked the current President Bush's father, he said. "She definitely was someone who was motivated by what she cared about and definitely went into journalism to make a difference," Carlson said. "She's not the sort of person who went into journalism to report the news and offer an array of commentary"

Activist journalists reporting the news in a biased way; activist judges ~~making~~ interpreting laws to further a liberal agenda; activist teachers propelling liberal ideas by what they teach, and what they ridicule; activist clergy taking liberties with the word of God... it's a miracle that conservatives even exist in our nation.

I Do Exist

2004-09-21T00:25:00.000-05:00

Here is a press release of a new documentary. Some helpful websites first:

Dr Warren Throckmorton
Noe Guitierrez
I Do Exist
-----------------press release-----------------
Documentary “I Do Exist” To Premiere Nationwide October 8-11

Schools, colleges and churches all over the country will be showing a new video that documents transformation in the lives of people who have gone from gay identified to straight during the weekend of October 8-11 in proximity to National Coming Out Day activities on October 11.

“The documentary I Do Exist features people who have a story to tell that is not often heard. Many in our country are skeptical that people who once identified as homosexual can make profound transformations. This 52-minute film introduces the audience to five such people along with expert commentary,” said producer Warren Throckmorton, Ph.D.

Also, featured in the film is Dr. Robert Spitzer, from Columbia University. Dr. Spitzer is well known for his research in diagnosis and sexual orientation. Dr. Spitzer is also renowned for his role in removing homosexuality from the list of disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association in 1973.

One of the video participants was once featured in an award winning film as a gay man. Noe Gutierrez was in the video “It’s Elementary” explaining what being gay was like to middle school children. Mr. Gutierrez has since become heterosexual and talks about his process of transition on the I Do Exist video.

Dr. Ted Baehr, Publisher of MOVIEGUIDE.ORG said about I Do Exist: "This is a wonderful and necessary video to dispel some of the confusions of our age, and it is highly recommended by MOVIEGUIDE®.

"The purpose of the national launch is to raise awareness and encourage discussion concerning the topic of change in sexual identity. October 11 is National Coming Out Day when the gay political group, the Human Rights Campaign, publicizes the message that the only healthy response to same sex attractions is to declare a gay, lesbian or bisexual identity. The film I Do Exist gives the narratives of five people who have chosen a different path, one that involves a profound personal transformation.

LA Times doesn't quit with TBN and Paul Crouch

2004-09-20T14:14:00.000-05:00

ANOTHER story today in the LA Times regarding TBN and Paul Crouch. So far, they have run a story on Paul Crouch's gay affair, the TBN official response to that story, then a report on TBN using the prosperity gospel as a means for its financing. Now today they run a story about Crouch's dealing with the FCC that happened between 1993-2000. The short piece is basically taken from Crouch's own autobiography and details TBN's attempt to own more TV stations than the FCC allowed at the time.

It's all similar to the dishonorable and deceitful 'anonymous donor' story I mentioned a few posts ago. A recap of the LA Times piece:

--crouch wants more tv stations than the law allows
--crouch starts new company with his black secretary, a hispanic pastor, and himself
--crouch claims new company minority controlled
--crouch tries to acquire new tv stations
--advocacy groups cry foul and fight against crouch
--fcc calls new company a sham, denies applications
--crouch holds telethon, raises $65 million in viewer pledges
--crouch gives $65 million to advocacy groups so they go away
--crouch appeals fcc verdict, loses appeal
--crouch appeals again to higher court, wins
--crouch claims God is responsible for outcome, because He never loses a case

There's not really any story here. Nothing new, nothing relevant. Makes you wonder why the LA Times runs with it. Are they going to keep hammering away until they see blood?

Extreme Memorabilia

2004-09-20T02:53:00.000-05:00

I like to look at old stuff as much as the next guy. Yeah, Babe Ruth's glove is cool and those leather helmets they used to wear in football are pretty funny to look at. But, I have never understood the value people attribute to such things. A little piece of cardboard worth $100,000? Well, if you have the right baseball card for the right player in the right year it can be worth that much. A baseball worth $500,000? To me, it's all silly.

