Wheelsafire18 Moving On

Cyber War Against U.S. May Be A False Flag Psyop

2011-12-24T03:17:00.018-06:00

Cyber War Against U.S. – China Involved In “The Greatest Transfer of Wealth In the History of the World by Mac Slavo

It was a very good article Mac put out on December 22, 2011. It starts by saying, "We are at war with China. Most Americans don’t realize it and high level government officials will not admit it publicly, but the Chinese are actively monitoring and compromising critical components of our nation’s infrastructure including water and electric utilities, military assets, and commerce." It goes on to quote lamestream media and neocon think tanks. Then the name Frank Gaffney was dropped. Whenever the name Frank Gaffney, of the Center for Security Policy, is mentioned, my red flags go up.

From Wikipedia:

Along with a number of figures who later assumed leading positions in the George W. Bush administration, Gaffney was one of 25 signatories of the June 3, 1997 “Statement of Principles” from the Project for the New American Century, an educational and political advocacy organization whose stated goal was “to promote American global leadership.” The Center for Security Policy (CSP) is a Washington, D.C. think tank that focuses on national security issues. The Center was founded in 1988 by Frank Gaffney, Jr.. The CSP advocates neoconservative and policies based on a philosophy of “Peace through Strength,” which “is not a slogan for military might but a belief that America’s national power must be preserved and properly used for it holds a unique global role in maintaining peace and stability.”

Since 1990, the Center for Security Policy has recognized individuals for devoting their public careers to the defence of the United States and American values around the world. Those extraordinary individuals are the “Keepers of the Flame.” The majority of awards have gone to senior military figures and Republican politicians. A notable exception to this pattern is world chess champion, Garry Kasparov.

2011 – Howard McKeon, U.S. Congressman from California, chairman of the United States House Committee on Armed Services
2010 – Gen. James T. Conway, Commandant of the Marine Corps

2009 – Dick Cheney, 46th Vice-President of the United States of America, former Defense Secretary
2008 – Gen. Jack Keane, Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army
2007 – Senator Joe Lieberman, of Connecticut, chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
2006 – Duncan Hunter, Congressman from California — Chairman, House Armed Services Committee and Those Who Serve

2005 – Senator James Inhofe, of Oklahoma, and the Heroes of the Homefront
2004 – Gen. Peter Pace, Future Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
2003 – Paul Wolfowitz, Deputy Secretary of Defense, future President of the World Bank
2002 – Gen. Richard B. Myers, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
2001 – James Schlesinger, former Secretary of Defense, former Secretary of Energy, former Director of Central Intelligence
2000 – Floyd Spence, U.S. Congressman from South Carolina, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee
1999 – Gen. James L. Jones, Commandant, US Marine Corps, future National Security Adviser
1998 – Donald H. Rumsfeld, former and future Secretary of Defense
1997 – Christopher Cox, U.S. Congressman from California, future chaiman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
1996 – Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
1995 – Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States
1994 – Jon Kyl, U.S. Congressman from Arizona, future United States Senator
1993 – Malcom S. “Steve” Forbes Jr., Publisher of Forbes Magazine
1992 – Senator Malcolm Wallop, from Wyoming
1991 – Garry Kasparov, World Chess Champion
1990 – Caspar Weinberger, former Secretary of Defense

Prominent CSP members:

Jack Dyer Crouch, II, former Deputy National Security Advisor
Monica Crowley, talk radio host
Douglas J. Feith, former Undersecretary of Defense for Policy
Frank Gaffney, Project for the New American Century
Caroline Glick, American-Israeli journalist for Makor Rishon and deputy managing editor of The Jerusalem Post,
Richard C. Hoagland, author and conspiracy theorist
Linda Moulton Howe, contributing correspondent to Coast to Coast AM
Laura Ingraham, talk radio host
Richard Perle, former chairman of the Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee and United States Assistant Secretary of Defense
James G. Roche, former United States Secretary of the Air Force

My research found that listed CSP members on the Council on Foreign Relations membership list includes:
Monica Crowley
Douglas J. Feith
James G. Roche

Hillary Clinton admitted that she gets her marching orders from the CFR. The New American (Pacific) Century espoused by Hillary is similar to the PNAC policy in it’s goal to spread American mercantilism. As Tony Cartalucci pointed out, the policy could just as easily been penned by Neo-Con policy makers. Indeed, the Trilateral Commission has an article posted on it’s website, Bridging Asia and the Pacific: Japan’s Role in Reinforcing the US Pivot, by Hitoshi Tanaka that says, “President Obama also recently made a highly pub-licized trip to the Pacific. In Honolulu, at the APEC Summit, he heartily endorsed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).” The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a brainchild of the Trilateral Commission and furthers their goal of a Pacific Nation. Click here for the Pacific Nation PDF.

Knowing former POTUS Bill Clinton was a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Trilateral Commission and the Bilderberg Group, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to connect the dots. "Teflon" Bill and Hillary were involved in campaign scandals taking donations from China. Bubba was also responsible for getting the Chinese into the World Trade Organization by which China was able to get advanced rocket technology.

Carroll Quigley, Professor of History at Georgetown University and author of Tragedy and Hope, stated, "The Council of Foreign Relations is the American Branch of a society which originated in England and believes national boundaries should be obliterated and one-world rule established."

In his freshman year in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown, future U.S. President Bill Clinton took Quigley's course, receiving a 'B' as his final grade in both semesters. Clinton named Quigley as an important influence on his aspirations and political philosophy in 1991, when launching his presidential campaign in a speech at Georgetown. He also mentioned Quigley again during his acceptance speech to the 1992 Democratic National Convention, as follows:

"As a teenager, I heard John Kennedy’s summons to citizenship. And then, as a student at Georgetown, I heard that call clarified by a professor named Carroll Quigley, who said to us that America was the greatest Nation in history because our people had always believed in two things–that tomorrow can be better than today and that every one of us has a personal moral responsibility to make it so."

Now China appears threatened by it's currency war with the U.S. and it's military buildup in the region. With the NDAA Bill giving the US military carte blanche to operate an offensive war over the Internet, this could very well be a government psyop for the mayhem to come.

Click here for Upon Release of Martial Law Documents, The Plan For America's Destruction Becomes Apparent.

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A Wake Up Call To OWS

2011-12-13T05:26:00.016-06:00

Wake up, people!

I recently read a corporate media propaganda piece titled Occupy Activists to Meet With Progressive Lawmakers on Roll Call today. The rag never identified who these 10 Occupy activists were, but did mention a few of the lawmakers they were to meet, Nancy Pelosi being among them. Now, if you believe Nancy Pelosi, a 1 percenter who cries crocodile tears for the 99 percent, fully supports Occupy, you may as well put on your slave shackles and try to pick your nose. Click here for Nancy Pelosi scandals.

Progressive Democrats want to own OWS. Pelosi wants to ride your wave to greater political power. Don't let the corporate media define your movement, either! Republicans never channeled the Tea Party. The neocons managed to usurp a small portion of us. The Operation Mockingbird media wants you to think that neocons like Palin and Beck are Tea Party. Ron Paul is THE only true Tea Party candidate. The establishment is terrified of him and want to use you as a Hegelian Dialectic counter balance to continue the false left/right paradigm to divide the American electorate. All this hubbub while they rip us off, trample our constitution and destroy America by design. I predicted OWS would face the same manipulation that the Tea Party did in my last post Occupy Wall Street And The Tea Party Compared.

Political discussion should be from the perspective of Freedom vs.Tyranny. Our current two party system is like the WW2 Axis powers. The Democrats are like Nazi socialists. The Republicans are like the Italian corporate fascists. Both serve the New World Order empire. Progressives on both sides of the aisle have been sold out to Wall Street long ago. FYI, Senator John McCain considers himself to be a Teddy Roosevelt progressive Republican.

Indeed, in April 2011, Nancy Pelosi, speaking to progressive Republicans, laments the Tea Party gaining a small voice against the establishment,

"To my Republican friends: take back your party. So that it doesn’t matter so much who wins the election, because we have shared values about the education of our children, the growth of our economy, how we defend our country, our security and civil liberties, how we respect our seniors. Because there are so many things at risk right now -- perhaps in another question I'll go into them, if you want. But the fact is that elections shouldn't matter as much as they do...But when it comes to a place where there doesn't seem to be shared values then that can be problematic for the country, as I think you can see right now."

The establishment progs don't like to be challenged. Don't let the establishment progs usurp you if you want to really make a difference. Be the change within the Democrat party. Throw out the establishment bums. Both parties are sold out to the New World Order serfdom brought to you by your friendly neighborhood Illuminati elites, like George Soros, whose greater wealth is offshore and exempt from taxes. Please take the time to view the John Pilger video below. He is saying the same thing as Alex Jones is saying from a New Socialist point of view. What few people understand these days is that socialism is a subtle variant interpretation of Karl Marx. Hitler laid it out in Mien Kampf. After the fall of the Third Reich, socialism was left on autopilot to establish the coming Fourth Reich. The truth is you've been living as a slave under the statist mind control matrix. It's time to take the red pill, Neo.

I have worked union jobs in the past. I recently had to explain to a drive by comment, hello John, who didn't understand my disdain for unions. Though I had links in my last blog that spoke to the hijacked union movement, he obviously breezed through my last post, never clicked on a link, never watched the videos below, never read any of my archived posts, and tried to make me out to be a neocon. So, I will say now what I should have previously made clear. Unions are part of the Democrat money machine. Union dues, which are supposed to be set aside for a resource in case of a STRIKE, are given to the union bosses and the Democrat Party who serve Wall Street. I suggest you study the Ludlow Massacre, John, and learn how J.D.Rockefeller slaughtered workers, then later, with his robber baron buddies, financed the Bolshevik Revolution to have control by proxy over the union movement. Humanity shares a common enemy and you must understand history to understand the issues. Google Marxist unions. Marxism is a Borg matrix of control.

I am currently curating news and info for my book in progress over at MN News Hound. Click here for MN News Hound's Facebook page. All you news junkies, please stop by for your daily dose.

Those of you who want to learn how to use social media to effectively get your message out, stop by Web Biz Tutor for free daily tips. Click here for Web Biz Tutor's Facebook page.

Occupy Wall Street And The Tea Party Compared

2011-10-06T02:08:00.019-05:00

Black On White Contrast

Let's be realistic about the Occupy Wall Street movement. Union backing and the Marxist rhetoric coming from the movement make it a stark contrast to the Tea Party movement's protests against the banker bailouts of Bush and Obama. The message is only similar in that Wall Street banksters are a focal point. Marxist Mother Duck, Frances Fox Piven praised OWS saying, "We desperately need a populist uprising." Long forgotten by most is the Cloward-Piven strategy for the demise of capitalism she helped create in 1966. It is on record that the "Arab Spring" was initiated by the US State Department through social media and CIA provocateurs. OWS shows similar signs of being a New World Order brainchild orchestrated through White House puppets. This falls in line with Albert Pike's plan for WW3 that I posted in my last blog.

Occupy Wall Street is simply the Marxist left version of the Tea Party; Van Jones and Occidental Al Gore’s hope to counter it. The union bosses would soon have us all believe that higher taxes are the answer. Global warming fear mongers will push for their carbon taxes to save the planet so Occidental Al can make a fortune trading carbon credits that will fund the IMF Bancor. Union bosses have already been inciting vandalism and kidnapping at ports in recent news. At President Barack Obama’s Labor Day speech, Teamsters union president Jimmy Hoffa, Jr. said unions need to fight a “war” against the Tea Party. Will the violence grow to a point that Martial Law will be declared?

Bush & Obama have already put everything in place for a complete lock down. Riots have been anticipated by government before the 2012 elections as the value of the dollar continues to decline by design. Legislation under the guise of "fighting terror" will be used against American citizens. Obama knows he is now unelectable without an economic boom and a strong economy is in the way of the Bancor replacing the dollar. The elitists are well known for causing the crisis and posing as the saviors as Alex Jones of InfoWars.com has said countless times on the air and in print. The movement seems too well scripted and announced by the elites before it ever got rolled out to be believable as a populist movement. This raises the red flags among those who are awake as to how effective the movement will be or where it will take us. Will they go for the source of the problem or beat the wind calling it "the man" as the 60's generation did?

