tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32477329068605862192024-03-13T17:13:03.850-06:00Political PastorA weekly blog about my take on the political happenings around New Mexico, the U.S., and the worldPolitcalPastorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01011986285925864495noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247732906860586219.post-57513413093139180042013-10-30T11:55:00.002-06:002013-11-01T10:46:54.424-06:00OLD SCHOOL CHURCH vs RELEVANT CHURCH<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here's the reality, I love to argue with people. I'm grown and I can admit it. There is a huge clamor and discourse over the way that a church presents the gospel. It seems that there are some people who want the church of their youth, people who want the church of their parents youth, or people who want church to be relevant. Here's my caveat: however the gospel is presented, you don't CHANGE the gospel. The bible is the Word of God. You don't break God's commandments; you break yourself against God's commandments. We're not talking about churches who want to twist scripture to fit their political, ideological, or theological goals. We're not talking about churches who want to fit a pop-culture cookie cutter and don't talk about things that are taboo in today's PC environment. Even though the last scriptures were written nearly 2000 years ago, it is relevant for us today. So here's my argument...<br />
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#1 THE CHURCH IS 2000 YEARS OLD<br />
I laugh at people who think that newer music isn't as holy as some of the old hymns. They act like Peter, James, and John were singing these songs with Jesus. Ahem... Amazing Grace (1779), It Is Well (1871), Great Is Thy Faithfulness (1923), Jesus Paid It All (1865), Come Thou Fount (1757), etc... are some of the greats sung in many churches every Sunday. Shoot, we sing these same songs and I love them! What these songs do is bring us to a place of remembrance. That we can reflect back to when we were first saved, going through a tough time, or being delivered from something. These songs were a part of our anthem to God in good and bad times. They inspire emotion in our praise and worship because of these things. Can you imagine being in these congregations when these songs were first being presented? I'm sure they were met with some of the same resistance that some of our congregations meet new songs. The older crowd said, "Why can't we just sing the good old songs?" or "I just can't get into these new songs, I don't know the words!". It's silly to think about, but you know it's true. You know it's true, because you've probably found yourself saying this or heard someone saying this. These songs are great, but so is Hillsong. In fact, there are more talented people in the church today than ever before. The last thing we want to do is to stifle the creativity of the young to satisfy the old. We've been alienating the talented for too many years. I could tell you 20+ stories about current secular artists who were driven out of the church because they didn't fit the mold. But this is just the music and this argument is about a lot more than just the music.<br />
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#2 I DON'T HEAR ANYONE CLAMORING FOR THIS:<br />
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If you really want old school church, here it is. This was the church for hundreds of years. We don't want this because we would be so far out of culture that we would have no traction in people's lives. For some reason, in the last 20-30 years the church has settled to be nearly relevant. Like a fanny pack or flannel shirt wrapped around the waist. Cool for a time, yet the church is still doing it and expecting results. Jesus called us to be IN the world, but not OF the world. The difference is a heart issue, not a external one. <br />
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#3 BEST CULTURAL SHIFT EVER<br />
I am so happy that as a culture, we've begun to shift away from the super dressed up style that sprung into popularity in the 1800's. The fact that many, if not most, workplaces accept jeans as an appropriate dress code. This movement really began 20 years ago and I'm thankful. The reality of today is that now many people, unless they work at a bank or a church, don't have but one or two suits. One of the greatest fears of a visitor to a church is that they'll be under-dressed. Isn't that funny? People are unwilling to attend church because of a fear that they'll be ridiculed because of their lack of "Sunday best". This is the culture that many churches have created. We forget that for hundreds of years the church was conducted in the homes of people. That you came as you were. Only once the Romans romanticized church and brought in many of their pagan rituals did it become an event to dress up for. Much like our red carpets of today they would show of their wealth, their duds, their Sunday best. It was a social event. Church was never intended to be a red carpet, nor was it intended to be a social event. It is a time for true worshippers to worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). It is a time for us to gather and get our marching orders. A time for our status quo to be challenged, and for new convictions to be instilled. The reality that the temple isn't where we meet, but it is our bodies. It's not even the dressings that we put over our bodies. <br />
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#4 I JUST DON'T LIKE THE DIRECTION THE CHURCH IS HEADED...<br />
The best thing about churches today is it's kind of like 31 flavors. For the most part, everyone's teaching sound doctrine, (again, we're not talking about those who are compromising the scripture for relevance or hate) it's just that everyone's got their own vision and version. Some have praise and worship with lights and haze singing the latest Hillsong CD, others sing Come Thou Fount under fluorescents with an organ, others still don't even use instrumentation at all. Some preach messages targeted at unbelievers, some at the new believer, some at the life-long Christian. Some churches focus on building the believer and others focus on making new ones. You've got to find the church that you can buy in to their vision and version. It's out there, I promise! Little Clovis has over 80 churches, so I 'm sure there's a church out there for you. <br />
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#5 WHERE WE'RE HEADED<br />
This church decided over 23 years ago to reach people. Black people, Hispanic people, Anglo's, and mix breeds like me. We decided to be an inclusive church; to include every race, creed, age group, and economic status. Whether they wore clothes from Goodwill or a high end shop they were welcome. We made a choice to not just be multi-cultural but also multi-generational; to celebrate and incorporate the older generation. We didn't want to be a church that said, "It's us four and no more", but a church that wanted to reach the community at large. We refused to be a church that sang songs about the Great Commission, spoke messages about the Great Commission, yet when push came to shove we never accepted those with a pre-existing condition. We weren't going to be the church that traded church members like playing cards only to have the rest of the city go to hell. 90% of those over the age of 55 are either in a church already, or made a decision never to attend church again. At FCFC 3 out of every 4 visitors is under the age of 32. 75% of the people who are stepping foot in our building for the first time are looking for a church that fits them. They listen to Jay-Z and Katy Perry. They like romantic comedies and action thrillers. They read Cosmo, watch SportsCenter, and if they're smart a little Duck Dynasty too. They're looking for an expression of church that matches what they're watching and listening to. Do we sing hymns? YES! Usually not the way they were done in 1751, but we sing them. Are we seeker sensitive? If you ask that question, you've never sat in our seats and listened to David Swann preach. We hit the issues, we talk about the tough topics, but the difference between us and most, WE LOVE SINNERS. How are they going to change if they don't know they're wrong? How will they know if they don't hear it from us? (Romans 10) Who will step up and help to change the tide of this generation? We'll answer the bell and I hope you'll join us. It's going to take all of us. So who wins in the debate between Old School and Relevant? Both. Simply because too many "relevant" churches have reached the lost while failing to build the believer. Because too many "old school" churches have built up the body of the believer without creating new ones. The best church is one that can save people from their sin <em>and</em> build disciples. If that church is old school or relevant isn't the real question we should be asking ourselves. It's just one of the 31 flavors. <strong>THE REAL QUESTION IS ARE THEY REACHING <em>AND </em>DISCIPLING???</strong></div>
PolitcalPastorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01011986285925864495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247732906860586219.post-46833282223448251372013-05-24T00:39:00.001-06:002013-05-24T11:44:12.370-06:00WHAT KIND OF LIFE DO YOU WANT TO LIVE?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">What does a successful life look
like to you? I’m going to have you do a quick exercise, but here are some
questions to ask yourself prior to starting: Is success a place or an object? Objects
are okay to want, but if you base your success on these kinds of things there
can be problems. The saying goes, “The end justifies the means”, and what are
you willing to do to get the stuff you want? As Christians, our dreams should
be about things that will take a faithful life to achieve. Do you want things
that could hamper or kill your growth? This is a second problem with having
objects in our dreams. Once you achieve the object, what’s the point of
perseverance, hard work, or dedication to the team? Your goal should be a
championship, not a scoring title. In 60 seconds write down all the things you
can about your dreams for your life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I listed mine in order:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">-A life with God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> I don’t want
to know about God, I want to KNOW God. Jesus didn’t die for us to achieve a
ticket into Heaven. He died so we could have a relationship with the Creator.
We were reconciled back into a relationship like what Adam and Eve experienced.
They walked and talked with the Almighty. Heaven is a byproduct of our
relationship with God, it’s not the goal. If heaven is the goal, how terrible will eternity be? You've reached the goal, now you have to stay stagnant for ETERNITY. Relationship with God is the goal. Revelation 3 tells us that he reveals a new side to himself every day in heaven and the angels cry out Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty who was, and is, and is to come. That's what should drive us, not a fear of an eternity spent in hell. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">-A life with my family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> I want my wife
to love me more when we’re 100 and wrinkled then she did the day we got
married. I want to fill my kids’ minds with so many positive memories that they
would have trouble picking which ones would make their top 1000. I want my
family to know that they come before any other human being on this planet</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">-A life worth living (making an impact with and on people).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> I want to live
life with people. I want to know that my life meant something. If your goals
are to retire on some island away from everyone else, you’re missing out. When
you invest in people you always get your money’s worth. The return on
investment is always worth the risk. I’ve found that when you challenge and
empower people, they become something truly special, the greatest version of
themselves. John Maxwell always says, “If you help people accomplish their
dreams, they’ll help you accomplish yours.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">-A life where I’m challenged spiritually and personally.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> I’m an
athlete, and I love to push. I love to push the boundaries of my body and my
prayer life. I want people to remember me for walking the walk. You can’t
challenge others to be great without pushing yourself to the limits too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Our needs can be boiled down to
these things: Intimacy with God, feeling loved by someone who knows everything
about us, belonging to a group, finding your purpose in life, and being significant in
this world. As a young adult, these years of our life are our foundational
years. Now is when we determine whether or not we'll achieve these things or the
extent to which we achieve them. One of the most common questions I get as a young
adults Pastor is, “How do I get where I want to go?” “How do I know it’s where
God wants me to go?” I always respond to these questions by asking them, who is
influencing you? Rick Burke always used to say this to us in 180, “If God wants
to do something in your life, He’ll put a person in your life. If the devil
wants to do something in your life, he’ll put a person in your life.” Psalms
32:8 (NLT)-The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your
life. I will advise you and watch over you. Are you seeking God for the answer
to these questions? Is he the #1 influencer of your life? Psalms 37:23-24 (NLT)-The
Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their
lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by
the hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The next question I always have for
young adults is this: who are your friends and who are your mentors? Proverbs
27 tells us so clearly that our friends are what sharpen us. 1 Peter 5 gives us
a biblical process for mentorship. If you want to get somewhere, you’ve got to
find someone who can guide you along the way. In our relative world people will
say, find your journey, make your mistakes, and learn what works for you. I
say, get a road map from others, learn from their mistakes so you don’t have to
have their pain, and apply it to your life in any way possible. I can spend $20
really easily. I can either spend it on a steak that will taste great and be
gone in an hour, or I can spend it on a book that tells me all a person’s secrets
to their personal success and failures. Your mentors give you a lasting picture
of what success looks like for you. Your friends determine if you get there or
not. They’re the ones who are either pushing you up the hill or dragging you
down it. If you’re the only one in your circle of friends that has any
potential, EXPAND YOUR CIRCLE. Find people who want to be great. Be the least
successful person in your circle, because nothing motivates like competition. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Get a picture of success in your
life. Don’t let anyone rob you of your dreams. Allow God to determine the
direction of your life, and remember to do His job, the potter has to apply
pressure for the pot to go from formless clay into His masterpiece. Be blessed,
change the world, and express the love of the Father to everyone you meet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
PolitcalPastorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01011986285925864495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247732906860586219.post-2748285629719098822013-05-16T11:51:00.000-06:002013-05-16T11:51:19.064-06:00PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SECOND TERM IS ALREADY MARRED BY A LEGACY OF SCANDAL<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/may/14/a-legacy-of-scandal/" target="_blank">WASHINGTON TIMES: A LEGACY OF OBAMA SCANDAL</a><br />
It's been a "bumpy" ride for the Obama camp to start 2013. Their only real positives are the unemployment percentage, as flawed as it is, has dropped steadily<a href="http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/us-unemployment-rate-drops/1/194670.html" target="_blank">(UNEMPLOYMENT #'S)</a>, and the many vacations his family has been able to take I'm sure have been a great break from the madness <a href="http://washingtonexaminer.com/secret-service-sued-by-group-seeking-obamas-4-million-hawaiian-vacation-costs/article/2529616" target="_blank">(4 MILLION DOLLAR HAWAII VACATION ON THE TAXPAYERS DIME)</a>. However, there's the fact that only now are we seeing anyone be noticeably punished for the Fast and Furious fiasco, there's Benghazi, the IRS singling out Rightwing organizations, the unlawful tapping and seizure of AP phone records, and the fact that now the "real" numbers are coming out on just how detrimental Obamacare will be to the national debt. So lets start with F&F:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime;">FAST AND FURIOUS: </span><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444620104578006290719533504.html" target="_blank">WALL STREET JOURNAL- F&F REPORT</a><br />
<em>"Operation Fast and Furious was run by the ATF in Phoenix in 2009 and 2010.