Not to this guy. He went to an extreme in an effort to catch Barry Bond's 700th home run ball, buying up 6500 seats at Dodger Stadium for Oct 1-3. He was about 2 weeks off as Barry hit #700 (and #701) this last week. Maybe he'll get lucky and Barry will go on a tear: #714 and #715 are the Babe Ruth numbers (tying and passing) and they should be worth something.

LA Times hacks away at TBN

2004-09-20T01:12:00.000-05:00

The LA Times continued its denuding of TBN in an article entitled 'TBN's Promise: Send Money and See Riches.' This is billed as part 2 of 2, a continuation of it's Sunday piece referenced by me in a previous post. The article focuses on TBN's use of the prosperity gospel as its primary fundraising tool. It's no news to informed Christians; but, they make sure to pick a few flamboyant evangelist quotes to point out the extremism of that false gospel. A couple anecdotes from the story:

[Paul and Jan Crouch] launched their own network in 1973. After two nights on the air on KBSA-Channel 46 in Santa Ana, they were broke. So the next night, they staged a telethon.The phones hardly rang.

Then Paul Crouch hit on an idea, he recalled in his autobiography, "Hello World!" He told Jan to announce on the air that an anonymous donor had promised to give $20,000 — on condition that viewers pledge the same amount that night. The anonymous donor was Crouch, and the $20,000 was money the couple had already loaned the network. If viewers came through with $20,000, they would forgo repayment of the loan. By evening's end, viewers had phoned in $30,000 in pledges, enough to keep TBN on the air.

"Without really realizing it at the time, I had put into motion one of God's most powerful laws — the law of giving and receiving, sowing and reaping," Crouch wrote. "Thirty, 60 and 100-fold blessing is, indeed, a glorious truth and blessing for those who will simply obey the word of the Lord!"

Ahem... I wonder why he puts this story in his autobiography. It's deceitful and dishonorable.

Philip McPeake is [a] donor for whom God's economy of giving did not deliver. Out of work and out of luck in November 1998, McPeake heard the Rev. R.W. Schambach make an impassioned plea for donations on TBN's Kansas City television station, KTAJ.

Schambach promised that if viewers sent $200 as a down-payment on a $2,000 pledge, God would give them the rest within 90 days — with a bonus to follow.

McPeake sent in his money and waited for his luck to change. When it didn't, he complained to the Missouri state attorney general's office and the Federal Communications Commission. TBN refunded his donation.

(chuckle) Schambach is the closer they bring in every telethon to get the most donations possible. Probably had to have a meeting with the legal team to figure out what could and could not be said regarding the return on viewer's "investment."

LA Times keeps TBN in the spotlight

2004-09-19T16:36:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, the LA Times exposed the legal wranglings of Paul Crouch trying to keep an alleged gay affair out of the public eye. This weekend, they took a look at TBN itself (article here--reg req). Nothing really new and earthshattering here other than a few specifics of what many have suspected. If this story picks up nationally, the TBN empire could be plucked down from its pedestal. A few particulars from the article:

Though it carries no advertising, the network generates more than $170 million a year in revenue, tax filings show. Viewer contributions account for two-thirds of that money...

TBN has posted surpluses [ie. profits--ed] averaging nearly $60 million a year since 1997. Its balance sheet for 2002, the most recent available, lists net assets of $583 million, including $238 million in Treasury bonds and other government securities and $31 million in cash. It has 400 employees across the country...

[Jan and Paul Crouch] project the image of a happily married couple. But off the air, they lead separate lives and rarely stay under the same roof, according to former TBN employees and others who have spent time with the couple...

In all, the network owns 30 residences in California, Texas, Tennessee and Ohio — all paid for in cash, property records show. These include two Newport Beach mansions in a gated community overlooking the Pacific. One of them was recently on the market for an asking price of $8 million...