Here’s a little hint at left/right paradigm politics for you. The left vs. right are like the Packers vs. Vikings. They are both owned by the NFL franchise. The Democrat and Republican parties are bought and paid for by the international Federal Reserve bankster cabal, including the Rothschilds, Rockefellers, Dutch and British Royals, etc., whose fortunes are safely exempt from taxes offshore. The protests must be brought to their banks, foundations, and very homes here and abroad. I have heard Alex Jones on radio live talking about how OWS' focus should be the Fed. Instead we hear OWS supporters talk about how Alex Jones is a fraud, taxes need to be raised on the rich and Obama needs to be reelected. The left/right paradigm is nothing more than a tool by globalists to keep the American electorate bickering while the private Federal Reserve banksters rip us off. The Marxists are nothing more than useful idiots to these globalists who aspire to become the oligarchs under a New World Order serfdom.

“Tea baggers” know that eliminating the Federal Reserve and restoring the Republic is the only way to rid ourselves of crony capitalism and tax hungry politicians. I have pointed out to others before that a portion of the Tea Party has been usurped by neocons to discredit the movement. I have advocated for the Tea Party to leave the Republicans in their dust since 2008. Occupy Wall Street is already under siege from without and within. The closer they get to closing down the elite’s system of control, the more they will see the enemies we are all up against. Many will be from their own ranks. Wall Street funded the Bolshevik Revolution! Look it up! It’s all part of their matrix of control.

The Zeitgeist movie, which was timed for release just before the 2008 recession, may have a point in that we throw away the labels, quit the system and follow our spiritual nature. Forget Zeitgeist's pitch for a NWO high tech Borg society. Our focus should be freedom vs. tyranny rather than left vs. right.

"You cannot serve both God and mammon." Jesus

Ground Zero And The Hegelian Dialectic

2010-08-21T18:18:00.019-05:00

The 911 Inside Job

It's important to define who the enemy is in any war. The "war on terror" is no different. Most Americans are convinced that Islam is behind the 911 attacks. The general population in the U.S. completely accept the official government investigation report on the 911 tragedy. Yet, independent investigations have continued to reveal that the "official investigation" has many deliberate oversites and blatant cover ups. Those who question and call for a new investigation are labeled conspiracy theorists and tin foil hat wearers. However 911 Truthers are beginning to awaken the public with the facts. The evidence of what really happened on 911 now makes the official investigation look like the true conspiracy theory. Click here for the 911 Ripple Effect video.

What has been revealed by many, now unclassified, government documents is a long history of American false flag operations which resulted in war and the deaths of millions. Click here for History of American False Flag Operations. In his 1930's book, War Is a Racket, U.S. Marine Major General Smedley Darlington Butler says:

"I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents."

In 1962, The Joint Chiefs of Staff came up with Operation Northwoods, a false flag operation designed to kill Americans and blame Cuba for it. Though the plan was never implemented, it shows that the military/industrial complex is quite willing to sacrifice U.S. citizens to attain it's goals. With the end of the cold war and America being the lone super power in the world, they obviously needed a global bogeyman to continue their quest of global dominance.

The Ground Zero Mosque Debacle

When plans to build a mosque near Ground Zero were revealed, the issue immediately became white hot. A recent poll shows that 70% of Americans do not want a mosque built anywhere near Ground Zero. With fever pitch, Obama is being criticized for supporting the mosque being built on constitutional precedence. This obviously flies in the face of his ignoring the Constitution in many other areas.

Obama is accused of being a Muslim and pandering to the enemy. If that were true, he is violating the Qur'an by attacking Muslim nations abroad. Obama claims to be a Christian. If that were true, he would be of the abhorrent Liberation Theology cult. What he really is can be found in his CIA connections. Click here for Bombshell: Barack Obama conclusively outed as CIA creation. (See the Obama Deception video below.)

The neocons in the GOP are, of course, rushing in to gin up hatred for Obama and Muslims hoping to gain support for the November elections. We are again being told the same lies about Iran that got us into Iraq. This whole hubbub is an example of the left/right paradigm being used against the American electorate. It would leave many scratching their heads unless the truth be told as to who the real enemy is. Click here for the video Psywar.

The Ground Zero mosque does, in fact, have U.S. financial backing. This insult to the American people is largely funded by your friendly neighborhood globalists. Here are some of the contributors to the Ground Zero mosque from ASMA's own website.

Carnegie Corporation of New York
Rockefeller Brothers
Rockefeller Philanthropy
Rockefeller Brothers Fund
Global Fund for Women
William & Mary Greve Foundation
The Sister Fund
The Russell Family Foundation
Danny Kaye & Sylvia Fine Foundation
Graham Charitable Foundation
Deak Family Foundation
Henry Luce Foundation
The Elizabeth Foundation
The Ms. Foundation
Hunt Alternatives

The proposed mosque, to be known as Cordoba House, is the project of the Cordoba Initiative, an organisation founded by ‘Imam’ Feisal Abdul Rauf, who, in addition to being a member of the World Economic Forum’s Council of 100, is an active member of the Council on Foreign Relations’ Religious Advisory Committee. Click here for

Ground Zero Mosque Imam Is Globalist Stooge. Given Feisal Abdul Rauf's background and ideas, I believe he may be loosely affiliated with Lucis Trust to bring in a "New Age" kind of Islam. Click here for the video They Are Misleading You.

The Hegelian Dialectic

Consider the Hegelian dialectic. If globalists, many of whom are Antient Freemasons working with Lucis Trust, pit the old enemies of Islam and Christianity against each other, they win and monotheism is destroyed in the process. The banksters historically profit by funding both sides of a conflict. General Albert Pike laid the plans. Click here for General Albert Pike and World War III.

Pike's plan was ingeniously simple. The inherent antagonism between different ideologies was to be stirred up and made to explode in three world wars and three revolutions. The first world war was to destroy the three European empires, at that time being the last remaining bulwarks against Illuminism. One of these, Russia, was to be made a centre of atheist totalitarianism known as communism. The second world war was to erupt from heightened tensions between the Jewish race, its spiteful Zionism, and the extreme European nationalism of Nazism and Fascism. This war would weaken Europe economically and politically and communism would expand and become as strong as all Christendom, but not stronger, until the time was up for the final destruction of society. A third reason for the second world war was to create a Jewish state in Palestine. Gradually it would be possible to thereby heighten the tensions between Judaism and Islam until they broke out in a war which would bring in all of the world powers. The three revolutions, which would aid this carefully planned dissolution of all human civilisation, were the Russian, the Chinese and Indo-Chinese. Most of this evil plan already has become reality. Concerning the last stage, General Pike wrote following:

'We shall unleash the Nihilists and Atheists and provoke a formidable social cataclysm which in all its horror will show clearly to nations the effect of absolute atheism, origin of savagery and of the most bloody turmoil. Then everywhere, the citizens, obliged to defend themselves against the world minority of revolutionaries, will exterminate those destroyers of civilization, and the multitude, disillusioned with Christianity, whose deistic spirits will from that moment on without compass (direction), anxious for an ideal, but without knowing where to render its adoration, will receive the true light through the universal manifestation of the pure doctrine of Lucifer, brought finally out in the public view, a manifestation which will result from the general reactionary movement which will follow destruction of Christianity and atheism, both conquered and exterminated at the same time.'

General Albert Pike is the only Confederate general with a statue on federal property in Washington, DC. He was honored, not as a commander or even as a lawyer, but as Southern regional leader of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. It is his blueprint which is believed to be followed by globalists to engineer the planned Third and Final World War.

The Times They Are A-Changin'

2010-04-13T09:58:00.008-05:00

Come gather ’round people

Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth savin’
Then you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’

Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won’t come again
And don’t speak too soon
For the wheel’s still in spin
And there’s no tellin’ who that it’s namin’
For the loser now will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin’

Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don’t stand in the doorway
Don’t block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There’s a battle outside and it is ragin’
It’ll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin’

Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don’t criticize
What you can’t understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is rapidly agin’
Please get out of the new one if you can’t lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin’

The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is rapidly fadin’
And the first one now will later be last
For the times they are a-changin’

Bob Dylan 1963

We, The Tea Party

Perhaps it took a full-blown Marxist, who was born in Kenya, to finally wake up the US electorate to the absolute corruption of our political system. What I have been telling my liberal friends for years is the same thing John Pilger and Alex Jones have been saying regarding the corruption taking place in American foreign and domestic policies. The social justice movement has been high jacked by people who have no interest in freedom or justice. Socialist efforts to empower people to be self-sufficient and free have only resulted in the politicians creating a huge, unsustainable welfare state that keeps people dependent on government handouts. It is destroying the middle class and stifling opportunities for people to lift themselves out of poverty. Interestingly enough, the lack of a thriving middle class and government corruption was the reason given for the beginning of the progressive movement back in Teddy Roosevelt’s day. Their desire, so it is said, was to establish virtue and efficiency in government and society. This is a stark contrast compared to the results of the progressive movement today.

The liberal/conservative debate has been raging loud and long. It has only served as a distraction to divide the American electorate while the “establishment” continues its global agenda under our bickering noses. Both Democrats and Republicans have been taking us down the road to a New World Order incrementally. Like boiling a frog, they have dropped the American people into their pot and slowly turned up the heat. A majority of politicians on both sides of the aisle put on smiling faces for the public and tell you they are working for the best interests of the country. They then take an oath of office, pledging to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America, and promptly go to work for the wealthy elites who financed their campaigns. The banks, insurance companies, corporations, and the military/industrial complex could care less about the Constitution, much less the average person. Whether they are the wealthy elites pulling the strings in a capitalist New World Order or the oligarchs in control of a communist New World Order, they are still the few who rule over the many.

I find the truth to be quite telling as the very people who voted for hope and change are now regretting it. Obama has broken many campaign promises and is proving to be another status quo politician with an agenda despised by the electorate. Yet the media propaganda machine, including FOX News, continues to spin out the lies and half-truths to the detriment of their own credibility. CNN was recently caught reporting the Tea Party Movement to be a group of radical right wing extremists. FOX News’ Glen Beck mocks “Obama birthers” and “911 truthers” as whacko conspiracy theorists. In spite of the Michael Steele debacle, Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity are still spreading the fear that leaving the Republican Party will result in a Democrat victory.

I left the Democrat Party during the Carter administration because I realized their policies were a failure and they no longer represented common Christian values. As for my joining the Republican New Right, the last 30 years has seen conservative Christians treated by Rockefeller Republicans as the red headed step child of the Republican Party. Then, in 2008, we were told that the era of Reagan conservatism was over. Obama’s policies are just warmed over versions of the Carter years. Democrats are racing to outspend the Bush years while the nation's economy still sputters. The Patriot Act that the liberal left was screaming about is now being used to target Americans with hardly a peep from its former critics. Well, that’s quite enough for me and the millions of freedom loving Americans like me.

After all the back room deals, constant changes, and unprecedented legal maneuvers, we now have ObamaCare and still don’t know what it is and its implications on the taxpayer. Improvement of medical care is doubtful. Obama says that the bill contains conservative ideas. He failed to mention that it was modeled after Romney Care, a brainchild of the Heritage Foundation, which became a complete boondoggle in the State Of Massachusetts after its legislature added to it. The White House has its propaganda published on its website but won’t publish the 2,000 plus pages of the legislation. The Internal Revenue Service is now in charge of enforcing it. I question whether anyone in Congress actually read the thing through before voting on it much less considered its constitutional legitimacy. Now Democrats hope to shove Cap And Trade down our throats, despite the revelation of Climategate, before the November elections this year while yet doing nothing to help our sputtering economy. Also, waiting in the wings is a United Nations treaty to nullify our constitutional right to bear arms.

Thus, the Tea Party continues to gain support by average Americans and the status quo is now feeling threatened by it. There has been a mass attempt by the Obama administration and the media to portray conservatives to be right wing racists and terrorists. What is coming to light is that the Tea Party is a grassroots movement that includes classical liberals, conservatives, libertarians, constitutionalists and independents who are aware of the corruption in government and of those elites pulling the strings. It is my hope that liberals and conservatives can come together and talk about what we can agree on, which is empowering people with a real helping hand toward self-sufficiency and freedom. This can be done without government entitlements and “nanny state” oversight. Enjoy the videos below.