Agents allowed sales of about 2,000 guns, mostly variants of AK-47 rifles, to
suspected smugglers. The aim was to prosecute top traffickers, but many of the
firearms have turned up at crime scenes in Mexico and the U.S., and hundreds
more are unaccounted for."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em> "The report came 645 days after a Border Patrol agent, Brian Terry, was killed in
a shootout with traffickers in Arizona. Two guns tied to Fast and Furious were
found at the scene."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em> "Mr. Holder "has clearly known about these unacceptable failures, yet has failed
to take appropriate action for over a year and a half,'' Mr. Issa said."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em> "By dismissing some of the most heated allegations against Mr. Holder while
finding dysfunction beneath him, the report leaves room for both sides to battle
on. Congressional Republicans continue to demand access to White House documents
that President Barack Obama has shielded, citing executive privilege."</em><br />
<em> </em><br />
<span style="color: lime;">BENGHAZI:</span> <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/05/16/white-house-releases-100-pages-e-mails-notes-related-to-benghazi/" target="_blank">FOX NEWS: EMAILS TAINT WHITE HOUSE TALKING POINTS</a><br />
<em> "The documents also showed the White House, along with several other departments, played a role in editing the so-called "talking points," despite claims from the White House that it was barely involved. And they showed then-CIA Director David Petraeus objected to the watered-down version that would ultimately be used as the basis for U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice's flawed comments on several TV shows the Sunday after the attack."<br />
</em><br />
<em> "The early versions stated that "Islamic extremists with ties to Al Qaeda" participated in the assault and discussed links to militant group Ansar al Sharia -- and referenced prior attacks against western targets in Benghazi, as well as intelligence warnings."<br /><br /> "State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland: The penultimate point could be abused by Members to beat the State Department for not paying attention to Agency warnings so why do we want to feed that either?"</em>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/politico-live/2013/05/collins-benghazi-deaths-could-have-been-prevented-163760.html" target="_blank">POLITICO: BENGHAZI DEATHS COULD'VE BEEN PREVENTED BY MILITARY ACTION</a><br />
<em>"The U.S. military could have intervened and saved at least two of the four Americans killed in the attacks on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, Sen. Susan Collins said Sunday."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em> "Collins said there was a plane in Tripoli with security officers who were held up"</em><br />
<span style="color: lime;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: lime;">IRS TARGETS CONSERVATIVES</span>: <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/16/opinion/rand-paul-irs-scandal" target="_blank">CNN: IRS SCANDAL</a><br />
<em>"The Internal Revenue Service has admitted that it targeted groups with "tea party" or "patriot" in their names. We've since learned that a wider array of groups concerned about spending, debt, high taxes, government growth, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights -- basically any conservative or libertarian issue you can name -- was targeted."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em> "On Wednesday, the president requested and received the resignation of Acting IRS Commissioner Steven Miller -- but that is not enough. The executive branch has been aware of this scandal for nearly two years and now, only as a result of massive public pressure, the administration has found a scapegoat."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em> "The president did not announce that Miller was responsible, and we still don't know who came up with the idea to target the tea party. The IRS is under the president's jurisdiction. He needs to fully recognize the gravity of these charges."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em> "The First Amendment was written to protect many different types of expression. But the Founding Fathers' primary concern -- and a first principle for every generation of Americans that followed -- was the protection of political speech. Apparently, the IRS was even targeting people who criticized how the country was being run."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em> "We have learned that some tea party groups had unduly long wait times for tax-exempt status. Some eventually withdrew their applications out of frustration."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em> "This is not about Republican vs. Democrat or conservative vs. liberal. It is about arrogant and unrestrained government vs. the rule of law. Imagine if the IRS had targeted liberal or progressive groups under the Bush administration. The First Amendment cannot be renegotiated depending on which party holds power."</em><br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime;">AP PHONE RECORDS:</span> <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/15/usa-justice-ap-investigation-idUSL2N0DW33420130515" target="_blank">REUTERS: AP RECORDS SEIZURE JUST LATEST STEP</a><br />
<em>"The Justice Department's controversial decision to seize phone records of Associated Press journalists was just one element in a sweeping U.S. government investigation into media leaks."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em> "Attorney General Eric Holder, who recused himself from involvement in the case, largely sidestepped questions from angry lawmakers on Wednesday about his department's secret seizure of AP records, which the news agency revealed on Monday."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em> "The seizure, denounced by critics as a gross intrusion into freedom of the press, has created an uproar in Washington and led to questions about how the Obama administration is balancing the need for national security with privacy rights."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em> "Floyd Abrams, a prominent First Amendment and media attorney, said, 'The breathtaking scope of these subpoenas served on the telephone companies might suggest that after all this time, they have no idea who they're looking for. Justice's targeting of a large number of phone lines and the AP journalists who use them taken together, certainly makes it look like the largest, most intrusive action by the government vis-a-vis the press that I can remember.'"</em><br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime;">OBAMACARE:</span> <a href="http://www.christianpost.com/news/obamacare-to-add-6-2-trillion-to-national-deficit-obama-claimed-it-wouldnt-add-a-dime-91996/" target="_blank">CHRISTIAN POST: OC TO ADD 6.2 TRILLION TO NATIONAL DEBT</a><br />
<em> "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, passed three years ago with President Obama saying it would not add one dime to the federal deficit, is now projected to add $6.2 trillion to the deficit and inflict severe cuts to Medicare and Medicaid payments to hospitals and physicians."</em><br />
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WATCH THIS 2 MINUTE CLIP:<br />
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<br />
So needless to say, the President has had a bit of a rough go of it the last couple months. He has made a positive impact on the gun business however: <br />
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<a href="http://img.allvoices.com/thumbs/image/609/609/95915396-obama-gun-sales.jpg#obama%20gun%20sales%20609x609" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://img.allvoices.com/thumbs/image/609/609/95915396-obama-gun-sales.jpg#obama%20gun%20sales%20609x609" width="400" /></a></div>
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PolitcalPastorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01011986285925864495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247732906860586219.post-22189667035234320722013-02-26T14:37:00.002-07:002013-02-26T14:42:38.649-07:00To tithe... or not to tithe... that is the question???<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: lime; font-family: Calibri;">IS THE TITHE A SCAM OR ARE
YOU ACTUALLY GIVING YOUR MONEY TO GOD? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(HEBREWS
7:5) And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of
the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to
the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of
Abraham:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: lime;">ARE YOU GIVING TITHES
ACCORDING TO THE LAW AND ARE YOU LIVING UNDER THE LAW? <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> IF
YOU LIVE UNDER THE LAW, THEN YOU ARE BOUND BY THE LAW, BECAUSE THE LAW IS NOT
OF FAITH, AND IF YOU ARE PAYING TITHES ACCORDING TO THE LAW, THEN YOU ARE
BOUND TO THE PENALTIES OF THE LAW, BECAUSE MEN GAVE TITHES ACCORDING TO THE
LAW!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(GALATIANS
2:16) Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the
faith of JESUS CHRIST, even we have believed in JESUS CHRIST, that we might be
justified by the faith of CHRIST JESUS, and not by the works of the law: for by
the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(GALATIANS
3:11-14) But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is
evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but,
The man that does the law shall live in the law. CHRIST JESUS has redeemed us
from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed
is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on
the Gentiles through JESUS CHRIST; that we might receive the promise of the
Spirit through faith. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(MALACHI
3:8-9) Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me. But you say, Wherein have we
robbed you? In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse: for you have
robbed me, even this whole nation. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: lime;">GOD DOES NOT WANT YOUR
MONEY! WHAT GOOD IS YOUR MONEY TO GOD, IF GOD DOES NOT HAVE YOUR LIFE? GOD
WANT'S YOUR WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE. HE WANTS YOU TO SERVE HIM WITH YOUR WHOLE
LIFE; NOT JUST 10% OF IT! <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Luke 14:33) So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(HEBREWS
10:5-10) Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and
offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6 with burnt
offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. 7 Then I said, 'Here I am—it
is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, my God.'"8
First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin
offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them"—though they
were offered in accordance with the law.9 Then he said, "Here I am, I have
come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second.10
And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of
Jesus Christ once for all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Matthew
16:24-25) Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my
follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow
me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up
your life for my sake, you will save it. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: lime;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: lime;">I WANT TO POSE THESE FINAL QUESTIONS. IS TITHING A MINIMUM REQUIREMENT? SHOULD WE FOCUS ON 10%, OR SHOULD OUR GOAL BE MORE? BY READING JESUS' COMMENTS DO YOU GET THE FEELING THAT HE EXPECTED MUCH MORE OF US THAN JUST A TENTH OF OUR TIME/MONEY/SACRIFICE/LIFE?</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: lime; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> I REALIZE THAT THIS ISN'T WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR, THEY WANT TO HEAR, "NO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO TITHE, YOU CAN GIVE LESS". WHEN JESUS IS SAYING SOMETHING MUCH DIFFERENT, HE'S SAYING, "NO YOU DON'T HAVE TO TITHE, YOU GET TO GIVE MUCH MORE!"</span></span></div>
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PolitcalPastorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01011986285925864495noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247732906860586219.post-35296049013668565202013-02-13T10:02:00.001-07:002013-02-13T14:39:38.903-07:00WHAT WOULD YOU SACRIFICE FOR FREEDOM?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<strong><em> Freedom- ability to act freely: a state in which somebody is able to act and live as he or she chooses, without being subject to any undue restraints or restrictions. </em></strong>Freedom of speech, of assembly, of religion, to protection of your family, from tyranny. To what extent would you be willing to go to protect these things for the next generation? How far would you go to make sure that your children and their children lived in a free place? People flocked to America because it was the beacon of light. It was the place you could make something of yourself, no it was a place you were free to make something of yourself. Kitty Werthmann who survived in Austria after the takeover by the Nazi's said, "America is truly the greatest country in the world. Don't let freedom slip away, after America there is no other place to go." <br />
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Let me be clear, THERE ARE NO FREEBIES IN THIS WORLD, everything has a price. Socialization of a nation has a price. In a socialist nation, most children attend public schools that are "free". They're not free however; each citizen pays taxes that pay for that education. Those students who seek a "private" education pay the taxes to the government, plus a fee to the school they attend. In a socialist nation, 1/3 to 1/2 of the population receive free assistance from the government in services like free healthcare, free food, free retirement, and other free services that the government supplies. These aren't free either, however. They might be free to those receiving them, but with some citizens paying between 60-80% of their income to support these "free" programs. <br />
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<a href="http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2013/01/11/deathspiral-b4c10085cd4ce3b4f9ada7de185aa1b2b2550a0d-s6-c10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2013/01/11/deathspiral-b4c10085cd4ce3b4f9ada7de185aa1b2b2550a0d-s6-c10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: lime;">(THESE ARE THE STATES WHERE THERE ARE MORE TAKERS THAN MAKERS)</span></div>
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In a socialist nation, the rate of those reaching the middle class decreases each year, while the separation between the top 5% from the bottom 5% grows each year. <br />
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<a href="http://www.decisionsonevidence.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Real-Inflation-Adjusted-Mean-Household-Income-By-Quintile-and-Top-5-Percent.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://www.decisionsonevidence.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Real-Inflation-Adjusted-Mean-Household-Income-By-Quintile-and-Top-5-Percent.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: lime;">(JUST A REMINDER THAT THE "WAR ON POVERTY" BEGAN IN 1964)</span></div>
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In a socialist nation, the small businessman is put out of business. The large corporation/government is given special privileges to provide however they see fit, while the small/local businessman or woman is restrained by ticky tac legislation that makes it impossible to make a profit. I wonder if any of this is sounding vaguely familiar to you? <br />
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<a href="http://smallbiztrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Startups-percentage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="http://smallbiztrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Startups-percentage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: lime;">(SMALL BUSINESSES SHARE OF THE MARKET FROM 1977-2009)</span></div>
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In a socialist nation, the push becomes greater and greater for a "one-world" unified governmental system. No strays, no dissension, just compliance. In a socialist nation, they would restrict travel by many means, shutting down roads, militarization that forces the community to stay in its own areas, or by making it too expensive for the average citizen to travel. I could go on and on, but I believe that you're beginning to see the point.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7TAqq8iK-IazjCVFewddPAYZ7YVfe8DKLDZUJsM4I3czjQRcW0rg9yJoRKWMKlm4eZfV08r9to2mDGsAvuKi2oLawZaCRpNk6DM2PJYnwFOicFJujsV4zrCgHEBFPcMmFO7G_1tsVkXI/s1600/commie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7TAqq8iK-IazjCVFewddPAYZ7YVfe8DKLDZUJsM4I3czjQRcW0rg9yJoRKWMKlm4eZfV08r9to2mDGsAvuKi2oLawZaCRpNk6DM2PJYnwFOicFJujsV4zrCgHEBFPcMmFO7G_1tsVkXI/s400/commie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: lime;">(LED THE SOVIET UNION FROM 1958-1964)</span></div>
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Socialist takeover principles:</div>
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1. Establish a terrifying internal and external enemy: (Hitler used communism, Russia used socialism, We used terrorism)</div>
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2. Create a gulag/camps with special rules: (Russian gulags, German camps, Guantanamo Bay/Internment camps)</div>
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3. Develop a THUG caste: (private contracting being immune to prosecution)</div>
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After Hurricane Katrina, the Department of Homeland Security hired and deployed hundreds of armed private security guards in New Orleans. The investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill interviewed one unnamed guard who reported having fired on unarmed civilians in the city. It was a natural disaster that underlay that episode - but the administration’s endless war on terror means ongoing scope for what are in effect privately contracted armies to take on crisis and emergency management at home in US cities.</div>
4. Setup an internal surveillance system: (Patriot Act, use of drones on American soil)<br />
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5. Control the press: (Really, I mean this is a given right? They tell us that FoxNews is conservative lol)</div>
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6. Suspend the Rule of Law: This hasn't happened...yet...</div>
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The thing that's separated America from every other nation is the reality that each generation has sacrificed for the next to continue the traditions of freedom. That each generation did things that it felt were important, even though it might have hurt, so that the next generation didn't have to experience these things. I hope that this generation is ready to do the same... I don't think it is though. I mean, only 54% of Americans voted in 2012 in a race that couldn't have been more clearly divided between sides. We're not even willing to do the easiest, most simple things to continue our freedoms. Nope, we're a nation full of couch potatoes who are more likely to vote for American Idol than President of the "free" world.</div>
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It blows my mind that Christians have such a hard time with this thought process. The reality that one read of Revelations and even the most simple of interpretations gives us this picture. A picture of a world where the majority falls in line with this agenda, and there is a small minority who through loss of life and large sacrifice don't succumb to things like markings that determine if you can eat. Our congress already tried to pass legislation inside of Obamacare that required RFID chips inside all those enrolled in the program. It was voted down...this time. Listen, I'm not saying this is on our doorstep. I am saying that this is on the horizon. It's coming toward us rapidly. They will manipulate us by saying you can't eat, you can't get healthcare, you can't get electricity, you can't get your trash removed, you can't have credit, etc.... if you don't use this device. Then gradually, after most everyone complies, they'll start eliminating the less desirable: the older, the handicapped, those that have special needs, and those who don't fall in line. </div>
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What's the solution? Have you watched movies like The Pianist, Defiance, Uprising, and Charlotte Gray? They do their best to detail the struggle of Jews against German/Russian occupation. They show in part, no movie could show in full, what life is like for those the who defy their government's agenda. You are relegated to hiding with little to no food, no amenities, and no pride. Those who are found are eliminated, or wish that they were. The only true escape for these people was to run to America... Where do Americans go if we ever have to escape?</div>
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PolitcalPastorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01011986285925864495noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247732906860586219.post-66583783102215499532013-02-07T11:28:00.001-07:002013-02-07T12:47:12.740-07:00DEAR CHRISTIANS, IT'S TIME TO TAKE THE POWER BACK<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This is not for the faint of heart, nor for the unconscionably optimistic. If you can't handle the thought of God judging America, stop reading now. If you can't handle the reality that we just might have passed the point of saving ourselves, stop reading. Judgment is coming to our doorstep. Is it too late to stop it? You be the judge.<br />
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<span style="color: lime;">WE'RE SICK</span><br />
Our nation is diseased. We have contracted the worst disease of all too. No not AIDS or Herpes, but of lust. See we'll eventually come up with a cure for AIDS, but it won't end the root of the problem. The root is that our lust has taken over our bodies. It has made our minds its playground, and it's captured the attention of our youth. Did you know that 90% of 8-16 year olds have watched porn? Did you know that 80% of 15-17 year olds have had multiple "hardcore sex exposures"? What about the fact that 29% of “born again” adults in the U.S. feel it is morally acceptable to view movies with explicit sexual behavior? Maybe this is the worst, 37% of pastors say they view pornography regularly. What hope do the people have when the leaders of our nation do this? I can hear your words now, this generation is filth. They're the worst generation since Sodom and Gomorrah. Well, that's not technically true. Of the porn users in our country the highest demographic is the 35-44 year olds. Next is the 45-54 year olds. So why wouldn't kids be looking at porn? That spirit was brought into their house by mom and dad. <br />
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You know one of the stats that always makes me proud to say is that America is responsible for more missionaries and money to missions than every other nation combined. That stat pales in comparison to this one; America is responsible for nearly 90% of the pornographic web sites on the internet. This Christian nation, the light of the world, the salt of the earth, supplies nearly 23x's the porn to the world as then next closest nation. American individuals gave somewhere between 8-12 billion to missions, while the pornography industry had 14 billion in revenues from the same crop of people. <br />
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<span style="color: lime;">WE'RE DISOBEDIENT</span><br />
The most simple of biblical commands are disobeyed and disregarded by us all. Love your wife, respect your husband, keep the marriage bed pure, give, don't be drunk, don't have any other gods before me, etc... We can't seem to get it right. We try, we fight, we claw, but we constantly come up short. This is the theme of Paul's letters, of messages being given at your local church this Sunday, yet I can't help but to wonder, is this true? Are we actually trying? Are we actually fighting the good fight? The fact that the church has the same divorce rate as the world, the fact that being religious has no effect on the rate of those who cheat on their spouse, or the fact that only 6% of Americans tithe. The reality that we spent 100 billion on alcohol last year, while individuals gave almost 90 billion to the church. SAD JOKE: "Why do you always invite more than one Christian to the lake with you? Because, if you only invited one, they'll drink all your beer." <br />
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Scripture and prayer has been replaced by our televisions. We aren't a Christian nation, we were once, but those days have passed. My honest belief is that our only hope is to tell the world that we don't represent Christ in any way. That our only hope, to distance ourselves from God's judgment, is that we stop proclaiming to be a Godly nation (Rev. 3:16). Maybe He'll have mercy on us then. Because if we proclaim ourselves to be his, but our actions show the world a different story, God will not put up with it. He will make an example out of us to the Christians around the world. It will tell them that if you say you're my child, but you constantly disobey my words, I will have to discipline you (Prov. 13:24). <br />
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<span style="color: lime;">WE'RE GODLESS</span><br />
We've got every kind of perversion of scripture imaginable. The fact that there are whole denominations allowing homosexuals to be ministers inside of their churches blows my mind. I understand that no one is perfect, but allowing an open acceptance of sin blows my mind. They say things like "God's grace is enough", yet they forget the life that Paul talks about so clearly throughout Galatians and Ephesians saying strong words like: <br />
<span style="color: #303030; font-family: "Times New Roman"; language: en-US; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: +mn-cs; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-color-index: 3; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #303030; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text2; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Galatians
5:16-17; 19-21 (NLT)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;"> So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide
your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful
nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants.