Whitmore said she regularly used ministry money and a network-owned van to stock the bars in Paul's and Jan's separate condominiums at Trinity Music City. Whitmore said the Crouches directed her to make the purchases at a store called Frugal McDougal, hoping it would not be recognizable on credit-card statements as a liquor store.

Hmmmm. $269 million in cash and bonds on hand. It's a far cry from when Jesus sent out his disciples commanding "them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse (Mk 6:8)."

And that whole liquor thing... In a previous article the Times describes the newest Crouch house as having a wetbar and this article talks more about alcohol consumption. Also, there was Benny Hinn saying Paul Crouch blamed his gay sex encounter on being drunk. What's with all the liquor references?

We know that judgment must begin at the house of God (1Pet 4:17). I'm wondering if we are seeing some of the beginnings of that here.

Louisiana amends constitution

2004-09-18T23:58:00.000-05:00

ABC NEWS:

Louisiana voters overwhelmingly approved a state constitutional amendment Saturday banning same-sex marriages and civil unions, one of up to 12 such measures on the ballot around the country this year. With 95 percent of precincts reporting, the amendment was winning approval with 79 percent of the vote and support for it was evident statewide. Only in New Orleans, home to a politically strong gay community, did the race appear to be close, and even there the amendment was passing by a small margin.

We'll have to wait until tomorrow to see the final numbers, but I would say 79-21 is overwhelming. Louisiana is the 5th state to amend their constitution in regards to gay marriage. 10 more vote in November.

We'll probably have to wait a month or two for this to become official. Gay activists fought this amendment hard, as they are doing in most of the other 10 states. So, we can probably expect some post election lawsuits as well. Gay marriage advocates are in denial over the result. John Rawls, a lawyer for Forum for Equality:

"I am disappointed that so many Louisianians either did not read the amendment or are so afraid of gays that they voted for this amendment anyway,"

Afraid of gays? Whatever. I would like to think that Americans have a fear of ending up like the rubble of Sodom, but I don't hold my breath that a majority feels that way. For whatever reason 79% said no to gay marriage. The collective reprobate mind of the gay culture has to find reason for their rejection. The people's ignorance, fear, or hate are 3 common excuses. They ignore the scriptures to their peril--the Creator declares homosexual behavior to be unnatural, the unseared conscious of man tends to agree.

Honorary reputations

2004-09-17T15:54:00.000-05:00

Agape Press spoke with one of Paul Crouch's lawyers regarding the gay, hush money embroglio that the TBN founder has gotten himself into. Lawyer Colby May says, regarding the accuser, Lonnie Ford:

"He has made a charge that he had a homosexual encounter with Dr. Crouch -- and of course that is utterly untrue, utterly false," May says. "When you're a public figure in this modern age, people can say almost anything and, quite honestly but sadly, people want to believe the worst."

Maybe I am nitpicking. Maybe I am taking this whole amateur statement analysis thing a step too far, but this comment sounds fishy to me. The 'of course,' the double use of 'utterly,' and the redundant emphasis of 'untrue' and 'false' in the statement makes me think he is trying too hard to convince people the charges are false. He could have just said, 'No, Crouch didn't have a sexual encounter with Ford.' But he spins a bit, and that makes me wonder if he is telling the truth.

Bits and Pieces: Why did they pay the money to Ford in the first place? There was no lawsuit, only a threat of one. Crouch says he listened to his spiritual advisors when making this decision. What kind of advisor says to pay Ford $425,000 to go away if the charges are baseless? And, why did they offer Ford $1 million for his manuscript if the charges are baseless?

Why do they insist on calling him Dr Crouch? Dr. Paul Crouch, his wife Dr. Jan Crouch, Dr. Creflo Dollar, Dr. Joyce Meyer and many other TBN luminaries, are only doctors because they received honorary doctorates from Oral Roberts University. Even Bob Hope got an honorary doctorate from ORU; we didn't refer to him as Dr. Hope, did we? No, this golden, padded reputation is what Crouch was trying to maintain. Not working so far.