Zombieworld

2009-11-16T01:38:00.050-06:00

For my friends Erik and Gwen.

I recently read a newsletter by one of my colleagues in Christ, Steve Wohlberg at White Horse Media, about the growing public fascination with the occult. His take is that it is a coordinated effort by "the dark side" of the force, i.e. Satanists, to lure the unwitting into occult practices. This may well be true. I think it goes deeper than that.

Carl Jung

Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist, an influential thinker and the founder of analytical psychology. Jung's approach to psychology has been influential in the field of depth psychology and in countercultural movements across the globe. Jung is considered as the first modern psychologist to state that the human psyche is "by nature religious" and to explore it in depth. He emphasized understanding the psyche through exploring the worlds of dreams, art, mythology, religion and philosophy. Although he was a theoretical psychologist and practicing clinician, much of his life's work was spent exploring other areas, including Eastern and Western philosophy, alchemy, astrology, sociology, as well as literature and the arts. His most notable ideas include the concept of psychological archetypes, the collective unconscious and synchronicity. This is where we get the phrase "collective soul."

Jung emphasized the importance of balance and harmony. He cautioned that modern people rely too heavily on science and logic and would benefit from integrating spirituality and appreciation of unconscious realms. He considered the process of individuation necessary for a person to become whole. This is a psychological process of integrating the conscious with the unconscious while still maintaining conscious autonomy. Individuation was the central concept of analytical psychology.

Quantum physics is beginning to reveal evidence that we are beings of energy (luminous, spiritual) and that we radiate and receive thoughts like a CB radio. (see the video Quantum Communication below) Though some critics deny that thought has any relevance outside our heads, there is no denying that our attitudes shape our decisions in turn shaping our future. The Law Of Attraction states that thoughts become things. It is based on the Scripture that states, "You will reap what you sow."

A disciplined mind knows that not all thoughts originate from it. Jung's collective soul theory suggests thoughts are being transmitted by other minds through the "air" (or spirit realm) like a broadcast beacon. Not all of them are good. A disciplined mind will "capture a thought" and hold it up to scrutinize. Does this thought bring life or death? Truth or lie? Substance or void? Fact or fiction? Then it will act on the thought accordingly. The "still small voice" of God comes to us as a recognizable thought pattern. The undisciplined mind will say and do whatever comes to it without regard to consequences.

That is why God, in the Old Testament, said, "This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life..." Deuteronomy 30: 19-20a NIV

Whether you believe in God or not, it is still wiser to choose life. "Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." Confucius

Psychological Archetypes

The origins of the archetypal hypothesis date back as far as Plato. Jung himself compared archetypes to Platonic ideas.

Plato's ideas were pure mental forms, that were imprinted in the soul before it was born into the world. They were collective in the sense that they embodied the fundamental characteristics of a thing rather than its specific peculiarities.

Vampires are an archetype as well as zombies. In pagan belief, vampires were invisible spirits who came and sucked the life out of people. This explained, in their belief system, the sudden death of infants, elderly, and otherwise healthy people. This belief later expanded to Count Dracula and movies like Underworld. A zombie is a creature that appears in folklore and popular culture typically as a reanimated corpse or a mindless human being. Stories of zombies originated in the Afro-Caribbean spiritual belief system of Vodou, which told of the people being controlled as laborers by a powerful sorcerer. Zombies have no control over their minds and must eat the flesh of the living to survive.

This sounds a lot like some politicians I know. They cater to the wealthy elite and suck the life out of the rest of the living with unnecessary taxes and regulations. They want a New World Order, without human rights, so the elite will dominate the world and it's resources while telling us how we should live and who deserves to die. Our fascination with vampires and zombies may very well be a subconscious wake up call.

"Humans, like cattle, tend to move in herds. In action and opinions, Homo Sapiens are natural followers. We like to act and think in groups." Mark Joyner, author of Mind Control Marketing.

"Independents want change, and they are the majority of the electorate." Democratic strategist Donna Brazile

Republicans are also getting the message. The US electorate does not want an invasive big government or any New World Order. We want our rights and the US Constitution intact. We want the world to have what we have, respect for life and the freedom to choose how we express our spiritual beliefs! We want virtue and efficiency in all areas of government and society. We want the propaganda and head games to stop!

The Climate Change Myth

Here's a glaring example of how we are being mislead on a global scale. Have you noticed that the last couple harvest seasons have been cut short by an early freeze? Deroy Murdock of the National Review recently wrote, "As cap-and-trade advocates tie their knickers in knots over so-called “global warming,” Mother Nature refuses to cooperate. Earth’s temperatures continue a chilling trend that began eleven years ago. As global cooling accelerates, global-warmists kick, scream, and push their pet theory — just like little kids who cover their ears and stomp their feet when older children tell them not to bother waiting up for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve." Click here for more statistics.

The fact is we live under the influence of a variable star we call the sun. Global temperatures rise and fall because of solar flare activity or lack thereof. The reason there is more carbon dioxide in the air is because there are more people and livestock on this planet expelling it than ever before. What cap and trade will inevitably result in is a tax on breathing and keeping warm even though CO2 has nothing to do with the weather. Yet our fairytale friends in power are about to declare an environmental emergency when the CO2 levels reach 450 parts per million. We are currently at about 386 ppm now.

Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel says, "A crisis is a terrible thing to waste."

What cleans the air of CO2? Trees and plants on the ground and algae in the water. Yet we still harvest trees for paper unnecessarily. We continue to burn petroleum while not drilling for more. And, we continue to make growing industrial hemp illegal when it would largely solve both problems. The bottom line is our politicians are engaged in the redistribution of wealth on a global scale which will result in the United States becoming a third world nation of zombies under the control of the life sucking vampires. That is if we allow it.

Industrial Hemp

Hemp was once used in this country for many things from rope, paper, canvas, and even biodiesel. Hemp is a weed that will grow in many places normal crops cannot. It is now legal to grow hemp in Canada. Why not here? If our politicians care so much about the environment, hemp should be made legal again. Did you know that Henry Ford had designs to build a biodegradable car from hemp, including a prototype auto body? Industrial hemp has been grown in the USA for centuries. Hemp alone would solve 90% of our energy needs in the USA. Click here to watch this video.

Hemp is not the same as marijuana. The reason I am not an advocate for pot smoking is because the real science is out there. Marijuana is a mood altering drug. It chemically coats the neurons in the brain causing the brain synapses to misfire resulting in euphoria, memory loss, and a bad case of the munchies. Short term, the damage is minimal. Long term results are apathy, permanent memory loss, uncontrollable mood swings, and psychological addiction. I have seen this in many of my former stoner friends. I have been born again, clean and sober for 33 years now. I get a better high communing with God and doing His will. However, I have no problem with marijuana being medically prescribed short term or for terminal patients.

American Leadership

The United States was founded as a new and great social experiment. It works solely on the premise that a free and educated people, virtuous with faith in God, can rule over themselves and be a beacon of freedom to the world. The Judeo-Christian world view gave us ideas like the sanctity of life and the Bill Of Rights. Now, we stand on the precipice of failure because that world view has been undermined at every level in western society.

Rick Joyner recently revealed, "A recent study on the church in America revealed the shocking fact that an estimated 65 percent of all Americans considered themselves to be born-again Christians, but only 3 percent had a Christian or biblical worldview. To have a Christian worldview means to view the world as Christ does—to know and adhere to His teachings. Because there is such a wide gulf between those who claim to be born- again Christians, and those who are reflecting a basic aspect of Christ, perceiving the world as He does, it reflects how poorly we are accomplishing the Great Commission. We are commanded to make disciples, not just converts, and to teach them all He has commanded us.

What is the remedy for this basic failure of Christianity in America? The first step is to recognize the problem. There has been a tragic reduction in the Great Commission by having people make a decision for Christ, or be born-again, with an obvious failure on the part of the church to help raise them up into Christ. This is not a criticism on evangelists who seek converts, but on the rest of the church for failing to follow up the work of the evangelists."

The Church was meant to equip believer with the knowledge of God and living the abundant life. It was also meant to educate believers in the art of Christian Apologetics that we may be effective in our sharing the Good News. We are being reduced to little cliques with the idea that it is us against them. Believer vs. Unbeliever

The problem here is being against something just gets you more of it. There is no conflict in the heart and mind of God. The conflict is between our lower self and our Higher Self; Anima and Animus; flesh and spirit; the ego and the Ego. It is our choices on a daily basis that define who we are and where we stand. It is your lower ego you have to gain mastery over if you want to attain heavenly bliss.

"We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained." Marie Curie (1867-1934) French physicist and chemist two-time Nobel Prize winner

The Church needs to get a grip on the Law Of Attraction. Christ defeated the Devil (evil) on the cross. We just need to be pro-life, pro-love, pro-abundance, pro-people, and share with others how to have access to it all by believing in Christ's sacrifice for us. We must also be credible by walking the walk ourselves to reveal the joy, love, and the power of God. We are meant to be leaders of innovation with ideas coming from the mind of God, people of substance, and ambassadors of the God of ever expanding abundance.

Since God can now be taught in Russian schools, what is holding us back from having God or Intelligent Design taught in our schools? We are. It's a matter of all of us getting involved and telling our public servants what we want and working out a consensus. There is no reason why God, or the historical influence of our founding fathers' beliefs, should be completely eliminated from our society by a minority that does not recognize the spiritual nature of mankind. Nor should we be financially enslaved by a wealthy elite few.

The Right Foundation

2009-10-24T02:27:00.013-05:00

I was going to move on to issues of building wealth, but things kept developing in the last few weeks on the Internet that need to be addressed before I move on. My reason goes back to the quote by Benjamin Franklin you will find in my last blog post, The Winds Of Change, now in my archives. Within the quote, he states, "We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that except the Lord build the House they labor in vain who build it." Building wealth and living a fulfilling life must be done on a strong foundation.

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had it's foundation on the rock." Matthew 7: 24 - 25 NIV

What happened on Twitter recently is a fascinating example. On October 20th, a hot topic sprung up on Tweet under the title of "No God." Evidently, what started this wild cacophony of unbelief and rebuttals where some atheists who where offended by a previous hot topic called "Know God." During the day, I was engaged in my local activities and caught the last of the discussions in the late afternoon before Tweet's server began to be overwhelmed. Twitter had to shut it down. I was absolutely amazed that many where quoting Richard Dawkins infamously ignorant statement from his book, The God Delusion. In it he states, "Religion is responsible for all wars and bloodshed in history."

Just prior to the shut down, I managed to get in a handful of Tweets.

No God? Who was responsible for wars before religion? "I have seen the enemy and he is us!" Pogo
"No God" McGrath-1, Dawkins-0 http://users.ox.ac.uk/~mcgrath/
(to an atheist) Science can't put God in a test tube, much less a thought. Is science then propagating it's own inadequacies? (Twitter then shut it down)
(to an atheist) Ya, burn the Christians now, Nero! No God was simply overloading Tweet's server, Dude!
Why does prayer work? No God? Watch What The Bleep Do We Know

After Twitter shut down "No God," an atheist blamed it on a vast right wing Christian conspiracy to censor them. I found it as hilarious as Bill and Hillary's fabricated assertions. What these people don't get is the fact that Christianity is still the largest religion in the world and atheists are a very small minority in contrast to the world's population as a whole.

In a recent article by Rick Joyner, he says, "A recent study on the church in America revealed the shocking fact that an estimated 65 percent of all Americans considered themselves to be born-again Christians, but only 3 percent had a Christian or biblical world view. To have a Christian world view means to view the world as Christ does—to know and adhere to His teachings. Because there is such a wide gulf between those who claim to be born-again Christians, and those who are reflecting a basic aspect of Christ, perceiving the world as He does, it reflects how poorly we are accomplishing the Great Commission."