And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature
desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not
free to carry out your good intentions. When you follow the desires of your
sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful
pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of
anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties,
and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone
living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.</span> </span></span></span></span></div>
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There are whole church movements who don't want to talk about anything controversial at all. Let's not tell them to give, let's not do salvation calls, let's not tell them abortion is wrong, let's not tell them homosexuality is a sin, let's not tell them to stop living together, let's not tell them masturbation is a sin, WE WOULDN'T WANT TO HURT SOMEONES FEELINGS. My heart breaks for these churches. They're growing, who wouldn't want to go to a place that says: SIN AWAY, GOD ALREADY PAID THE PRICE. Yet we know that when we follow our sinful nature it means that we're not following our Holy Spirit, and those who don't follow the Spirit will not inherit the Kingdom of God (see above). <br />
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I'm reminded constantly that the Holy Spirit has no place in our lives. He's not allowed in our churches, our schools, our public squares, or our government buildings. He's reminded constantly by half of our nation that He's to remain separate from the public sector. That private businesses are boycotted for even presenting his name (Christmas) on their storefront. That speaking in tongues is taboo, that you're considered CRAZY if you actually do what the bible says in red letters (Mark 16). We've trivialized the scriptures as out of date. I don't need scriptures that tell me how to live; I'll just use my feelings. If it feels good, it must be right. <br />
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<span style="color: lime;">ONE FINAL WORD:</span><br />
Stop reading this and go to 2 Peter 1:16 and read through 2:9. God knows how to deliver the just, and the Godly from these times. We, the Christians, have to hold our ground. Quit drinking the cultures kool-aid, as Ed Young would say, and wake up. Use the bible as a guide for our actions. Re-think positions that we hold so tightly to be true because of relationship, and open our eyes to the truth that God offers us so freely. God has rescued his children from times of destruction over and over again. Examine yourself through and through. I know that I'm not perfect by any means, but my hearts desire is that I never put a frown on the face of God. That if I do, I repent immediately. <br />
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Christianity needs a Kobe Bryant style makeover. It can't be done by the loud mouthed, hypocrites either. It has to be done step by step, day by day, by you. You live the life that God has called you to live. You call on the carpet those around you who claim Jesus as Lord and Saviour, yet live as though they've never met the man. You live above the fray, a life above reproach, like A CITY SET UPON A HILL. That's what will either turn the tide of judgment, or at least spare you from the midst of it. (See Psalms 91 and Isaiah 65:8)</div>
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PolitcalPastorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01011986285925864495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247732906860586219.post-86198509068514609152013-01-23T16:17:00.000-07:002013-01-23T16:17:50.055-07:00Post Gun Control: 4 Biggest Issues for Americans<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: lime;">1. IMMIGRATION REFORM:</span><br />
Will anyone address this issue, or will it become the wedge issue that destroys the Republican party? If Republicans don't get their act together, the fastest growing demographic in our nation will alienate them. The Hispanic population is, and will be, a power player in every future election of the United States. They are a Godly people who stand against all the social issues that conservatives stand against, yet they vote democrat because of this issue. There are a couple thoughts out there that deal with illegal immigrants, and I want to share mine:<br />
<br />
No Amnesty, yet we need to make the process as easy as possible. Don't require them to have a full understanding of the English language, just a basic one will do. It's ok for us to have more than one language in our country... SIDE NOTE: If a person who speaks 3 languages is tri-lingual, and a person who speaks 2 languages is bilingual, what do you call someone who only speaks 1 language? AN AMERICAN...Allow them to get a work visa (not full citizenship) for a period of five years. This makes it to where they pay taxes, but don't get benefits like social security, medicaid, medicare, obamacare, etc... This gets them on the path to citizenship. It allows us to help all those who are here illegally to become contributors to our economy and our government. At the end of the five years, if they fulfill all of the requirements needed, they are given full citizenship.<br />
<br />
The reality is we can't just round up 12 million people. They wouldn't be here if they weren't filling a need. Have you seen the pictures of the Alabama harvest when they round up all the illegal immigrants? Food was literally left on the vine because the farmers couldn't find anyone who wanted the job. We need comprehensive immigration reform. We need to educate their children, and by doing this, we will assimilate them into our society. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime;">2. TAX REFORM:</span><br />
This is HUGE. My own personal beliefs say that you'll only appreciate something if you work for it. In fact, the best things in life are the ones that you've shed blood, sweat, and tears for. That personal realization is what's driven my belief system when it comes to taxes. 46% of Americans don't pay income tax. Why would they appreciate what we have, if they're not paying for it? That's why I believe that a flat tax rate for ALL Americans is the right answer. I would love to see a 10% flat tax rate on all American's income. The advantage to this is obvious, it's simple and fair. Where the money would be made is in an implementation of a federal sales tax of 10% on all goods. This would tax those who purchase goods at a high level aka the richest Americans. It would be a fair tax rate as well, because it'll tax those who spend. Obviously I'm no economist, so I realize that it's more complex than this. I just know that this will also save our government money because it will simplify the tax code, it'll save American's money because they'll be able to understand their own taxes, and it creates buy in for all people in our nation. <br />
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<br />
<span style="color: lime;">3. EDUCATION REFORM:</span><br />
A voucher program is the only answer in my opinion to the problem of the public school system in major metropolitan areas. I was lucky enough to grow up in small town America. CMS is a great school system, but my parents chose to put me in private Christian education. I'm so grateful for this! I was given a biblical world view from the time I was in the 4th grade. Our taxes go to fund our public school system. We're all paying for our kids' education. I think that as FREE Americans, it's our right to CHOOSE where we want our money to go to. If you want private education, then you get a voucher from the government, if you want public education, then go right ahead. This way, the very best schools in our nation will get rewarded. The worst schools will get shut down. Imagine that, the free market system at work in our education! <br />
<br />
I understand that this will NEVER HAPPEN. Too much indoctrinization happens in our metropolitan public school system for our government to ever allow it. They don't want our kids learning about negative belief systems like intelligent design, abstinence, capitalism, freedom, or history. They would rather stick to the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic. Yet most Americans can't put two and two together to figure out that they're really not free.<br />
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We should be better at educating our kids. We spend nearly 810 billion dollars a year (<a href="http://rossieronline.usc.edu/u-s-education-versus-the-world-infographic/" target="_blank">LINK</a>) compared to the next closest nation (Japan) at 161 billion. yet we're in the middle of the pack in Math and Science scores. It's time to reward those schools that are great, and shut down the schools that are failing. No Child Left Behind failed because we didn't give kids the option to leave the schools that were failing. We defunded them, then kept those kids at the defunded schools. How could we have smart kids when we have dumb leaders? Give kids the option to go somewhere else, get out of the bad schools. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime;">4. ENERGY INDEPENDENCE:</span><br />
The classic moniker drill baby drill is an oldie and a goody. Our public lands need to be opened up for more drilling. Private lands are booming right now, yet our government is denying permits left and right to Americans. They have no problem "sharing the wealth" with uber-left wing countries, just not their own citizens. If they were serious about alternative fuel sources, they'd look at Brazil. Sugar Cane Ethanol is a viable solution to our problem. Corn ethanol is a joke and everyone, but DC, knows it. It has a negative effect on our feed prices for any industry that relies on animals, it drives up other commodities because more people are growing corn, and it has no effect on our greenhouse emissions because it releases more CO2 than gasoline in the process of conversion. Sugar cane however is 10x's better than gasoline and corn. It could be grown in our Southern states like Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, etc. where we have large swampy areas. It's not a naturally occurring plant here in the U.S. so it wouldn't influence the market for the other commodities. <br />
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The reality is this; they don't want to solve this problem either. The left wants to use this as a wedge issue for the next 10 years. They want to make the right look like the bad guys who "want dirty water and dirty air". While they're the crusaders of clean. With their leaders like Al Gore who parade around talking about Global Warming yet their houses put out 32x's the average greenhouse gas as the normal American. They fly around in jets and drive Hummers. How are we supposed to take these people serious? If they really believed what they said, they'd be more conscientious. In fact, they'd be who they want us to be. So no, just like immigration, they're playing to their audience. They're preaching the good old strategy of, "Do as I say, not as I do". You can always count on politicians to be great at politics and terrible at living up to their promises. <br />
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These are the issues of the next four years and beyond. They will plague us and generations to come if we can't get them right. What do you see as the biggest issues that need to be solved in the next four years? Leave a comment and explain why you think that issue is crucial. <br />
</div>
PolitcalPastorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01011986285925864495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247732906860586219.post-84187624514883505872013-01-08T17:30:00.000-07:002013-01-09T15:02:49.140-07:00HOW CAN SOMEONE EVEN ARGUE AGAINST GUN CONTROL?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: white;">I'll give it my best shot...</span><br />
<span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;">Violent crime rates:</span><br />
<a href="http://blog.syracuse.com/opinion/2013/01/violent_crime_rose_after_gun_b.html" target="_blank">LINK: Violent crime rose after ban in Australia</a><br />
<em>"The Australian Bureau of Criminology states its murder rate in 2006 with firearms was the highest ever at 16.3 percent. The ban started in 1997."</em><br />
<br />
<em>"In 2006, assault rose 49.2 percent, robbery 6.2 percent, sexual assault/rape 29.2 percent and overall crime rose 42.2 percent."</em><br />
<br />
<em>"Since the ban, Australian women are raped three times more often than American women. Using Australia as an model to lead people into a false sense of security that an anti-gun policy could create a safer society is an injustice."</em><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1450338/Firearms-offences-more-than-double-since-Dunblane.html" target="_blank">LINK: Gun crime doubles in England after '96 ban</a><br />
<em>Gun crime has more than doubled since <strong><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">1996</span></strong>, the year of the Dunblane massacre,
according to the latest Home Office statistics.</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>In the year to April, there were 10,250 gun crimes - a rise of three per cent on
<strong><span style="color: white;">2001-02</span></strong>. </em><br />
<em></em><br />
<strong><span style="color: white;">WATCH THIS 6 MINUTE VIDEO:</span></strong><br />
<em></em><br />
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<br />
<em></em><br />
<a href="http://www.realthinktank.com/2009/12/bloodier-sonora-drug-wars-feared-by.html" target="_blank">LINK: Mexico gun ban creates highest death toll in Mexico's history</a><br />
<br />
<em>"A new spate of violence has pushed the homicide rate in the Mexican border town
of Ciudad Juarez to an unprecedented 1,701 murders, breaking the record set just
a year earlier in 2008."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>"Since February, some 8,500 Mexican soldiers have been deployed in Ciudad Juarez,
but they have failed to stop ongoing violence between members of the Juarez and
Sinaloa drug cartels."</em><br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;">Guns aren't to blame:</span><br />
<br />
HERE'S A GRAPH OF THE TEN KILLERS IN THE U.S.<br />
<span id="goog_125513296"></span><span id="goog_125513297"></span><br />
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<a href="http://shtfplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/10-big-killers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="http://shtfplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/10-big-killers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://clashdaily.com/2013/01/fbi-more-people-killed-with-hammers-clubs-each-year-than-rifles/" target="_blank">LINK: More people killed with hammers and clubs than rifles</a><br />
<em>"According to the FBI annual crime statistics, the number of murders committed annually with hammers and clubs far outnumbers the number of murders committed with a rifle."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>"Think about it: </em><a href="http://www2.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2009/offenses/expanded_information/data/shrtable_08.html"><em>In 2005</em></a><em>, the number of murders committed with a rifle was 445, while the number of murders committed with hammers and clubs was 605. In 2006, the number of murders committed with a rifle was 438, while the number of murders committed with hammers and clubs was 618."<br /><br />" </em><a href="http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2011/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011/tables/expanded-homicide-data-table-11"><em>in 2011</em></a><em>, there was 323 murders committed with a rifle but 496 murders committed with hammers and clubs."</em><br />
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<span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;">It's not constitutional:</span><br />
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<span class="userContent"> "The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government." -Thomas Jefferson</span><br />
<br />
Democide- the murder of any person or people by a government, including genocide, politicide, and mass murder. There have been 262 million victims of democide in the last century.<br />
<br />
Understand that this number is equal to the entire adult population of the United States of America. This has been done between 1900-2000. In nearly every case of democide, the population was made to register their weapons, it was made illegal to sell said weapon or to pass it to children, and was consequently confiscated from the individual. <br />
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The reality is that governments have killed more people in the last century than every war combined since written history has began. Why should I trust someone who says that they are in place to keep me free, yet at every turn I'm less free than I was the day before? Our government officials in this nation are elected to keep our freedoms from being erased, not to erase our freedoms. This was so important to the founders, that it was the second amendment to the constitution, not tenth, not fifteenth, but second. They had seen with their own eyes what a nation would do to its people if they weren't armed. <br />