Crouched amid the tares

2004-09-16T19:28:00.000-05:00

4 days ago, I posted about Paul Crouch and the gay sex accusations against him. My point was that he was taking the wrong tact in this whole messy affair. The facts are these--Enoch Lonnie Ford is trying to extort money from Paul Crouch alleging they had a gay sex encounter. Crouch, after paying him once to keep it quiet, sues to shut him up.

This was a worldy solution to the problem. He was trying to save his man-made reputation through the court system, and keep the affair quiet. Well, now it's out; so, I guess that didn't work. Crouch's network, TBN, officially responded to the LA Times article in a mildly disturbing press release. The opening sentence of the press release says:

In a recent article in the Los Angeles Times reporting a story that Dr. Paul Crouch, the founder and president of Trinity Broadcasting Network, was allegedly involved in a wrongful termination and sexual harassment case in 1997 is deplorable and the scandalous claims leveled against him are false.

This opening sentence is grammatically incorrect. Now, I am not the grammar police and I am sure my grammar isn't perfect; but, this press release was crafted by professionals (or it should have been). So what are they declaring 'deplorable'? The LA Times running an article on Crouch's legal procedings? The wrongful termination? It implies, without saying it flat-out, that Paul Crouch didn't have gay sex with a former employee. But, it doesn't really say that, does it? (a cool site on statement analysis is found here)

Note the 2nd sentence:

The accuser is a convicted felon and longtime drug abuser who has been imprisoned for years for serious crimes ranging from child sexual molestation to using illegal drugs such as crack cocaine.

This is what galls me about the press release. "The accuser is..." response is of the kind you see in politics, or in the corporate world. In the world, to deflect allegations, you besmirch the accuser without addressing the conflict. I am not justifying the extortioner. He is clearly operating in the wrong spirit here and he clearly has a criminal history. I am pointing out the worldy response of a supposed Christian leader.

Later, Ford, the accuser:

threatened to sue TBN by alleging wrongful termination and sexual harassment, directing his most salacious allegations towards Dr. Crouch personally. In an effort to address this matter in 1997, Dr. Crouch sought the advice and counsel of some trusted advisers, attorneys and spiritual leaders. The consensus viewpoint was that it would be better for TBN and Dr. Crouch to reach a financial settlement rather than to fight the accuser in court. This course of action was deemed less expensive and would avoid the bad publicity, time and effort that it would take to fight the false claims...The importance of the settlement does not rest on the money paid, but rather on Dr. Crouch's vehement denial of the allegations made against him...

Translation: according to Crouch he compromised, and agreed to something that he professes to be a lie. This may be a fool's way out, but it is not the way of truth. Having to go as far as point out the importance of the settlement, to the unwashed and unlearned among us, certainly leaves you with the impression that the charges are true.

In violation of his agreement, and in an attempt to extract yet more money from TBN and Dr. Crouch, in late 2003, the accuser threatened to shop an autobiographical manuscript to the media should TBN and Dr. Crouch not agree to buy the manuscript for an exorbitant sum of money. Rather than even contemplating a second round of what Dr. Crouch considered extortion, and with the support of his present advisers and attorneys, Dr. Crouch and TBN fought the accuser in court where the accuser and his false claims were soundly defeated.

This sound defeat came after Crouch offered Ford $1 million for his manuscript and Ford asked for $10 million. After these negotiations failed, the court proceedings were allowed to run its course. The above statement leaves you with the impression that the gay sex allegations are the false claims that were soundly defeated. Not so. The court proceedings involved whether Ford, the accuser, could seek a book publisher after signing the secrecy agreement in 1998. Ford's claim was that he could publish his book. The sound defeat is that an arbitrator ruled that he couldn't publish the book without violating the 1998 settlement.

Nowhere in this statement does Crouch say that he did not have gay sex with Ford. A close look at Crouch's actions leave you with the impression that he did. Benny Hinn claimed Crouch told him that the sexual encounter happened because Crouch was drunk. Maybe TBN is hoping readers of this press release are, at the least, mildly intoxicated.