By the way, Quantum Communications is a video I have posted below for your consideration. The reason I have it up is twofold. First, it starts out with a scientist's honest appraisal of our current level of scientific understanding. Secondly, it is saying the same thing as The Secret movie. As I have said before, I believe the Law Of Attraction has merit. My question is, "Where is this "enlightenment" taking us?" To put the subject in perspective, here is something I recently posted on a Powerful Intentions group bulletin board:

I have read critics of The Secret movie who have blown off the principle of the Law Of Attraction for various reasons. I have also listened to Joe Vitale being interviewed by Mark Joyner discussing the "missing secret" within The Secret. Joe described The Secret movie as incomplete. The movie is designed to take us from the stage of victimhood to the stage of empowerment. They go on to discuss the four stages as being a) victimhood, b) empowerment, c) surrender, and d) divine.

"Love is a choice more than an emotion. Choose to love and the emotion will follow." This is something that my pastor once said that stuck with me for decades. The Law Of Attraction is about taking control of our thought life. I believe the Bible's New Testament has been speaking of the same thing for nearly 2,000 years. It states that we are coworkers with God. What does that mean? I believe that The Law Of Attraction explains that. If you substitute the word Universe for God in the Secret movie, it all falls into place.

Jesus said, "I do the will of my father in heaven." and "The kingdom of God is within you." He saw what God was doing and did what God was directing him to do. That is how we surrender and become part of the divine.

For me, salvation came through Christ. Fully understanding the principle of salvation came by The Secret. Salvation is not just "pie in the sky in the sweet bye and bye." It is the eternal present we live in right now. Let's make it a good one!

On another group discussion, I recently helped a woman who was ripped off by someone who she thought was a friend. She thought she may have been attracting thieves and con artists. How many times has that happened to you? This comment will also give you a better understanding of the Gifts of the Spirit.

Hello!

Been there. Done that so many times! VibingOM was right in that there are givers and takers in this world. You are a giver and let your giving return to you many fold. The takers will also receive their just reward in God's perfect timing.

Now, I am going to go a bit beyond the Law Of Attraction into what Joe Vitale and Michael Beckwith have been talking about recently. I have already posted a comment on the bulletin board regarding the "5 missing secrets" within The Secret. The Secret movie was about empowering us to transcend the stage of victimhood to the stage of empowerment. The two stages of being beyond that is the stage of surrender and the stage of divine.

In my case, I interpret that to surrendering to the Divine and becoming part of the Divine. As I said in my comment, if you change the word Universe to God, in The Secret movie, it all falls into place. Now, to better understand what is going on, please watch this short video called Quantum Communication. We all constantly broadcast our thoughts like a radio station. Takers feed off givers by reading these signals and finding ways to dupe givers into enabling their thieving lifestyle. It is my hope and prayer that these individuals would awaken to the fact that it is better and just as easy to manifest wealth of their own. Let's keep sharing the Word, OK?

It is my belief that giving will bring about abundance and "heaven" on earth if we all participate in helping meet the needs of others. There would be no lack of anything anywhere if we all learned to be a blessing to one another. As in the old saying, "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime."

However, enabling a destructive lifestyle is not a way to bless someone. The key here is to learn to read other's vibrational broadcasts as they read ours. Bibically speaking, this is called the "gift of discernment." There are also other "gifts" of the Spirit called the gift of wisdom and the gift of knowledge. These are gifts I used frequently while counseling anonymous people over the phones at Love Lines in Minneapolis. I could sense their energy (spirit) by their tone of voice and surrendered to what I sensed was God speaking through me to them. You may also consider learning the art of reading body language. Just Google the term and you will find a wealth of info on the subject.

The bottom line is respect should be freely given. Trust needs to be earned. Don't make yourself vulnerable to takers. And, regarding your jewelry, you can say to yourself, "Whatever is taken from me will be returned to me seven fold." Forgive them, so you don't have ill will toward anyone, and pray for real blessings and enlightenment to overtake them. This does not mean you have to allow anyone to abuse you.

Now what I and others are seeing here is a strong push to subvert our faith and Western culture toward believing in no God or believing you are God. Both ideas are completely sad and destructive. However, you are a child of God, created by God, for God's special plan and purpose. Tune in to God's vibration and follow His lead. He will light your path and guide your feet!

The Winds Of Change

2009-09-11T05:49:00.057-05:00

On Campus

The science professor begins his school year with a lecture to the students, "Let me explain the problem science has with religion." The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand. "You're a Christian, aren't you, son?" "Yes sir," the student says. "So you believe in God?" "Absolutely." "Is God good?" "Sure! God's good." "Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?" "Yes." "Are you good or evil?" "The Bible says my heart tends toward evil." The professor grins knowingly. "Aha! The Bible!" He considers for a moment.

"Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?" "Yes sir, I would." "So you're good!" "I wouldn't say that." "But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't." The student does not answer, so the professor continues.  "He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Hmmm? Can you answer that one?" The student remains silent. "No, you can't, can you?" the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax.

"Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?" "Er....yes," the student says. "Is Satan good?" The student doesn't hesitate on this one, "No." "Then where does Satan come from?" The student falters, "From God"   "That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?" "Yes, sir." "Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?" "Yes." "So who created evil?" The professor continued, "If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil." Again, the student has no answer.  "Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?" The student squirms on his feet, "Yes." "So who created them?" The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question, "Who created them?" There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized.

"Tell me," he continues onto another student, "Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?" The student's voice betrays him and cracks, "Yes, professor, I do." The old man stops pacing. "Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?" "No sir. I've never seen Him." "Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?" "No, sir, I have not." "Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelled your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?" "No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't." "Yet you still believe in him?"  "Yes." "According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?" "Nothing," the student replies, "I only have my faith." "Yes, faith," the professor repeats, "And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith."

The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of his own. "Professor, is there such thing as heat?" "Yes," the professor replies, "There is heat." "And is there such a thing as cold?" "Yes, son, there's cold too." "No sir, there isn't." The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain, "You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold.' We can reach up to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees. Everybody or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it." Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer.

"What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?" "Yes," the professor replies without hesitation "What is night if it isn't darkness?" "You're wrong again, sir," the student replied,  "Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In reality, darkness doesn't exist. If it did, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?"

The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. (This will be a good semester.)  "So what point are you making, young man?" "Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed." The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. "Flawed? Can you explain how?" "You are working on the premise of duality," the student explains, "You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it."

"Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from apes?" "If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do." "Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?" The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. (A very good semester, indeed.) "Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher? How does evolution explain the Cambrian explosion?" The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided.

"To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean." The student looks around the room. "Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?" The class breaks out into laughter. The student proceeds to ask, "Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelled the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain; with all due respect, sir. So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?"

Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable. Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers, "I guess you'll have to take them on faith." "Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life," the student continues, "Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?" Now uncertain, the professor responds, "Of course, there is. We see it every day. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil."

To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat, or the darkness that comes when there is no light." The professor sat down.                                                         (Author Unknown)

This discussion was emailed to me by a good friend. It's one of those chain emails floating around in cyberspace designed to be read and passed on to other friends. I found it worthy to publish because it reveals two things that need to be addressed. One) This discussion happens daily on campus in many colleges, including colleges founded by Christian church groups like Harvard and Yale. Second) It reveals that most believers are really ill equipped to respond to the challenge of their faith in God. In this discussion, there was one student who could. When I was in college, I was the only one of 35 students in my class who stood up in defense of the Gospel. How many classrooms are void of even one voice? Too many! That is why I strongly encourage believers (and non-believers) to read the works of Christian intellectuals such as Alister McGrath and other Christian authors.

Capitalism And The Love Of Money

Ayn Rand quotes, "Capitalism is the only system where such men are free to function and where progress is accompanied, not by forced privations, but by a constant rise in the general level of prosperity, of consumption and of enjoyment of life." Though I believe capitalism over communism is the best economic basis for any society, as did the founding fathers of this country, it is also vulnerable to abuse by the rich and powerful. Money in itself is not evil. It is merely a bartering tool. It also empowers the individual to care for his/her needs, enjoy life and help with the needs of others. It cannot, in itself, meet our spiritual needs. It simply makes you more of what you already are.

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Timothy 6:10 NIV

Money lovers not only empower themselves, but use money as power over others to gain more wealth. John D. Rockefeller, when asked once, "How much money is enough money?" He replied, "Just a little bit more." Though he considered himself to be a philanthropist, for many of his competitors, Rockefeller merely had to show them his books so they could see what they were up against and then made them a decent offer. If they refused his offer, he told them he would run them into bankruptcy, then cheaply buy up their assets at auction. Most capitulated.

Cultural Revolution

The 60's was a time of great cultural revolution in America. It wasn't the first, however. The Great Depression was also a time of massive social and economic upheaval. As in the movie, The Secret, the wealthy elites in this country were building their wealth on the backs of the poor while hiding "the secret" from them. The stock market crash of 1929 may very well have been orchestrated by these elites for their own financial gain. Any time there is an economic recession or depression, the wealthy will buy up businesses and property at a fraction of their value. This is likely why the economy fluctuates as it does.

During The Great Depression in this country, Joseph Stalin was in power over the Soviet Union. Stalin had a plan to take the United States without a shot as a prize for it's wealth and resources. The plan was to infiltrate and influence one or both political parties, our pulpits, our classrooms, our news sources, art, music and began with the opportunity to influence the Labor Movement. The problem with Communism is that it is just another system of the wealthy to control the poor. It is atheist in nature which then allows it to violate human rights, since people (in the atheist mind) are just animals to be exploited their way. Where ever communism has had free reign, it has resulted in the emergence of four classes of people. 1) The Oligarchy, who control the wealth and power. 2) The Ruling class, likely from or endorsed by the oligarchy who control the political power. 3) The Intellectual class, considered part of the working class (as a white-collar worker in the USA) who advance science, medicine and education. They live just a little better than the rest of the working class. 4) The Working class, (as a blue-collar worker in the USA) who live in poverty.

The Cold War 50's

Beginning in 1950, Senator Joseph McCarthy became the most visible public face of a period in which Cold War tensions fueled fears of widespread Communist subversion. Though he was blown off as a witch hunter, he was right. The problem McCarthy had was the way he went about trying to solve the problem. Isn't it interesting how we become like that which we hate? Given free reign, McCarthy would have likely rounded up communists as political prisoners the same as communists round up dissidents. The way to defeat communist propaganda is to factually emphasize the truth. But the truth is we had our own glaring hypocrisies, such as racial segregation and the military/industrial complex Dwight D. Eisenhower warned us about. The subversion continued.

As it progressed, the Soviets became bolder in their predictions. Nikita Khrushchev was General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, following the death of Joseph Stalin. He declared, "We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism." and "I once said, 'We will bury you,' and I got into trouble with it. Of course we will not bury you with a shovel. Your own working class will bury you."

The Hippie Dippy 60's

The "Leave It To Beaver" kids grow up! Having been taught wholesome family values, they begin to see the evils in our society and try to right them. They begin to support the Civil Rights Movement. They question authority. They begin to fight against the military/industrial complex that profits from war and environmental pollution while the Cold War threat of annihilation hangs over them. They get taken in by communist Utopian propaganda. Advised by Harvard psychology professor, Dr. Timothy Leary, they begin to tune in, turn on, and drop out. They create the Counterculture Revolution. They see western religious institutions as corrupt failures and begin to follow eastern religions or humanism. With events in the United States crashing against the American population faster and faster, 1968 quickly developed into a year of rage. All across America emotions ran high.

Tensions peaked when two leaders, ones who had brought the promise of hope to a generation, were assassinated. A harsh blow came to the Civil Rights movement when Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated on April 4, 1968, followed by the assassination of one of the anti-war movement's hopefuls, Robert F. Kennedy on June 5th. SDS leader, Tom Hayden of the Chicago Seven, advised Counterculture participants to go "mainstream" and influence the Democrat Party from within after the riots he helped orchestrate at the Chicago Democrat Convention failed to produce results. The Counterculture began to take his advice and exchanged their wine and pot for a martini and a three piece suit. They began to attain positions of authority. You may now find a large number of radical leftists in the fields of politics, theology and education.

For others in search of Divine Light, God reached them with the Jesus People Movement and the Charismatic Movement. Both movements brought needed renewed life to the Christian faith through a personal relationship with God that was vibrant with the power and love of God's Holy Spirit. At first, members of the Charismatic Movement sought to influence and renew the stagnant mainstream denominations they were in. Later, seeing that the religious leaders within these institutions were corrupt and unmovable, the non-denominational churches began to grow and are flourishing to this day.