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<a href="http://www.funpoliticalsurvey.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Troops-obeying-orders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.funpoliticalsurvey.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Troops-obeying-orders.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;">We would end mass attacks if we got rid of guns!!!</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span id="goog_1429077570"></span><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/man-attacks-22-kids-knife-china-school-article-1.1220230" target="_blank">LINK: Chinese man mars 22 with knife same day as Newtown</a><span id="goog_1429077571"></span></span><br />
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Here's the bottom line. All weapons are banned in prisons, yet criminals still find a way to kill people. CRIMINALS ALWAYS FIND A WAY TO KILL PEOPLE. Banning guns gives the criminal access to a weapon that law abiding citizens don't have. This gives the criminal and the criminally insane an advantage when it comes to robberies, rapes, and violent encounters of all kinds. </div>
PolitcalPastorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01011986285925864495noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247732906860586219.post-22868013988415443522012-11-06T22:50:00.001-07:002012-11-07T11:23:58.008-07:00GOD IS IN CONTROL... I JUST HOPE WE HAVEN'T QUIT ON HIM<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In CNN's exit polling in the battleground states, I want to point out some things that stand out to me:<br />
1. 43% of American's said that they either never attend a church service or that they attend once or twice a year. With this group, Obama won with over 60% of the vote.<br />
2. 42% of American's said that they attend church either more than weekly or once a week. With this group Romney won with over 60% of the vote.<br />
<br />
Our country isn't divided Red/Blue, it's divided by the godly and the ungodly. It's divided by 42% who say I believe that God is in control, and 43% who don't believe in God at all. At our greatest as a nation, we were a Christian nation. George Washington, in his farewell speech on September 19, 1796: "<b><i>It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible</i></b>. Of all the dispositions and habits that lead to political prosperity, our religion and morality are the indispensable supporters.<b><i> Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion</i></b>. <i><b>Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that our national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle</b></i>."<br />
<br />
I wanted desperately to believe that Mitt Romney was going to pull this out. If he did, he would've discredited over 10 well known religious figures that have prophesied specifically that President Obama would win this election. That our country was headed for a unique set of circumstances that would reduce our influence, and that Israel would be left alone to fend for itself. I have said privately that I believe that if our nation doesn't turn away from it's current trajectory, no matter the president, it is headed for mediocrity. This <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wApL8YWP7KE" target="_blank">VIDEO</a> is an interview with a Messianic Jew who wrote a book called the Harbinger. It's a book that describes some terrifying things that could be on our horizon as a nation if we don't humble ourselves before our creator.<br />
<br />
I don't want to seem all doomy and gloomy just because President Obama won. I have said it all along, and I'll say it again, "<i style="background-color: #d2c9c9; color: #a43636; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: red; line-height: 27px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is the Gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit which will save our nation – not politics or even necessarily godly leaders in positions of authority.</span></span></i>" That's the bottom line. I think that even with a Romney victory, would God have looked at this and said these people get it, they're humbling themselves and turning back to me. I don't think so. I don't think that we'll do it. We think that we have an economy problem, and we couldn't be further from the truth. WE HAVE A VALUES PROBLEM! We're long on talk and short on walk. Over 75% of American's identify themselves as Christians, yet only 42% come to church? No wonder the spoken word videos are so popular about why people "hate religion". Because religion says read your bible, pray, sacrifice, take up your cross, go to church. They want to talk about relationship, yet how can I have a relationship without knowing my friend and talking to him? How can I profess my belief in something without understanding the things that it asks of me? Yet 60% of American's can't even tell you half of the 10 commandments. THE MOST BASIC OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES.<br />
<br />
God judged Israel on multiple occasions when they repeatedly ignored his warnings toward them. He even went as far as to destroy his own temple so that they couldn't disgrace it with there hollow practices. If he was willing to do this to Israel who was the SOLE REPRESENTATIVE of his name, why wouldn't he do this to America who used to be the flagship for it? Why wouldn't we be a warning for all other nations, that when you profess me as your God, yet you disgrace my name by killing children, and openly spitting in the face of the creator with homosexuality. We've flagrantly destroyed God's first commandment with a promise to honor our fathers and mothers, and the list of our sins continues to pile on top of each other.<br />
<br />
When I was in Russia, with their Christian minority, they said as nicely as they could to me that they were all praying that America would be humbled. That the message that we spread with our music, movies, actions, etc. is that of the most secular nation on the planet... NOT THE MOST GODLY! YWAM coordinator Fred Markert also resonated these sentiments from his travels all over the world. That we're no longer furthering the gospel as a nation, that we're actually inhibiting the spread! Believe me when I say this to you, GOD WILL NOT STAND FOR US IF WE DON'T STAND FOR HIM. So yes, God is in control. Is that a good thing for America?<br />
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PolitcalPastorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01011986285925864495noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247732906860586219.post-77815278547934156392012-11-05T23:40:00.002-07:002012-11-05T23:45:38.113-07:00WHY I CAST MY VOTE FOR ROMNEY... AS A CHRISTIAN AND AN AMERICAN<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Last week I published a blog stating the reasons that I'd never cast a vote for President Obama, no matter the opposing candidate. Tonight I want to shed light on my reasoning that is beyond just a vote against the Prez, and for a man that I've grown very fond of in the last six months.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">AS A CHRISTIAN:</span><br />
<br />
<b>1. His support of Israel:</b><br />
<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/09/romney-and-netanyahu-old-friends-now-at-center-of-iran-nuke-debate/" target="_blank">ABCNEWS: ROMNEY AND NETANYAHU ARE OLD FRIENDS</a><br />
<br />
<i>"Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential candidate, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have been friends for more than 35 years."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"So with the Israeli prime minister turning up in yet another Pro-Romney Super PAC ad, it was only natural to ask: Had Netanyahu, his relationship with President Obama always in varying degrees of distress, formally endorsed his old pal Mitt Romney for president?"</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"there’s little doubt Romney is more popular with Israel’s foreign policy hawks, Netanyahu chief among them."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Speaking about Romney:<i> “He’s a strong friend of Israel and we’ll be happy to meet with him,” Dermer said. ”We value strong bipartisan support for Israel and we’re sure it will only deepen that.”</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>2. His stance on abortion:</b><br />
This was supposed to be a "gotcha" moment for the left. It was an off-air conversation with a left wing radio host. He was trying to trap the Gov into saying something negative about Mormonism or abortion. He gets testy and I love it. It's five minutes and it's worth it: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dW2hbP6nUU" target="_blank">VIDEO</a><br />
<br />
<b>3. His stance on traditional marriage:</b><br />
This is a two minute video where the Gov was the keynote speaker at Liberty University's graduation ceremonies in May of this year. It's a two minute cut from that speech. If you're a Christian and you want to know where this man stands, here it is: <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/12/romney-marriage-man-woman" target="_blank">ROMNEY ON MARRIAGE AND VALUES</a><br />
<br />
<b>4. His belief system:</b><br />
Explaining his worldview (2 MINUTES): <a href="http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/02/romney-fields-hostile-question-on-mormonism/" target="_blank">CNN VIDEO</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/54943992-90/romney-tax-percent-romneys.html.csp" target="_blank">ROMNEY'S TAX RETURNS</a><br />
First of all, his first name is Willard... didn't know that. He made 13.7 million last year...<br />
<i>"Mitt Romney gave about $2.6 million to the LDS Church in tithing last year, though he only claimed a little over $1 million on his federal income tax filings to ensure a higher tax rate."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"In addition to Romney’s direct contributions to the LDS Church, he also gave to the faith through his charity for a total of $3.07 million last year."</i><br />
<br />
<b>5. The selection for SCOTUS:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57532132/will-the-supreme-court-finally-enter-the-2012-campaign/" target="_blank">CBSNEWS: WHEN WILL SCOTUS ENTER THE DEBATE?</a><br />
<i>"The next president will get one or two Supreme Court nominees. That's how close Roe v. Wade is," Biden said. He went on to predict that Romney, if elected, would appoint justices like Scalia who would vote to "outlaw abortion."</i><br />
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ONE COULD ONLY HOPE...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">AS AN AMERICAN:</span><br />
<br />
<b>1. His view toward government:</b><br />
<a href="http://libertariansformitt.wordpress.com/limited-government/" target="_blank">LIBERTARIANS FOR MITT</a><br />
-Gov. Romney reformed Massachusetts’ welfare state, having Medicaid recipients make co-payments for some services, and successfully pushed for legislative action forcing new state workers to contribute 25% of their health insurance costs, up from 15%.<br />
<br />
<br />
-Romney worked to revolutionize the Massachusetts state pension system by moving it from a defined benefit system to a defined contribution system.<br />
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-Romney aggressively pushed to deregulate Massachusetts’ auto insurance industry, which is the only state in the nation in which the government mandates maximum insurance rates and requires insurers to accept every applicant.<br />
<br />
-Mitt Romney favors unrestricted free trade, saying “We have to keep our markets open or we go the way of Russia and the Soviet Union.”<br />
<br />
-Romney supports drilling in ANWR, and opposes government regulations on energy production.<br />
<br />
-Romney opposes raising Social Security taxes, and supports personal accounts.<br />
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-Romney strongly advocates in support of repealing McCain-Feingold.<br />
<br />
-Governor Romney supports “the Second Amendment as one of the most basic and fundamental rights of every American.”<br />
<br />
-Romney opposes and would veto the Fairness Doctrine.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>2. His success in business:</b><br />
<a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jul/27/nation/la-na-romney-olympics-20120727-1" target="_blank">LATIMES: SALT LAKE OLYMPICS WAS ROMNEY'S GOLDEN MOMENT AS A LEADER</a><br />
<i>"Mitt Romney wanted to send a message when he took over as chief executive of the Salt Lake Olympic Games. So he moved the organization's Washington office from a well-appointed K Street law firm to a barren third-floor walk-up, wedged between a burrito shop and hair salon near the U.S. Capitol."</i><br />
<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"It was furnished with broken desks cast off by federal agencies. Its stairs were so steep that Cindy Gillespie, the head of federal relations for the Olympic committee, refused to have guests visit. "It was a nightmare — I couldn't stand it," Gillespie recalled. "But Mitt just adored it. He thought it was totally appropriate."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"The message, of course, was that frugality was the new watchword of the organization."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"Recruited in February 1999 to take over the beleaguered Olympic committee, Romney deferred his $280,000-a-year salary until the Games were over and its finances secure, then donated it to charity."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"Romney frequently touts his success running the Olympics as an example of his strength as a chief executive. The experience also demonstrated his skills as an agile politician — one who touted the committee's new frugality."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"The controversy faded by the time the Games rolled around. Even before the opening ceremony, Romney was applauded for producing a successful event, leaving a nearly $100-million surplus on a pared-down $1.3-billion budget. He told reporters that he could never imagine an experience that would top the Olympics."</i><br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<u>AS GOVERNOR OF MASS. ROMNEY FACED SIMILAR CHALLENGES AS THE PRESIDENT:</u><br />
<br />
<i>"In many ways, Romney inherited a state economy in 2003 similar to the one President Barack Obama found entering the White House in 2009, one marked by a deep recession, huge job losses, and a widening budget deficit."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"Romney spent much of his first two years in office focusing on the state’s budget crisis. Romney succeeded in closing the budget shortfall without raising the state sales or income tax -- a notable accomplishment."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"Romney also took on natural allies in the business community when he undertook an effort to change the business tax code by closing what he called “loopholes.” It was a controversial step, but Romney said the rules allowed many companies to avoid paying taxes at a time when the state could hardly afford it. Some banks, for example, avoided taxes by sheltering holdings in Real Estate Investment Trusts."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"Romney also increased government fees on a host of services, from marriage licenses to property deeds, raising another $375 million annually."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"State unemployment fell to 4.7 percent from a peak of 6 percent."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"One of his biggest wins came near the end of his term in 2006, when Massachusetts won a bidding war with other states, convincing pharmaceutical giant Bristol-Myers Squibb to build a $750 million plant at the former Fort Devens army base."</i><br />
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<b>3. His sacrifice in the public sector:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.snopes.com/politics/romney/realmitt.asp" target="_blank">SNOPES: ROMNEY SERVES 28 YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE, NO PAY</a><br />
ENOUGH SAID...<br />
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<b>4. The repeal/replacement of Obamacare:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.mittromney.com/news/press/2012/06/we-must-repeal-and-replace-obamacare-0" target="_blank">MITT'S PLAN TO REPEAL AND REPLACE</a><br />
You need to look at his plan, it's the bee's knees : D<br />
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<i>"Nearly Three-Quarters Of Small-Business Owners Blame Obamacare For Impeding Job Creation. “As part of the explanation for the general economic pessimism, 78 percent of small businesses believe that taxation, regulation and legislation from Washington make it harder for businesses to hire more employees — and 74 percent blame the recent health care reforms passed by the Obama administration for creating an impediment to job creation.” (Tim Mak, “Chamber Poll: Small Biz Blames D.C.,” Politico, 1/18/12)"</i><br />