Frankly, the only thing the world and the TBN crowd care about in this matter is whether or not Crouch had a gay sex encounter. Homosexual adultery is a big thing for people in Christian leadership; but, to me, more telling are Crouch's actions after the alleged encounter.

UPDATE: Searching for sensible reaction in the blogosphere regarding Crouch is difficult. A few ~~pagans~~ folks seem to be dancing in the streets over this. I did find 2 reasonable posts. Marcus Brown's reaction which is in line with what I said above:

Hmmm ... sounds more like an attack against the character of the accuser than the charges themselves. Basically, because the accuser was a drug addict and a felon, then he shouldn't be believed....I think it's becoming clear that Crouch has messed this up pretty badly. If the charges being made against him are TRUE, then he's lying and trying to pay off his accuser to shut him up. If the charges are FALSE, then why did he try to cover this up for so long and spend $425,000 of his supporters' money to pay off a blackmailer? Seems like a pretty poor use of the money.

And Rich Glasgow expresses his embarrassment:

I've been embarrassed by Paul and Jan Crouch since the first time I ever saw their gaudy, gilded, 18oo's style bordello TV soundstage...I'm also embarrassed that so many people find them to be inspiring enough to send them millions of dollars each year. I don't get it! Why not send your money to the local orphanage or how about helping out some widows in your local community. Get real Christians! These glitzy charlatans are about as Christlike as the Pharisees of Christ's era who lived to be praised by men...O' sure, they were religious! But religion is nothing if it is antithetical to the teachings of Jesus. It's time to wake up, Christians!

Haloscan

2004-09-16T15:33:00.000-05:00

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog......hopefully it'll work this time.

Marriage Amendments: state by state poll numbers

2004-09-16T15:04:00.000-05:00

Voters in 11 states will decide this election season whether or not to amend their constitutions in regards to gay marriages. 10 states will decide in November; Louisiana votes this weekend. Generally, the amendments will define marriage as between a man and a woman. Here are the poll numbers from each state regarding this issue:

Michigan
poll taken July 6-8, 2004
61% favor amendment
34% oppose

Montana
poll taken May 24+26, 2004
60% favor amendment
31% oppose

Kentucky
poll taken July 27, 2004
71% favor amendment
25% oppose

Oklahoma
poll taken July 8-12, 2004
82% favor amendment
15% oppose

Utah
poll taken June 14-17, 2004
62% favor amendment
32% oppose

Oregon
poll taken Aug 26-Sept 1, 2004
61% favor amendment
34% oppose

Arkansas
2001 poll conducted by the University of Arkansas
63% favor amendment
32% oppose

Ohio
poll taken Aug 18-27, 2004
62% favor amendment
26% oppose

Georgia
Exit polls 3-2-04 primaries
50% say no to any special recognition of gay relationships
25% say yes to civil unions
16% say yes to gay marriage
(Georgia numbers were taken during this year's primary season, where Bush ran unopposed. 70% of people polled were Democrats, 10% Republican, 20% Other)

No polls found for Louisiana or North Dakota.

It seems clear that the constitutional amendments will be passed in all 11 states. They will join 5 states--Alaska, Hawaii, Missouri, Nebraska and Nevada--who have already amended their state constitutions on this issue.

Hurricane Ivan the Terrible

2004-09-15T19:54:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is Rosh HaShanna. According to God's calender, this is the beginning of a new year. Hurricane Ivan is expected to hit ground tomorrow. A warning of the type of year that awaits us?

Some prophetic snips I have found on Hurricane Ivan. Some are from registration required prophetic lists, so no links. I don't know any of these people personally. So this is grain of salt time.

vereneum on a prophetic list:

I saw a large foot come down from the sky and appear to kick NewOrleans right off of the map. When I first heard of Ivan I beganwondering if perhaps it was possible that Ivan would be the agency bywhich this was done. Regardless, I am praying for New Orleans atthis time, as well as all of our brothers and sisters.....and thosethat would yet become so....

Vision of Hurricane Ivan: Robin Paisley

John1965 on a prophetic list:

God is going to judge America with fire. Hurricane Ivan is the trumpet heralding this judgment. What Ivan does will be in microcosm what God will do in America overall. It is a storm of wind and water to reflect the storm of wind and fire that God is sending. It is going to make landfall on Rosh HaShanna, the New Year, because the relationship between God and this nation will be entering a new era. It is like America is turning a corner.

Joni Ames on a prophetic list:

Hurricanes Frances, Ivan & Matthew--I had an incident happen Friday morning, Sept. 3rd when I awoke...this isn't a prophetic word - I'm just running it by you all for prayer. I heard, "Frances is just preparing the way for the "I" and the "M" because I am the I AM." I felt it referred to the hurricanes that began with the letters "I" and "M."....

Bob Jones has said that sin opens the door to destruction. He told me he's been saying for some time now that he saw that there would be a "category 10" that would rip into Mobile Bay in Alabama. (He knows the scale only goes to 5, but says it would be worse than any other recorded, unless prayer changed it.) He said a "Jubilee" (fish jump out of the ocean to their death in droves) would be a sign it was coming, and that when the Category 10 would actually come, it would finally un-seat the spirit of Leviathan that has been there in Mobile Bay for years, and bring revival. - By the way, the original name of Mobile Bay was Bay of the Holy Spirit!

(The comment from Ames about the 'I' followed by the 'M' signifying the great I AM--that really resonates within my spirit)

And finally, from the Ivan news blog. This idol won't spare anything or anyone:

Generations of New Orleanians, have prayed to Our Lady of Prompt Succor to save the city from hurricanes. But prayers to the Blessed Mother to save the Crescent City from Ivan were prayed places other than the National Shrine of Our Lady of Prompt Succor on State Street, which was locked tight Wednesday.

Hurricane Ivan and Southern Decadence

2004-09-15T02:23:00.000-05:00

A few posts ago, I linked Bill Koenig and his thoughts on the Florida hurricanes relating to the USA's pressure on Israel to give up its land. I posted it, not 100% sure that there is a correlation. I just found it interesting. Well, something just clicked for me in the last hour about another hurricane, and it has filled me with dread. Here are the reasons:

Bill Koenig, postulates that there is a connection between America's actions and God's judgement in the following areas:

1)Israel is pressured to give up her land.
2)Pro-abortion legislation becomes law, or major pro-abortion events take place.
3)Pro-gay legislation becomes law, or major pro-gay events take place.

Over this past Labor Day weekend, New Orleans hosted an event called Southern Decadence. Billed as the largest gathering of homosexuals in the south, 120,000 gays were expected to attend the 34th annual event.

Hurricane Ivan is heading towards New Orleans. It is a category 4 storm that, with a direct hit, could sink the city.

Pray.

CBS Blog-lash

2004-09-14T13:25:00.000-05:00

Sept. 9, 2004, will be remembered as a paradigm-shifting day in media history. That was the day the "blogosphere" took down CBS News... (read the whole Newsday story)

Well, I suppose when you use a typewriter repairman as a document expert, you may deserve to go down.

The blog-lash is so quick, that a new website has sprung up dealing specifically with Rathergate.

UPDATE: ...and Hugh Hewitt is calling for congressional hearings.

Congress has held hearings on Howard Stern and "wardrobe malfunctions" at the Superbowl. It has held hearings on the networks' disastrous performance on election night 2000. Now a network is party to a fraud committed with the obvious intent of influencing an election. Where are the hearings? This is very serious stuff, and the rise of technology capable of influencing elections is a worry on many minds. (See John Fund's new book Stealing Elections.) It doesn't do much good for Congress to arrive to conduct an autopsy. It should act before the fraud spreads.

Next Blog: Interpretations of a Delusion

2004-09-14T13:02:00.000-05:00

That "next blog" button on blogspot is fascinating. I like to see where it takes me. Meghan writes on her blog:

i'm scared to death. whatever good intentions i may have, i dont trust myself. there are so many possible futures ahead of me. but to me, all of them are pass or fail.