Khrushchev's Prediction Fulfilled

It's been over 50 years since Khrushchev's predictions. We now have an African American president, Barack "Barry" Obama, who is also politically far left as a likely result of the influence of his college professors and other left wing radicals like William Ayers. The Republican Party is alienating what conservatives it has left. Both political parties have plans for globalization and a New World Order. Both parties are growing government to an unsustainable level. Both parties are selling out to the interests of the rich, i.e. banks, insurance companies, etc. Congressman Barney Frank wants to pass more legislation he knows would usher in a second mortgage crisis. On July 7th, Pope Benedict XVI called for reforming the United Nations and establishing a "true world political authority" with "real teeth" to manage the global economy with God-centered ethics. I suspect our economic crisis is being created with bad legislation to bring the American people to a point of desperation and willingness to accept this New World Order.

The economy is in shambles. Yet our legislators want to pass legislation, such as Cap And Trade and ObamaCare, that will result in the demise of the middle-class in this country. It is obvious today that the modern Progressive Movement lacks the same moral fiber as the Progressives of the last century. Socialism is their cause and big government is their answer. Who cares that these government programs that are in place allow thousands to fall through the cracks in the system? And who can afford to pay the proposed federal penalty in ObamaCare if they can't afford health care premiums? It would be an obvious coup for the insurance companies as was the shift in auto insurance premium determination from the driving record to the credit score system was for bankers. The Progressives of 100 years ago were middle class reformers who stressed the importance of virtue and efficiency in all areas of government, the economy, and society. Today's Progressive could care less about such things.

Zeitgeist Propaganda

In 2007, Zeitgeist, The Movie appeared on the Internet. It immediately caused a firestorm of popularity on the Internet. It was easily and soundly debunked. I might also call your attention to the fact that Y-Jesus also does a thorough job confirming the history of the real Jesus. The Zeitgeist Movement made a lot of money and following by touting half-truths, conspiracy theory and blatant fabrication. In 2008, they produced Zeitgeist, Addendum. This was also soundly debunked. However, in this sea of 60's style "Tune In, Turn On and Drop Out" pablum was some truth to consider. We are on the precipice of a paradigm shift.

The answer does begin with a change of thinking within ourselves. If they have seen The Secret movie, they should know to be pro-consciousness, not anti-religious. They need to be completely factual to be credible and pro-Venus Project rather than anti-establishment. Perhaps someone should introduce "What The Bleep Do We Know" to them for an understanding of the latest discoveries in quantum physics, psychology and physiology. They definitely need to reconsider the words of Jesus and the Apostles. Love God. Hate sin. The truth is, Zeitgeist appears to be timed precisely to appear when the economy was about to tank for the purpose of enraging Americans to push for their New World Order. They are misleading you.

As Benjamin Franklin once said, "I've lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing Proofs I see of this Truth — That God governs in the Affairs of Men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his Notice, is it probable that an Empire can rise without his Aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that except the Lord build the House they labor in vain who build it. I firmly believe this, — and I also believe that without his concurring Aid, we shall succeed in this political Building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our Projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a Reproach and Bye word down to future Ages."

As believers in Christ Jesus, we are not superstitious mindless twits. We are coworkers with Him in the Body Of Christ. This also means that we are engaged in the creative process as The Secret movie describes. By seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, we are manifesting His abundant life through us out to others. God is love. Is Zeitgeist anti-love? You will know them by the fruit that they bear.

The Healing Touch

2009-07-05T02:09:00.008-05:00

Imagine this! It's Sunday morning. You've worked hard all week at your job. You exhausted yourself working on projects around the house yesterday. So, you decide to not go anywhere today. You just want to fix a cup of coffee for yourself and be a couch potato. You start channel surfing the television with your remote and there he is. It's the Reverend Roban Tilted's Hour Of Miracle Power! He's got an upbeat tune with dazzling video graphics. Soon they fade to the Reverend Roban's smiling face and he is so excited to tell you of all the fantastic miracles the Lord has been doing in his ministry, from healing to financial blessings. Then he goes into a passionate rant of all the evils in this world and the starving children in Pottsylvania that need your immediate help. He also needs money to keep his program on the air so those poor children suffering and dying on the other side of the globe will be fed. If you will just give a vow of $1,000, the Lord will bless you a hundredfold. However, be warned! This is a vow, not a pledge. If you forsake your vow, the Lord shall smite, thee! Then he goes on to pray, "OOOOHHH Lord! Weeee beseech Theeeee! Have mercy on our wretched souls. Help those whooo have taken a leap of faith to keep their vows. Bless them a hundredfold, Oooh Lord of plenty."

Most rational people would perceive this to be religious entertainment not to be taken seriously. For one thing, do we really need to pray that way to talk to God? If you spoke that way to anyone else, they would wonder what you've been smoking. You are convinced that it is all fake and wonder just how this guy stays on the air. You see parodies of him and other evangelists all the time in syndicated cartoons and comedy shows. Yet they seem to have a large number of people following him with what looks to be blind faith. You ask yourself, "Can they really be that stupid?" Maybe I can help you understand.

Whether Reverend Tilted is real or fake, he understands something you may not. He knows how to use psychology to whip up an emotional frenzy in his followers. He sucks them in with his fire and passion. He shows them evidence (real or fake) that the Lord is doing miracles. He convinces them he is an oracle of God! He gives them a purpose by including them in his ministry. He promises that God has given His word to honor the gifting vows with a hundredfold return. This strongly appeals as an answer to those in need. You may notice this same type of psychology is being used by successful advertisers, Internet marketers and self help gurus.

On the other side is childlike faith. The believers just believe and it actually works for many of them. This convinces them that God is truly working through the good Reverend Tilted. However, it was their faith that manifested the blessings. The good reverend was merely the catalyst. Here is a story from the Bible that illustrates the power of faith.

The Healing Touch

As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. "Who touched me?" Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you." But Jesus said, "Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me." Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace." Luke 8:42b-48 NIV

Illustrating Faith

Now all this was said to illustrate the principle of faith. With all our advances in science and medicine, doctors are still baffled when it comes to cancer patients going into remission. Studies have shown that prayer, laughter and a positive attitude promote the healing process and sense of well being. I have even heard a story from a friend, who went through the AA program, who had an atheist friend in the program who quit drinking by adopting a doorknob as his higher power. He said, "That doorknob never drank!" Whether you realize it or not, you also walk in blind faith. Every day, you sit in a chair with faith that it will hold you up. You get on a bus, plane, train, boat or in a car with faith that you will arrive at your destination safely. You have faith in the things that you believe are true (real or not) until you learn new things that expand or correct your sphere of knowledge. How you perceive your world is your construct of reality, your Matrix so to speak. The Secret is in how your soul operates and what you focus on.

Your soul is your mind, will and emotions, as I spoke of in a previous blog post. Your soul is spiritual by nature and cannot be examined in a test tube. Test tubes are a manifestation of an idea brought forth from someones mind. Given the ingredients of what you can imagine, combined with your knowledge, force of passion and strength of will, you manifest what you are, what you have, what you will have and what you will become. Here is a truth I believe most everyone can agree with. Your attitude and perception of reality determine the choices you make each moment of every day. Those choices determine your future.

So I ask you, "What are you thinking about right now?" Are you worried about the economy? Is a Michael Jackson song playing in your head? Are you wondering where Pottsylvania is? Do you know what it means to have Jesus save your soul? Is it just about getting into heaven when you die or is there something more? Do you know your thoughts determine your focus? Do you know that your level of focus, passion and perseverance determine your success in life? Do you know there is an ongoing battle for your soul? Every day you are being bombarded with messages of do this, buy that, this is what you need to be happy and that is not. We are being psychologically conditioned to let others think for us.

What Is Your Focus?

Think about this. All that I have been saying in all of my blog posts have been meant to lay a foundation to build on a core idea that I found to have merit. It is called The Law Of Attraction expressed by the movie, The Secret. As I have also said in past blogs, there is New Age elements within the book and movie that may mislead people into thinking the universe is just a giant Genie eager to grant your wishes and that becoming completely divine is possible. It is true that God loves us and wants to bless us. It is true that becoming a yielded vessel in the Body of Christ makes you part of the divine.

The questions remain, can you handle the blessing? Like Bruce Almighty, would you use God's awesome power wisely? Are you overcoming your "stinking thinking?" (counter intentions) Are you faithful in the little things? As Ben Franklin put it,"Watch the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves." Like many who have won the lottery, will you end up worse than you were before? God does not want to give you anything that would cause your destruction. I agree with Wallace D. Wattles, author of The Science Of Getting Rich, that getting rich is the result of doing things a Certain Way. I also believe the New Testament has been speaking of the same thing for nearly 2,000 years. As Dr. Michael Beckwith stated in an audio book, we need to be as a sunbeam is to the sun. This describes the Body of Christ that the Apostle Paul spoke of in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13. We follow Christ as the Head of the Body, not Reverend Tilted. Jesus laid the foundation of that Certain Way when he said, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33 NIV

Space Truckin'

2009-06-27T01:23:00.039-05:00

"Space, the final frontier....." When I was a boy, I eagerly awaited those words each week. I became a "Trekkie" from watching the first episode debut when I was 11 years old. In school, science was my favorite subject along with mathematics. These subjects came easily and naturally for me. Science was the study of our environment and mathematics was the universal language of it.

I also had a deep love for science fiction. I was insatiable when it came to reading science fiction comic books and stories from authors like Isaac Asimov, H. G. Wells, Jules Verne, and others. Science fiction takes a scientific concept, as well as political and social ideologies, and expands on the ideas into a possible future where those ideas are fleshed out into that future's reality. In the scientific field of quantum physics, those are realities somewhere in a different dimension. If that is the case, could God exist in a different quantum dimension? Or could it be, as God puts it, we exist in Him?

Jules Verne predicted submarines and space travel. H. G. Wells wrote of time travel and a future One World Government. Star Trek gave us a vision of a United Federation Of Planets that respected religious beliefs and shunned racism. I believe, as portrayed in the movie CONTACT, the day may come when we find out that we are truly not alone in the universe. I also strongly believe that this is why mankind may be so completely diverse. We need to find ways to respect each other's beliefs and have civil dialogs rather than destroy each other. Otherwise, mankind will only find themselves spreading war throughout the universe, as in the movie ENEMY MINE.

Unfortunately, many science fiction writers, and many scientists, believed that religious faith was a superstition that needs to be eradicated from the planet. To them, we are merely biological machines, descended from apes, that live and die with no meaningful purpose other than to survive by instinct. C. S. Lewis blasted H. G. Wells for such ideas in his book entitled That Hideous Strength. The movie EXPELLED exposes the bias among the scientific community against the concept of Intelligent Design. I highly recommend reading The Dawkins Delusion by Alister McGrath. His recent book, A Fine-Tuned Universe, is also a very good read. While on his site, you can download The 2009 Gifford Lectures free of charge.

Granted, I have seen my share of flaky Christians, spurious "Winds of Doctrine," and outright weirdness during the "Charismatic Movement" of the 80's. I recall once that there was a short lived movement to forgive the Devil. My response to a bewildered friend was, "Forgiveness requires repentance on his part." I soon heard no more of it. Like the flaky people portrayed on the movie Contact, Christianity has it's share.

This reminds me of a time I spoke to a Grand Wizard of the KKK while I lived in Texas. He happened to be the uncle of a girlfriend of 30 years ago. I had no idea who he was until the next day when she told me. He asked me what I thought of black people and Jews. I told him that there was good and bad in every race. You can't just broad stroke an entire race of people for just a few bad ones. I also said, "For the most part, people are good just not perfect. That is why we all need a our Savior, Jesus Christ." This is also true of Christians and non-Christians alike. This gave him something to think about. He also asked what denominational background I was from. He had no clue what a Lutheran was, so I got to tell him the story of the Reformation.

Today, I consider myself to be a Charismatic Lutheran.

I believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I believe in unconditional agape love. I have also been accused of being an "evil," bad tempered fundamentalist by people who do not know me very well. I am just a joyful modern hermeneutic literalist. Bad tempered? Not really. I sometimes encounter people who need a wake up call as I recently did on a CommunityBeliefNet forum. Like Jesus, I'm not afraid to use a little tough love with some people as He did with the Pharisees, publicans, scribes and money changers. I just gave a couple atheists some information from Y-Jesus. com about the evidence for the real historical Jesus recently. They went into a frenzy of personal attacks against me rather than give me any substance in return. They were playing head games and I let them know directly and politely that I was aware of it. It caused such a firestorm that the "UnBeliefNet," as I now call it, blocked my site and my blogs. So much for freedom of speech! Trust me, I will not lose any sleep over it. Don't worry, be happy!

Galileo was a devote Christian whose discoveries upset the religious and scientific dogma of his day. When he published his most famous work, Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, published in 1632, he was tried by the Inquisition, found "vehemently suspect of heresy," forced to recant, and spent the rest of his life under house arrest.

In her book, A History Of God, Karen Armstrong writes, "During the ninth century, the Arabs came into contact with Greek science and philosophy, and the result was a cultural florescence which, in European terms, can be seen as a cross between the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. A team of translators, most of whom were Nestorian Christians, made Greek texts available in Arabic and did a brilliant job. Arab Muslims now studied astronomy, alchemy, medicine and mathematics with such success that, during the ninth and tenth centuries, more scientific discoveries had been achieved in the Abbasid empire than in any previous period of history. A new type of Muslim emerged, dedicated to the ideal that he called Falsafah. This is usually translated "philosophy" but has a broader richer meaning: like the French philosophes of the eighteenth century, the Faylasufs wanted to live rationally in accordance with the laws that they believed governed the cosmos, which could be discerned at every level of reality."

Like Galileo and the Faylasufs, many Christians, including myself, believe that science can only reveal God's creation and the qualities of it's Creator. "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Romans 1:20 NIV

Even now, the science of Quantum mechanics is shaking up the scientific community as the work of Galileo did in it's day. In the video series, What The Bleep Do We Know, science and religion may be speaking of the same thing in different terms. If you look at the vast universe through the Hubble telescope, you will see just how infinitely wonderful our universe is. As in the movie, Contact, without life on other planets, our universe would be just a waste of space. Yet here we are, like the Whos in Whoville living on a snowflake, listening to the bitter Grinches who say there is no God, the Flat Earth Society that says the universe revolves around us and those who say there is no life on any other planet but our own. This, to me, is the sheer ignorance of pride.

There are literally countless planets we have yet to find. I believe the day will come when our technology reaches the level of being able to detect smaller planets and possibly see lights on the dark side of one. The man who invented the technology to see other plants outside our solar system, Guillermo Gonzalez, was EXPELLED! So, will the Star Trek vision ever come to pass? I certainly hope so.

Let Love Guide Your Way

2009-05-15T23:26:00.025-05:00

The Romper Room Channel

Most truckers out there have a fond name for channel 19 on their CB radio. They call it the "Romper Room Channel." Tune in around a big truck stop at night and you will think you have entered the Twilight Zone after monitoring it for 20 minutes. It's like listening to a group of small children with adult voices ranting, joking, and saying whatever comes into their heads to be silly or just stay awake. One night in Fresno, CA comes to mind. I pulled into a truck stop and got on the CB to ask for local directions to my morning delivery. I never got the chance. Some local called The Big Ace was on his "alligator" radio walking all over the other drivers' transmissions just to stir up trouble. When he wasn't talking, the other drivers walked over themselves trying to respond to his insults. This was just the entertainment The Big Ace was looking for. All night long, every thirty seconds in the distance was a repeating message from another local calling out, "Watermelon!" One of the things I used to love to do was play a recording of the Tarzan yell every time a "CB Rambo" started slinging mud. It usually broke up the arguments with laughter.

Now and then, someone would get on the CB and try to convert those "godless truckers" with good intent, but not always with great results. I remember engaging a "Hellfire and Brimstone" preacher in Illinois who was attempting to share the Gospel on channel 19. When a tired trucker threw an insult his way, he went into a rant about how all of us where going to burn in hell. I got on the mike and said, "Hey, brother! You're not going to convert anyone talking like that. You are scaring away the customers, so to speak." He just tried to justify himself and told me I was going to hell, too! I explained who I was and merely told him that "buttonholing" people and angry ranting was counter productive to what he was trying to accomplish. This just mystified him. How could a fellow Christian not like what he was doing for Christ? I was out of range before I could convince him of the truth. I knew then that if you scared someone to salvation, they would only run to Jesus for Gehenna Fire Insurance. Salvation is not about that alone. It is about changing from within and becoming part of the Body of Christ. It's like an old truck being bought at a salvage yard and being restored to factory new or better. It's about agape love being installed as the moral compass on the dash.

Another driver in Des Moines, IA was talking to a female driver about sin over the CB one night. He quoted the Scripture out of Romans 3:10: As it is written, "There is no one righteous, not even one;" She came back with, "How can God accuse an innocent child of sin?" He had no answer. I quickly asked if I could respond to that one. They both were eager to hear what this old driver had to say. My response gave them both something to think about.

Anyone who has small children will likely tell you this. If you put two toddlers in a room full of toys, given time they will end up fighting over one toy. If you tell a child not to do something that is wrong and they get caught doing it, they will likely lie to your face. Did we teach them to lie? Most of us would say no. This is a defense mechanism children use to try and escape the consequences of their actions. These are illustrations of the sin nature within us. You might say they do not know any better. I would say, "Precisely!" Children have to be taught right from wrong like they have to be taught how to tie their shoes. They have to learn how to relate to others by the Golden Rule rather than living an entirely egocentric existence. If children don't learn positive social skills by the age of accountability, they are likely to become criminals.

Marriage Is Sacred

One reason marriage is considered a sacrament in the church is that it reveals the mystery of our relationship to God. We love our children, but that doesn't mean we always love what they do. In the same way, God does not enjoy watching us do harm to ourselves or each other. Life is a gift meant to be enjoyed by all. The reason there is evil in this world is because we allow it by our own ignorance of it. We have yet to learn how to rid ourselves of it. "The evil of the world is made possible by nothing but the sanction you give it." Ayn Rand

Most adults understand that children go through stages of development. An older sibling may say of the younger, "My little brother is stupid." An adult would know that both siblings have a lot to learn and that they are both simply at different stages in their development. We do not stop developing as human beings once we reach adulthood. The author Gail Sheehy wrote a good book that was published in 1995 called New Passages; Mapping Your Life Across Time. In it she writes, "Imagine the day you turn 45 as the infancy of another life." Human beings continue to develop in different stages until the day we die.

I Am An Old Man And I Am A Child

From a child's perspective, I am a very old man. From my mother's perspective, I am still her little boy. From God's perspective, we are all young children with a lot to learn. God is eternal and perfect. Jesus said, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:48 NIV Is that possible? I would say it depends on how teachable we are. God must know that we are all at different stages of development. The Scripture thus implies that the human soul is eternal and death is merely a doorway to another stage of life. However, in this temporal existence there is no reason why we can't get over ourselves and pursue perfection by first getting a more complete understanding of agape love. The first step toward knowledge is to know that we know very little. I especially liked what Dr. Francis Collins said at the end of the Charlie Rose show on May 13th. If the knowledge of the universe were put on the top of a table, each one of us would draw a little circle upon it representing our sphere of personal knowledge.

Like most teenagers, I thought I knew everything at that stage of my life. Had I listened to the wisdom of my elders then, I may have avoided many foolish mistakes. What I didn't know I learned the hard way by The Law Of Attraction. In simple terms, what goes around comes around. I had many times in my life asked the question, "Why me?" The answer always came down to a flaw in my "stinking thinking," as a former pastor of mine, Randy Morrison, used to say. I was in a stage that Dr. Joe Vitale and Rev. Dr. Michael Beckwith, of The Secret movie, would call Victimhood or Stage One in our mental and spiritual development.

I blamed strange circumstances or other people for my misfortunes. I even, at one point, blamed God for the worst things. How could He allow that to happen to me!?! I eventually came back around by the grace of God to realize that there was no one to blame but myself. When The Secret movie came out, I knew that this was it. The concept had never been explained in quite this way before. In church, we were taught that if you prayed and believed for something and it didn't come to pass, you didn't have enough faith. There is more to it than that. In our subconscious minds, we often have counter productive ideas that prevent us from the life we desire. They are called counter intentions.

Dr. Vitale recently admitted that The Secret movie was mainly designed to introduce the concept of The Law Of Attraction as Stage Two or Empowerment. In his interview with Mark Joyner online, he went on to explain Stage Three and Four. This interview addressed some of the problems I did have with the movie in an eloquent way. I would encourage everyone to see this interview before it's gone. You may also sign up for a free newsletter at Simpleology.com.

What is truth?

2009-05-03T19:53:00.021-05:00

“Pontius Pilatus, Prefect of Judea, has dedicated to the people of Caesarea a temple in honor of Tiberius.”

The famous question asked by Pontius Pilate nearly 2000 years ago, "What is truth?" John 18:38 NIV I find it most ironic that he was asking the question in a cynical manner to the very person who said, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life." John 14:6 NIV

Pilate was a Roman governor. His world view was a Roman one. His gods and culture were entirely Roman down to worshipping Tiberius Caesar as a god man. His perception of truth did not allow him to see the personification of truth standing right in front of him. Even so, God had warned Pilate by a message he had received from his wife. The message was, "Don't have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him." Matthew 27:19 NIV I have always found that, as thick as a brick we may be at times, God always finds a way to speak to us when we are not listening.

Perception

As an example of perceptions in different subcultures within the USA, I will share a simple little tradition practised in the South that could get you in trouble elsewhere. In the South, they have a groovy little thing going on between men and women. Walk into a truck stop restaurant in Dallas, the waitress may greet you saying, "Hey, sugar! What can I get you today?" A typical trucker would likely respond, "I'll have a cup of high octane Joe and a menu, honey." To them, calling each other baby, sugar, honey, sweetie, handsome, gorgeous, and such is a lighthearted way to convey terms of endearment with the intention of making the other person feel good about themselves. Order that way in a restaurant in Minnesota, you will likely get an iron skillet thrown at you or a long and nasty dissertation on how they "ain't your honey!" I find the sheer hatefulness of it to be ugly and repulsive. The point of this comes down to our individual presuppositions of truth and what we tend to project on other people.

Some of the best conversations I have ever had in my lifetime were with a few individuals who understood Dale Carnegie's philosophy of attitude and social skills. This philosophy also fits in with the active listening skills I was taught as a crisis phone counselor. Ask open ended questions in a humble and passive manner to get the other person to explain more about themselves or their beliefs. Most people love to talk about themselves. Use the other person's name frequently in the conversation. Most people love to hear their names. It's like music to their ears. Don't push your beliefs on others. Share your beliefs when the opportunity arises.

5 Blind Men

While I was attending college in Superior, Wisconsin, I had to take a required course in psychology toward my degree. I had a great teacher who actually admired independent thinkers like me. I often challenged the presuppositions of Freud, Kant, Kierkegaard and others. One of my sources was Chapter 6 of a book by Hal Lindsey called, Satan Is Alive And Well On The Planet Earth. She once explained that the science of the human mind, in the fields of philosophy, psychiatry and psychology, were like 5 blind men trying to describe an elephant. One found the elephant's trunk and described it as a hose. One grabbed the elephant's ear and described it as a floppy piece of leather. Another reached up and felt the animal's side. He described it as a wall. One wrapped his arms around the elephant's leg and described it as a tree trunk. The last blind man found the tail and described it as a rope. She also once asked the entire class a question I thought was revealing of most people. The question was, "If you had the chance to steal 10 million dollars without anyone knowing about it, would you do it?" I was the only one in class that didn't raise my hand to say I would. She asked me why I would not. My simple answer was, "Because God would know about it and so would I." I know myself well enough to know that my conscience would bother me with every dollar I spent.

One of the Ten Commandments is you shall not steal. I see the many warnings against sin as God telling His children, as a loving Father would, not to touch a hot stove. To engage in sin will get you burned. Now a lot of people think of God as being somewhere "out there" in heaven waiting to throw lightning bolts at sinners. This is a false presumption. Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is within you." Luke 17:21b NIV This is why The Secret movie had such an impact on me. It gave me a fresh look at the human condition. The struggle between good and evil is within us. One of the most definitive books I have in my collection on the subject is Telling Yourself The Truth by Dr. William Backus. Another great book I gave to a friend is The Battle In Your Mind by Joyce Meyer.