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<i>"As President, Mitt Romney Will Take Steps To Repeal And Replace Obamacare Starting From Day One. “Days before President Obama's signature healthcare law goes in front of the Supreme Court, GOP front-runner Mitt Romney vowed to repeal and replace the law, speaking to a supportive crowd in a suburb of New Orleans. ‘It's critical that we repeal Obamacare and, by the way, also replace it,’ he said. ‘I think I'm the only person in this race who's laid out what I would replace it with.’” (Alana Semuels, “Romney Vows To Repeal And Replace 'Obamacare' On Law's Anniversary,” Los Angeles Times, 3/23/12)"</i><br />
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<b>5. His choice in VP:</b><br />
I just have to say that I'm a HUGE Paul Ryan fan. His work with the budget is a libertarian's dream. Get the government out of our lives, period. Get it out of education, get it out of healthcare, get it out of religion, get it out. The best parts of our society are the parts without government interference. Let's move on from these dead end schools, and look at the independent model for our success!<br />
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So, I hoped that you learned about my decision making process for why I'M WITH MITT. I'd love your opinion and thoughts!!! </div>
PolitcalPastorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01011986285925864495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247732906860586219.post-77819014779308266792012-11-02T00:24:00.000-06:002012-11-02T00:41:52.477-06:00WHY I WOULD NEVER VOTE FOR OBAMA... AS A CHRISTIAN AND AN AMERICAN<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-large;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u>As a Christian:</u></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>1. He supports abortion (early, late, post-birth)</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>A</b>. Four times he voted for bills that refused rights to babies born despite attempted abortions. This is what he said, “That determination then, essentially, if it was accepted by a court, would forbid abortions to take place. I mean, it would essentially bar abortions”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>B</b>. He would rather kill babies that were born despite failed abortions, than to stop abortions.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>C</b>. His key legislation, Obamacare, makes the American tax payer liable for every abortion cared for under the act. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>2. He supports breaking the 10th commandment (Don’t covet)</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>A</b>. Coveting is defined as feeling a desire for that which is another's. Its basic premise is that I don’t want to have while you have; I want to have what you have. I don’t want to earn the kind of money you earn; I want the actual money that you earn.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>3. He supports gay marriage.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>A</b>. Quoted in 2012: ““I was sensitive to the fact that for a lot of people the word `marriage’ was something that invokes very powerful traditions, religious beliefs and so forth.” Now, he said, “it is important for me personally to go ahead and affirm that same-sex couples should be able to get married.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>B</b>. 1 Samuel 15:29 (NLT) - And he who is the Glory of Israel will not lie, nor will he change his mind, for he is not human that he should change his mind!”</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>4. He doesn't allow his “faith” to affect his decision making.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>A</b>. Joe Biden said, “I can’t allow my religious beliefs to affect my decision making process.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>B</b>. Colossians 3:17 (NLT) - And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-large;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><u><b>As an American:</b></u></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>1. His disdain toward our founding fathers.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>2. His position toward American influence.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>A</b>. Colonialism- the establishment, exploitation, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>B</b>. President Obama’s reaction to his grandfather thanking colonialist England for his success, “What Granny had told us scrambled that image completely, causing ugly words to flash across my mind. Uncle Tom. Collaborator. House nigger.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>C</b>. President Obama’s quote on the constitution: “The Constitution is a charter of negative liberties, says what the states can't do to you, says what the federal government can't do to you, but it doesn't say what the federal government or the state government must do on your behalf.” This thinking enable him to do for us the <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>3. His policies toward free-enterprise.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>A</b>. 2008 we ranked #1 in competitive rankings, today we rank #7. 2008 we ranked #66 in macroeconomic stability, today we rank #111. Our government is ranked #76 in efficient spending of resources. We rank #140 of #144 in government deficit as percentage of GDP. 2008 we were #50 in government regulations of business, today #76. 2005 our infrastructure was ranked #1, today #16.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>4. His tax policies. </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>A</b>. Trickle-down economics vs. trickle-down government</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>B</b>. You’ve heard President Obama say things like, “They need to pay their fair share, others need a fair shot, etc…”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>C</b>. The socialist model of taxation says that you tax the highest earning among you an astronomical rate, and you remove all taxes from the poorest. 47% of the country didn’t pay income tax. The top 10% of Americans pay 70% of the taxes in this country. <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>They only earn 43% of the income.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><b>5. Then there's this:</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><b>Remember though, if you think this election will change the course of our nation you're wrong! </b></span></span><i style="color: #a43636; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 27px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is the Gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit which will save our nation – not politics or even necessarily godly leaders in positions of authority.</span></span></i><br />
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PolitcalPastorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01011986285925864495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247732906860586219.post-58491855304983473892012-10-24T14:39:00.002-06:002012-10-25T13:28:08.168-06:00HOW OUR GOVERNMENT SHATTERS THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, AND WE'RE ALL ACCOMPLICES <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Quickly (without google) name the ten commandments... GO!</div>
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How many did you get? 60% of Americans can't name half, and even funnier 31% say they can earn their way in to heaven. Isn't that a conundrum, 6/10 can't name half the commandments, yet 3/10 think they can earn heaven by obeying these commandments? We've begun to systematically remove these commandments from our courthouses and our government, but what's worse is that we've removed them from our everyday life so much that we don't even notice them stripped from the public. I'm going to work back to front starting at 10:</div>
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10. DON'T COVET (to feel a desire for that which is another's)</div>
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Is there a more popular subject matter in today's political sphere? I can't earn it, you've got it, I want it. The left tries to garnish some sort of biblical compassion for the poor by telling those who have EARNED their money the good old fashioned way to pay their FAIR SHARE. So that those who are less fortunate can have their FAIR SHOT. This thinking boggles my mind. By forcefully taking from those who have and giving to those who don't care, that is somehow biblical? I'm all for helping the helpless, I draw the line at helping the careless. I think that Paul said it best in 2 Thess. 3:10-13 (MSG):</div>
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"Don’t you remember the rule we had when we lived with you? “If you don’t work, you don’t eat.” And now we’re getting reports that a bunch of lazy good-for-nothings are taking advantage of you. This must not be tolerated. We command them to get to work immediately—no excuses, no arguments—and earn their own keep. Friends, don’t slack off in doing your duty."</em></div>
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Coveting is a problem we have. We are sending a message that says I don't want to earn what you have, I want to take what you have. I don't have to dream about my future, I want to take yours. I don't have to work for what I have, I want to sit and benefit from your work. See most of us want the success of others without going through what they had to go through to get where they are.</div>
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<em>“Most people want to improve their circumstances, but they won’t improve themselves, so they remain bound” –<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Allen_(author)" target="_blank">James Allen</a></em></div>
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"The price of greatness is responsibility."— <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston_Churchill" target="_blank">Winston Churchill</a></em></div>
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"Most people do not really want freedom, because freedom involves responsibility, and most people are frightened of responsibility.”— <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigmund_Freud" target="_blank">Sigmund Freud</a></em></div>
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“The distance from where I am and where I want to be, is what I’m willing to give up. You can tell you’re on the road to success because it’s uphill all the way.” –<a href="http://www.johnmaxwell.com/" target="_blank">John Maxwell</a></em></div>
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We're unwilling to improve ourselves, so we want to take from those who have. We are unwilling to be responsible, so we demonize those who have been. We're unwilling to give up some luxury now, so that we can have luxury later. So we take from those who did. This has become the American way. Social Security: I didn't want to save when I was younger, so the young can now pay my retirement. Government run healthcare: I don't have a job that gives me health insurance, so I need to take from those who do. 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NLT) says: <em>You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. "For God loves a person who gives cheerfully."</em> Yet we have forced those who have degrees, experience, and sacrificed their time to pay for those who are unwilling to do the same. Don't understand what I'm saying? Watch this video from Nancy Pelosi's daughter who is a left wing journalist: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5tqH7UrzOw" target="_blank">OBAMA BUCKS VIDEO</a></div>
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#9 THOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS</div>
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Pretty sure that we have seen this play out from both parties and both candidates. Enough said.</div>
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#8 YOU SHALL NOT STEAL</div>
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SEE #10</div>
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#7 YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY</div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiIP_KDQmXs" target="_blank">I DID NOT HAVE SEXUAL RELATIONS WITH THAT WOMAN</a></div>
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The left doesn't have a corner on the market when it comes to adultery though. The right has the following: President George Bush Sr., the Governator, John McCain, Giuliani, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Newt Gingrich, Bob Barr, Henry Hyde just to name a few.</div>
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#6 YOU SHALL NOT MURDER</div>
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We've been quite good at breaking this commandment. In fact, we've killed 26x's more babies than the amount of American's who've died in battle. Over 53,000,000 legal abortions have occurred since Roe v. Wade. Remember what David said in Psalms 82:3-4 (NLT)<em> "Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked."</em> </div>
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Want to know another shocking statistic the left will never want you to know? Since '76, there have been slightly over 1,300 people given the death penalty for crimes. That's one person who commited a heinous crime to every 41K babies who've done nothing. How can the left justify being against the death penalty for those who've commited murder, and murdering a baby that's done nothing? This confuses me.</div>
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#5 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER</div>
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Have we ever lived in a time when this principle of our faith has been trampled on more? When the solidarity of the home has been beaten up by not just our government, but by the media too? We have shows on TV that represent all the things the bible preaches against. Shows like "Modern Family", "The New Normal" where homosexual couples are seen as the new normal. That there's nothing wrong with this picture. The problem people have is that the bible isn't an "evolving" document. See the standard of the bible doesn't change with pop culture, the bible doesn't change for us! WE CONFORM TO THE BIBLE. </div>
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The bible is so clear when it comes to what's going to happen in the days we're currently living in. Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Tim. 3:1-5 (NLT), "<em>You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, <strong>disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful</strong>. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!"</em></div>
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#4 REMEMBER THE SABBATH</div>
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Another memory game, quickly name the only place you can think of closed on Sundays. I know the only one that I can think of is Chick-Fil-A. Sidenote, I'm thinking of a business venture where I buy a ton of CFA's food and sell it in their parking lot on Sundays. I'll call it Chick-Fil-Atheist. J/K.</div>
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I love the story told by the movie <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chariots_of_Fire" target="_blank">CHARIOTS OF FIRE.</a> It's about a young man named Eric Liddell. He makes a stand once he finds that the opening heats of the Olympic games is on a Sunday and says that he can't run on the Lord's day. He is so adamant in his stand, that they end up moving the day of the heats so that he can participate. This man who had a lifetime invested in this one moment was willing to give it all away because of a conviction about the Sabbath. Jesus gives us a picture of what God had intended for the Sabbath in Mark 3:4-5 (NIV) <span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><em>"Then
Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to
save life or to kill?” But they remained silent. He looked around at them in
anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man,
“Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely
restored.” Paul even said this in Colossians: "So don’t let anyone condemn
you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new
moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality
yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.”</em></span></div>
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I think what I find funny too is the fact that technically Saturday is the real Sabbath. If we are really so legalistically bound by the rule of the law, than we need to be adhearing to the actual law. Remember that Jesus said this too in Mark 2 that the Sabbath was created for MAN not man for the Sabbath.</div>
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#3 DON'T TAKE THE LORD'S NAME IN VAIN (Vain- empty of substance: devoid of substance or meaning) </div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"> I'm going to
take some liberties with this one. I hope that you can follow my logic here.
John 1:1 tells us, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God." God is the word, so if you make his word void
of substance, you've broken the 3rd commandment. Jesus tells us for our yes to
be yes and our no to be no. We shouldn't swear to God, but we should just be
men and women of our word. That we also shouldn't use the scripture to gain
credibility. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"> I watched an interview
about a book called <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydlVzRxRUBc" target="_blank">THE HARBINGER</a> and our politicians have foolishly used the
word of God to proclaim America's greatness. After 9/11 they used the scripture
from Isaiah 9:10 where the people of Israel, in defiance of God, shake their
fist and say that we don't need you. We can rebuild our country on our own
without your help. Yet they read this like they understand what they're saying,
and that this makes them credible. What it's really doing is making God's word
empty of substance and devoid of meaning.</span></div>
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#2 NO IDOLS/#1 WORSHIP NO OTHER GOD BEFORE ME</div>
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Humans have a problem. We have a tendency to want to quantify God. We want to see, feel, smell, hear, and taste God. Even Israel, who saw incredible miracles, heard God's voice and in fear told Moses to go up and speak to God alone because they were fearful, after just 40 days had begun to melt all their gold and worship a calf. We want to make God human. People say knowledge is power, I say wisdom is power and knowledge is a curse. We were cursed by knowledge, the more we "know" the greater the curse. We try and put ourselves on God's level, even though Isaiah 55:9 tells us that his ways and thoughts are infinitely above ours. We put our faith in people and things because we have no FAITH (the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things NOT SEEN) in God.</div>
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We can see, touch, smell, hear, and taste people. We glorify people to a place that only God should be. We worship Hollywood, athletes, singers, politicians, etc... We base our happiness on things that are unable to make us happy. An idol is defined as: making for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. How many of us have done this? If you quantify the things you do by the hour, how many things do you do more than your time with God? I would say that prayer, bible reading, and church would be able to be added together. How many things are you currently saying with your actions are more important than God?</div>
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The reality is this, we can all complain about how corrupt/ungodly/secular/terrible/weak/sorry our government is becoming. The reality is this, our government is a direct reflection of us. They are our representatives. You'll hear most churches saying the following, "VOTE YOUR VALUES". The sad thing is what <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G._K._Chesterton" target="_blank">G.K. Chesterton</a> predicted about our culture today when he said, "Tolerance is the virtue of a culture that has no virtues". We, as Christians, have to decide at some point to stand up and become the moral majority for our nation. We are the majority, 58% of Americans identify themselves as Christian. It's time that our actions lined up with our mouths, and we begin to walk the walk. REMEMBER:</div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is the Gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit
which will save our nation – not politics or even necessarily godly leaders in
positions of authority.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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PolitcalPastorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01011986285925864495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247732906860586219.post-63877451323616889762012-10-17T13:08:00.002-06:002012-10-17T14:38:01.161-06:00OUR FREEDOMS AREN'T FREE... AND THEY'RE BEING REMOVED<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." -Benjamin Franklin<br />
<br />
"Man isn't free unless GOVERNMENT IS LIMITED." -Ronald Reagan<br />
<br />
"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it's because we destroyed ourselves." -Abraham Lincoln<br />
<br />
I hear this statement all the time and I completely agree that freedom isn't free. The lives that have been lost in the pursuit of freedom in this country are astounding. 25,700 American lives lost in the revolutionary war against Britain for our freedom from tyranny. 360,000 Union fighters were killed making sure we were MEN of our word and that all people were created equal and have unalienable rights. Total, 620,000 Americans died in the Civil War. All in all, nearly 2 million Americans have died in wars. They've defended our constitution and the rights of all people around the world. We've sent them into battle defending our rights for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That's why this issue is so close to my heart. <br />
<br />
Our freedoms have literally come under attack in the last two administrations, Bush and Obama, more than any other time in our history. Case in point, every President combined has issued a total of 56 EXECUTIVE ORDERS. President Bush issued 62 and President Obama has issued 138 EXECUTIVE ORDERS. Need more examples? Lets take the Bill of Rights that are under attack one by one:<br />
<br />
#1 FREEDOM OF SPEECH, PRESS, ASSEMBLY, AND RIGHT TO PETITION<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Congress
shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or
the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government
for a redress of grievances.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
*Assembly:<br />
<a href="http://www.eutimes.net/2012/03/obama-signs-anti-protest-trespass-bill/" target="_blank">EU TIMES REPORT</a><br />
<em style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Only days
after clearing Congress, US President Barack Obama signed his name to H.R. 347
on Thursday, officially making it a federal offense to cause a disturbance at
certain political events — essentially criminalizing protest in the States.”</em><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><em>“knowingly
entering a restricted area that is under the jurisdiction of Secret Service
protection can garner an arrest"</em></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>“The Secret
Service serves as the police that protects not just current and former American
presidents, but are also dispatched to monitor special events of national
significance, a category with a broad cast of qualifiers. In the past, sporting
events, state funerals, inaugural addresses and NATO and G-8 Summits have been
designated as such by the US Department of Homeland Security, the division that
decides when and where the Secret Service are needed outside of their normal
coverage.”<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></div>
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*FREE SPEECH<br />
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20120928/eu-un-free-speech/" target="_blank">HUFF POST: CURB FREE SPEECH</a><br />
<em style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“The
developing world nations are essentially telling the West: Curb free speech
that inflicts wounds based on race or religion. But the West is far from
uniform on how to balance free speech rights it considers sacrosanct with
efforts to tackle the spread of racial, ethnic or religious hatred.”</em><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em></em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>“The
non-binding resolution from South Africa – on behalf of the Africa Group – as
well as Cuba, Venezuela and Bolivia, follows calls by the Arab League for the
international community to criminalize blasphemy.” </em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><em>“ In the
United States, today a land of no-holds-barred talk radio, the Constitution's
First Amendment says Congress "shall make no law ... abridging the freedom
of speech." But in an unanimous opinion on the government's ability to
regulate speech during the World War I draft, Supreme Court Justice Oliver
Wendell Holmes Jr. argued that Congress can bar use of words in some
circumstances that "are of such a nature as to create a clear and present
danger" – such as "a man in falsely shouting fire in a theatre and
causing a panic."</em></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.nbc15.com/home/headlines/118298329.html" target="_blank">NBC: PASTOR GETS 2 YEARS FOR PREACHING DISCIPLINE</a><br />
<em style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“A Black
Earth pastor convicted of conspiracy to commit child abuse for advocating the
use of wooden rods to spank children has been sentenced to two years in prison.”</em><br />
<em style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></em>
<em style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“He was also
ordered Friday not to have contact with the church and have no leadership role
in any church.”</em><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><em>“The Dane
County jury took about two hours to find 54-year-old Philip Caminiti guilty of
eight counts Wednesday.”</em></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span>
</span>#2 RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS </div>
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<a href="http://washingtonexaminer.com/nra-seizes-on-obamas-support-for-gun-ban/article/2510993" target="_blank">EXAMINER: OBAMA TO BAN AR'S AND HANDGUNS</a><br />
<em style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"What
I'm trying to do is to get a broader conversation about how do we reduce the
violence generally. Part of it is seeing if we can get an assault weapons ban
reintroduced. But part of it is also looking at other sources of the violence.
Because frankly, in my hometown of Chicago, there's an awful lot of violence
and they're not using AK-47s. They're using cheap handguns."</em></div>
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<br />
<a href="http://www.gvnews.com/opinion/columns/norris-the-un-gun-control-treaty-is-bad-for-gun/article_18dd8864-02b4-11e2-b2ac-0019bb2963f4.html" target="_blank">UN GUN CONTROL TREATY</a><br />
<em style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Last time I
checked, Americans were responsible for making our own laws. We do not invite
foreign nations to have a say in how we govern ourselves within our own
borders. Yet if you follow what's been going on with the United Nations this
year, you know that the USA came perilously close to having other countries
dictate our gun laws. And the fight isn't over yet.”</em><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"<em>The
focus of the treaty would be a demand that governments regulate the sale and
possession of firearms worldwide -- all of them, including yours and mine.”</em></span></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
</span>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em>“The
debate reached a fever pitch during a month-long marathon negotiation session
in July. The goal was to disgorge a treaty in time for the Obama administration
to sign it before Election Day. The draft treaty was odious on its face. Among
other things, it would have required the United States to "maintain
records of all imports and shipments of arms," register the identity of
the "end user" of those firearms and then report the user's
information to a U.N.-based gun registry. In several drafts, the treaty would
have mandated that every round of ammunition be tracked globally.”</em></span></span></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">IF THEY CAN'T GET OUR GUNS, THEN WHY NOT GET THE AMMO FOR THE GUNS?</span></span></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;">
<a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/240909-dem-lawmakers-to-unveil-bill-regulating-online-sale-of-ammo" target="_blank">THE HILL: U.S. BILL TO REGULATE AMMO SALES</a></div>
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;">
<em style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Sen. Frank
Lautenberg (N.J.) and Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (N.Y.) said the new law would make
the sale of ammunition “safer for law-abiding Americans who are sick and tired
of the ease with which criminals can now anonymously stockpile for mass
murder,”</em></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>How dumb are these people? Criminals can't own a gun of any sort legally. So banning ammo for all, to make sure that criminals don't get it is the same as a gun ban for all. THE CRIMINALS WILL STILL HAVE GUNS AND AMMO! While those of us who are law abiding citizens will get caught in the crossfire. </span></div>
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<em>“Democratic senators though have offered an amendment to the
cyber-security bill that would limit the purchase of high capacity magazines by
some consumers. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) defended it last Thursday as a
“reasonable” gun control measure.”<o:p></o:p></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
This isn't the first time that they will have placed a moratorium on high-capacity magazines. If you own an AR, buy 'em up. You'll make more money off them than if you purchased gold. They'll be worth 4-5 times what they're worth today. Same as AR's if they ban the manufacturing of them as well. </span></div>
</span>#4 PROTECTION FROM UNREASONABLE SEARCH AND SEIZURE<br /></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Let
me advise you to do a little research on the PATRIOT ACT when it comes to all
of our rights, but especially on this topic of UNREASONABLE SEARCH. The PATRIOT
Act allows the FBI to write warrants for themselves, granting their own
permission to invade the privacy of the American citizen. This exactly what the
American colonists were mad at the British for. The PATRIOT Act takes aim at
those suspected of “terrorism”. While fighting terrorism is a good thing, whose
definition of terrorism does the government use? Well the government uses their
own definition. Terrorism is a tactic, not a set group of people. If one were
to trace the origins of modern terrorism one would find themselves with Michael
Collins and the Irish Republican Army. If the government is allowed to invade
Americans’ privacy based on such a vague term that they themselves can define,
there is no limit to their power. Not so long ago Vice President Joe Biden compared
the Tea Party to terrorists. While we must defend ourselves from terrorists we
must also remember that governments can be just as dangerous as any foreign
enemy.</span></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://friendsofjustice.wordpress.com/2011/05/19/supreme-court-ruling-shreds-the-fourth-amendment/" target="_blank">SUPREME COURT SHREDS 4TH AMENDMENT</a><br />
<em style="font-family: Calibri;">"The Supreme Court has traditionally concluded that
“searches and seizures inside a home without a warrant are presumptively
unreasonable.” The only exception to this rule is when police are dealing with
“exigent circumstances”</em><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em>“What
is an exigent circumstance?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Risk of
death of serious bodily injury qualifies as exigent. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The likely escape of a criminal suspect makes
the grade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, police officers can
smash open your door if they have reason to believe that evidence is being
destroyed.”</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em></em></span>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“The Court today arms the police with
a way routinely to dishonor the Fourth Amendment’s warrant requirement in drug
cases” Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote in a blistering dissent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“In lieu of presenting their evidence to a
neutral magistrate, police officers may now knock, listen, then break the door
down, never mind that they had ample time to obtain a warrant. I dissent from
the Court’s reduction of the Fourth Amendment’s force.”</span></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></i>#5 DUE PROCESS</div>
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<a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/justice-story/aclu-suing-u-s-drone-killings-citizens-yemen-article-1.1117095" target="_blank">ACLU SUING OVER DRONE STRIKE OF US CITIZEN</a><br />
<em>"<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Holder
acknowledged in that speech that the "due process" the administration
has employed does not involve an independent review by the courts."</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em>"Due
process and judicial process are not one and the same, particularly when it
comes to national security," Holder said then. "The Constitution
guarantees due process, it does not guarantee judicial process."</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em>“One
oddity of the current legal situation remains that the U.S. government needs
some kind of court-approved warrant to intentionally eavesdrop on the telephone
or e-mail of a U.S. citizen suspected of involvement with Al Qaeda, like Anwar
Al-Awlaki. However, using a drone, a missile, bomb or military raid to
intentionally kill that same person requires no approval from the judicial
branch.”</em></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.democracynow.org/2012/9/7/headlines/obama_talks_drone_strike_criteria_claims_due_process" target="_blank">PRESIDENT OBAMA: DUE PROCESS OF DRONE STRIKE</a><br />
<em style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“President
Obama: "It has to be a target that is authorized by our laws. It has to be
a threat that is serious and not speculative. It has to be a situation in which
we can’t capture the individual before they move forward on some sort of
operational plot against the United States. And this is an example of where I
think there’s been some misreporting. Our preference is always to capture, if
we can, because we can gather intelligence. But a lot of the terrorist networks
that target the United States, the most dangerous ones, operate in very remote
regions, and it’s very difficult to capture them. And we’ve got to make sure
that, in whatever operations we conduct, we are very careful about avoiding
civilian casualties."</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em>"Obama
made no direct mention of any of the three U.S. citizens killed overseas,
including the 16-year-old teenager Abdulrahman al-Awlaki"</em></span></span></div>
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I hope for your sake and your families sake that you're never considered a terrorist by our government... Especially with this news coming out:</div>
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<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/unmanned-aerial-vehicles-civil-liberties-droned/story?id=16511914" target="_blank">DRONES BEING USED NOW IN THE U.S.</a><br />
<em style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“With
Congress enacting a law giving the go-ahead for the use of drones in U.S.
airspace last February, the drone industry is now poised to deploy the
technology to monitor everything.”</em></div>
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Remember that freedom isn't free, it's something that has been fought and died for. Not just by our military who have made such an incredible sacrifice, but also by regular citizens who decided that tyranny wasn't an option. This quote says it all:</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: red;">“It
is better to fail in a cause that will ultimately succeed, than to succeed in a
cause that will ultimately fail.”-Peter Marshall</span></span></div>
</div>
PolitcalPastorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01011986285925864495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247732906860586219.post-89649391070728851032012-10-08T11:27:00.004-06:002012-10-08T15:03:31.949-06:00Dear Republicans: Please stop defending Bush... He was TERRIBLE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I know that I'm probably going to get a ton of flack for this blog entry, but here goes. As a person who falls somewhere between libertarian and very conservative, I am not a fan of our former President. Like most conservatives, I was caught up in the landslide that supported Bush in 2004. He was, after all, the better choice...right? In a previous post, I defended him when it came to the horrible economy that he resided over <a href="http://politicalpastor.blogspot.com/2012/09/its-economy-stupid.html">here</a>, but I can't completely defend him because if he was smart he would've seen that coming and repealed/replaced it with something better for the country. <br />
<br />
This man was a 21st century Republican. He was SOCIALLY conservative, but this man was FISCALLY liberal. His liberal spending theology, coupled with his conservative tax initiatives literally put us in a massive hole. He actually increased the size of our government MORE THAN PRESIDENT OBAMA. Thank God for the TEA party movement that has finally brought the majority of the republican party back to its conservative roots. So when, if ever, will this party ever get smart and throw this cat under the bus? We want voters to accept the reality that their 2008 vote for Obama was a mistake, yet we're unwilling as Republicans to call a spade a spade with Bush.<br />
<br />
<strong>#1 THE SIZE OF GOVERNMENT GROWN:</strong><br />
Now, my argument could start by pointing out that the only reason that Obama's government growth/spending wasn't as much as Bush's was because of the congress that the respective men had. Bush had a very liberal congress the last four years, Obama has had a very conservative congress the last 2 years. (Little talked about fact, our economy does better under a republican congress and democrat president... why? GRIDLOCK. Government has no effect and the people flourish) Need proof? <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5nTmislIbodRED0mVCVdmqG8pp2AjQXsoZFSN4V5XWk8LiIIP1x-fREgx0uC4b87pach8RxyvZry6sEaAcxkoU_bvjs7k6HaQvYahD0S88JLLG7lfgVCSJ0c8MSuEwbOexECSUNyurdQ/s1600/FED+spending.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5nTmislIbodRED0mVCVdmqG8pp2AjQXsoZFSN4V5XWk8LiIIP1x-fREgx0uC4b87pach8RxyvZry6sEaAcxkoU_bvjs7k6HaQvYahD0S88JLLG7lfgVCSJ0c8MSuEwbOexECSUNyurdQ/s320/FED+spending.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-07-11/news/29984054_1_federal-president-obama-debt">OBAMA V. BUSH business insider link</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>“from 2000
to 2008, under President Bush, Federal spending rose by $1.3 trillion, from
$1.9 trillion a year to $3.2 trillion a year.”<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></div>
<em>
</em><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>“From 2009
to 2011, meanwhile, under President Obama, federal spending has risen by $600
billion, from $3.2 trillion a year to $3.8 trillion a year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has also now begun to decline.”</em></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://money.cnn.com/2012/01/25/news/economy/obama_government/index.htm">FOOD STAMP PRESIDENT? CNN link</a> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>“By many measures, the federal government has indeed grown
during Obama's tenure. Spending as a share of the economy has gone up. The
number of federal employees has risen. More Americans are relying on federal assistance.”</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>“Government spending as a share of the economy has hovered
around 24% during the Obama administration, several percentage points higher
than under President Bush, according to Congressional Budget Office data. It's
also elevated from the historical average of 20.7% over the past 40 years.”</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>“The number of federal employees grew by 123,000, or 6.2%,
under President Obama, according to the White House's Office of Management and
Budget.”</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>“The federal payroll has been expanding since President Bush
took office, after declining during the Clinton administration. But it's still
a tad smaller than it was in 1992”</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>“The federal government has been one of the few areas that's
grown during the economic downturn. The private sector remains down 1.1 million
jobs from the start of 2009, while state and local governments have shed
635,000 positions.”</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>“There were 75 major regulations adopted in Obama's first
two years in office, compared to 120 during Bush's entire term, according to
the Heritage Foundation, citing Government Accountability </em></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Office statistics.
Fiscal 2010 saw a record 43 rules adopted."</em></span><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
So Bush increases the size of government to all time highs, yet the 1% of this man who is conservative fiscally decided it would be smart to cut taxes across the board. Half measures are always a mistake. He is the largest government President in history, prior to Obama, yet we've got the lowest taxes. His policies here have crippled us globally. Liberals loved the 99% of this guy. When you hear criticism from the left its on two things, the "Bush Tax Cuts" and this:<br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>#2 UNNEEDED WAR THAT TAINTED THE NECESSARY ONE:</strong><br />
I think that most rational Americans would agree with this statement. That what we found about Iraq, although it made sense for us on a human rights front, made no sense on the "war on terror" front. If the reasons for going into Iraq were legitimate, then it would've made much more sense to go into Iran instead. What we've found is that we've been pressured financially now to end our occupation of Afghanistan, which is the sole reason we got Bin Laden, and that wouldn't have happened if we weren't in Iraq first. We've lost sight on the original reason that we're in the middle east to begin with. It is largely seen as a vendetta that the son finished what his dad couldn't.<br />
<br /></div>
<strong>#3 THE TEA PARTY AFFECT:</strong><br />
THANK GOD for the TEA party. They've done more for the argument in this country than any group in the last 30 years. The nation actually has a clear choice on the issues in their state government. I've been able to vote for the last 8 years and finally feel that it's not just the choice of the lesser of two evils. I finally can draw a stark contrast between not only my choices for President, but for state and local government as well. President Bush wouldn't have stood up to the scrutiny of the TEA party if it had been around in 2000. They understand the thought process that "half measures" don't work. A country constantly being moved into a socialist style, needs an aggressive counter-culture to bring it back from guaranteed failure. These people were unafraid to call Bush what he was, a liberal with conservative tendencies. Why won't the higher-ups do the same? I think that it would help! In fact, I think the award-winning line for the upcoming debates would be, "Mr. President, I am not George Bush, and you sir are not Bill Clinton."<br />
<br />
I would really appreciate your opinion on this! Either on this blog or on the Facebook post. </div>
PolitcalPastorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01011986285925864495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247732906860586219.post-56751860804311655942012-10-03T23:55:00.000-06:002012-10-05T20:09:31.702-06:00J O B S, jobs, jobs, jobs... WHY OBAMA'S JOBS SUCK<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Tonight President Obama lied about creating 5 million private sector jobs. He's created 4.4 million, you can't even round that number up to 5. One of the problems is the number of jobs he's lost... 4.3 million. His unemployment is at 8.1%. This number doesn't even begin to tell the big picture, but that's why you read this blog... for the truth. So here it is:<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
#1 JOBS WE LOST VS. JOBS WE GAINED:</div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.inquisitr.com/318134/added-us-jobs-dont-pay-as-well-as-the-ones-we-lost-study/">http://www.inquisitr.com/318134/added-us-jobs-dont-pay-as-well-as-the-ones-we-lost-study/</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>"Data shows that roughly 60% of jobs lose between 2008 and 2010 were in the middle third of wages...While the economy has indeed added new jobs, over half of them have been lower paying spots in retail and food preparation, according to the New York Times."</i></div>
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<i>“The overarching message here is we don’t just have a jobs deficit; we have a ‘good jobs’ deficit,” said Annette Bernhardt, the report’s author and a policy co-director at the National Employment Law Project."</i></div>
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<i><a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2012/aug/31/business/la-fi-mo-jobs-low-paying-recession-middle-class-20120831">http://articles.latimes.com/2012/aug/31/business/la-fi-mo-jobs-low-paying-recession-middle-class-20120831</a></i></div>
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<i><i><i><i>"Although six in 10 jobs lost during the Great Recession paid mid-level wages, the majority of new jobs created in the recovery -- positions such as store clerks, laborers and home healthcare aides -- pay much less, according to a new study."</i></i></i></i></div>
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<i>"The recovery continues to be skewed toward low-wage jobs, reinforcing the rise in inequality and America's deficit of good jobs," she said. "While there's understandably a lot of focus on getting employment back to pre-recession levels, the quality of jobs is rapidly emerging as a second front in the struggling recovery."</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">"The economy has fewer good jobs now than it did at the start of the 21st century,” said Bernhardt, the study's coauthor."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/31/low-wage-jobs_n_1846733.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/31/low-wage-jobs_n_1846733.html</a></div>
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"Three notoriously low-paying industries -- food services, retail, and employment services -- account for 43 percent of all jobs created during the economic recovery, while better-paying industries have failed to recover, according to NELP."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</i></div>
<div>
#2 UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS AREN'T TRUTHFUL:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/sep/20/workforce-dropouts-frustrated-retired-or-lack-skil/">http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/sep/20/workforce-dropouts-frustrated-retired-or-lack-skil/</a></div>
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<i>"The big question: Who are all these people who have given up, driving the share of able-bodied Americans in the labor force to a 30-year low of 63.5 percent last month?"</i></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
HOLY CRAP!!! Only 63.5% of able bodied people have a job??? That means that 36.5% of people who can work, aren't... THAT'S A 30 YEAR HIGH!!!</div>
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<div>
<i>"The unemployment rate goes down when people stop looking for jobs, retire or go back to school — even if they’d rather have a job — because they no longer meet the Labor Department’s official definition of “unemployed.” </i></div>
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<i>"People pushed into early retirement by the recession have driven up claims for Social Security and Medicare benefits years ahead of schedule, moving up the projected insolvency of those fastest-growing entitlement programs."</i></div>
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So not only are we not getting taxes from these people because they're not earning any more, we're losing money as our government pays their SS and Medicare bills. Is our deficit problem becoming clearer?</div>
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<div style="font-style: italic;">
"For their part, younger people who have chosen to go back to school are piling up student loans, most of them guaranteed by the government, driving total student debt to an all-time high of more than $1 trillion and eclipsing every other kind of consumer credit."</div>
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Student loans are responsible for more debt than credit cards now. Does the Occupy movement make sense now? These kids who payed out the butt for college are unemployed, have huge amounts of debt, so of course they can sit in a park for 6 months! They aren't occupying a job.</div>
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#3 OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGH PAYING JOBS SQUANDERED:</div>
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<div>
<a href="http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2012-01-18/obama-rejects-keystone-pipeline/52655762/1">http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2012-01-18/obama-rejects-keystone-pipeline/52655762/1</a></div>
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<i>"Obama was putting politics ahead of jobs and the nation's energy security by rejecting the pipeline now, Republicans and oil industry leaders said. The president faced fierce pressure from environmentalists who said they would be less likely to campaign for him in November if he didn't block the project to move carbon-heavy oil from the tar sands of northwest Canada."</i></div>
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<i>"Business leaders and Republicans say approving the project now would create as many as 20,000 jobs for an ailing U.S. economy and lessen dependence on foreign oil."</i></div>
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Then, there's the fact that by our VP's own words our middle class has been buried by this administration: <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/biden-middle-class-buried-last-4-years-201211628--election.html">http://news.yahoo.com/biden-middle-class-buried-last-4-years-201211628--election.html</a></div>
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<i>"This is deadly earnest," Biden said. "How they can justify raising taxes on a middle class that has been buried the last four years? How in Lord's name can they justify raising their taxes with these tax cuts?"</i></div>
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Pretty tough to argue with a guy who's so truthful and so dishonest all at the same time. Maybe President Obama needs Solyndra to get a solar powered teleprompter to hook around Biden's neck so he can't screw up anymore.</div>
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PolitcalPastorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01011986285925864495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247732906860586219.post-80530747300720462572012-09-29T23:40:00.001-06:002012-10-24T15:03:23.698-06:00IT'S THE ECONOMY, STUPID<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
Before the political views on how we get better as a nation, I think that it's important to realize where we rank world wide in the following areas:<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2008 we ranked #1 in competitive rankings, today we rank #7. 2008 we ranked #66 in macroeconomic stability, today we rank #111. We rank #54 in politicians trustworthiness... in the land of the free???? Our government is ranked #76 in efficient spending of resources. We rank #140 of #144 in government deficit as percentage of GDP. 2008 we were #50 in government regulations of business, today #76. 2005 our infrastructure was ranked #1, today #16.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>So what am I saying? We all know it isn't great in our economy right now. We're in a gradual fall from the top of the perch to the middle of the pack. So what started all of this? Well, the housing bubble was to blame, banks are to blame, President Bush is to blame... or is he? We have a lot of problems that all came together at once. So lets look one at a time at these problems.<br />
<br />
THE HOUSING BUBBLE:<br />
<a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/48919926">http://www.cnbc.com/id/48919926</a><br />
<i>"The housing bubble that devastated the American economy and can be traced back to 1999, when Clinton was in office."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"At that time, the White House advocated a program in which Fannie Mae was encouraged to extend home mortgages to individuals whose credit was generally not good enough to qualify for conventional loans. Flash forward to 2007 and the term sub-prime mortgage had become part of the daily lexicon. “Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were at the epicenter of the housing crisis,” </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"Also critics argue that it was Clinton who repealed The Glass-Steagall Act, which for decades had separated commercial banking from investment banking. And they say Clinton signed the Commodity Futures Modernization Act — which exempted all derivatives, including the now notorious credit-default swaps, from federal regulation."</i><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Bottom line, the government decided they needed to be involved in the mortgage business. They bailed out Fannie and Freddie because we're the reason they went bankrupt. It also transitions nicely because Glass-Steagall is the whole reason that some of these banks that we bailed out were "TOO BIG TO FAIL". Remember that terribly ominous statement?<br />
<br />
BANK BAILOUTS:<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What's Glass-Steagall? While I am a general fan of deregulation of business, this piece of legislature passed in the 1930's was a staple of our economy. It was one of the biggest mistakes, IMO, of all the things that Clinton did.<br />
<a href="http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/economic-intelligence/2012/08/27/repeal-of-glass-steagall-caused-the-financial-crisis">http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/economic-intelligence/2012/08/27/repeal-of-glass-steagall-caused-the-financial-crisis</a><br />
<br />
<i>"In fact, the financial crisis might not have happened at all but for the 1999 repeal of the Glass-Steagall law that separated commercial and investment banking for seven decades."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"From 1933 to 1999, there were very few large bank failures and no financial panics comparable to the Panic of 2008. The law worked exactly as intended."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"What happened over the next eight years was an almost exact replay of the Roaring Twenties. Once again, banks originated fraudulent loans and once again they sold them to their customers in the form of securities. The bubble peaked in 2007 and collapsed in 2008. The hard-earned knowledge of 1933 had been lost in the arrogance of 1999."</i><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Our credit rating has been downgraded for the first time in history, and it is being threatened to be downgraded again. We've yet to pass a budget in the last three years. Our budget is bloated to the point that there are only 4 nations below us in debt to what we produce ratio.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>So we have to become aggressive on our strategy to increase our funds, spend our funds wiser, and reduce unnecessary spending. The reality is that 1 in 6 Americans are on food stamps, and 1 in 3 are on some form of government assistance. THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE!!! I like Paul Ryan's moxy to actually release a budget to get the conversation started. His cuts make actual sense, his plans for the overhaul of medicare are a libertarians dream. At least his budget passed the house... President Obama's budget however...<br />
<a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2012/may/16/obama-budget-defeated-99-0-senate/">http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2012/may/16/obama-budget-defeated-99-0-senate/</a><br />
<br />
<i>"President Obama's budget suffered a second embarrassing defeat Wednesday, when senators voted 99-0 to reject it. Coupled with the House's rejection in March, 414-0, that means Mr. Obama's budget has failed to win a single vote in support this year."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"It calls for tax increases to begin to offset higher spending, and would begin to level off debt as a percentage of the economy by 2022. It would produce $6.4 trillion in new deficits over that time."</i><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>So, the president's plan would have us at 22.5 trillion dollars in debt by 2022. No wonder it didn't get any votes. Is this really the direction that we want to go for the next four years?</div>
PolitcalPastorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01011986285925864495noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247732906860586219.post-26332986954342630942012-09-27T15:13:00.001-06:002012-09-27T15:13:38.339-06:00WHEN A NATION FORGETS GOD...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here's my message on that very thing. Hope you enjoy it:<br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/49878408">http://vimeo.com/49878408</a></div>
PolitcalPastorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01011986285925864495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247732906860586219.post-18522164004291311802012-09-23T07:49:00.000-06:002012-09-23T07:58:08.995-06:00Killing Bin Laden is not Foreign Policy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
OU lost and this blogger needs to vent. Who else to take it out on then President Obama? I can't take it out on K State, they played flawless, and no one would listen if I did anyways. I digress, one of the things that is heavily in the media right now is President Obama's foreign policy record. It's much like his fiscal policy record, terrible. Why you say? Because just like the economy, we're worse off then we were four years ago.<br />
<br />
We're out of Iraq you say, we killed Bin Laden you say, I say back that we couldn't have left Iraq in a much worse condition had we just dropped a M.O.A.B. on Saddam's house. The only reason we got Bin Laden is because of our presence in Afghanistan, remember the place that the Prez said when he got in office he'd be out of in a year? So on to the facts:<br />
<br />
1.) <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/on-the-record/2012/09/22/bolton-obamas-foreign-policy-complete-failure-has-reversed-americas-approach-peace-throug">http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/on-the-record/2012/09/22/bolton-obamas-foreign-policy-complete-failure-has-reversed-americas-approach-peace-throug</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<i>"tens of thousands of protesters clashing with police in Pakistan. And get this! It was the Pakistani government, who is supposed to be our ally, that called for today's protests."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"Under generations since Franklin Roosevelt, we have followed a "peace through strength" policy, that America's strong place in the world, politically, economically and military, help protect our interests. Barack Obama has reversed that. He believes in withdrawing American influence. He thinks we are too much in the world and that the world would be in a better place with a receding, declining America. I think that's a prescription for disaster, both at the level of grand strategy and in any number of imminent threats we face."</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/commentary/article/Obama-s-foreign-policy-reset-collapses-3884091.php">http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/commentary/article/Obama-s-foreign-policy-reset-collapses-3884091.php</a>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>"On June 4, 2009, in Cairo, Obama promised “a new beginning” offering Muslims “mutual respect,” unsubtly implying previous disrespect. Curious, as over the previous 20 years, the U.S. had six times committed its military forces on behalf of oppressed Muslims, three times for reasons of pure humanitarianism where no U.S. interests were at stake."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>" And his policies of accommodation and concession would consolidate the gains: an outstretched hand to Iran's mullahs, a first-time presidential admission of the U.S. role in a 1953 coup; withdrawal from Iraq with no residual presence or influence; a fixed timetable for leaving Afghanistan; returning our ambassador to Damascus; creating distance between the U.S. and Israel."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"Sovereign U.S. territory is breached and U.S. interests are burned. And what is the official response? One administration denunciation after another — of a movie trailer! A request to Google to “review” the trailer's presence on YouTube. And deputies' midnight “voluntary interview” with the suspected filmmaker. This in the land of the First Amendment."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"What else can Obama do? At their convention, Democrats endlessly congratulated themselves on their one foreign policy success: killing Osama bin Laden. A week later, the Salafist flag flies over four American embassies, even as the mob chants, “Obama, Obama, there are still a billion Osamas.”</i><br />
<br />
SO... I thought we were electing this guy because he was "cool" and Europe and the Mid East liked him. Well those days are gone! Well, not totally, Europe still loves him. Especially Russia! Didn't his Mom and Dad meet in a Russian language class? Just a side note, no conspiracy theories on this blog, just the facts : )<br />
<br />
This from uber-left wing website Huffpost: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/oleg-kozlovsky/usaid-expulsion-means-the_b_1898523.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/oleg-kozlovsky/usaid-expulsion-means-the_b_1898523.html</a><br />
<br />
<i>"After three years of attempts to repair Washington-Moscow relations and appeasement of the Kremlin, the Obama administration now has to deal with an even more anti-American, aggressive, and assertive Russian leadership than in 2009."</i><br />
<br />
Don't forget this little moment when President Obama didn't know his mic was still on: (30 seconds)<br />
<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2012/mar/27/obama-medvedev-mic-nuclear-video">http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2012/mar/27/obama-medvedev-mic-nuclear-video</a><br />
<br />
He does point out that Mitt Romney thinks that Russia is our biggest enemy... and that he doesn't think they're a problem at all in his speech at the convention:<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRxbFcAGfvM">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRxbFcAGfvM</a><br />
<br />
Not to mention the fact that he abandoned Poland and Western Europe when he caved to Russia on missile defense:<br />
<a href="http://www.acus.org/new_atlanticist/obama-abandons-poland-and-czech-missile-defense">http://www.acus.org/new_atlanticist/obama-abandons-poland-and-czech-missile-defense</a><br />
<br />
You mean the Russia with more nuclear bombs then us? You mean the Russia who is blocking our blockade on Iran? You mean the Russia who's the #1 supplier to China's attempt to unseat us as the world's currency for oil? You mean the Russia whose aiding extremist Muslims to take over Syria (who has nukes already)? Oh, that's right, it's that Russia...<br />
<br />
We all have seen in the news how he's treated Israel. Not talking to their PM when he was in the states and being on Letterman instead. They removed Jerusalem from the DNC platform. Put an ambassador in Damascus, etc, etc, etc.<br />
<br />
The bottom line reality is this, he's anti-American influence, expansion, and colonialism ( the establishment, exploitation, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory). Here's what he said about his own grandfather who advanced himself due to English colonialism and appreciated it:<i> “My image of Onyango, faint as it was, had always been of an autocratic man—a cruel man, perhaps. But I had also imagined him an independent man, a man of his people, opposed to white rule… What Granny had told us scrambled that image completely, causing ugly words to flash across my mind. <b>Uncle Tom. Collaborator. House nigger.”</b></i><br />
<br />
Read more: <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/09/11/why-did-obama-use-n-word-to-describe-his-grandfather/#ixzz27GUSvqWB">http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/09/11/why-did-obama-use-n-word-to-describe-his-grandfather/#ixzz27GUSvqWB</a><br />
<br />
If that's how he feels about his grandpa, what names has he called President McKinley who "colonized" Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.<br />
<br />
Don't forget the scariest foreign policy move in my humble opinion:<br />
<a href="http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/03/05/10585197-holder-us-can-legally-kill-americans-in-terror-groups?lite">http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/03/05/10585197-holder-us-can-legally-kill-americans-in-terror-groups?lite</a><br />
<br />
I hope that you're never categorized as "being in a terror group"... so much for the due process that our citizens are guaranteed by the 5th amendment.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
PolitcalPastorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01011986285925864495noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247732906860586219.post-46200010095586195362012-09-21T10:27:00.003-06:002012-09-21T10:27:59.013-06:00Red Line in the Sand?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We live in interesting times. I want you to read this article carefully:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/dollar-no-longer-primary-oil-currency-as-china-begins-to-sell-oil-using-yuan">http://www.examiner.com/article/dollar-no-longer-primary-oil-currency-as-china-begins-to-sell-oil-using-yuan</a><br />
<br />
<em>Lindsey Williams: "The most significant day in the history of the American dollar, since its inception, happened on Thursday, Sept. 6. On that day, something took place that is going to affect your life, your family, your dinner table more than you can possibly imagine."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>"On Friday, Sept. 7, Russia announced, that as of today, we will supply China with all of the crude oil that they need, no matter how much they want... there is no limit. And Russia will not sell or trade this crude oil to China using the American dollar." </em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>"No longer will U.S. sanctions against Iran have a measurable affect, as the rogue nation can simply choose to </em><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pctO1iQUpeM" rel="nofollow"><em>sell its oil</em></a><em> to China, and receive Yuan in return, and use that currency to trade for the necessary resources it needs to sustain its economy and nuclear programs."</em><br />
<br />
Obviously this is a twofold problem. 1.) In the very near future our ability to print money like it's going out of style will be over. Every attempt to "stimulate" our economy will drive inflation to obscene levels. Every session of QUANTITATIVE EASING will cause more problems than it solves. 2.) This puts us in a situation where we either back Israel or back out on our strongest ally in the Middle East... Here's what the prime minister of Israel just said in his state of the union address:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-netanyahu-obama-iran-20120916,0,208191.story">http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-netanyahu-obama-iran-20120916,0,208191.story</a><br />
<br />
<em>"Netanyahu, appearing on Sunday TV news shows in the midst of a heated
presidential campaign, again urged President Obama to draw a "red line" before
Tehran."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>"Netanyahu last week assailed the administration for refusing to issue a more
specific ultimatum to Iran over the nuclear program, saying that those who
refuse to do so "don’t have a moral right to place a red light before Israel," a
reference to U.S. pressure on Israel not to conduct a military strike on Iran
aimed at its nuclear program."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>"What's guiding my statements is not the American political calendar, but the
Iranian nuclear calendar," he said."</em><br />
<br />
So, this extremely important ally of ours just happened to be stateside this week. Our president decided that he had better things to do then to meet with a man whose country could literally be wiped off the face of the earth tomorrow if Iran had a nuke...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/obama-makes-time-for-letterman-but-not-israeli-pm-netanyahu">http://www.examiner.com/article/obama-makes-time-for-letterman-but-not-israeli-pm-netanyahu</a><br />
<br />
On the flip side of this at least QE3 has started up! (sound of cheering in the background from the uninformed and foolish) I mean the last one was super successful, and all the money went right into American pockets... Oh, right, there's this:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/WN/obama-stimulus-money-spent-overseas/story?id=10002592">http://abcnews.go.com/WN/obama-stimulus-money-spent-overseas/story?id=10002592</a><br />
<br />
<em>"An investigation by </em><a href="http://www.abcnews.com/" target="external"><em>ABC News</em></a><em> and the </em><a href="http://investigativereportingworkshop.org/" target="external"><em>Investigative Reporting Workshop</em></a><em> found that 79 percent of the program's money has gone to foreign companies, money that Schumer said was "federal tax dollars, the stimulus, which was sold as jobs in America."</em><br />
<br />
<em>"The frustrated senators are concerned, though, that some of the money is also paying for manufacturing jobs in China, and they are pushing a bill requiring that stimulus projects create jobs in the United States. They want the wind energy program stopped before the Chinese turbine manufacturers can collect any money."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
Interesting times indeed... Don't forget that Iran and all the protests are really "evangelical islamophobes" fault though!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/09/15/my-take-its-time-for-islamophobic-evangelicals-to-choose/">http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/09/15/my-take-its-time-for-islamophobic-evangelicals-to-choose/</a><br />
<br />
<em>"At a time when U.S. embassies are being attacked and when people are getting killed over an offensive, adolescent and puerile film targeting Islam - beyond pathetic in its tawdriness – we must begin to own up to the reality of evangelical Islamaphobia."</em><br />
<br />
<em>"Many sincere and good-hearted evangelicals have never yet had a real Muslim friend, and now they probably never will because their minds have been so prejudiced by Islamophobic broadcasts on so-called Christian television and radio."</em><br />
<br />
<em>"The events of this past week, if we let them, could mark a turning point - a hitting bottom, if you will - in the complicity of evangelicalism in Islamophobia. If enough evangelicals watch or try to watch the film trailer that has sparked such </em><a href="http://www.religionnews.com/blogs/omid-safi/12-essential-points-about-the-offensive-film-on-the-prophet-muhammad-and-th" target="_blank"><em>outrage in the Middle East</em></a><em>, they may move beyond the tipping point."</em><br />
<br />
<em>"It is hate speech. It is no different from the anti-Semitic garbage that has been all too common in Western Christian history. It is sub-Christian - beneath the dignity of anyone with a functioning moral compass."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
His basic premise is that Evangelical Christians talking about how terrible Islam truly is, is in some form "hate speech" and that we'll all miss out because the truly whole individual has at least one Muslim friend... I'm sorry, but I think that at a time when Muslim terrorists just killed an innocent American an article like this could wait. <br />
<br />
I hope this catches you up on the Mid East DRAMA from PJ's perspective.</div>
PolitcalPastorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01011986285925864495noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3247732906860586219.post-8613548959398547312012-09-20T10:41:00.001-06:002012-09-20T10:41:32.099-06:00HERE GOES...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcher-IL1zz33-eWarIu-dtfnOF_t3wgOt-48trjjnJkdUi-wFIB06WehFwa6LuOg79PapRRSklzeMwJk1bPrvk2N7_DGdxUPheer5Hn4fcDMMVkaGBngC3y1uAb7Xtzhx3SFMrVaU20U/s1600/Capitol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcher-IL1zz33-eWarIu-dtfnOF_t3wgOt-48trjjnJkdUi-wFIB06WehFwa6LuOg79PapRRSklzeMwJk1bPrvk2N7_DGdxUPheer5Hn4fcDMMVkaGBngC3y1uAb7Xtzhx3SFMrVaU20U/s320/Capitol.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Here goes....<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
I've decided to start this because I'm constantly thinking about politics. I find myself holding back because of my position here at FCFC on my facebook. I'm friends with multiple generations, cultures, backgrounds, and political affiliations. The last thing that I want to do is to destroy my witness with someone over my postings in the political arena. I understand that it is MUCH MORE IMPORTANT to win people to Christ then to talk about politics. I also know that:
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is the Gospel and the power
of the Holy Spirit which will save our nation – not politics or even
necessarily godly leaders in positions of authority.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
I think that one of the biggest reasons for this blog is really just the simple fact that I want to make a difference inside of the Christian community. We've become lazy when it comes to protecting our values and freedoms. As George Bernard Shaw said, "Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men
dread it." We have a responsibility to protect the freedoms that we all enjoy today, that our grandparents enjoyed when they were young, and that our founders wanted for this nation. <br />
<br />
So, I'll be putting together a blog once a week, maybe more often, that will detail what's going on in our nation, what we can do about it, and how we can make a difference today. So follow me up on the top right hand corner, share these blog posts if you like on facebook or twitter, and get involved in keeping the freedoms that we enjoy today for our kids tomorrow. </div>
PolitcalPastorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01011986285925864495noreply@blogger.com0