I would say that the history of Christian theology is much like the 5 blind men describing an elephant. The Bible remains the number one selling book in the world. The interpretation of it is as diverse as the individual who reads it. I think it's safe to say that the American church has little concept of it's ancient Jewish cultural roots. Concepts and traditions like apocatastasis (Revelation 21-22)and baptism for the dead (1 Corinthians 15:29) are unheard of. Again, it comes down to the readers perception and world view.

The Moral Compass

I had read Bible passages in Sunday school as a child. As I grew older, Bible stories seemed conflicting and nonsensical to me. After my encounter with God, I was left with His love within me by His Spirit. There are different Greek words for love. Caritas (agape) love is best described in 1 Corinthians 13: 1-13 NIV. It is an unconditional love which all of us have yet to fully comprehend. This is the essence of the Trinity. It is the inspiration of the Word written. To understand the Bible is to first look at Scripture through the eyes of Caritas love. It is the ultimate goal we are all reaching for, whether we know it or not. If people do not know right from wrong, how can they do right? Understanding God's love is the "magnetic" pole of a moral compass. Note what Jesus says, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:37-40 NIV

World Poverty

2009-04-26T23:57:00.029-05:00

My Purpose

My blog is an attempt to bring people together from all walks of life. I would encourage you to follow my blog and find what insight you can receive from it. Click around on this site for interesting opportunities and information.

The Church of Division

For those of you who are easily offended, the following levity is not meant to make fun of anyone. It is intended to merely make a point.

CHANGING A LIGHT BULB...THE CHRISTIAN WAY

How many Christians does it take to change a light bulb?

Charismatic: Only 1
Hands are already in the air.

Pentecostal: 10
One to change the bulb, and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness.

Presbyterians: None
Lights will go on and off at predestined times.

Roman Catholic: None
Candles only.

Baptists: At least 15.
One to change the light bulb, and three committees to approve the change and decide who brings the potato salad and fried chicken.

Episcopalians: 3
One to call the electrician, one to mix the drinks and one to talk about how much better the old one was.

Mormons: 5
One man to change the bulb, and four wives to tell him how to do it.

Unitarians:
We choose not to make a statement either in favor of or against the need for a light bulb. However, if in your own journey you have found that light bulbs work for you, you are invited to write a poem or compose a modern dance about your light bulb for the next Sunday service, in which we will explore a number of light bulb traditions, including incandescent, fluorescent, 3-way, long-life and tinted, all of which are equally valid paths to luminescence.

Methodists: Undetermined
Whether your light is bright, dull, or completely out, you are loved. You can be a light bulb, turnip bulb, or tulip bulb. Bring a bulb of your choice to the Sunday lighting service and a covered dish to pass.

Nazarene: 6
One woman to replace the bulb while five men review church lighting policy.

Lutherans: None
Lutherans don't believe in change..

Amish:
What's a light bulb?

My Walk With God
After my encounter with God, I rented a little one bedroom house in Ukiah, California. One of my first questions was, "What church should I attend?" One Sunday morning, I donned my "Sunday best" clothes, which comprised of a pair of worn blue jeans complete with holes, my Air Force fatigue shirt without the stripes, and my "spit shined" combat boots. I must have looked like a train wreck with my face still bandaged from my car accident. I then proceeded to wander the Ukiah neighborhoods and found a gleaming white Assembly of God church on a hill.

Something within me, a knowing feeling beyond words, drew me to the front steps. I was cheerfully greeted by a small group of people, among whom was the head nurse from the hospital who had given me the wonderful Bible in my hands. She immediately became ecstatic that I would walk in the door of her church. She and her caroling sisters in Christ had never told me where they attended worship services. They had been praying for me and God gave them a sign that their prayers were being heard. It's one of the great things I love about God. He answers our prayers and gives us signs to encourage more prayer. I later moved to Texas and found new churches to study the Gospels, have fellowship, and continue to spiritually grow.

Now at that time, in Ukiah, I was reading my King James Bible and having difficulty understanding the concepts of certain passages. It was written in the time of Shakespeare and frankly difficult for a motor head like me. I literally had my arguments with God. "This can't be true!" "What's up with King David?" "Man, this is too much with the "burning bush" thing." Now one thing I can say about God, "He has a sense of humor like no other." Like a Shakespearean play, my daily life became the stage and I was a mere player. He showed me how His Word was true in real life. I eventually quit arguing with Him and started laughing with Him.

Since those days, I have studied under the teachings of many different denominations. In my travels, I have met people for the first time and felt as if I knew them all my life, only to find that they were part of the Body of Christ. They were of different denominational backgrounds, but had a real personal relationship with our Lord. It was God's Holy Spirit that connected us.

What this comes down to is the difference between knowing someone by reading about them or actually walking with them in life. God is as close to us as our breath and no more than a prayer away from understanding. I was once asked, "How can we know God when we can't see Him?" I answered, "Can you see the air in front of you? There are other ways to know it's there. Answered prayer and feeling His loving Presence in worship are some of the ways we know God is there." Can you put thoughts in a test tube? They exist in the spirit realm yet we all have them. Everything we make started as an idea.

Out of all religions in the world, Christianity is unique in that it is God reaching out to man and giving us individual access to Him through His only begotten Son, Jesus, and assurance of salvation. It is a relationship with the Creator of the universe, not a ritualized religion. Men make religion an institution. You need not be perfect to come to Jesus. You need not check in your brain to have faith. You have faith in the chair you sit in with the knowledge it will hold you up. I have found, through the process of renewing my mind, that the knowledge of the principles contained in the Bible hold me up. "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge." Hosea 4:6a NIV. Some of the greatest intellects of history were Christian. One of the greatest minds of our time is Allister McGrath. I would encourage you to read his story. The 2009 Gifford lectures can be downloaded for free.

A History Of God

All over the world, Christians have done marvelous things from building schools, hospitals, various organizations to help those in need and sponsoring missionary ventures. I applaud that. What makes Christianity a mockery in the world is our penchant to strain gnats while swallowing camels. We bicker among ourselves over vain arguments. We are stuck in revelations of the past and refuse to receive new revelations from God. We live like the world in its self destructive discord. We have forgotten the most profound and simple instruction to love one another. Love is a positive energy that attracts people. Discord is a negative energy that repels.

Because I am speaking to a worldwide audience, I will be speaking on levels that many may understand. I will use metaphysical terms and analogies from parables to pop culture. It is merely my hope that you will be able to get something out of my blog that will add to your knowledge. Gaining wisdom should go with it. "For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul." Proverbs 2:10 NIV. Wisdom, in simple terms, is the ability to use knowledge in a constructive manner.

In my personal library, one of my favorite books is A History Of God, The 4,000 Year Quest Of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam by Karen Armstrong. It gives detailed and objective documentation of the 3 major religions in the world that claim to worship the same God. Each of these religions is divided into denominations, or sects, and I am ashamed that we are at war with each other, rather than serving the God of Peace.

After reading through her fascinating book, her last lines were this, "Human beings cannot endure emptiness and desolation; they will fill the vacuum by creating a new focus of meaning. The idols of fundamentalism are not good substitutes for God; if we are to create a vibrant new faith for the twenty-first century, we should, perhaps, ponder the history of God for some lessons and warnings."

One of the new revelations I have found is The Secret. If you interchange the word universe with God, you may get the point. God created the universe and His life is in it. Science has discovered that the universe is more life friendly than they previously thought.

The Laws of Attraction are scientific principles and theories, as was once the Law of Gravity. The Law of Attraction does have New Age elements, along with Biblical principles. The Apostle Paul wrote, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of god, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable---if anything is excellent or praiseworthy---think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me---put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:9 NIV

This does not mean that I am entirely sold out to everything that was conveyed in The Secret movie. There are some subtle, but important, differences which I will get into later. Since science cannot put God in a test tube, much less a thought, there is going to be controversy among scientists, as there now is over the debate of Intelligent Design. The documentary, Expelled, with Ben Stein sheds light on the controversy. The outcry against the documentary reveals the bias within the scientific community, like a brick falling on their toes. It comes down to the scientific evidence being interpreted from the observer's world view. I will also get into the psychology of perception later on.

For those Jim Morrison fans out there, the word petition came from the King James version and referred to how you presented a request before a king who could decide to bless you or lop your head off. We should approach God in similar fashion and rejoice in the fact that He is loving and patient with us. We are mainly our own individual judge, jury, and executioner as described by John 3:16. My next blog will cover some things I learned from crisis counseling.

The Optimist's Creed

2009-04-23T09:22:00.067-05:00

To be so strong that nothing can disturb my peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person I meet.
To make all my friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make my optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best
and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of
others as I am about my own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the
greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile
to every living creature I meet.
To give so much time to improving myself that I
have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of myself and to proclaim this fact to the world,
not in loud word, but in great deeds.
To live in the faith that the whole world is on my side,
so long as I am true to the best that is in me.

By Christian D. Larson

In my opinion, every schoolchild should be taught this along with one of my favorite books, How Win Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie. His life is one of the great American rags to riches stories. Here is some background on Dale Carnegie from Wikipedia.

Dale Breckenridge Carnegie (originally Carnagey until 1922 and possibly somewhat later) (November 24, 1888 – November 1, 1955) was an American writer and lecturer and the developer of famous courses in self-improvement, salesmanship, corporate training, public speaking and interpersonal skills. Born in poverty on a farm in Missouri, he was the author of How to Win Friends and Influence People, first published in 1936, a massive bestseller that remains popular today. He also wrote a biography of Abraham Lincoln, titled Lincoln the Unknown, as well as several other books.
Carnegie was an early proponent of what is now called responsibility assumption, although this only appears minutely in his written work.[citation needed] One of the core ideas in his books is that it is possible to change other people's behavior by changing one's reaction to them.

Biography

Born in 1888 in Maryville, Missouri, Carnegie was a poor farmer's boy, the second son of James William Carnagey (b. Indiana, February 1852 – living 1910) and wife Amanda Elizabeth Harbison (b. Missouri, February 1858 – living 1910). [1] In his teens, though still having to get up at 4 a.m. every day to milk his parents' cows, he managed to get educated at the State Teacher's College in Warrensburg. His first job after college was selling correspondence courses to ranchers; then he moved on to selling bacon, soap and lard for Armour & Company. He was successful to the point of making his sales territory of South Omaha, Nebraska the national leader for the firm.[2]

After saving $500, Carnegie quit sales in 1911 in order to pursue a lifelong dream of becoming a Chautauqua lecturer. He ended up instead attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, but found little success as an actor, though it is written that he played the role of Dr. Hartley in a road show of Polly of the Circus.[citation needed] When the production ended, he returned to New York, unemployed, nearly broke, and living at the YMCA on 125th Street. It was there that he got the idea to teach public speaking, and he persuaded the "Y" manager to allow him to instruct a class in return for 80% of the net proceeds. In his first session, he had run out of material; improvising, he suggested that students speak about "something that made them angry", and discovered that the technique made speakers unafraid to address a public audience. [3] From this 1912 debut, the Dale Carnegie Course evolved. Carnegie had tapped into the average American's desire to have more self-confidence, and by 1914, he was earning $500 - the equivalent of nearly $10,000 now - every week.

Perhaps one of Carnegie’s most successful marketing moves was to change the spelling of his last name from “Carnagey” to Carnegie, at a time when Andrew Carnegie (unrelated) was a widely revered and recognized name. By 1916, Dale was able to rent Carnegie Hall itself for a lecture to a packed house. [4]. Carnegie's first collection of his writings was Public Speaking: a Practical Course for Business Men (1926), later entitled Public Speaking and Influencing Men in Business (1932). His crowning achievement, however, was when Simon & Schuster published How to Win Friends and Influence People. The book was a bestseller from its debut in 1937, in its 17th printing within a few months. [5]. By the time of Carnegie's death, the book had sold five million copies in 31 languages, and there had been 450,000 graduates of his Dale Carnegie Institute [6] It has been stated in the book that he had critiqued over 150,000 speeches in his participation of the adult education movement of the time.

My Biography

I was born in Gainesville, Texas and raised in South Saint Paul, Minnesota from the age of 2 years old by my divorced mother. I went to public school and was confirmed in a conservative Lutheran church. Growing up as a "Latch Key" kid, I often got into trouble because I lacked a good father figure. I was so independent minded, I quit high school and joined the Air Force at the age of 17 just to be on my own. I was such "Hell on Wheels" so to speak, as trouble seemed to follow me.

While I was stationed at Travis AFB, in Fairfield, California, I witnessed John McCain and other POW's returning home. I also heard some of the strangest stories of combat overseas from other soldiers returning stateside. While working in the motor pool, I took pilots to and from their planes and equipment to the mechanics on the flight line. For many weeks, I noticed planes would come in from Guam, then "sniffer" dogs were sent through the barracks on base and drugs would be plentiful on the streets the next day. One afternoon, a pilot in my van said to another that his plane was so loaded with contraband he barely got off the ground in Guam. He mentioned something about Air America using company planes instead of his. I naively reported this to my supervisor in the motor pool. Two days later, my supervisor sent me out in a good ole California tule fog to send a high priority mechanical unit to the SAC mechanics on the other side of the runway. I believe he knew that a plane was scheduled for a landing at that time. What he did not know was that a three star general was on board that plane. Being unable to see beyond two feet in front of me, I crossed the runway in the wrong place at the wrong time. My blinking yellow safety light alerted the incoming pilot at the last moment and he aborted the landing. I was arrested and jailed when I reached the other side of the runway. While spending time in jail, I was offered a job running drugs for the Mafia by a fellow detainee. I flatly refused knowing how ruthless the mob is. Given my statements during a military inquiry, I was later offered a 39-12 general discharge and told never to set foot near a military base again.

I then moved to Willits, Cailfornia where I lived from 1973 to 1977 with a brief stay in Portland, Oregon in 1976. While in Willits, I got married and worked in a lumber mill as a sawyer. In 1975, I walked in the door, took my GED test, and passed with flying colors. I later moved back to Gainesville, Texas in 1977 and stayed through 1980 to get to know family members. My Dad introduced me to the wonderful world of trucking then. He said it was like being on a paid vacation. Then I moved to Superior, Wisconsin to study solar energy with aspirations of continuing my education in the field of architecture at the U of M in Minneapolis. One of the things I learned was the Laws of thermodynamics. While going to school in Superior, I got involved with WNCB in Duluth, Minnesota and volunteered one night a week as a DJ. I moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1983 to pursue a career in broadcasting. I did some volunteer work for the local crisis counseling center and drove a cab. The rest you can see in my profile.

My Testimony

With my marriage failed and my job gone in Willits, I nearly died in a car wreck because a friend tried to drive me home from a stoner's Christmas party. I guess, at the time, you could have called me a neo hippie, motor head, good time Rock and Roll party animal, agnostic refugee from reality. In Ukiah, California, on Christmas eve, I broke down and wept. Laying in a hospital room looking like road kill, I had never felt so lost and alone. Some Christmas carolers had noticed me sobbing like a baby and thought I was in great pain. I can tell you the pain in my body was trivial compared to the torrent of hell in my soul.

A team of nurses soon came rushing in to see what was wrong. When the head nurse found that my discomfort was a spiritual matter, she told everyone to leave the room and proceeded to calm me down with her gentle bedside manner. She then left the room and informed the Christmas carolers that I was alright and just needed some TLC. To my absolute amazement, a woman and her two daughters came back with some gifts that they had purchased from the hospital gift shop. They started telling me about Jesus and His love. I could feel it emanating from them like the warmth of a fireplace on a cold Minnesota night. When they left, the head nurse came back with some books as a gift. They were paperback copies of Ben Hur and The Robe, along with a beautiful leather bound King James Bible. She told me more about the love of Jesus and then let me rest for the night.

The next morning, I woke up to look outside and see a most beautiful California sunrise. I was deeply moved by the love that was shown to me by people I had never met before in my life. I reached over and picked up the King James Bible. I caressed it's leather bound cover and marveled at how good it felt in my hands. I opened it up at random and immediately was drawn to the Beatitudes in the Book of Matthew. After reading the passages, I again felt the swell of emotions in my soul along with a powerfully strong presence of love in the room. I started to weep and asked God to forgive me of all the stupid things I have done in my life. I then asked God to make Himself more real to me and teach me His ways. Then the transformation took place.

I could feel His power coursing through my body like a pianist's hands flowing back and forth over a keyboard. Wave after wave melting away my pain and inner sorrow, I could feel my spirit being energized and freed of all burdens. Thus began my new life. I'm not saying that I became a perfect being from that point. I have had my trials and tribulations since then. I have danced my two steps forward and one step back over the years. They have only been a part of my spiritual strengthening like the old adage, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. There is one thing I cannot deny to this day. If it were not for my experiencing what I went through, facing death and encountering God, I would likely be dead, imprisoned, or a burnout like many of my stoner friends of the past are now today. Time after time, my experiences have taught me the truth of the old Proverb, "As a man thinketh, so is he."

Today

I am now 54 years old and have at least 50 years of stories to tell. I moved to southwestern Minnesota in 2002 to escape the rat race and start writing in a peaceful environment. I love it here because the people are friendly, the crime rate is very low, the air is clean and the nearby lakes are great for fishing. Like Dale Carnegie, I have never stopped seeking ways to improve myself. I now have an extensive and growing personal library. With my computer, I am now researching historical events and how people got through hard times in the past. I have also discovered things that have brought us to this place in time. I strongly feel that this nation is on the threshold of a renewal or rebirth as we have never seen before. Like the Doc said in Back To The Future 3, "Your future hasn't been written yet, so make it a good one!"

Growing Up

South Saint Paul, Minnesota was a very distinct immigrant town. Lovingly called “Cow Town,” it was the home of the second largest stockyards in the world, only outdone by Chicago at the time. It was home to thousands of bull haulers, meat packers, office workers, and their kids. Aside from the neighborhood bullies, people watched each other’s backs. There was a sense of each individual being an observer of life from a different perspective and a valued part of the community; the more diverse, the better. No matter what background we were from, we rejoiced in the fact that we were Americans.

I remember the days when we had prayer in school. We proudly recited the pledge of allegiance to our flag. The 10 Commandments (which the laws of the land were based on) hung on the wall of every classroom. Trust me, it did not kill us or warp our minds. Each day, a different pastor in our community came in and recited a little prayer for us. Those were the days when society did not just tolerate religion, they respected other people’s beliefs, whether they agreed with them or not. Even many atheists embraced the Bible as literature that marked the beginning of the age of reason. Those were also the days when chewing gum and running in the halls were the top student offenses. I can safely say the 60’s changed all that. Some for good. Much for worse. I will get into the reasons I say this later on.

Making Pain Our Gain

For, now I want to focus on one thing. We are a bitterly fractured society, lost in it’s own cacophony of political spin and outright propaganda. Most American’s are deeply in debt and one or two paychecks away from being homeless. We no longer value each other as fellow American citizens. Our political parties are a reflection of us. The Democrats tax and spend. The Republicans borrow and spend. Neither side is listening to the other.

Here’s a quote from Joe Lieberman’s speech at the GOP Convention in Minneapolis in 2008.

“Every day, across our country, millions of our fellow citizens are facing huge problems. They are worried about their homes, their jobs, and their businesses; they are worried about the outrageous cost of gas and of health insurance; and they are worried about the threats from our enemies abroad. But when they look to Washington, all too often they do not see their leaders coming together to tackle these problems. Instead they see Democrats and Republicans fighting each other, rather than fighting for the American people. Our founding fathers foresaw the danger of this kind of senseless partisanship. George Washington himself -- in his Farewell Address to our country -- warned that the "spirit of party" is "the worst enemy" of our democracy and "enfeebles" our government’s ability to do its job. George Washington was absolutely right. The sad truth is -- today we are living through his worst nightmare, in the capital city that bears his name.” Senator Joe Lieberman (I) CT September 02, 2008

I remember the Jimmy Carter years well. I have dusted off my 30 year old misery index and find that, right now, it’s not as bad as it was then. I rejoice in that. I remember when Ronald Reagan was elected, how optimism alone boosted the stock market before any legislation was passed. “It was morning in America!”

My point is this. If we start reading the Optimist’s Creed and putting it into practice, our attitudes will change our lives for the better. If we put Dale Carnegie’s principles into action, we actually might begin to respectfully listen to each other. If we put Biblical financial wisdom to work, we might actually have more money. If we pressure Congress to pass The Fair Tax Plan, the slavery of our currently imbalanced system will end.

2009-04-22T00:39:00.018-05:00

What is it that defines

American culture?

To best describe it, I will borrow the definition from Wikipedia.

I like Wikipedia because you can click on the highlighted words and dig deeper into a subject.

The American Dream (The Dream) is a phrase referring to the freedom that allows all citizens and all residents of the United States to pursue their goals in life through hard work and free choice (see Immigration to the United States).

The phrase's meaning has evolved over the course of American history. The Founding Fathers used the phrase, "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." The American Dream often refers to the opportunity for immigrants to achieve greater material prosperity than was possible in their countries of origin. America has been viewed as a land in which one's prospects in life are defined by one's talents and energy rather than by one's family wealth or political connections. This hope includes the opportunity for one's children to grow up and receive an education and its consequent career opportunities. It is the opportunity to make individual choices without the restrictions of class, caste, religion, race, or ethnic group.

The United States was founded as a great social experiment to prove that a free people could govern themselves by Rule of Law rather than a monarchy, theocracy (Pope), or totalitarian dictatorship. These rights were established from a Judeo-Christian worldview that our rights were given by a higher power than man, our benevolent Creator, and cannot be taken away.

In the last 15 years, I have traveled the lower 48 states driving trucks and delivering freight to hundreds of cities. I have had interesting conversations with people from all walks of life. As a former Love Lines/700 Club crisis phone counselor, I have had deep conversations with anonymous individuals concerning their personal problems. I have found some things to be true of the human condition. Most people, whether believers or not, share common values based on their beliefs of life, love, truth, and the greater good of humanity. I have also found that, though every individual is unique with their own special talents and abilities, people also can be trapped into self-destructive cycles that Christians would call "The Seven Deadly Sins."

The seven deadly sins, also known as the capital vices or cardinal sins, are a classification of the most objectionable vices that were originally used in early Christian teachings to educate and instruct followers concerning (immoral) fallen man's tendency to sin. They are: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride. The Catholic Church divided sin into two principal categories: "venial", which are relatively minor, and could be forgiven through any sacramentals or sacraments of the church, and the more severe "capital" or mortal sin. Mortal sins destroyed the life of grace, and created the threat of eternal damnation unless either absolved through the sacrament of confession, or forgiven through perfect contrition on the part of the penitent. Beginning in the early 14th century, the popularity of the seven deadly sins as a theme among European artists of the time eventually helped to ingrain them in many areas of Christian culture and Christian consciousness in general throughout the world. There is nowhere in the Christian Bible that a specific list of the Seven Deadly Sins is given, although lists of virtues contrasted with lists of sins are found in certain books of the New Testament, such as the Epistle to the Galatians.

Now whether you consider yourself to be spiritual or not, just reading the daily news is enough to frighten any sane person. I remember reading a syndicated cartoon called Pogo years ago. Pogo made a profound little statement, “I have seen the enemy and he is us.” What can possibly save us from ourselves? The answer is you! The only true change that will come to our society and the human race as a whole is the change we make within ourselves.

Almost everyone has asked these questions. Who am I? Why am I here? How can I change? From a Christian perspective, you are a spirit, you have a soul, and you live in a body. A trinity so to speak. You could say that your spirit is made of the energies of life, love, and light. Your soul is your mind, will, and emotions. Your body is made of flesh, blood, and bone. Other eastern religions would say that you are a luminous being. Even now, science is just beginning to acknowledge and study the human aura, white noise, and a field of energy in the universe that actually responds to human thought and emotions. Last year, I watched a movie called The Secret. Though I find some New Age elements in their presentation, over all it is based on sound principle from a psychological standpoint. From a Biblical perspective, it is right out of Galatians 6:7 that says, "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows."