I went to work for an organization where the boss was one of the most critical men I ever knew. No one did anything right. Everyone was an idiot. The worst was, I knew full well that if he talked about others in that way to me, he talked about me that way to others. I never trusted him.
I’m not afraid of criticism. I take it well and hope to learn from it. It’s when someone blows off and berates another person, even to his face that makes the critic small in my and everyone’s else’s eyes.
I have always hated the phrase that started, “I have a little constructive criticism for you”. It’s never constructive and I wish they would hold their tongue. I’m not perfect, I can think of several good sound relationships I have damaged by my sharp tongue. I’m now certain there is no such thing as constructive criticism.
To be condemning of another person for their actions is about the same. I learned long ago not to judge. When I see someone do something I don’t understand, I always think of something my old friend Loehle Gast used to say, “treat everyone as if their heart were breaking because in some way or another it probably is”. That’s why the word IDIOT attached to someone for their actions is hard for me. We don’t know or understand their motivations. If someone is late for work, questions not condemnations will accomplish more. If someone steps out of line in a meeting or social situation, be triply forgiving.
The last is a person who complains constantly about things. We are responsible in part for the answer to every prayer we pray. We are responsible in part for a solution as far as we can for every complaint we lodge. I’m not talking about being a doormat. I’m talking about asking, poking, pulling, questioning. When it becomes complaining, it’s too much.
Any fool can criticize, condemn or complain and most fools do. Don’t be a fool. Be supportive, helpful, encouraging and prod for excellence.
In Short:
Don’t be critical to another person
Never condemn another person for what they say or do
Complaining will get you nowhere
Don’t criticize condemn or complain
Saturday, July 16, 2005
Why I am not a Moderate
I have been cussed out, harassed and abused about being extremist. I don't think I am but who knows. I don't believe the voice of moderation ever solved anything. This cartoon by a comic strip named CANDORVILLE (which is not written by any means by a conservative) says it all.
I'm tired of people who have no position, don't know what they believe and are unwilling to make unwavering declarations of principle. President Bush, whatever you think of him is considered stubborn. I consider him principled.
I only hope that in the upcoming Supreme Court battle he has the courage to be steady and nominate someone who will separate the men from the boys, even if it's a girl.
Go for it GWB!
Friday, July 15, 2005
A Day that Reigns
It was 3PM Saturday July 16, 1966. I stood in my one decent suit at the front of the chapel. I was 21 years old. I looked back and there was this beautiful woman (girl) of 18. She came up front. My brother John and Sister Carol stood by our sides. Only Pastor Quello seemed to be in charge. The 30 or so guests, family and friends sat quietly. Pastor Quello’s Wife played “Song of Ruth” on the organ. Pastor spoke about staircases in the Winchester house in California that go nowhere. I didn’t recall the point but it was interesting.
Then he asked us if we did. I said yes, she said yes, we did, have done and still do.
Some tears, some laughter, no one knowing exactly what we were about to get ourselves into. We didn’t. It’s lucky love is blind, stupid, trusting and doesn’t know the future. But OH what we would have missed if our better judgment had taken over. Sometimes faith and a plunge is all that separates us from the destiny that beckons us on.
We all went to the Town House motel dining room in Fargo and had dinner. Ben (my new Father in Law who wasn’t sure about this whole thing) bought.
It’s been a journey of 39 years. I’m glad we took it. There were opportunities for detours and station stops where one of us could have got off the train. But being hard headed Germans neither of us know how to say the words, “I give up”.
She has become my best friend, the only one who I can talk to in such intimate terms, a confessor, and a wonderful companion. She is the love of my life, still turns my crank, beautiful in more ways than you could understand, and as I mentioned to Eric in his blog about his 32’nd wedding anniversary yesterday, Proverbs 31 would sell her short.
So, Peggy, Thank YOU. Thanks to Mom and Dad Scheffert for allowing me to steal away their little girl. Thanks to Jesus who really deserves the credit for being the glue that holds us together in hard times, even when we lean into the punch.
Here’s to YOU, No YOU, No YOU….. This is the one argument we have constantly.
Then he asked us if we did. I said yes, she said yes, we did, have done and still do.
Some tears, some laughter, no one knowing exactly what we were about to get ourselves into. We didn’t. It’s lucky love is blind, stupid, trusting and doesn’t know the future. But OH what we would have missed if our better judgment had taken over. Sometimes faith and a plunge is all that separates us from the destiny that beckons us on.
We all went to the Town House motel dining room in Fargo and had dinner. Ben (my new Father in Law who wasn’t sure about this whole thing) bought.
It’s been a journey of 39 years. I’m glad we took it. There were opportunities for detours and station stops where one of us could have got off the train. But being hard headed Germans neither of us know how to say the words, “I give up”.
She has become my best friend, the only one who I can talk to in such intimate terms, a confessor, and a wonderful companion. She is the love of my life, still turns my crank, beautiful in more ways than you could understand, and as I mentioned to Eric in his blog about his 32’nd wedding anniversary yesterday, Proverbs 31 would sell her short.
So, Peggy, Thank YOU. Thanks to Mom and Dad Scheffert for allowing me to steal away their little girl. Thanks to Jesus who really deserves the credit for being the glue that holds us together in hard times, even when we lean into the punch.
Here’s to YOU, No YOU, No YOU….. This is the one argument we have constantly.
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Please, I'm a big boy now,, stop protecting me
Right now some lawyer somewhere is making a huge amount of money protecting me. I didn't ask him to. He just did.
STOP, For goodness sake STOP already.
I just spent the better part of an hour trying and failing to do something that should take 4 minutes tops. Replacing a heavy duty 3 prong 15 amp connector on a piece of equipment. Old days, remove top, 3 screws, one's green. Put green wire on green screw, other two on others. Reassemble, plug and go.
Now, for $6.80 at Ace is the Place, a convoluted apparatus designed to make sure no wires ever touch, no water ever gets in, no human can actually assemble this.
I wrecked it. I'm angry and frustrated.
I'll do it again. But, this time, I will pick out the device. Or I'll throw out the machine.
Julie talked about the rush toward infinite safety.
I have only one word for you safety nut lawyers, prison is the safest place to be, why don't you go there? Here, just follow Bernie Ebbers (who is innocent) more on that later.
Now I feel better but I still don't have a machine that works.
STOP, For goodness sake STOP already.
I just spent the better part of an hour trying and failing to do something that should take 4 minutes tops. Replacing a heavy duty 3 prong 15 amp connector on a piece of equipment. Old days, remove top, 3 screws, one's green. Put green wire on green screw, other two on others. Reassemble, plug and go.
Now, for $6.80 at Ace is the Place, a convoluted apparatus designed to make sure no wires ever touch, no water ever gets in, no human can actually assemble this.
I wrecked it. I'm angry and frustrated.
I'll do it again. But, this time, I will pick out the device. Or I'll throw out the machine.
Julie talked about the rush toward infinite safety.
I have only one word for you safety nut lawyers, prison is the safest place to be, why don't you go there? Here, just follow Bernie Ebbers (who is innocent) more on that later.
Now I feel better but I still don't have a machine that works.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Dinner with the Perfect Stranger
I'm looking forward to this.!
I heard an interview with this the author and his description was fascinating. This is going to be big. As big as Jabez. Just watch.
I wish I had written it. I have always believed that our concept of Jesus was far too stiff. There have been attempts to confer human tendencies to him. But, think of the fact that on this earth he was the subject of much conversation, attracted kids, men, enemies.
He was something. He still is.
I know enough to know religious people will hate this portrayal. Too bad. Jesus is fully man and fully God. That's what we confess. Either it's true or we have to cut it out.
So, buy a copy. I will. This should be fun.
Just put your concepts of what Jesus is like in your back pocket. No long hair, flowing robe, slow deliberate speech. Real, insightful, kind, challenging, forgiving, persistent in love,. That's the Jesus I know.
I heard an interview with this the author and his description was fascinating. This is going to be big. As big as Jabez. Just watch.
I wish I had written it. I have always believed that our concept of Jesus was far too stiff. There have been attempts to confer human tendencies to him. But, think of the fact that on this earth he was the subject of much conversation, attracted kids, men, enemies.
He was something. He still is.
I know enough to know religious people will hate this portrayal. Too bad. Jesus is fully man and fully God. That's what we confess. Either it's true or we have to cut it out.
So, buy a copy. I will. This should be fun.
Just put your concepts of what Jesus is like in your back pocket. No long hair, flowing robe, slow deliberate speech. Real, insightful, kind, challenging, forgiving, persistent in love,. That's the Jesus I know.
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Journalism 101
In today’s Chicago Tribune is a column by Charles Madigan who complains that people (right wing people) hate journalists. That’ bad ol bloggers like me (and maybe you) live parasitically off the reportage of “Journalists”. I beg to differ Mr. Madigan. You don’t make up events. You report them. You live parasitically off events. Where you get into trouble is when you report these events with your own spin.
Let me help you understand this concept.
A dog chased a rabbit across my yard yesterday afternoon. It did not catch it.
ThatÂ’s reporting. The event drives the report. How well you describe the event is journalism.
I saw a flash. A little flash and then a bigger one. The yelp caught me off guard. Rusty, the neighborÂ’s German Shepherd, was in hot pursuit of prey. A bunny rabbit. The little frightened rabbit wove left and then right and with a hop hip-hop disappeared into the weed patch. Rusty sniffed around and soon gave up.
ThatÂ’s better journalism. Word Pictures. Imagery. Descriptive language.
But, thatÂ’s not the journalism that Madigan is defending.
His kind of journalism would say:
Darwin is alive and well. Survival of the fittest prevailed once again. WhereÂ’s your intelligent design in this story? Our neighbor lets his dog run wild. I shouldnÂ’t be surprised. HeÂ’s a republican. Yesterday he trespassed on my yard again for the fifth time. This mongrel was in full pursuit of an innocent wild rabbit. The barking interrupted my reading. I have always felt the underdog had a chance. Soon the aggressive barking dog was bested by superior craft as the rabbit hid in a native planting area we keep as our effort to be environmentally correct. The stupid dog gave up soon. I called the cops and hope they do something about owners who let their dogs run wild. We need better laws. Call your alderman.
ThatÂ’s opinion Journalism. Nothing wrong with the story, except it now has a viewpoint and means itÂ’s fair game to those who take a pot shot at it. And I will. Your opinion and perspective on the event is yours and YOU are subject to being questioned and criticized when you engage in that kind of journalism.
Yellow Journalism (which deserves no quarter) would be:
George Bush has a dog. IÂ’ll bet itÂ’s like the badly behaved dog of the right wing nutcases next door. That stinking mongrel probably is the one who dumps on my lawn all the time. In any case for the 5th time I caught him chasing across my lawn. He was doing what all unfettered wild animals do, chasing a poor defenseless rabbit. We have laws and while the right wing is quick to point out those laws to us when it fits their needs, when their dogs or secretary of defense chase rabbits in Iraq we are supposed to ignore them. What did that rabbit ever do to my neighbors, what did Iraq ever do to us? Yet the dog gave up trying to find the rabbit like we gave up trying to find WMDÂ’s. HeÂ’ll be back. He occupies my lawn like Bush occupies Iraq. HeÂ’s just like that Dog, in fact he is a dog.
So, Mr Madigan. What journalism are you defending? You donÂ’t cause the events you report on. How you report on them is the question.
I have one more piece of news. We like opinion. We like colorful reporting. Just donÂ’t get high and mighty about it. I used to own a news organization (Radio). When I told our news director that his reporting of the news existed to sell advertising he had a fit. But it does. If no one reads you, no ads. So report away, just donÂ’t get all haughty about who or what you are. YouÂ’re a beat reporter with an opinion. That's all.
I posted this column here too for those who don't yet have a free subscription to the Chicago Tribune. You should, it's painless.
UPDATE:
I recieved a nice email from Mr Madigan to whom I had forwarded this link. He is the editor in chief of the Chicago Tribune ( I think). The nicest thing he said was that you and I as bloggers are into something very interesting indeed. I agree. But for those who read this who write for news organizations, don't give up. I confessed to Mr. Madigan (who calls himself Charlie) that I knew nothing about journalism except as a consumer. I guess consumin makes us all experts, right???
Let me help you understand this concept.
A dog chased a rabbit across my yard yesterday afternoon. It did not catch it.
ThatÂ’s reporting. The event drives the report. How well you describe the event is journalism.
I saw a flash. A little flash and then a bigger one. The yelp caught me off guard. Rusty, the neighborÂ’s German Shepherd, was in hot pursuit of prey. A bunny rabbit. The little frightened rabbit wove left and then right and with a hop hip-hop disappeared into the weed patch. Rusty sniffed around and soon gave up.
ThatÂ’s better journalism. Word Pictures. Imagery. Descriptive language.
But, thatÂ’s not the journalism that Madigan is defending.
His kind of journalism would say:
Darwin is alive and well. Survival of the fittest prevailed once again. WhereÂ’s your intelligent design in this story? Our neighbor lets his dog run wild. I shouldnÂ’t be surprised. HeÂ’s a republican. Yesterday he trespassed on my yard again for the fifth time. This mongrel was in full pursuit of an innocent wild rabbit. The barking interrupted my reading. I have always felt the underdog had a chance. Soon the aggressive barking dog was bested by superior craft as the rabbit hid in a native planting area we keep as our effort to be environmentally correct. The stupid dog gave up soon. I called the cops and hope they do something about owners who let their dogs run wild. We need better laws. Call your alderman.
ThatÂ’s opinion Journalism. Nothing wrong with the story, except it now has a viewpoint and means itÂ’s fair game to those who take a pot shot at it. And I will. Your opinion and perspective on the event is yours and YOU are subject to being questioned and criticized when you engage in that kind of journalism.
Yellow Journalism (which deserves no quarter) would be:
George Bush has a dog. IÂ’ll bet itÂ’s like the badly behaved dog of the right wing nutcases next door. That stinking mongrel probably is the one who dumps on my lawn all the time. In any case for the 5th time I caught him chasing across my lawn. He was doing what all unfettered wild animals do, chasing a poor defenseless rabbit. We have laws and while the right wing is quick to point out those laws to us when it fits their needs, when their dogs or secretary of defense chase rabbits in Iraq we are supposed to ignore them. What did that rabbit ever do to my neighbors, what did Iraq ever do to us? Yet the dog gave up trying to find the rabbit like we gave up trying to find WMDÂ’s. HeÂ’ll be back. He occupies my lawn like Bush occupies Iraq. HeÂ’s just like that Dog, in fact he is a dog.
So, Mr Madigan. What journalism are you defending? You donÂ’t cause the events you report on. How you report on them is the question.
I have one more piece of news. We like opinion. We like colorful reporting. Just donÂ’t get high and mighty about it. I used to own a news organization (Radio). When I told our news director that his reporting of the news existed to sell advertising he had a fit. But it does. If no one reads you, no ads. So report away, just donÂ’t get all haughty about who or what you are. YouÂ’re a beat reporter with an opinion. That's all.
I posted this column here too for those who don't yet have a free subscription to the Chicago Tribune. You should, it's painless.
UPDATE:
I recieved a nice email from Mr Madigan to whom I had forwarded this link. He is the editor in chief of the Chicago Tribune ( I think). The nicest thing he said was that you and I as bloggers are into something very interesting indeed. I agree. But for those who read this who write for news organizations, don't give up. I confessed to Mr. Madigan (who calls himself Charlie) that I knew nothing about journalism except as a consumer. I guess consumin makes us all experts, right???
Monday, July 11, 2005
People Screwing up America
Bernard Goldberg has written a book, The 100 People Who are Screwing up America. Below is his list. I confess, there are several I don’t know and there are a few I disagree with. But, I agree in spades with several. I think the fact that some people are seen by others as damaging to our culture should give us pause. I know my liberal friends will have a different list. That’s what makes a horserace. I offer my agreement or comment to the side. If you want, copy this and make your own. I must be ignorant of the left wing nuts. I only know 4 of the top ten.
1. · Michael Moore .............In spades, Entertainers shouldn’t pontificate
2. · Arthur Sulzberger
3. · Ted Kennedy ....................Go away, please, please please
4. · Jesse Jackson ..................Harmless little guy
5. · Anthony Romero
6. · Jimmy Carter ..................HUH? Jimmy's ok
7. · Margaret Marshall
8. · Paul Krugman
9. · Jonathan Kozol
10. · Ralph Neas
11. · Noam Chomsky
12. · Dan Rather .......................Arrest Him, oh they did? ok
13. · Andrew Heyward
14. · Mary Mapes
15. · Ted Rall
16. · John Edwards ......................No Crime to be a Phony, is there?
17. · Al Sharpton ..................I like Al, we need him in Conservativille for comic relief
18. · Al Gore .............................Who Cares
19. · George Soros ............ a bad guy, I agree in spades, deport him and his cash
20. · Howard Dean ..........................I think Dean is essential
21. · Judge Roy Moore ...............................WHAT?
22. · Michael Newdow
23. · The Unknown American Terrorist
24. · Lee Bollinger
25. · James Kopp
26. · Dr. Martin Haskell
27. · Paul Begala
28. · Julian Bond................... Didn’t used to be, is now really over the top
29. · John Green
30. · Latrell Sprewell
31. · Maury Povich......................... But his wife is nice
32. · Jerry Springer .........................Yes, enough already
33. · Bob Shrum
34. · Bill Moyers...................................Yep, left wing self rightoutsness
35. · Jeff Danziger
36. · Nancy Hopkins
37. · Al Franken ...............................Out of his element, always dangerous
38. · Jim McDermott
39. · Peter Singer
40. · Scott Harshbarger
41. · Susan Beresford
42. · Gloria Steinem..............................how can you be mean to a playboy bunny?
43. · Paul Eibeler
44. · Dennis Kozlowski
45. · Ken Lay..............................Proof that Positive thinkins isn't always postive
46. · Barbara Walters.........................Saturday Nite Live had her right
47. · Maxine Waters............a case of people get the representation they deserve
48. · Robert Byrd.............................Shakes Rattle and Rolls
49. · Ingrid Newkirk
50. · John Vasconellos
51. · Ann Pelo
52. · Markos Moulitsas
53. · Anna Nicole Smith ..............................Is it wrong to be stupid and fat?
54. · Neal Shapiro
55. · David Westin
56. · Diane Sawyer.....................................AWWWW come on, Diane?
57. · Ted Field
58. · Eminem............................................I like his music, does that make me bad?
59. · Shirley Franklin
60. · Ludacris
61. · Michael Savage................................Wheat or Chaff, you decide
62. · Howard Stern .................................This one I really agree with.
63. · Amy Richards
64. · James Wolcott
65. · Oliver Stone..............So Ollie, who really killed Princess Di, J Harvey Oswald?
66. · David Duke.................................What about his basketball team
67. · Randall Robinson
68. · Katherine Hanson
69. · Matt Kunitz
70. · Jimmy Swaggart ....................Why??
71. · Phil Donahue.............don't speak ill if the dead, he's not dead yet, not dead yet?
72. · Ward Churchill ..................................This guy is dangerous
73. · Barbara Kingsolver
74. · Katha Politt
75. · Eric Foner
76. · Barbara Foley
77. · Linda Hirshman
78. · Norman Mailer...........................Tilt, long ago, bye bye, love ya
79. · Harry Belafonte ..........................He sang about bananas, now he is
80. · Kitty Kelley..........................Her new book, I lie all the time!
81. · Tim Robbins.......... people that take him seriously are too dumb to matter
82. · Laurie David
83. · The Dumb and Vicious Celebrity
84. · The Vicious Celebrity
85. · The Dumb Celebrity
86. · Chris Ofili
87. · Sheldon Hackney
88. · Aaron McGruder
89. · Jane Smiley
90. · Michael Jackson......................We get a freak show and didn't even pay a dime
91. · Barbara Streisand..................Her initials say it all
92. · Kerri Dunn
93. · Richard Timmons
94. · Guy Velella
95. · Courtney Love..............................Earth callling space, come in space
96. · Eve Ensler
97. · Todd Goldman
98. · Sheila Jackson Lee.........................see number 47
99. · Matthew Lesko ..............................I agree, something for nothing is dumb
100 · Rick and Kathy Hilton................as boyfriend Rick sings Springtime in Paris
1. · Michael Moore .............In spades, Entertainers shouldn’t pontificate
2. · Arthur Sulzberger
3. · Ted Kennedy ....................Go away, please, please please
4. · Jesse Jackson ..................Harmless little guy
5. · Anthony Romero
6. · Jimmy Carter ..................HUH? Jimmy's ok
7. · Margaret Marshall
8. · Paul Krugman
9. · Jonathan Kozol
10. · Ralph Neas
11. · Noam Chomsky
12. · Dan Rather .......................Arrest Him, oh they did? ok
13. · Andrew Heyward
14. · Mary Mapes
15. · Ted Rall
16. · John Edwards ......................No Crime to be a Phony, is there?
17. · Al Sharpton ..................I like Al, we need him in Conservativille for comic relief
18. · Al Gore .............................Who Cares
19. · George Soros ............ a bad guy, I agree in spades, deport him and his cash
20. · Howard Dean ..........................I think Dean is essential
21. · Judge Roy Moore ...............................WHAT?
22. · Michael Newdow
23. · The Unknown American Terrorist
24. · Lee Bollinger
25. · James Kopp
26. · Dr. Martin Haskell
27. · Paul Begala
28. · Julian Bond................... Didn’t used to be, is now really over the top
29. · John Green
30. · Latrell Sprewell
31. · Maury Povich......................... But his wife is nice
32. · Jerry Springer .........................Yes, enough already
33. · Bob Shrum
34. · Bill Moyers...................................Yep, left wing self rightoutsness
35. · Jeff Danziger
36. · Nancy Hopkins
37. · Al Franken ...............................Out of his element, always dangerous
38. · Jim McDermott
39. · Peter Singer
40. · Scott Harshbarger
41. · Susan Beresford
42. · Gloria Steinem..............................how can you be mean to a playboy bunny?
43. · Paul Eibeler
44. · Dennis Kozlowski
45. · Ken Lay..............................Proof that Positive thinkins isn't always postive
46. · Barbara Walters.........................Saturday Nite Live had her right
47. · Maxine Waters............a case of people get the representation they deserve
48. · Robert Byrd.............................Shakes Rattle and Rolls
49. · Ingrid Newkirk
50. · John Vasconellos
51. · Ann Pelo
52. · Markos Moulitsas
53. · Anna Nicole Smith ..............................Is it wrong to be stupid and fat?
54. · Neal Shapiro
55. · David Westin
56. · Diane Sawyer.....................................AWWWW come on, Diane?
57. · Ted Field
58. · Eminem............................................I like his music, does that make me bad?
59. · Shirley Franklin
60. · Ludacris
61. · Michael Savage................................Wheat or Chaff, you decide
62. · Howard Stern .................................This one I really agree with.
63. · Amy Richards
64. · James Wolcott
65. · Oliver Stone..............So Ollie, who really killed Princess Di, J Harvey Oswald?
66. · David Duke.................................What about his basketball team
67. · Randall Robinson
68. · Katherine Hanson
69. · Matt Kunitz
70. · Jimmy Swaggart ....................Why??
71. · Phil Donahue.............don't speak ill if the dead, he's not dead yet, not dead yet?
72. · Ward Churchill ..................................This guy is dangerous
73. · Barbara Kingsolver
74. · Katha Politt
75. · Eric Foner
76. · Barbara Foley
77. · Linda Hirshman
78. · Norman Mailer...........................Tilt, long ago, bye bye, love ya
79. · Harry Belafonte ..........................He sang about bananas, now he is
80. · Kitty Kelley..........................Her new book, I lie all the time!
81. · Tim Robbins.......... people that take him seriously are too dumb to matter
82. · Laurie David
83. · The Dumb and Vicious Celebrity
84. · The Vicious Celebrity
85. · The Dumb Celebrity
86. · Chris Ofili
87. · Sheldon Hackney
88. · Aaron McGruder
89. · Jane Smiley
90. · Michael Jackson......................We get a freak show and didn't even pay a dime
91. · Barbara Streisand..................Her initials say it all
92. · Kerri Dunn
93. · Richard Timmons
94. · Guy Velella
95. · Courtney Love..............................Earth callling space, come in space
96. · Eve Ensler
97. · Todd Goldman
98. · Sheila Jackson Lee.........................see number 47
99. · Matthew Lesko ..............................I agree, something for nothing is dumb
100 · Rick and Kathy Hilton................as boyfriend Rick sings Springtime in Paris
Sunday, July 10, 2005
The Report I Promised
This has to do with things I promised I would report on after my drive to Columbus Ohio and the Pastor’s conference.
Gasoline prices.
I paid $2.13 & $2.26. OK, I failed to find $1.99 anywhere. Bad weekend. But believe me, the price of Gas is plus or minus 20% of $2 for the next few years. That’s called a trading range. We’re in it for a long time. No breakout in sight.
The Pastor’s conference.
This was the 4th time I have attended this conference with these people. Attendance was lighter than I expected. There has been some attrition. I don’t know if that means much. It’s not unusual to have some retrenching after a strong growth curve. There are some Pastors I have come to know thru all this that I really appreciate. There are a few others who I steer clear of.
The fact is, I have seen the soft underbelly of the Church for 30 years. I have been fortunate/unfortunate to have very personal relationships with several Pastors. I am always astounded by God’s sense of humor in the kind of people he chooses to do his work. I’m more astounded that it gets done.
Some of the best Pastors and leaders I know have been thru hell in their personal lives. Terminal diseases, Terminal marriages, rebellious kids, Church failures, personal failures. I came to know Jim Bakker personally. He is a sterling representation of the kind of failure and renewal God can use.
This doesn’t make any of them less of a man of God. It does make them real. It does soften them for the pain of others.
God has a wonderful way of taking our agenda’s and crushing us. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t plan or have dreams. We should. We just need to be aware as it says in the book of James: don’t say tomorrow we will go to this city and do that business, rather say, if it be God’s will we will do this or that. (Gene Redlin Paraphrase).
So, even with all the failure, stupidity, egos, pretense, phony baloney, God is still God. And, he wants us to be real with one another.
I love the Church, I love the Body of Christ, I’m frustrated by both, often. But, if Jesus died for her, I have no vote. That’s good enough for me. I’ll do my best to be part of her, to encourage her, to build her, to support her, to lead her.
Anything less is less than God’s best. I’m proud to be among them, failures and all.
Gasoline prices.
I paid $2.13 & $2.26. OK, I failed to find $1.99 anywhere. Bad weekend. But believe me, the price of Gas is plus or minus 20% of $2 for the next few years. That’s called a trading range. We’re in it for a long time. No breakout in sight.
The Pastor’s conference.
This was the 4th time I have attended this conference with these people. Attendance was lighter than I expected. There has been some attrition. I don’t know if that means much. It’s not unusual to have some retrenching after a strong growth curve. There are some Pastors I have come to know thru all this that I really appreciate. There are a few others who I steer clear of.
The fact is, I have seen the soft underbelly of the Church for 30 years. I have been fortunate/unfortunate to have very personal relationships with several Pastors. I am always astounded by God’s sense of humor in the kind of people he chooses to do his work. I’m more astounded that it gets done.
Some of the best Pastors and leaders I know have been thru hell in their personal lives. Terminal diseases, Terminal marriages, rebellious kids, Church failures, personal failures. I came to know Jim Bakker personally. He is a sterling representation of the kind of failure and renewal God can use.
This doesn’t make any of them less of a man of God. It does make them real. It does soften them for the pain of others.
God has a wonderful way of taking our agenda’s and crushing us. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t plan or have dreams. We should. We just need to be aware as it says in the book of James: don’t say tomorrow we will go to this city and do that business, rather say, if it be God’s will we will do this or that. (Gene Redlin Paraphrase).
So, even with all the failure, stupidity, egos, pretense, phony baloney, God is still God. And, he wants us to be real with one another.
I love the Church, I love the Body of Christ, I’m frustrated by both, often. But, if Jesus died for her, I have no vote. That’s good enough for me. I’ll do my best to be part of her, to encourage her, to build her, to support her, to lead her.
Anything less is less than God’s best. I’m proud to be among them, failures and all.
Call me Gypsy
This has been making the rounds:
Bold the states you've been to, underline the states you've lived in and italicize the state you're in now...
(I haven't yet figured out how to underline, so Blue = Lived in)
Alabama / Alaska / Arizona / Arkansas / California / Colorado / Connecticut / Delaware / Florida / Georgia / Hawaii / Idaho / Illinois / Indiana / Iowa / Kansas / Kentucky / Louisiana / Maine / Maryland / Massachusetts / Michigan / Minnesota / Mississippi / Missouri / Montana / Nebraska / Nevada / New Hampshire / New Jersey / New Mexico / New York / North Carolina / North Dakota / Ohio / Oklahoma / Oregon / Pennsylvania / Rhode Island / South Carolina / South Dakota / Tennessee / Texas / Utah / Vermont / Virginia / Washington / West Virginia / Wisconsin / Wyoming / Washington D.C. /
This little gig above has made the rounds of Blogs I read. I have been hesitant to make this report. For one reason or another I travel a great deal. When I was 35 this list was much much shorter. Very few of my travels have been vacation. Most of it has been visiting friends, relatives, business and hunting.
So, I have been to all 48 and Hawaii. I’m much older than most of the bloggers I read. That’s why
If I have learned ONE thing by all this travel it's that everything is a trade off. There is no good or bad place, just different. And, people are pretty much decent everywhere I’ve ever lived (even internationally). And if you dropped most resourceful people I know in by helicopter anyplace they could speak the language, they would survive and prosper. That's confidence that comes from experience. Step out and explore. But remember who you are and where you came from.
Bold the states you've been to, underline the states you've lived in and italicize the state you're in now...
(I haven't yet figured out how to underline, so Blue = Lived in)
Alabama / Alaska / Arizona / Arkansas / California / Colorado / Connecticut / Delaware / Florida / Georgia / Hawaii / Idaho / Illinois / Indiana / Iowa / Kansas / Kentucky / Louisiana / Maine / Maryland / Massachusetts / Michigan / Minnesota / Mississippi / Missouri / Montana / Nebraska / Nevada / New Hampshire / New Jersey / New Mexico / New York / North Carolina / North Dakota / Ohio / Oklahoma / Oregon / Pennsylvania / Rhode Island / South Carolina / South Dakota / Tennessee / Texas / Utah / Vermont / Virginia / Washington / West Virginia / Wisconsin / Wyoming / Washington D.C. /
This little gig above has made the rounds of Blogs I read. I have been hesitant to make this report. For one reason or another I travel a great deal. When I was 35 this list was much much shorter. Very few of my travels have been vacation. Most of it has been visiting friends, relatives, business and hunting.
So, I have been to all 48 and Hawaii. I’m much older than most of the bloggers I read. That’s why
I’ve been everywhere, man(country song).
If I have learned ONE thing by all this travel it's that everything is a trade off. There is no good or bad place, just different. And, people are pretty much decent everywhere I’ve ever lived (even internationally). And if you dropped most resourceful people I know in by helicopter anyplace they could speak the language, they would survive and prosper. That's confidence that comes from experience. Step out and explore. But remember who you are and where you came from.
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Conferring of the Holy See, sort of…….
We’re on our way to a Minister’s conference in Columbus Ohio. This is the first of two in July. The other is in Oklahoma City.
These are both mandatory to maintain credentials in our denomination. a sister denomination to the Assemblies of God, IPHC.
Even though I’m not currently working as a pastor or teaching in a regular gig I believe I will be and need to maintain this level of credential. If I weren’t certain I would bail out of this affiliation.
I am looking forward to both conferences however. It helps me keep my finger on the pulse of what’s going on. I will see some people I care about.
Peggy and I will also be seeing a gentleman we know who is in his final days who lives along the route we will be taking. Ministry.
I’ll fill you in on what I see and hear after this meeting. Check back Sunday.
These are both mandatory to maintain credentials in our denomination. a sister denomination to the Assemblies of God, IPHC.
Even though I’m not currently working as a pastor or teaching in a regular gig I believe I will be and need to maintain this level of credential. If I weren’t certain I would bail out of this affiliation.
I am looking forward to both conferences however. It helps me keep my finger on the pulse of what’s going on. I will see some people I care about.
Peggy and I will also be seeing a gentleman we know who is in his final days who lives along the route we will be taking. Ministry.
I’ll fill you in on what I see and hear after this meeting. Check back Sunday.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
If you got the Guts, they got the Money
I ended up moving from North Dakota to Illinois nearly 20 years ago because of the Futures Market. You know, pork bellies, orange juice and Trading Places.
The whole catastrophe.
I have made and lost more money than I want to talk about.
I have gone out on a limb a few times to soothe my nervous friends about the price of oil. So, one more time, here goes:
What that means is crude is near it’s high. From here ($45-65 bucks) the price of oil will fluctuate. The odds of it going higher are much less than the odds of it going lower. There are zero fundamentals pushing it.
Every weather pattern (hurricane), every political unrest (Nigeria), every pipeline bombing (Iraq) will cause ripples. But in the big picture, there is not much pressure on the upside for this market.
Gasoline at the pump will fluctuate but pressure keeps it down. I’m still paying $2.20 in high-priced St. Charles. I will pay under $2 this week as I travel to Columbus. I’ll give you a report.
Here’s where speculators are so wonderful. Every day on the trading floor and on computers worldwide traders read about everything in the market, production, war, refineries, OPEC, et al. And the best they can do in this very uncertain time is $65. Let a few things settle down a little and watch the free fall.
If you really believe the market is going to $100 and we’re running out of oil then empty your piggy bank, and buy as much futures contract as far out as you can. You’ll get rich/poor. I’ll bet poor. On the other hand, when it gets to $45, buy.
Isn’t capitalism wonderful?
The whole catastrophe.
I have made and lost more money than I want to talk about.
I have gone out on a limb a few times to soothe my nervous friends about the price of oil. So, one more time, here goes:
- There is no GLOBAL shortage of oil
- There is an occasional political shortfall of production
- Refining capacity is a little short of the mark
- All the market is looking to squeeze every dime out they can
What that means is crude is near it’s high. From here ($45-65 bucks) the price of oil will fluctuate. The odds of it going higher are much less than the odds of it going lower. There are zero fundamentals pushing it.
Every weather pattern (hurricane), every political unrest (Nigeria), every pipeline bombing (Iraq) will cause ripples. But in the big picture, there is not much pressure on the upside for this market.
Gasoline at the pump will fluctuate but pressure keeps it down. I’m still paying $2.20 in high-priced St. Charles. I will pay under $2 this week as I travel to Columbus. I’ll give you a report.
Here’s where speculators are so wonderful. Every day on the trading floor and on computers worldwide traders read about everything in the market, production, war, refineries, OPEC, et al. And the best they can do in this very uncertain time is $65. Let a few things settle down a little and watch the free fall.
If you really believe the market is going to $100 and we’re running out of oil then empty your piggy bank, and buy as much futures contract as far out as you can. You’ll get rich/poor. I’ll bet poor. On the other hand, when it gets to $45, buy.
Isn’t capitalism wonderful?
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
It was all an Illusion
You might believe you saw a negative comment in this space posted yesterday. It was all an illusion.
I had a marvelous time with scintillating conversation, beautiful verbal imagery in conversation deep and rich on July 4.
I can't believe how fortunate I am to have such a good time at so little expense.
If you thought you read something different you need to get your eyes checked.
I learned this from you Eric. Thanks!
Now back to my usual rant and rave.
I had a marvelous time with scintillating conversation, beautiful verbal imagery in conversation deep and rich on July 4.
I can't believe how fortunate I am to have such a good time at so little expense.
If you thought you read something different you need to get your eyes checked.
I learned this from you Eric. Thanks!
Now back to my usual rant and rave.
Sunday, July 03, 2005
Bloggers are all Idiots - They Said
Today's news as exemplified by the Fargo paper regarding sex offender DUNCAN contains the appellation that he was, ready for this? A BLOGGER! See all bloggers are evil.
Is it coincidental that Doonesbury in his "comic" strip today makes fun of bloggers, or that today's Sunday Parade magazine talks of blogging as something less than meaningful, or that today's Chicago tribune has a perjoritive column about the blog and it's pitiful participants. I have another view.
There was an old cops and robbers show named Cannon. Frank Cannon. A big detective (Played by Robert Conrad) drove a huge Lincoln Town Car.
This was a Typical Plot Every Week:
One other part. The Cops in the town Cannon goes to always resent his investigation. They arrest him. Hassle him. Keep information away from him. Cannon is disrespected. In spite of all the pressure from the establishment he gets the job done.
That's exactly what's going on right now. The establishment press hates us. They wish we would go away. These frontal attacks are a symptom. No one ever kicks a dead dog.
Consider all the negative blogger comments in the press a bullet thru the windshield. We must be poking around where people don't want us to.
Keep it up.
Is it coincidental that Doonesbury in his "comic" strip today makes fun of bloggers, or that today's Sunday Parade magazine talks of blogging as something less than meaningful, or that today's Chicago tribune has a perjoritive column about the blog and it's pitiful participants. I have another view.
There was an old cops and robbers show named Cannon. Frank Cannon. A big detective (Played by Robert Conrad) drove a huge Lincoln Town Car.
This was a Typical Plot Every Week:
- Cannon gets phone call - My Husband died. I think he was killed.
- Cannon goes to another town to investigate his death.
- After his investigation Cannon tells the widow, looks like he died of just an accident.
- Goes to get in his Lincoln
- A bullet comes thru the windshield.
- Someone doesn't like his poking around.
One other part. The Cops in the town Cannon goes to always resent his investigation. They arrest him. Hassle him. Keep information away from him. Cannon is disrespected. In spite of all the pressure from the establishment he gets the job done.
That's exactly what's going on right now. The establishment press hates us. They wish we would go away. These frontal attacks are a symptom. No one ever kicks a dead dog.
Consider all the negative blogger comments in the press a bullet thru the windshield. We must be poking around where people don't want us to.
Keep it up.
Friday, July 01, 2005
Supreme Court Injustice - A Note to our President
The war is engaged. Sandra Day O'Conner resigns. Here's what to keep in mind.
So, President Bush, elect the person you think will best execute Supreme Court justice and don't be pushed around by the likes of Ted Kennedy. O'Conner won't be the last in your term as President. I predict at least 2 more. Bite the bullet now and elect the people you should.
They'll hate you anyhow. So WHAT. Nobody ever kicks a dead dog. It's impossible to make peace with the left anyhow.
That's why we voted you in.
Go For It.
- We elected you George W Bush because we wanted to see the court changed for the better
- We elected senators and representatives of a conservative nature for the same reasons
- Our court needs to become more judicial and less activist
- When liberals controlled and control the congress and the presidency they elect who they darn well please
- It's our turn at bat.
So, President Bush, elect the person you think will best execute Supreme Court justice and don't be pushed around by the likes of Ted Kennedy. O'Conner won't be the last in your term as President. I predict at least 2 more. Bite the bullet now and elect the people you should.
They'll hate you anyhow. So WHAT. Nobody ever kicks a dead dog. It's impossible to make peace with the left anyhow.
That's why we voted you in.
Go For It.
Booster Rockets in Life
Some people are a booster rocket for you, and sometimes you are a booster rocket for others. With you for a while and then they drop away or drop you away. Not out of spite, not out of anger but out of necessity. A booster rocket becomes a burden if it stays too long. Todd Beery told me that years ago. I never forgot it.
Last night a booster rocket from my past called. Merrill Oster. We talked a little business and a lot of Jesus. It was wonderful.
I would not be where I am for good or bad without his brief boost in my life. I hope in some way I was that for him.
I think of many good men and women who were booster rockets for me. Bob, Dan, Claire, Earl, Loehle, Steven, and many others.
I hope I have been a booster rocket to others. I get letters and emails from people who make that claim. I’ll take it.
I still have fuel in the old tank. I continue to look for opportunities to saddle on and boost until my usefulness is finished. I want to do this until I die.
I do mourn for the old days sometimes when I was a booster for someone and then the relationship passed. But I look forward to the new ones.
Ol Zig Ziglar said, you'll get everything you want in this life when you help enough other people get what they want.
Need a boost?
Last night a booster rocket from my past called. Merrill Oster. We talked a little business and a lot of Jesus. It was wonderful.
I would not be where I am for good or bad without his brief boost in my life. I hope in some way I was that for him.
I think of many good men and women who were booster rockets for me. Bob, Dan, Claire, Earl, Loehle, Steven, and many others.
I hope I have been a booster rocket to others. I get letters and emails from people who make that claim. I’ll take it.
I still have fuel in the old tank. I continue to look for opportunities to saddle on and boost until my usefulness is finished. I want to do this until I die.
I do mourn for the old days sometimes when I was a booster for someone and then the relationship passed. But I look forward to the new ones.
Ol Zig Ziglar said, you'll get everything you want in this life when you help enough other people get what they want.
Need a boost?
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Why Iraq is such a Conundrum
The history of Iraq is a history of the world in microcosm.
This Historical perspective is reviewed here.
I bore you with all this to say, this is a land that has been under a long cursed history. There is no peace. There never has been. Countries in order who have some actual rights to it are 1. Turkey 2. Iran 3. Jordan
All of these things are unintended consequences for meddling and greed particularly on the part of the British. In the past it has been about oil.
But, for the first time in HISTORY the potential of a self-governed people exists. It has never ever happened before, nor has such a chance ever been.
If it works, perhaps the curse will be broken. Long view starts in the Garden of Eden. If you ever have any trouble reading the Old Testament, study Iraqi history and then Study many of the books of the Old Testament. Much took place on this bloody ground. It reads like a newspaper.
I believe that this war and its aftermath is metaphysical and prophetic in scope. Far beyond what any news talking head can grasp. Read Revelations, consider Germany and Japan'’s emergence in power after WWII. Then consider Iraq.
Babylon Babylon.
Read your Bible, it'’s true.
This Historical perspective is reviewed here.
- God Creates the heavens and the Earth Billions of years ago, He creates life. He creates Beings. Some Human like, others mysterious and unknown today.
- A great catastrophe happens, all life is destroyed. Earth Desolate and Dark 80,000BC
- God restores light, life, creates the new Garden of Eden and Man in the garden. 15-25000 years ago
- Adam and Eve emerge from the Garden between the Tigris and Euphrates 5800bc
- Ancient peoples live in the area and many migrate away from there 5800-3640BC
- The great flood takes place 3637bc Mesopotamia Flood legends hold this date as well
- The climate changes radically. 3600-3500bc A garden becomes a desert.
- Prosperity and population increases from Noah's offspring 3600-3100bc
- The tower of Babel is built. 3100bc
- Peoples are dispersed worldwide along with a knowledge of God. 3100BC-2340bc
- The land of Iraq (Sumerians) comes under contention Sargon and the Arkadian Empire 2340bc
- Abraham is instructed to leave the county of Ur which is still in Iraq. 2100bc
- More wars. Babylonian empire 1. Hammarabi 1700bc
- Nebecanezzer 1 takes control 1119-1098bc Babylon reigns
- Chaldeans conquert the area of Mesopotamia (Iraq) 800BC and rule until thd Assyrians
- The Assyrians posses part of the land for a while and then lose it back to the Persians. 700bc
- The capital city of Nineveh capital of Assyria is warned by Jonah to repent. 652bc
- It does for a while 652-620 It backslides
- Ninevah is destroyed in BC 612..
- Persia takes control briefly (Darius) then loses it. 595bc
- Kings of Babylon emerge.Nebecanezzer takes much of Israel and Judah into captivity 604-562bc
- Babylon built up on the Tower Ruins 582BC
- When Babylon falls Jews return to Israel 525bc
- Iraq falls back into civil war and is conquered several times 500-200bc
- For 900 + years Iraq becomes part of the Persian Empire (Iran) 200bc-700ad
- 7th century Persia loses Iraq to the Muslims who conquer the land
- Various Muslim Kings and Caliph’s rule 700-1500ad
- Turkmen conquer Iraq and hold it from 15th century until early 20th
- The British invade Mesopotamia and take it from the Turkish Ottoman Empire in war. (not the same as Turkmen who are from Turkmenistan area) 1912
- British carve up the country'’s oil reserves leaving nothing for the Iraqi'’s 1920
- The Kurds are promised a homeland but get nothing. 1933
- The British set up puppet rulers. 1921-1958 Several reign and fall
- 1945 Iraq joins the UN (still basically a British protectorate)
- Kuwait spits off of Iraq which was a “State” up till then 1961
- Rebellion hits. Jordan is involved. The rulers are killed, hung, butchered 1961-1970
- 1961 Independence from Britain for Iraq
- 27 military coups. Bathists in Bathists out. Bakar takes control 1965
- Saddam Hussein emerges and succeeds Bakur in 1979
- 1980-88 Iran Iraq war. Over Land. Iran tries to take Iraq. War ends Iraq Broke.
- Flat Broke, he goes for broke, Saddam invades Kuwait to take it back.
- Gulf war. 1990
- UN Sanctions completely destroy economy 1991-2000
- Iraqi War 2003
- Saddam Toppled 2003
- 2005 First Free Elections.
I bore you with all this to say, this is a land that has been under a long cursed history. There is no peace. There never has been. Countries in order who have some actual rights to it are 1. Turkey 2. Iran 3. Jordan
All of these things are unintended consequences for meddling and greed particularly on the part of the British. In the past it has been about oil.
But, for the first time in HISTORY the potential of a self-governed people exists. It has never ever happened before, nor has such a chance ever been.
If it works, perhaps the curse will be broken. Long view starts in the Garden of Eden. If you ever have any trouble reading the Old Testament, study Iraqi history and then Study many of the books of the Old Testament. Much took place on this bloody ground. It reads like a newspaper.
I believe that this war and its aftermath is metaphysical and prophetic in scope. Far beyond what any news talking head can grasp. Read Revelations, consider Germany and Japan'’s emergence in power after WWII. Then consider Iraq.
Babylon Babylon.
Read your Bible, it'’s true.
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
War has Never Solved Anything
Except
Sometimes War is the last solution when all else fails. Once you (we) pull the trigger we cannot turn back until victory is complete. OR we invite another tyrant or zealot to attack us once again.
And now, we are at war, not on our soil by our choice, to stop this war of terrorism from being on our soil once more. This evil must be stopped, wiped out and made an example of. The other nations who watch must understand that we will not allow ourselves to live under the tyranny and fear that stateside terrorism brings. We will find them, we will kill them and we will allow a people to be free. Not in their interests but in our own. Tyranny must be crushed.
War is not THE answer, it’s not THE solution, it’s the only thing that will work when the world no longer does.
We cannot back down.
We must prevail.
We will prevail.
We will prevail.
God Bless President Bush. Pray for him.
- The end of slavery and the maintenance of the union was solved by war.
- The Struggle to free the colonies in America from British Domination was solved by war.
- The Potential domination and oppression of Europe by Germany in the early part of the 20th century was solved by war.
- The Second attempted domination of Europe and Great Britain by the Nazis of Europe was solved by war.
- The Power Grab by Japan of the Far East and bringing a cruel oppressive regime into the 20th century to become a great economic power was solved by war.
- The attempted Land Grab of Kuwait by an evil Dictator in Iraq was solved by the Gulf War.
- The Genocide in former Yugoslavia was solved by war.
Sometimes War is the last solution when all else fails. Once you (we) pull the trigger we cannot turn back until victory is complete. OR we invite another tyrant or zealot to attack us once again.
And now, we are at war, not on our soil by our choice, to stop this war of terrorism from being on our soil once more. This evil must be stopped, wiped out and made an example of. The other nations who watch must understand that we will not allow ourselves to live under the tyranny and fear that stateside terrorism brings. We will find them, we will kill them and we will allow a people to be free. Not in their interests but in our own. Tyranny must be crushed.
War is not THE answer, it’s not THE solution, it’s the only thing that will work when the world no longer does.
We cannot back down.
We must prevail.
We will prevail.
We will prevail.
God Bless President Bush. Pray for him.
The Modern Lawn
The other day I was visiting a friend of mine who runs a garden center near here. He is 80 years old and a joy to be with. We were talking about he “Olden Days”. Something I do more than I used to.
With the severe drought and hot weather we have had in Northern Illinois we are seeing long established trees dying and shrubs drying up. There will be a huge replanting boom for those of us in the business.
I hate to see a tree die. None in my yard are (except one).
One offshoot of the drought is the grass. The city of Chicago has given up trying to keep the grass green. Keep the trees and shrubs alive and let the grass go brown. Good policy.
The only thing in our lawn that’s still green is the clover. You know, that low growing stuff, little white pom poms for flowers.
In the late 40’s and 50’s people planted clover for their lawns. You never have to mow it. It stays green all summer. It kills out any other plants (weeds). It’s pretty if you like that kind of thing. And if you look hard enough you just might find a 4 leafer and your luck will change.
In Ellendale where I grew up there were several lawns that were pure clover. My friend at the garden center still sells a fair amount of clover seed to people who have begun putting in clover lawns again.
So, lets see, a weed free lawn, never turns brown, never needs mowing and is all green all year long. Why don’t we all have clover lawns? I’ll tell you why.
2-4D. I remember when it was introduced in the 50s. It was a miracle. Spray it on your crops and all the mustard goes away.
This article helps understand why The Modern Lawn. you see in commercials isn’t such a good thing. Those boys in shorts bragging about their perfect lawns in the Scott’s commercials aren’t doing themselves or anyone else any good. It always irritates me.
I love diversity in my lawn. My wife Peggy loves it less than I do. Give me 40 or 50 various things growing in among the grass and I’m happy. She likes grass.
Well, it’s not normal. I’m not some organic nut. I spray roundup and I kill dandelions with 2-4D in a spot application. But the years we had Chem-Lawn come around and make our lawn a uniculture I think were bad years.
Grass wasn’t meant to be green all year long. Dormancy is a good thing. Grass shouldn’t be just one kind.
The chemicals we treat out lawns with are not harmless.
Oh by the way, we no longer have clover lawns because 2-4D came in and it killed the clover when you sprayed for weeds in your grass.
So, now we have GRASS as far as the eye can see except at the Redlins. I keep reclaiming the sod for perennial beds a little at a time. Eventually we won’t have to mow at all.
I’m looking over, a 4-leaf clover that I’d overlooked before………….
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
I Missed the Whole Parade
We just had our Gay Pride parade in Chicago. I wasn’t in it. I missed it on TV. It would have been rated XXX. I’ll recover.
I have a few questions if anyone cares:
If you have the answers to all this please help me understand. I know and care deeply about many friends who are part of this lifestyle choice. I know enough to know that Gay is far from the way I would describe it. In fact depressed and prickly is the real moniker.
So, lets call it for what it is. The I’m Depressed and Prickly Pride Parade.
Signing up anyone?
I have a few questions if anyone cares:
- Is anyone but me sort of sick in the gut of all this I’m more out than you are stuff?
- When is the last time you hung out your genitalia and bragged of being more heterosexual than anyone else?
- Isn’t it stupid or is it just me that every TV news team has to make an appearance now or be considered close minded?
- Is a parade that has nudity in spades, simulated (or maybe not so simulated) sex acts and large floats of phallic symbols raise just a question or two in your mind?
- Heterosexuals have some displays of sexuality and other things. Mardi Gras comes to mind. But, this is that times 50. Is that OK with you?
- Isn’t some of this just in your face-ism and not a good time as they might claim?
- Is this a sign of a good healthy civilization or is it something far less?
If you have the answers to all this please help me understand. I know and care deeply about many friends who are part of this lifestyle choice. I know enough to know that Gay is far from the way I would describe it. In fact depressed and prickly is the real moniker.
So, lets call it for what it is. The I’m Depressed and Prickly Pride Parade.
Signing up anyone?
Sunday, June 26, 2005
Hillary for President
The Story hitting the press tonight which in essence has Billy Graham endorsing Hillary Clinton for President (even if it's a little tongue in cheek).
The truth is many people of faith and even many conservative thinking people are taking a hard look at Hillary. Why? Because she has guts. Something missing in most politicians today.
I think the train has left the station and unless it's derailed we better get ready to say Madame President. Other than Conde Rice the conservative flavor have no one of equal stature or conviction. I have looked hard and I don't see ANYONE on the horizon. McCain is DOA. He has too much baggage and has been weak. Someone would have to come out of the woodwork to give Hillary a run for her money.
So hang on to your hats. Hillary is on a roll.
The truth is many people of faith and even many conservative thinking people are taking a hard look at Hillary. Why? Because she has guts. Something missing in most politicians today.
I think the train has left the station and unless it's derailed we better get ready to say Madame President. Other than Conde Rice the conservative flavor have no one of equal stature or conviction. I have looked hard and I don't see ANYONE on the horizon. McCain is DOA. He has too much baggage and has been weak. Someone would have to come out of the woodwork to give Hillary a run for her money.
So hang on to your hats. Hillary is on a roll.
Public Radio Lament
OK, I admit, this is one of those I remember when posts. It was 1973. I was near Grand Forks ND on a sales call. I was tuning around the radio dial trying to avoid both kinds of music, country and western and happened across an AM frequency with dink da dink da dink…. All things Considered with Susan Stamberg. In fact in 1976 I visited NPR studios in Washington DC and met Susan and Bob Edwards. I’ll never forget it. When a story was done Susan would say, bring up the “dinks”. Dink Dink Dink………
I was a hardcore fan. Clever, intelligent, insightful, right questions. Public Radio became my friend. A few years later I began faithfully following the woes of Lake Woebegon. Went to live shoes. Bob Edwards morning edition with Red Barber. Wow. I matured with these folks and love them today.
I pretty much listened ONLY to public radio. When KDSU (North Dakota State’s campus radio) went full power and they began to play very alternative acoustic stuff I was hooked.
So other than owning a Volvo (which my brother Steve did, he let me drive it) I was a classic NPR nerd. I even owned a corduroy jacket with leather elbow patches.
But like religion Public Radio began to change or maybe I did. It began to take a position. It began to advocate. It began to see it’s franchise as balancing the right wing in this country. Younger more liberal outspoken voices moved in.
All Things Considered still does great. Morning Edition does OK. Weekend Morning Edition (Saturday with Scott Simon) is good. But Sunday Edition with Leanne Hansen, Diane Reems, and several others have just lurched to the far left nuthouse.
Oh they have their apologist ombudsman who is on Talk of the Nation with Neil Conen who is supposed to allay fears that they are left leaning. NOT!
So now the feces has hit the fan. Public broadcasting is about to enter the free market. I’m not sure this is good. I’m not sure this is bad. I am sure this means (as Adam said to Eve as the left the Garden of Eden) things are going to change.
Here’s what I hope. Housecleaning of really leftist types. We can live without them. Others more mainstream working harder for balance. When balance is needed try harder to get voices from the right who really represent the right. I’m constantly irritated by the religious voice being some pinhead without faith from a school of theology at an Ivy League college. They know nothing about God.
Now when they have their pledge drives I’ll feel better about sending money. I have up until now felt like a pagan co conspirator supporting evil liberal public broadcasting. They have been blatant in promulgating a view I abhor and I send them money. Come on PBS, make me feel better about supporting you. I won’t feel like I’ll have to wear a mask or send it anonymously.
And, lets see some exits of leftist, pro gay, pro abortion, anti religion folks and get a little more in the center. OK?
I was there before you were, who moved? You can do better.
I was a hardcore fan. Clever, intelligent, insightful, right questions. Public Radio became my friend. A few years later I began faithfully following the woes of Lake Woebegon. Went to live shoes. Bob Edwards morning edition with Red Barber. Wow. I matured with these folks and love them today.
I pretty much listened ONLY to public radio. When KDSU (North Dakota State’s campus radio) went full power and they began to play very alternative acoustic stuff I was hooked.
So other than owning a Volvo (which my brother Steve did, he let me drive it) I was a classic NPR nerd. I even owned a corduroy jacket with leather elbow patches.
But like religion Public Radio began to change or maybe I did. It began to take a position. It began to advocate. It began to see it’s franchise as balancing the right wing in this country. Younger more liberal outspoken voices moved in.
All Things Considered still does great. Morning Edition does OK. Weekend Morning Edition (Saturday with Scott Simon) is good. But Sunday Edition with Leanne Hansen, Diane Reems, and several others have just lurched to the far left nuthouse.
Oh they have their apologist ombudsman who is on Talk of the Nation with Neil Conen who is supposed to allay fears that they are left leaning. NOT!
So now the feces has hit the fan. Public broadcasting is about to enter the free market. I’m not sure this is good. I’m not sure this is bad. I am sure this means (as Adam said to Eve as the left the Garden of Eden) things are going to change.
Here’s what I hope. Housecleaning of really leftist types. We can live without them. Others more mainstream working harder for balance. When balance is needed try harder to get voices from the right who really represent the right. I’m constantly irritated by the religious voice being some pinhead without faith from a school of theology at an Ivy League college. They know nothing about God.
Now when they have their pledge drives I’ll feel better about sending money. I have up until now felt like a pagan co conspirator supporting evil liberal public broadcasting. They have been blatant in promulgating a view I abhor and I send them money. Come on PBS, make me feel better about supporting you. I won’t feel like I’ll have to wear a mask or send it anonymously.
And, lets see some exits of leftist, pro gay, pro abortion, anti religion folks and get a little more in the center. OK?
I was there before you were, who moved? You can do better.
Saturday, June 25, 2005
Revenge of the Sithuation
So, I saw Revenge of the Sith tonight. Free ticket city. Friends gave them to me. Peggy wouldn’t go. I got my money’s worth.
Not all bad. Not all great. Here’s what’s up in my opinion:
Not so great:
ON THE GOOD SIDE:
I think they populated the characters with people from the Bar Scene from Star Wars original. Another loose end. It was good. I wish Worf was in this. He could kick some butt.
I hope that’s the end of the end. Now it’ll be the box set of DVD’s with extra minutes of all the episodes with cuts back in. That’ll make it even longer and potentially boringerrr.
Don’t buy me one for Christmas please.
Not all bad. Not all great. Here’s what’s up in my opinion:
Not so great:
- I’m confident there was an early brainstorming meeting with people who had to sit thru all the films and compiling a list of loose ends to be tied up. Then the script was written to that end. It was laborious going down the mental checklist of each and every loose end being tied up.
- 50% of the time being dedicated to light saber fights. Enough already. Action is nearly always an excuse for being plotless.
- I’ve been a dad. Anikin and his wife doesn’t work. Weak premise to explain the move to the dark side.
- Samuel L Jackson is a great actor except here. Wassup.
- We could have used just a little more Jar Jar Binks to irritate us. Just a little.
- Yoda, learn to speak English or whatever they are going to talk in the 25th century. Grammar 101. Verb before subject, Verb before subject. Got it?
- If you want to talk German where the verb is at the end fine, talk German.
- I see the Bush allusion. Security, peace, destruction. No wait, that’s in the Bible. In fact, Lucas is a student of Old Testament. That’s what the first Star Wars was.
- I guess if you’re a liberal any negative image looks like Bush. If a hammer is all you have everything looks like a nail.
- How do you fly around all that hardware (city scenes) and not run into each other? I don’t think that’s real.
- In 2525 you would think a prosthetic hand would be less obvious. I mean, remember Luke Skywalker’s. It looked just like a real hand. Come on.
- Do we really need bad PA systems in the senate hall in 2525. I’ll bet they figure out how to do this by then. Trust me.
ON THE GOOD SIDE:
- I liked ONE fight scene. Yoda and the Chancellor. Thought it was good.
- The buildings in the city were spectacular.
- I liked the Skywalker penthouse. I could move in there. Of course I didn’t see the kitchen.
- Strongest character was the chancellor. Bad guys are easier to play.
- The various rocket ships and flying devices were terrific. Very creative stuff. Of course they all make noise in outer space. How’s that work again?
- The sunset at the end on Tatooeen had to been filmed in North Dakota. Only in North Dakota are there sunsets like that.
I think they populated the characters with people from the Bar Scene from Star Wars original. Another loose end. It was good. I wish Worf was in this. He could kick some butt.
I hope that’s the end of the end. Now it’ll be the box set of DVD’s with extra minutes of all the episodes with cuts back in. That’ll make it even longer and potentially boringerrr.
Don’t buy me one for Christmas please.
Friday, June 24, 2005
Short Takes
Events that need review
Supreme Court Enables fascism
Why we need conservative Judges on the Supreme Court. This stinks. Drifting towards the USC (United State of Corporation) Of the corporation, for the corporation, by the corporation shall she ever be.
I'm sick of Senatorial Grandstanding
This kind of BS in a hearing is nothing but sound bite generation. Please, Senators, go back behind closed doors and get some work done. That's what we pay you for, not this idiocy. CSPAN, Please turn these DIVAS off.
Karl Rove tells the Truth
In North Dakota we used to say that if you throw a stone into a flock of chickens the only one that squawks is the one the stone hit. Karl told the truth about the Durbin comment and the chickens squawked.
$60 Oil Best thing that could happen
My old business partner Larry Ristvedt used to say, Trees have Tops. That means that what goes up will come down. Oil will come down. Short term pain, long term gain. Don't you think for a minute that there aren't people around the globe pulling bunnies out of their hat to capitalize on this. It's $15 soybeans. Every back yard in America would be planted with them if that happened. This will settle down. June 2006, gas at the pump,. $1.99
Book it.
This bothers me, The Chinese are not our friends (just friends with WalMart)
I don't know why people in Washington fear the Chinese so. We will face them sooner or later. Let's take them on (not militarily) while we can. They buy UNOCOL. Another brick in the wall. Revalue the YUAN. Level the playing field. Tell Wal-Mart to butt out. I'm convinced Bentonville has lobbyist in there somewhere.
LAST by no means least:
Catch Tucker Carlson on MSNBC.
If I did a TV news show (8pm Central weekdays) it would look like this. Plus, Tucker is my brand of Conservative Christian. I haven't disagreed with him on anything to date. This is really good. Catch It!
Thhhhats all folks.
Supreme Court Enables fascism
Why we need conservative Judges on the Supreme Court. This stinks. Drifting towards the USC (United State of Corporation) Of the corporation, for the corporation, by the corporation shall she ever be.
I'm sick of Senatorial Grandstanding
This kind of BS in a hearing is nothing but sound bite generation. Please, Senators, go back behind closed doors and get some work done. That's what we pay you for, not this idiocy. CSPAN, Please turn these DIVAS off.
Karl Rove tells the Truth
In North Dakota we used to say that if you throw a stone into a flock of chickens the only one that squawks is the one the stone hit. Karl told the truth about the Durbin comment and the chickens squawked.
$60 Oil Best thing that could happen
My old business partner Larry Ristvedt used to say, Trees have Tops. That means that what goes up will come down. Oil will come down. Short term pain, long term gain. Don't you think for a minute that there aren't people around the globe pulling bunnies out of their hat to capitalize on this. It's $15 soybeans. Every back yard in America would be planted with them if that happened. This will settle down. June 2006, gas at the pump,. $1.99
Book it.
This bothers me, The Chinese are not our friends (just friends with WalMart)
I don't know why people in Washington fear the Chinese so. We will face them sooner or later. Let's take them on (not militarily) while we can. They buy UNOCOL. Another brick in the wall. Revalue the YUAN. Level the playing field. Tell Wal-Mart to butt out. I'm convinced Bentonville has lobbyist in there somewhere.
LAST by no means least:
Catch Tucker Carlson on MSNBC.
If I did a TV news show (8pm Central weekdays) it would look like this. Plus, Tucker is my brand of Conservative Christian. I haven't disagreed with him on anything to date. This is really good. Catch It!
Thhhhats all folks.
Thursday, June 23, 2005
TOO Darn Hot (and dry)
I’ve never seen anything like it. That’s what people say. Well, it’s true. This has been the hottest driest spring since 1895. Unless there are a few 110 year old folks hanging around in our area this is as hot and dry as it has ever been. The cracks in the ground remind me of the area we used to live north of Fargo. When late July set in the cracks in the ground were so wide that you could fall into them and twist your ankle. It was terrible.
We are nearly there now. Our lawn is golden brown. Weeds are not a problem. They all died. It’s among the driest times I’ve seen since we lived here.
Is there reprieve? Nope. No rain no where. And when it gets this dry for this long it’s hard for a rain shower to make the trip across the arid prairie.
So, pray for rain. If you are too wet don’t. We need rain desperately. Send it on down, send it on down, Lord let your mighty rain come on down.
We are nearly there now. Our lawn is golden brown. Weeds are not a problem. They all died. It’s among the driest times I’ve seen since we lived here.
Is there reprieve? Nope. No rain no where. And when it gets this dry for this long it’s hard for a rain shower to make the trip across the arid prairie.
So, pray for rain. If you are too wet don’t. We need rain desperately. Send it on down, send it on down, Lord let your mighty rain come on down.
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
In order of importance, Neidlinger - Hoven
Governor John Hoven
Elected, Politician, Policy Maker, Democrat - no Republican. Whatever works.
Julie Neidlinger
North Dakota thru and thru, Respected Journalist, Sociological Analyst, Emerging Opinion Maker, Republican Conservative with deep Christian Roots. Unshakable.
Governor John Hoven, you met Julie Neidlinger, TWICE. You are fortunate indeed.
Governor John Hoven, you will meet Julie Neidlinger again, don’t forget her.
Governor John Hoven, forget and ignore Julie Neidlinger at your own risk.
Rumor has it you might run for another office above Governor. You will NEED Julie Neidlinger’s support and endorsement if you do.
I’m sure hope dat dis little problem now that it’s identified will be corrected. Writing from Chicago wid all da boyz, Governor, I hope you don’t mess it up again, if ya know what I mean, Governor.
Elected, Politician, Policy Maker, Democrat - no Republican. Whatever works.
Julie Neidlinger
North Dakota thru and thru, Respected Journalist, Sociological Analyst, Emerging Opinion Maker, Republican Conservative with deep Christian Roots. Unshakable.
Governor John Hoven, you met Julie Neidlinger, TWICE. You are fortunate indeed.
Governor John Hoven, you will meet Julie Neidlinger again, don’t forget her.
Governor John Hoven, forget and ignore Julie Neidlinger at your own risk.
Rumor has it you might run for another office above Governor. You will NEED Julie Neidlinger’s support and endorsement if you do.
I’m sure hope dat dis little problem now that it’s identified will be corrected. Writing from Chicago wid all da boyz, Governor, I hope you don’t mess it up again, if ya know what I mean, Governor.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Grateful Dead Bloggers
I confess. I, a baby boomer, rock and roll band member, and all other 60s such things have never been to a grateful Dead concert. They didn't come to North Dakota much when I was in my heyday.
I know these things about JG's little troupe,
Just like the Blogosphere. I have always used analogy to understand and measure things. It's a sound method. One of my analogies is the grateful Dead.
Bloggers do most of the same things in hope they'll be heard.
Many are. It's the excellence of the music and the buzz that gets the crowd.
That explains it; is anyone there, anyone, someone??
I know these things about JG's little troupe,
- They didn't make or sell records to speak of
- They encouraged or at least didn't discourage live taping
- They wanted word of mouth to build audience
- People came because they liked what they heard
- People told others and that became the buzz
- Very little of their music was rote. Mostly spontaneous
- It took a lot of courage to do this hoping people would come
Just like the Blogosphere. I have always used analogy to understand and measure things. It's a sound method. One of my analogies is the grateful Dead.
Bloggers do most of the same things in hope they'll be heard.
Many are. It's the excellence of the music and the buzz that gets the crowd.
That explains it; is anyone there, anyone, someone??
We Got You Covered Jack
Last Night on David Letterman he made a joke about Osama Bin Laden's whereabouts. This has become a parlor game since Porter Goss said he knows where UBL is.
So, I'm weighing in. 2 weeks ago I went on record as saying UBL was in Iran. That was based on a news story over a year ago that placed him there. But, the more I ponder my navel I have come to these conclusions:
Afghanistan
Nope. If he were we would have his sorry behind already. Big money yields big prizes.
Pakistan.
Nope. The junta there would love to further endear themselves to the USA with the $$ that follows.
Iran
Not any more. If he were there we would play the axis of evil card and demand his extradition particularly after the recent election.
Russia
nope. Putin hates the Chechyns. UBL is their pal. Harboring UBL would be stupid.
Other republics too small to name. See Pakistan.
India is our 53rd state, after Iraq and Mexico with governor V. Fox presiding. They wouldn't dare.
Sherlock Holmes said once you have eliminated all other possibilities, what remains is the answer.
CHINA.
China has nothing to lose. It would love to poke this in the USA's eye. They would love to dare us to rattle a saber or two. Taiwan is in the lurch. Wal-Mart would be the big loser. Their stores would stand empty. Porter Goss is afraid of moving on whoever has UBL harbored. China by telling the USA to take a short walk off a long pier would elevate it's already burgeoning world power position much higher by doing this. That's why foggy bottom (the state dept) is trying to get this done diplomatically.
I'm taking bets. If you've got the guts I got the cash.
So, I'm weighing in. 2 weeks ago I went on record as saying UBL was in Iran. That was based on a news story over a year ago that placed him there. But, the more I ponder my navel I have come to these conclusions:
Afghanistan
Nope. If he were we would have his sorry behind already. Big money yields big prizes.
Pakistan.
Nope. The junta there would love to further endear themselves to the USA with the $$ that follows.
Iran
Not any more. If he were there we would play the axis of evil card and demand his extradition particularly after the recent election.
Russia
nope. Putin hates the Chechyns. UBL is their pal. Harboring UBL would be stupid.
Other republics too small to name. See Pakistan.
India is our 53rd state, after Iraq and Mexico with governor V. Fox presiding. They wouldn't dare.
Sherlock Holmes said once you have eliminated all other possibilities, what remains is the answer.
CHINA.
China has nothing to lose. It would love to poke this in the USA's eye. They would love to dare us to rattle a saber or two. Taiwan is in the lurch. Wal-Mart would be the big loser. Their stores would stand empty. Porter Goss is afraid of moving on whoever has UBL harbored. China by telling the USA to take a short walk off a long pier would elevate it's already burgeoning world power position much higher by doing this. That's why foggy bottom (the state dept) is trying to get this done diplomatically.
I'm taking bets. If you've got the guts I got the cash.
Monday, June 20, 2005
A Clean Old Man
If you remember that line you are old old old. It's from "A Hard Days Night" movie by the Beatles.
I have railed against overprotection by parents so their kids don't get GERMS. . And, I just saw The Aviator (Howard Hughes). OCD at that level is a sickness no germ can ever equal.
So read this story by an Oncologist in Chicago and let your kids go get dirty.
I have railed against overprotection by parents so their kids don't get GERMS. . And, I just saw The Aviator (Howard Hughes). OCD at that level is a sickness no germ can ever equal.
So read this story by an Oncologist in Chicago and let your kids go get dirty.
Sunday, June 19, 2005
I am a fuddy duddy
This last weekend we took care of a little guy (7) who we have cared for from birth. He brought his game cube and several games. Every one was shoot, jump, kill destroy bang bang. The Matrix would be placid next to any of these. Even a game based on the kids movie “Madagascar” was won by destroying property and kicking the police.
I had enough. I went to the video store and tried to rent a better game. I’m sad to tell you there was little of any value. One Japanese game like a sim game was not too bad. But, out of the 30 or so titles on the shelf only 2 were non violent.
This little guy has behavior problems in school.
I blame it on video games.
He won’t be bringing it to our home again. I hope he comes to stay. He needs deprogramming.
This is not a good thing in our society.
I had enough. I went to the video store and tried to rent a better game. I’m sad to tell you there was little of any value. One Japanese game like a sim game was not too bad. But, out of the 30 or so titles on the shelf only 2 were non violent.
This little guy has behavior problems in school.
I blame it on video games.
He won’t be bringing it to our home again. I hope he comes to stay. He needs deprogramming.
This is not a good thing in our society.
Saturday, June 18, 2005
String em up, They Said!
Last fall a heinous crime was committed. A young father admitted to police that he had raped and murdered his 3 year old daughter and threw her body in the river. Local Chicago talk radio was ablaze with lynch mob mentality.
He doesn't deserve to live. String em up.
Strangely, his wife, mother, mother in law, and friends stood by this vile killer.
Now 8 months out (all this time he sat in jail) the truth is out. A power hungry district attorney railroaded and tortured a confession out of this poor guy. They have him on video tape. Chicago is famous for picking up random black kids off the street and torturing them into confession. This time it's a young white father with a white pretty wife and a pretty cute kid. Using the Julie rule of attention attractiveness (read below) I don't think we have heard the last of this.
All the talk about Gitmo and torture. Gitmo has nothing over Chicagoland.
There are some cops who need to go to jail now. Let them suffer patriot act justice in America. Guilty until proven innocent. Maybe we should drown witches and if they survive they are innocent. Yea, that's the ticket.
He doesn't deserve to live. String em up.
Strangely, his wife, mother, mother in law, and friends stood by this vile killer.
Now 8 months out (all this time he sat in jail) the truth is out. A power hungry district attorney railroaded and tortured a confession out of this poor guy. They have him on video tape. Chicago is famous for picking up random black kids off the street and torturing them into confession. This time it's a young white father with a white pretty wife and a pretty cute kid. Using the Julie rule of attention attractiveness (read below) I don't think we have heard the last of this.
All the talk about Gitmo and torture. Gitmo has nothing over Chicagoland.
There are some cops who need to go to jail now. Let them suffer patriot act justice in America. Guilty until proven innocent. Maybe we should drown witches and if they survive they are innocent. Yea, that's the ticket.
Friday, June 17, 2005
There's hope for me
I just saw this, I wear a 7 3/4 mens hat size. They barely fit. I need all the holes in an adjustable baseball cap. I've been accused of having a big head. I've been called a fat head. AHHHH - compensation for all the ridicule.
Taking the Plunge
I don't have enough else to do. I'm not busy enough. I don't have enough people tugging on my time.
That's a joke (not funny).
But, I'm like Noah and have begun to build an ark. 10 years ago we were ready to move back to ND. We sold our house. Moving van coming in 3 days. Then I got a word in the night from God. (I know this will frustrate you who don't share what I know to be true. I don't love you less. I wish you did) Instant in obedience, we sold, put all our household goods in storage and lived with friends for months until we were able to move into the house we now have. All this in response to a word and a vision. This was a clear vision of what his purpose was where we were living right then. St Charles IL.
Right now, if I want to be part of a blow out the walls Pentecostal Church with a full flow of the gifts of the Spirit I have to drive 45-60 miles in any direction. There are some small struggling works in the area but each of them (average of 20-60 people) are stuck. It's very hard to break out and move up. They aren't making the impact God intends for this region. I have tried to be part of start up works and recognize that most are simply ego hobbies of men or women without a vision. I have no intention of being a Pastor, I have every intent of allowing God to select and put in place the Man of God he has already called before the foundation of the earth for this good work.
I have well meaning Godly friends who believe that God is done with the organized Church. They maintain House Churches are the answer. I'm not convinced. It doesn't line up with the vision. Most important, when I was given this open vision of what this would look like it was large venue. I have been in meetings and services like this. They are precious and wonderful beyond belief. The experience prepares us to experience heaven this side of the veil and creates a hunger for the pure presence of God. If house church can do this I'm ready to listen.
It's time for St Charles, Geneva, Batavia and surrounds to manifest the full counsel of God in spirit and truth with worshippers like King David. Why not here, why not us, why not now.
So, with the hope of support of like minded believers and leaders and with the effective efforts of people of vision I am taking this step. I have been here before. I have seen it work; but more often than I would like, I have seen it fail. If the model for this effort works, it will be one that spirit filled believers across America can use. This is worth doing. The stakes are high.
I'll keep you posted. If you don't understand it's OK. So on to Ark Building. Now where did I put those nails and that gopher wood?
That's a joke (not funny).
But, I'm like Noah and have begun to build an ark. 10 years ago we were ready to move back to ND. We sold our house. Moving van coming in 3 days. Then I got a word in the night from God. (I know this will frustrate you who don't share what I know to be true. I don't love you less. I wish you did) Instant in obedience, we sold, put all our household goods in storage and lived with friends for months until we were able to move into the house we now have. All this in response to a word and a vision. This was a clear vision of what his purpose was where we were living right then. St Charles IL.
Right now, if I want to be part of a blow out the walls Pentecostal Church with a full flow of the gifts of the Spirit I have to drive 45-60 miles in any direction. There are some small struggling works in the area but each of them (average of 20-60 people) are stuck. It's very hard to break out and move up. They aren't making the impact God intends for this region. I have tried to be part of start up works and recognize that most are simply ego hobbies of men or women without a vision. I have no intention of being a Pastor, I have every intent of allowing God to select and put in place the Man of God he has already called before the foundation of the earth for this good work.
I have well meaning Godly friends who believe that God is done with the organized Church. They maintain House Churches are the answer. I'm not convinced. It doesn't line up with the vision. Most important, when I was given this open vision of what this would look like it was large venue. I have been in meetings and services like this. They are precious and wonderful beyond belief. The experience prepares us to experience heaven this side of the veil and creates a hunger for the pure presence of God. If house church can do this I'm ready to listen.
It's time for St Charles, Geneva, Batavia and surrounds to manifest the full counsel of God in spirit and truth with worshippers like King David. Why not here, why not us, why not now.
So, with the hope of support of like minded believers and leaders and with the effective efforts of people of vision I am taking this step. I have been here before. I have seen it work; but more often than I would like, I have seen it fail. If the model for this effort works, it will be one that spirit filled believers across America can use. This is worth doing. The stakes are high.
I'll keep you posted. If you don't understand it's OK. So on to Ark Building. Now where did I put those nails and that gopher wood?
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Harry Stuff
I like Le Show. I like the Simpsons. Both have Harry Shearer as creative influence. Harry is a liberal. But he has always been as hard on Clinton and Dan Rather as he is on Bush. So, he's an equal opportunity liberal.
He comments in Huffington Land about what a "REAL" journalist is. I couldn't agree more. I have blogged several times in the past about these "more literate and knowledgeable than thou" jerks. I put up with them in School, I've put up with them my whole life. Guess what, they are all begging you to pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. They are for the most part frauds. Certainly not all. But I confess the preponderance. Julies comment about pretty people getting press when they are lost or run away (Aruba and Runaway Bride) holds for journalists. What about obese ugly newscasters. Any market? I think not.
He comments in Huffington Land about what a "REAL" journalist is. I couldn't agree more. I have blogged several times in the past about these "more literate and knowledgeable than thou" jerks. I put up with them in School, I've put up with them my whole life. Guess what, they are all begging you to pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. They are for the most part frauds. Certainly not all. But I confess the preponderance. Julies comment about pretty people getting press when they are lost or run away (Aruba and Runaway Bride) holds for journalists. What about obese ugly newscasters. Any market? I think not.
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
How to stop and reverse global warming in one fell swoop
Why does solving Global Warming seem so hard? People are the problem. Too many of us populate the globe. Like Smith says in "The Matrix", we're a virus. And if you read the USA article you know of course that President Bush is the problem.
So, Since we have all the weapons, we have all the power, lets obliterate 3/4 of the surplus population. Pick your poision. Disease, H-Bombs, doesn't matter.
Once all those producers of greenhouse gases are gone and consumers of fossil fuels are terminated we won't have this problem any more. Allow the abandoned areas like china and India to revert back to green.
In 75 years things should get better and people won't have to move to stay cool.
If you have read this far I hope you understand, this is satire. The truth is, the die is cast. The population isn't going to change. Oil is going to be burned. Global warming or whatever is going on is happening. Any effort from this time forward short of a global catastrophe which accomplishes the net result of the above satire is equivalent to each of us trying to empty the ocean a thimble at a time. Even if we all did that full time from now on it won't have any affect.
Should we conserve? Sure. Should we try? OK. But know this. NOTHING short of reducing the worlds consumption and output of methane and other greenhouse gasses by over half in a single blow will have any effect.
Replanting all the stripped forests would help. The USA has only 15% of the forested land it had 200 years ago. And, the rain forests of South America have been flattened to produce that essential commodity SOYBEANS. Much of it by American farmers.
Want to know what's really going to happen? Run the graph on out. Think expodentially.
So, my great great great Grandchildren will live north of the 50th parallel on the globe (Canada, Russia, Siberia, Northern Europe, Scandinavia, Greenland). Population will migrate north until temperate is found. And since there is little land mass south of the 50th paralell in the southern hemisphere, other than way south. Chile, Tierra Del Fuego and the Faulklands will experience a land boom.
The equatorial areas will be called New Anti-Antartica. Instead of being massive areas of uninhabitable territory because of cold, the center of the globe will be massive areas of uninhabitable territory because of heat and drought.
And the new open areas of Antartica will become summer homes for the rich who live in winter areas in the north. And Summer sailing regattas on the new Arctic sea will become ESPN's new sports coverage.
I won't live to see all this, and I'm probably wrong. But expodential thinking is so darn much fun.
So, Since we have all the weapons, we have all the power, lets obliterate 3/4 of the surplus population. Pick your poision. Disease, H-Bombs, doesn't matter.
Once all those producers of greenhouse gases are gone and consumers of fossil fuels are terminated we won't have this problem any more. Allow the abandoned areas like china and India to revert back to green.
In 75 years things should get better and people won't have to move to stay cool.
If you have read this far I hope you understand, this is satire. The truth is, the die is cast. The population isn't going to change. Oil is going to be burned. Global warming or whatever is going on is happening. Any effort from this time forward short of a global catastrophe which accomplishes the net result of the above satire is equivalent to each of us trying to empty the ocean a thimble at a time. Even if we all did that full time from now on it won't have any affect.
Should we conserve? Sure. Should we try? OK. But know this. NOTHING short of reducing the worlds consumption and output of methane and other greenhouse gasses by over half in a single blow will have any effect.
Replanting all the stripped forests would help. The USA has only 15% of the forested land it had 200 years ago. And, the rain forests of South America have been flattened to produce that essential commodity SOYBEANS. Much of it by American farmers.
Want to know what's really going to happen? Run the graph on out. Think expodentially.
- Some areas of the world are going to become uninhabitable.
- Energy is going to become expensive then cheap.
- See Las Vegas to understand St. Louis' future climate.
So, my great great great Grandchildren will live north of the 50th parallel on the globe (Canada, Russia, Siberia, Northern Europe, Scandinavia, Greenland). Population will migrate north until temperate is found. And since there is little land mass south of the 50th paralell in the southern hemisphere, other than way south. Chile, Tierra Del Fuego and the Faulklands will experience a land boom.
The equatorial areas will be called New Anti-Antartica. Instead of being massive areas of uninhabitable territory because of cold, the center of the globe will be massive areas of uninhabitable territory because of heat and drought.
And the new open areas of Antartica will become summer homes for the rich who live in winter areas in the north. And Summer sailing regattas on the new Arctic sea will become ESPN's new sports coverage.
I won't live to see all this, and I'm probably wrong. But expodential thinking is so darn much fun.
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
The Bandwagon is Leaving Town
Today’s Chicago Tribune started a Blogger Corner. Guess Who’s the Star? Adrianna Huffington. She has now risen from gadfly to analyst. Liberals are better at cooperating than we conservatives are. They are communal minded. Can’t we all just get along. They’re wrong of course, but…..
We conservatives are independent, self sufficient, and of our own mind. We love our own turf, out own territory, and don’t tread on me. That’s why we are conservative.
But, we will never be published in the blogger corner of a major metropolitan newspaper as conservatives until we decide to cooperate. Someone will have to lead the way. It’s not me. The Huffington model is valid and we should follow suit.
So, who? I don’t know. But, we have been warned. Time to get off our conservative duffs. Time to (choke) cooperate.
We conservatives are independent, self sufficient, and of our own mind. We love our own turf, out own territory, and don’t tread on me. That’s why we are conservative.
But, we will never be published in the blogger corner of a major metropolitan newspaper as conservatives until we decide to cooperate. Someone will have to lead the way. It’s not me. The Huffington model is valid and we should follow suit.
So, who? I don’t know. But, we have been warned. Time to get off our conservative duffs. Time to (choke) cooperate.
Monday, June 13, 2005
Chippie
I was watering the plants at our doorway. I looked down and there was a baby chipmunk. We have lots of chipmunks. When they become very surplus I reduce numbers. But I don't kill baby anythings. I'm terminally almost Albert Schweitzer like in my reverence for life.
I had just found it's mother that morning. Dead of something. The little guy was lost and squeaking for it's mom. So I brought it in, fed it ground up cornflakes and milk and almonds. He ate heartily.
This morning I took him back where he was found. I hope he makes it. I think he will. If he can eat OK and find a little water he'll be fine.
Of course no good deed goes unpunished. So in the fall when we are being overrun by Chipmunks I'll regret this. For instance:
Last fall we accidentally left our patio sliding glass door open, the chippies moved into the house. They were in the living room trying to figure out the TV remote when we came home. Their little tails went up in the air and they scurried back out. Ever since then when something is missing or broken we are now convinced the chippies did it.
I had just found it's mother that morning. Dead of something. The little guy was lost and squeaking for it's mom. So I brought it in, fed it ground up cornflakes and milk and almonds. He ate heartily.
This morning I took him back where he was found. I hope he makes it. I think he will. If he can eat OK and find a little water he'll be fine.
Of course no good deed goes unpunished. So in the fall when we are being overrun by Chipmunks I'll regret this. For instance:
Last fall we accidentally left our patio sliding glass door open, the chippies moved into the house. They were in the living room trying to figure out the TV remote when we came home. Their little tails went up in the air and they scurried back out. Ever since then when something is missing or broken we are now convinced the chippies did it.
Saturday, June 11, 2005
Fundamentalist Darwinism
I'm amused by the passion which Darwin enthusiasts are inflexible and blind to any other possible consideration. It's what makes the whole intelligent design issue so interesting. If you don't agree with me (they say) you are stupid, narrow, and ignorant.
Tell that to Paul Johnson, an eminent British scholar who writes in this week's Forbes Magazine an interesting thesis of the flaws in fundamentalist Darwinism. If this goes subscription the text is here too. This is not some right wing nut.
This is a man who for 50 years has been a paragon of analysis and examination of difficult issues.
Of particular interest to me was what the divine nature in man is all about. He postulates it's all wrapped up in WORDS. Other beings without the divine nature don't use words like man does. It is the capacity to communicate that is the divine nature.
Read his thesis and then tell me that the potential for intelligent design is rubbish.
Of course real Darwin Fundamentalists could just be stupid, ignorant and narrow minded. Turnabout is fair play.
Tell that to Paul Johnson, an eminent British scholar who writes in this week's Forbes Magazine an interesting thesis of the flaws in fundamentalist Darwinism. If this goes subscription the text is here too. This is not some right wing nut.
This is a man who for 50 years has been a paragon of analysis and examination of difficult issues.
Of particular interest to me was what the divine nature in man is all about. He postulates it's all wrapped up in WORDS. Other beings without the divine nature don't use words like man does. It is the capacity to communicate that is the divine nature.
Read his thesis and then tell me that the potential for intelligent design is rubbish.
Of course real Darwin Fundamentalists could just be stupid, ignorant and narrow minded. Turnabout is fair play.
Friday, June 10, 2005
Hi Yo Silver, He’s Baaaack
I am not a team player, never have been. I’m good at being in charge or being a lone ranger.
This last week my weakness in this area became apparent. I traveled with a few other men in the nursery business touring the nursery growers in the southeast states.
I’m worn out. I’m not good at 24/7 with others. It’s not them, it’s me.
And, I shared a motel room (separate beds). Yikes!
But I’m home again. I’ll be traveling a fair amount this summer. ALONE!
Much of the trip was in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. It’s a beautiful place being polluted daily by condos, golf courses, and rocky top houses. Whatever yuppies are when they grow up are there.
Joni Mitchell sang, they take paradise, put up a parking lot.
I’ll blog on that issue later.
I wish I could have clicked my red slippers because there’s no place like home.
This last week my weakness in this area became apparent. I traveled with a few other men in the nursery business touring the nursery growers in the southeast states.
I’m worn out. I’m not good at 24/7 with others. It’s not them, it’s me.
And, I shared a motel room (separate beds). Yikes!
But I’m home again. I’ll be traveling a fair amount this summer. ALONE!
Much of the trip was in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. It’s a beautiful place being polluted daily by condos, golf courses, and rocky top houses. Whatever yuppies are when they grow up are there.
Joni Mitchell sang, they take paradise, put up a parking lot.
I’ll blog on that issue later.
I wish I could have clicked my red slippers because there’s no place like home.
Sunday, May 29, 2005
Away Game
I'll be out of town until the 12th of June. Business Trip. I realize that new people visit this site every day. I don't want you to Never come back again. When I am in town I post every day. Sometimes several times per day. So, please take a look at some of my favorite submissions and after you have taken a look at them come back after the 12th. And look at some suggestions for other worthy blogs.
Am I going to HELL?..
Hitler Loved Darwin
You Retire You Die
Should I Run For Office?
Are You Ignorant?
The Carved wooden Turtle
Attention Deficit
A Test for "Persons of Faith"
True Security is Jail
A Nation of Laws, That's Good NO??
Girls and Boys
My 8 Cow Wife
Why I do what I do
Wouldn't this be better??
Quit Going to Church or Start Your Own
On Friendship
Holy Cow or maybe YOU
TSA and Patriot Act YECCH
Praying and Lying
AGES of MAN
Turning 60
DAKOTA
Professional harassment
Smokeout
Death by a Thousand Pokes
North Dakota, You're Not Welcome Here!
My Predictions Written end of 2004 for 2005
Tsunami Perspective
And, I have other Blogs that are of a like mind and worthwhile reading every day. So, take a look at these bright people:
Julie Neidlinger of Hampden ND. She is an up and coming bright young lady with so many facets it's scary. Her blog is the first one I read every single day. I recommend it highly.
Trevor Romain is one of the most moving artists and writers I have ever read. If you love to reach deep within for who you really are read his blog.
John Armstrong writes for Pastor's mostly but writes on topics of interest to many. Pretty religious for you unchurched folk.
Eric Sigmund is a software writer from Austin Texas who is prolific and entertaining. He makes me laugh.
Four guys from the Dakotas have a well put together news and comment blog I read
For the pinko liberal long haired hippy types try Adrianna Huffington. Sometimes I even agree with her contributors. So much for being ultra right wing.
Mark Steyn is a columnist for newspapers on both sides of the pond. I like what he says and think it would be well to read his materials.
And if you have nothing else to read, try navigating my E-Book posted at Dakota Revision,
Or the start of 1000 creative ideas for the Dakotas (I'm only up to 25 so far, I'm ambitious)
Please check back after the 12th and I promise I will store up 20 interesting posts at least..
In the hopper right now that I am working on are:
Why WalMart is the Antichrist
Things I don't believe anymore
Abu Graiab Redux
North Dakota is a Terrible Place to live (or not)
Grateful Dead and Blogging parallels
Spending per Student and Other Stupid Statistics
Common Sense Educational Curricula You'll Never See Again
SEE YOU SOON!
Am I going to HELL?..
Hitler Loved Darwin
You Retire You Die
Should I Run For Office?
Are You Ignorant?
The Carved wooden Turtle
Attention Deficit
A Test for "Persons of Faith"
True Security is Jail
A Nation of Laws, That's Good NO??
Girls and Boys
My 8 Cow Wife
Why I do what I do
Wouldn't this be better??
Quit Going to Church or Start Your Own
On Friendship
Holy Cow or maybe YOU
TSA and Patriot Act YECCH
Praying and Lying
AGES of MAN
Turning 60
DAKOTA
Professional harassment
Smokeout
Death by a Thousand Pokes
North Dakota, You're Not Welcome Here!
My Predictions Written end of 2004 for 2005
Tsunami Perspective
And, I have other Blogs that are of a like mind and worthwhile reading every day. So, take a look at these bright people:
Julie Neidlinger of Hampden ND. She is an up and coming bright young lady with so many facets it's scary. Her blog is the first one I read every single day. I recommend it highly.
Trevor Romain is one of the most moving artists and writers I have ever read. If you love to reach deep within for who you really are read his blog.
John Armstrong writes for Pastor's mostly but writes on topics of interest to many. Pretty religious for you unchurched folk.
Eric Sigmund is a software writer from Austin Texas who is prolific and entertaining. He makes me laugh.
Four guys from the Dakotas have a well put together news and comment blog I read
For the pinko liberal long haired hippy types try Adrianna Huffington. Sometimes I even agree with her contributors. So much for being ultra right wing.
Mark Steyn is a columnist for newspapers on both sides of the pond. I like what he says and think it would be well to read his materials.
And if you have nothing else to read, try navigating my E-Book posted at Dakota Revision,
Or the start of 1000 creative ideas for the Dakotas (I'm only up to 25 so far, I'm ambitious)
Please check back after the 12th and I promise I will store up 20 interesting posts at least..
In the hopper right now that I am working on are:
Why WalMart is the Antichrist
Things I don't believe anymore
Abu Graiab Redux
North Dakota is a Terrible Place to live (or not)
Grateful Dead and Blogging parallels
Spending per Student and Other Stupid Statistics
Common Sense Educational Curricula You'll Never See Again
SEE YOU SOON!
Your're the Greatest
Memorial Day will not pass without comment about the passing of the soldiers of World War II. Brokow called them properly the greatest generation. They were great. They did amazing things.
But, every generation is great in it’s own way. We all have a purpose. We all have things we are on this earth to accomplish. Some generation’s contributions are less spectacular. Some are hard to understand. I’m not particularly interested in arguing about it.
Generations that see themselves as beyond usefulness are not. They have a reason to be here. Not to entertain us, but to reach the potential fullness of the generation that they are part of.
I recall Gen X a few years ago. They were discounted. Look around. They are changing the world as certainly as did the WWII generation.
I have great expectation of this current generation (those 15-25). They are about to change things again. For GOOD I believe.
Oh, you can point to losers in every generation. No counts who will be a net negative on society. If my liberal friends had their way we’d just put a bullet in their head and end it all. We had them in my generation. We’ll have them in every. But I am optimistic.
So whoever you are, whatever you are generationally, Be THAT.
Every Generation makes a difference for Good and for some BAD. Even the greatest generation. They weren’t all saints walking regularly on water. Ask your parents or grandparents. There were plenty of scoundrels and there was McCarthy or Roosevelt. Pick your choice. And today we have Iraq for good and bad. And those men and women who joined up and serve there, are worthy of honor as much as those who served in the last 230 years.
So as we memorialize the generations fallen, let’s remember to be proud of who you are, what you have done, and stand next to every generation before and those who follow and hold your head high. Real High!
Every Generations Counts – BE PROUD.
But, every generation is great in it’s own way. We all have a purpose. We all have things we are on this earth to accomplish. Some generation’s contributions are less spectacular. Some are hard to understand. I’m not particularly interested in arguing about it.
Generations that see themselves as beyond usefulness are not. They have a reason to be here. Not to entertain us, but to reach the potential fullness of the generation that they are part of.
I recall Gen X a few years ago. They were discounted. Look around. They are changing the world as certainly as did the WWII generation.
I have great expectation of this current generation (those 15-25). They are about to change things again. For GOOD I believe.
Oh, you can point to losers in every generation. No counts who will be a net negative on society. If my liberal friends had their way we’d just put a bullet in their head and end it all. We had them in my generation. We’ll have them in every. But I am optimistic.
So whoever you are, whatever you are generationally, Be THAT.
Every Generation makes a difference for Good and for some BAD. Even the greatest generation. They weren’t all saints walking regularly on water. Ask your parents or grandparents. There were plenty of scoundrels and there was McCarthy or Roosevelt. Pick your choice. And today we have Iraq for good and bad. And those men and women who joined up and serve there, are worthy of honor as much as those who served in the last 230 years.
So as we memorialize the generations fallen, let’s remember to be proud of who you are, what you have done, and stand next to every generation before and those who follow and hold your head high. Real High!
Every Generations Counts – BE PROUD.
Memorializing and building relationships
When Abraham Lincoln instituted Decoration Day (now Memorial Day) on the 30th of every May he did so not because the date meant anything in particular, but because the flowers would be in full bloom, available and plentiful along every road. Anyone with ingenuity could make a bouquet and honor their fallen. I don’t know if that’s the whole story but as a horticultural geek I want to believe it.
Growing up in ND I associate Lilac fragrances with Memorial Day. Living in Illinois our lilacs are long since past bloom (except for dwarf Korean which is not what I remember lilacs as). Right now the Weigela, Peonies, shrub roses, and other plants are in full regale. The iris’ are just passed. Native Flag iris’ are doing their thing. It’s green and beautiful.
A roadside plant I love is Queen Anne’s Lace. I just made a pretty bouquet of Peony with accents of lace. Nice.
So decorate away. The roadsides are alive with color and beauty if you can just see it.
Reflecting on this Memorial Day I think about those we have buried in the last few years. My human landscape of friends and relatives is changing. I guess that’s why I value those I have now.
I’m not trying to hold on to or recapture relationships of the past. I am trying to make sure that the ones I have now are real and worthwhile. There are people I communicate with emailing I wish I knew better. Intelligent thinking people whose center is well established. They won’t be pushed around. I like people like that. Not ashamed to be who they are, not trying to meet others expectations. Synthesizing their own opinions not from popular dogma but from deeply held convictions mixed with creative discontent toward the status quo. Those are relationships I look for, desire, and seek out.
And, I love it when people make me laugh not at others expense.
Growing up in ND I associate Lilac fragrances with Memorial Day. Living in Illinois our lilacs are long since past bloom (except for dwarf Korean which is not what I remember lilacs as). Right now the Weigela, Peonies, shrub roses, and other plants are in full regale. The iris’ are just passed. Native Flag iris’ are doing their thing. It’s green and beautiful.
A roadside plant I love is Queen Anne’s Lace. I just made a pretty bouquet of Peony with accents of lace. Nice.
So decorate away. The roadsides are alive with color and beauty if you can just see it.
Reflecting on this Memorial Day I think about those we have buried in the last few years. My human landscape of friends and relatives is changing. I guess that’s why I value those I have now.
I’m not trying to hold on to or recapture relationships of the past. I am trying to make sure that the ones I have now are real and worthwhile. There are people I communicate with emailing I wish I knew better. Intelligent thinking people whose center is well established. They won’t be pushed around. I like people like that. Not ashamed to be who they are, not trying to meet others expectations. Synthesizing their own opinions not from popular dogma but from deeply held convictions mixed with creative discontent toward the status quo. Those are relationships I look for, desire, and seek out.
And, I love it when people make me laugh not at others expense.
Saturday, May 28, 2005
I'm not a golfer, but.......
It's been a nice day, the start of a long weekend. A friend of mine invited me to be part of his foursome for a company golf outing. I shot terribly except for one really nice putt, one really nice drive that ended up on the green 3 feet off the pin. And, serious duffing otherwise. But I enjoyed myself.
I used to golf. When I was in college I golfed every single day the course was open. I even golfed the morning I got married. The day after I got married I didn't golf. In fact I only golfed a dozen times that first year and it drifted from there. Now I 'm down to 3 or 4. If I were better I might take a shot. My friends gave me a really nice set of clubs for a wedding present I used today. 39 years old. Older than most of the fellows I golfed with today.
What made it a little challenging is that I am suffering, (really suffering) from a prolonged bout of gout. This is my 4th episode. My big toe is swollen 2X the size of the other. I limp and it throbs. I don't eat beef in excess. I am just a tad over my weight limit. Well ok, about a third. And I misbehave some. So, perhaps this is the Lord telling me to slow down, lose weight and behave. Yes Lord Yes.
Then coming Home I gardened until Dark. That's what spring is all about.
I'm traveling starting Tuesday for 10 days on business. I don't think I'll be able to blog on the road. I'm NOT taking my laptop. I'll use someone else's or something.
Go to Church!
I used to golf. When I was in college I golfed every single day the course was open. I even golfed the morning I got married. The day after I got married I didn't golf. In fact I only golfed a dozen times that first year and it drifted from there. Now I 'm down to 3 or 4. If I were better I might take a shot. My friends gave me a really nice set of clubs for a wedding present I used today. 39 years old. Older than most of the fellows I golfed with today.
What made it a little challenging is that I am suffering, (really suffering) from a prolonged bout of gout. This is my 4th episode. My big toe is swollen 2X the size of the other. I limp and it throbs. I don't eat beef in excess. I am just a tad over my weight limit. Well ok, about a third. And I misbehave some. So, perhaps this is the Lord telling me to slow down, lose weight and behave. Yes Lord Yes.
Then coming Home I gardened until Dark. That's what spring is all about.
I'm traveling starting Tuesday for 10 days on business. I don't think I'll be able to blog on the road. I'm NOT taking my laptop. I'll use someone else's or something.
Go to Church!
Friday, May 27, 2005
Even if she's a Liberal - This is worth reading
I read this on Huffington Post. Next time you are feeling any modicum for understanding the Religion of Islam as practiced by Bin Laden and his kin the Saudis, remember this quiz. That's what the battle is all about.
This dead horse needs one more beating
I can't promise I will NEVER bring this up again. But for now, this will be my last word on the subject (until next time).
I am not a PhD
I am a Christian who believes the Bible from Genesis to Maps
I can think for myself and that frustrates other Christians as well as pagan friends of mine
I don't believe Darwin figured it out. I also don't believe the earth is 5783 years old. The Bible doesn't support that idea. But, the Bible certainly doesn't support Darwin.
I think unbridled acceptance of the religion of evolution as promulgated by Darwin and his disciples and theologians in our colleges has grave danger to the capacity to think clearly about who we are and what it all means.
I am not alone. Look at this article from today's tribune. It really demonstrates the quandary when brilliant people with lots of letters behind their name tenured from world famous secular educational institutions cast serious doubt on the whole theology of Darwin and evolution.
Like a commercial says, "I'm not asking you to change, I'm asking you to think about it and then you decide"
It's the thinking part that's so hard for most folks.
I am not a PhD
I am a Christian who believes the Bible from Genesis to Maps
I can think for myself and that frustrates other Christians as well as pagan friends of mine
I don't believe Darwin figured it out. I also don't believe the earth is 5783 years old. The Bible doesn't support that idea. But, the Bible certainly doesn't support Darwin.
I think unbridled acceptance of the religion of evolution as promulgated by Darwin and his disciples and theologians in our colleges has grave danger to the capacity to think clearly about who we are and what it all means.
I am not alone. Look at this article from today's tribune. It really demonstrates the quandary when brilliant people with lots of letters behind their name tenured from world famous secular educational institutions cast serious doubt on the whole theology of Darwin and evolution.
Like a commercial says, "I'm not asking you to change, I'm asking you to think about it and then you decide"
It's the thinking part that's so hard for most folks.
Thursday, May 26, 2005
A Tribute to Marvel Rudebusch Lee on her 80th Birthday
I don’t know her as Aunt Marvel. She is my aunt. Wife of my mother’s brother Mancel. But I always just knew her as Marvel. Because, well, that’s what she is. Now she has finished 8 decades and is in her ninth. I don’t know all the details of her life as her children do, I do know it has a lot to do with Scandinavia.
A few brain cell snapshots:
I remember a Thanksgiving in Ortley SD (or Waubay) with her folks, the Rudebusches. Warm, Cozy, oil stove, love, peace, joy. It’s only a fragment but the sense of it is still tangible. She came from good people.
I loved going out to “Jim’s”. My cousin who I loved and still do. He is/was the oldest. The sand hills were magic. Perhaps not to those who farmed that tediously dry land. But to my cousins and me it was an adventure without peer. You could strike water with a shovel. The blowouts provided a thrill to an 8-year-old equivalent to any amusement park ride. Marvel and Mancel’s farm in the Crescent Sand hills South of Oakes ND was fun.
I remember her on Ranch 7. Chaos of kids, Sunday meals, equipment, silos, pigeons, and the duck slough. One time, ONCE, lutefisk dinner. In the “Old” house. Came in the house while the lutefisk was in full glory. The German half of my stomach craved the better tastes and smells of sauerkraut, blutwurst, and Limburger. I don’t remember how much I ate. I do remember it was less than my mom wanted me to. I really more enjoyed it more when we had pot roast, Government Cattle Mancel called it. It tasted a great deal like venison. Of course that would be impossible since they were out of season and…… OH.
There was so much to do outside in the FRESH air. We kids headed out no matter the temperature. We weren’t run out. We always were welcomed back in when it got too cold. Marvel kept peace in the cacophony without yelling. It’s her nature.
Her resiliency at the loss of Dick (her second son) is an example of dealing with loss in a way that honors the departed by keeping on with life. Having been with so many who mourn for the rest of their life at the loss of a child without ever recovering I admire Marvel for her example.
Marvel did a lot of things right with her children. I see those cousins of mine, her children, and I am astounded at the solid contributing significant people they have become. I take nothing away from their father. His blood runs in my veins. But she can stand proud of her offspring: PhD’s, Elders in Church, Managers of Business, Teachers, Mothers and wives; Competent self-supporting contributing members of the world’s population. Isn’t that all anyone could ask?
When her “Man” died a few years ago people watched. What next for Marvel? Now they Marvel. She lives independent, Red Hat and all, friends, church, contributing. I’ll bet there isn’t a day goes by she doesn’t miss him a little. I would hope that in my case. But she has made these years of value living them as we all hope we can at the time when we meet those calendar turnovers 80 times.
So lead on Marvel. YOU ARE ONE!
A few brain cell snapshots:
I remember a Thanksgiving in Ortley SD (or Waubay) with her folks, the Rudebusches. Warm, Cozy, oil stove, love, peace, joy. It’s only a fragment but the sense of it is still tangible. She came from good people.
I loved going out to “Jim’s”. My cousin who I loved and still do. He is/was the oldest. The sand hills were magic. Perhaps not to those who farmed that tediously dry land. But to my cousins and me it was an adventure without peer. You could strike water with a shovel. The blowouts provided a thrill to an 8-year-old equivalent to any amusement park ride. Marvel and Mancel’s farm in the Crescent Sand hills South of Oakes ND was fun.
I remember her on Ranch 7. Chaos of kids, Sunday meals, equipment, silos, pigeons, and the duck slough. One time, ONCE, lutefisk dinner. In the “Old” house. Came in the house while the lutefisk was in full glory. The German half of my stomach craved the better tastes and smells of sauerkraut, blutwurst, and Limburger. I don’t remember how much I ate. I do remember it was less than my mom wanted me to. I really more enjoyed it more when we had pot roast, Government Cattle Mancel called it. It tasted a great deal like venison. Of course that would be impossible since they were out of season and…… OH.
There was so much to do outside in the FRESH air. We kids headed out no matter the temperature. We weren’t run out. We always were welcomed back in when it got too cold. Marvel kept peace in the cacophony without yelling. It’s her nature.
Her resiliency at the loss of Dick (her second son) is an example of dealing with loss in a way that honors the departed by keeping on with life. Having been with so many who mourn for the rest of their life at the loss of a child without ever recovering I admire Marvel for her example.
Marvel did a lot of things right with her children. I see those cousins of mine, her children, and I am astounded at the solid contributing significant people they have become. I take nothing away from their father. His blood runs in my veins. But she can stand proud of her offspring: PhD’s, Elders in Church, Managers of Business, Teachers, Mothers and wives; Competent self-supporting contributing members of the world’s population. Isn’t that all anyone could ask?
When her “Man” died a few years ago people watched. What next for Marvel? Now they Marvel. She lives independent, Red Hat and all, friends, church, contributing. I’ll bet there isn’t a day goes by she doesn’t miss him a little. I would hope that in my case. But she has made these years of value living them as we all hope we can at the time when we meet those calendar turnovers 80 times.
So lead on Marvel. YOU ARE ONE!
Brain Damage - I always knew it
I sent out a parody link of some very funny stuff to several friends I like. It's just a little over the top. Just a little bit touchy. But really well done humor. CLEAN! Don't look for any dirty jokes here.
I got feedback. The spectrum ran from, That's terrible to That's hilarious.
I have been accused of having a warped sense of humor. I have never understood how others can't GET THE JOKE when it stands right there in front of them.
Then I discovered this article from the Tribune of yesterday. It says that people that don't get the joke are brain damaged.
Since that could be you dear reader, I won't point you to the link that propagated all this controversy. It won't amuse you.
I won't tell you that Julie, who I link to at the right hand of this blog (I'm not going to make this easy) actually made a comment in her blog on a Lark about this. She's quite a Chick on Tract.
So if you should decide to wade thru the roadblocks and seek out this parody and still don't get it, please phone our complaint line 1-800-IT'S-A-JOKE.
I got feedback. The spectrum ran from, That's terrible to That's hilarious.
I have been accused of having a warped sense of humor. I have never understood how others can't GET THE JOKE when it stands right there in front of them.
Then I discovered this article from the Tribune of yesterday. It says that people that don't get the joke are brain damaged.
Since that could be you dear reader, I won't point you to the link that propagated all this controversy. It won't amuse you.
I won't tell you that Julie, who I link to at the right hand of this blog (I'm not going to make this easy) actually made a comment in her blog on a Lark about this. She's quite a Chick on Tract.
So if you should decide to wade thru the roadblocks and seek out this parody and still don't get it, please phone our complaint line 1-800-IT'S-A-JOKE.
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
The Vision from Sunday Last
Barry Kolb is the pastor of the Church we attend on Sundays. He's a good man. He works in Angola Prison often. Once one of the toughest meanest prisons in the nation. Now nearly half the residents are Christians.
He just got back from Prison and shared a question an inmate pastor had asked him. Doc, are you secure in your salvation? Yep, said Doc. You're right because if you think about it for the devil to have to swim thru the Blood, break the seal of the Holy Ghost, and then pry open the hand of God to snatch you out that would be one saved devil.
I see things in pictures. Immediately I saw this strong vision of the security of the believer:
The Blood is flowing in torrents spiritually washing away our sin, such that to approach us, the Devil has to fight like he was at the foot of Niagara falls without a ladder. If he fights his way up the cliff (with the Blood flowing down) when he reaches the top he finds a walled castle fortress.. It is the very hand of God holding believers in his protection. No entrance, No secret passage. No anything. Even if thru persistence he should find able to worm his way in, he will find us engulfed by tongues of living fire, the fire of the Holy Ghost, burning as a seal upon our heart. This is an impenetrable fire for him. It's like the wall of fire that God placed around Zion in Zechariah 2:5.. We are Zion. He can never get there unless he was saved himself and that can never happen.
Lots of people have the false impression that at the tongues of fire at Pentecost were little flames on the tops of the 120's heads. No, the word says that tongues of living fire settled on each one of them. They were enveloped. Surrounded. Captivated. Protected. I have been in enough wild grass fires in Dakota to know what a tongue of fire looks like. It's fierce. That's the kind of fire we are surrounded with.
Some people believe that in the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve were not Naked until they sinned but were clothed by the same tongues of fire, the Glory of God. Not a burning fire, an enabling protecting fire.
And, in heaven, when we get to the other side, you won't be wearing clothes. You'll be clothed in the Glory of God, It will look like fire. It will be raceless, genderless, you'll know as you are known but you will be clothed in glory. We will appear as wearing white robes but they will be tongues of fire.
Once we are saved and filled with the fire of the Holy Ghost we have tongues of fire around us in this life. In fact, once we are saved it's very very hard to go to hell. It is possible, but you have to step out of the fire, you have to break the seal, you have to open the door and then you have to traverse the flood of the blood of Jesus. All the while the hounds of heaven will be chasing you down, putting up barriers, injecting difficulty, and hundreds of other things in your way to stop you. God will even take you out before he'll let you go too far. It's a fearful thing to walk in rebellion.
I haven't known many, maybe none, who were truly saved, born again, filled with the Holy Spirit who ever were able to claw their way to hell.
I have known of a few misled souls who destroyed their own lives but in the end were redeemed from the pit. I know it's controversial but I don't think David Koresh went to hell. I think Jim Jones did. But God Knows. I don't.
It's an important question, even if we don't feel like we are a Christian sometimes you will never be and you have never been more saved than you are right now, rignt now, right NOW!. The completeness of the security of the believer is a wonderful thing. I'm far from a "once saved always saved" Christian, but I am a believer that our security in salvation is a fact we can live in with confidence. I helps us get passed that issue and on to doing the "stuff".
So let's not get saved again next Sunday, that's settled, let's get on with what he has called each of us to do. It's different for you than me. I can't judge your call, You can't judge mine. I'm flawed and stupid and I sin sometimes. But I'm still in the fire, in His hand and under His blood, A very secure place.
He just got back from Prison and shared a question an inmate pastor had asked him. Doc, are you secure in your salvation? Yep, said Doc. You're right because if you think about it for the devil to have to swim thru the Blood, break the seal of the Holy Ghost, and then pry open the hand of God to snatch you out that would be one saved devil.
I see things in pictures. Immediately I saw this strong vision of the security of the believer:
The Blood is flowing in torrents spiritually washing away our sin, such that to approach us, the Devil has to fight like he was at the foot of Niagara falls without a ladder. If he fights his way up the cliff (with the Blood flowing down) when he reaches the top he finds a walled castle fortress.. It is the very hand of God holding believers in his protection. No entrance, No secret passage. No anything. Even if thru persistence he should find able to worm his way in, he will find us engulfed by tongues of living fire, the fire of the Holy Ghost, burning as a seal upon our heart. This is an impenetrable fire for him. It's like the wall of fire that God placed around Zion in Zechariah 2:5.. We are Zion. He can never get there unless he was saved himself and that can never happen.
Lots of people have the false impression that at the tongues of fire at Pentecost were little flames on the tops of the 120's heads. No, the word says that tongues of living fire settled on each one of them. They were enveloped. Surrounded. Captivated. Protected. I have been in enough wild grass fires in Dakota to know what a tongue of fire looks like. It's fierce. That's the kind of fire we are surrounded with.
Some people believe that in the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve were not Naked until they sinned but were clothed by the same tongues of fire, the Glory of God. Not a burning fire, an enabling protecting fire.
And, in heaven, when we get to the other side, you won't be wearing clothes. You'll be clothed in the Glory of God, It will look like fire. It will be raceless, genderless, you'll know as you are known but you will be clothed in glory. We will appear as wearing white robes but they will be tongues of fire.
Once we are saved and filled with the fire of the Holy Ghost we have tongues of fire around us in this life. In fact, once we are saved it's very very hard to go to hell. It is possible, but you have to step out of the fire, you have to break the seal, you have to open the door and then you have to traverse the flood of the blood of Jesus. All the while the hounds of heaven will be chasing you down, putting up barriers, injecting difficulty, and hundreds of other things in your way to stop you. God will even take you out before he'll let you go too far. It's a fearful thing to walk in rebellion.
I haven't known many, maybe none, who were truly saved, born again, filled with the Holy Spirit who ever were able to claw their way to hell.
I have known of a few misled souls who destroyed their own lives but in the end were redeemed from the pit. I know it's controversial but I don't think David Koresh went to hell. I think Jim Jones did. But God Knows. I don't.
It's an important question, even if we don't feel like we are a Christian sometimes you will never be and you have never been more saved than you are right now, rignt now, right NOW!. The completeness of the security of the believer is a wonderful thing. I'm far from a "once saved always saved" Christian, but I am a believer that our security in salvation is a fact we can live in with confidence. I helps us get passed that issue and on to doing the "stuff".
So let's not get saved again next Sunday, that's settled, let's get on with what he has called each of us to do. It's different for you than me. I can't judge your call, You can't judge mine. I'm flawed and stupid and I sin sometimes. But I'm still in the fire, in His hand and under His blood, A very secure place.
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Ageitess
I wanted to record the 3 hours of Fox and Friends to see the interview with Trevor Romaine. After I "Bounded" out of bed at the crack of 7:?? I coffeed up and then sat down to fast forward thru the show.
NOT THERE
Checking the set up I note that I am well prepared to record tonight's Fox news programs from 5-8PM.
DUMB
The old joke about old folks not being able to program their VCR is not as funny as it used to be. I can only hope that his web folks will put up a streaming video on his website.
It's amazing I can still tie my shoes.
NOT THERE
Checking the set up I note that I am well prepared to record tonight's Fox news programs from 5-8PM.
DUMB
The old joke about old folks not being able to program their VCR is not as funny as it used to be. I can only hope that his web folks will put up a streaming video on his website.
It's amazing I can still tie my shoes.
Monday, May 23, 2005
The Cultural Divide and the Whore Church
These Letters to the editor in Today's Chicago Tribune demonstrate how deep and wide is the cultural divide. They were all in response to a commentary addressed in This Blog. There is no crossing this divide with pure reason. It requires conversion. People will have to have their hearts changed to make this trip.
I have long wondered how the Whore Church in Revelations will come about. I see it clearly now. It's a secular religion with all the trappings of high church.
Religious beliefs
Rich Lapka
Published May 23, 2005
Chicago -- The commentary piece "Political pulpit; The Bible as weapon in the culture war," by John Shelby Spong (Perspective, May 15), was astounding to me.
I was amazed that a religious person, the retired Episcopal bishop of Newark, N.J., no less, could question the Bible as the "Word of God," would speak out against the use of the Bible and religion as a weapon by the religious right and argue eloquently for the separation of church and state.
As a "non-believer," this government tries to make me feel like a second-tier citizen.
Spong wrote, "These are nothing less than the steps people take on the road to transforming a democracy into a theocracy, which is to walk in the direction of the cruelest form of government that human beings have devised."
To hear those words of Spong gives me hope of a more tolerant religious community, and that our democracy and our patriotism will not be judged by our religious beliefs.
Spiritual ideas
Wanda Connell
Published May 23, 2005
Chicago -- The religious right speaks a lot of quackery concerning its interpretation of the Bible and values.
Thank heaven the Tribune is finally publishing voices unheard before concerning religious thought. John Shelby Spong, the retired Episcopal bishop, and his commentary gave me hope that there are still spiritual and intelligent people in Christianity instead of the warmongers and ideas that would destroy democracy. Thanks so much.
Required reading
Jim Walker
Published May 23, 2005
DeKalb -- The essay by John Shelby Spong should be required reading for all avowed Christians.
Thank you for printing it.
Erwin Lutzer a respected Leader I respect in our community of faith (not Pentecostal or radical but a solid Man of God) wrote this fine article in Sunday's Tribune.
Imposing left morality
By Erwin W. Lutzer
Senior pastor at the Moody Church, in Lincoln Park
Published May 22, 2005
In his article "Political pulpit--The Bible as weapon in the culture war," John Shelby Spong is critical of those Christians who are trying to influence government according to their convictions (Perspective, May 15).
Spong writes, "When leaders seek to intimidate the presumably independent courts, the first step toward totalitarian government has been taken," and then he reiterates the charge that conservative Christians "seek to impose their religious agenda on the whole body politic."
What Spong fails to point out is that the liberal left also seeks to impose its agenda on the rest of us. The three examples he gives--same-sex marriage, abortion and the Terri Schiavo case--all point to a conflict of opinions, and no matter which side one takes, somebody is imposing his morality on someone else.
If same-sex marriage became law, the definition of marriage would be changed for all of us.
It would affect adoption laws and certainly the entire school system. Already, a father here in Chicago asked me recently how he should handle a situation in which his 6-year-old daughter is expected to watch a film that defines a family as any combination of adults: two men, two women, etc. So who is seeking to impose his morality on whom?
Ominously, on Jan. 11, both the Illinois House of Representatives and Senate amended the Illinois Human Rights Act to include sexual orientation as a protected class. Two weeks later, Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed it into law.
This law makes no exemption for churches and other religious institutions. Sen. Carol Ronen, the sponsor of the bill, is on record saying that the new law applied to churches: "If that is their goal, to discriminate against gay people, this law won't allow them to do that. But I don't believe that's what the Catholic Church wants or stands for."
If same-sex marriages were legalized, we have every reason to believe that churches that fail to comply will have their tax-exempt status revoked. We can hear it already: "You have no right to deny us our constitutional rights to be married."
When that happens, we will witness a chilling intolerance for those who write or speak against such unions. No laws are neutral.
The mother who chooses abortion imposes her own morality on her preborn infant, whose life is wantonly snuffed out. And in the case of Schiavo, the will of her husband was imposed upon her (evidence to the contrary is at least questionable), and she was starved to death.
In other words, in all moral judgments, and in every law, someone's morality prevails.
In recent years, many judges have expanded the 1st Amendment phrase "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion" as a reason to eliminate all expressions of religion in the so-called public square.
Forgotten is the second part of the sentence, which bars Congress from "prohibiting the free exercise thereof." It is indeed difficult to see how a prayer before a football game is an example of Congress establishing a religion, or why a principal would think that a student who brings his Bible to school is guilty of establishing religion.
Nevertheless, through the courts, we see an ever-increasing desire to stamp out religion from public life and to impose a secular agenda on "the whole body politic."
When we hear that a teacher is forbidden to read the Declaration of Independence in a classroom because it contains the word God, we can be assured that such a notion was foreign to the framers of the Constitution. Already many years ago, George Will perceptively wrote, "And it is by now a scandal beyond irony that thanks to the energetic litigation of `civil liberties' fanatics, pornographers enjoy expansive 1st Amendment protection while 1st graders in a nativity play are said to violate 1st Amendment values."
When I visited the People's Republic of China in 1984, our tour guide justified the government's policy on religion by arguing for a separation of church and state. She said that religion was free to operate in all of those areas that were not controlled by the state. When we probed more deeply, she said that religion was a private matter and that the people of China were free to be as religious as they wanted to be "within their own minds."
Today the Senate is deadlocked over the question of which judges should be approved; this of course is not a small matter. Conservative Christians wonder whether the approved judges will further limit religious expression, or whether they will take the Constitution seriously when it says that the free expression of religion should not be prohibited.
Freedom of religion necessitates freedom of speech beyond the narrow boundaries that some of our courts dictate.
Conservative Christians do not advocate a totalitarian government; if anything, they fear a totalitarian government from the left: When children, beginning in the 1st grade, are indoctrinated in a morality that is contrary to both natural law and their parents' convictions, is not this a step toward totalitarianism?
And when a whole class of people, such as preborn infants, is denied protection, and thus can be killed for convenience--is not this a precursor to totalitarianism?
After all, if one class of people can be denied a basic right to live, who is next, the elderly, the infirm? And if religion is deemed to be private, who is to say that the day might come when it is completely restricted to houses of worship, eventually to our homes, or even limited to our own minds?
Harvey Cox was right when he said that secularism is most deceptive when it pretends to be neutral.
He writes, "Secularism, on the other hand, is the name of an ideology, a new closed worldview which functions very much like a new religion. ... It must be especially checked where it pretends not to be a worldview but nonetheless seeks to impose its ideology through the organs of the state."
It is so easy to repeat the mantra that conservative Christians want to "impose their morality on others" without realizing that the liberals have been doing so for years, by judges whose opinions affect us all.
Conservative Christians do not pretend to be neutral.
We are opposed to abortion on demand; in keeping with the desire of most parents, we are opposed to pornography in our libraries, and we are opposed to same-sex marriage. We are also opposed to an arbitrary religious censorship in the schools, and we favor tolerance of religion rather than the abolition of religion in the public square.
We must thoughtfully debate these issues and at the same time seek for common ground that will help us respectfully live together despite our deeply held differences.
Decisions made today will have far-reaching consequences tomorrow.
END
LAST POINT
Which brings me to this. This battle those of us who are called to it is not about religion, politics or freedom. It's about life and death. I responded to a column by Jane Ahlin.
If you have the courage to face the truth this should stir you.
JANE AHLIN
I don't want you to do more than think about it and ask yourself the hard questions. Is this really where you want to go?
I have long wondered how the Whore Church in Revelations will come about. I see it clearly now. It's a secular religion with all the trappings of high church.
Religious beliefs
Rich Lapka
Published May 23, 2005
Chicago -- The commentary piece "Political pulpit; The Bible as weapon in the culture war," by John Shelby Spong (Perspective, May 15), was astounding to me.
I was amazed that a religious person, the retired Episcopal bishop of Newark, N.J., no less, could question the Bible as the "Word of God," would speak out against the use of the Bible and religion as a weapon by the religious right and argue eloquently for the separation of church and state.
As a "non-believer," this government tries to make me feel like a second-tier citizen.
Spong wrote, "These are nothing less than the steps people take on the road to transforming a democracy into a theocracy, which is to walk in the direction of the cruelest form of government that human beings have devised."
To hear those words of Spong gives me hope of a more tolerant religious community, and that our democracy and our patriotism will not be judged by our religious beliefs.
Spiritual ideas
Wanda Connell
Published May 23, 2005
Chicago -- The religious right speaks a lot of quackery concerning its interpretation of the Bible and values.
Thank heaven the Tribune is finally publishing voices unheard before concerning religious thought. John Shelby Spong, the retired Episcopal bishop, and his commentary gave me hope that there are still spiritual and intelligent people in Christianity instead of the warmongers and ideas that would destroy democracy. Thanks so much.
Required reading
Jim Walker
Published May 23, 2005
DeKalb -- The essay by John Shelby Spong should be required reading for all avowed Christians.
Thank you for printing it.
Erwin Lutzer a respected Leader I respect in our community of faith (not Pentecostal or radical but a solid Man of God) wrote this fine article in Sunday's Tribune.
Imposing left morality
By Erwin W. Lutzer
Senior pastor at the Moody Church, in Lincoln Park
Published May 22, 2005
In his article "Political pulpit--The Bible as weapon in the culture war," John Shelby Spong is critical of those Christians who are trying to influence government according to their convictions (Perspective, May 15).
Spong writes, "When leaders seek to intimidate the presumably independent courts, the first step toward totalitarian government has been taken," and then he reiterates the charge that conservative Christians "seek to impose their religious agenda on the whole body politic."
What Spong fails to point out is that the liberal left also seeks to impose its agenda on the rest of us. The three examples he gives--same-sex marriage, abortion and the Terri Schiavo case--all point to a conflict of opinions, and no matter which side one takes, somebody is imposing his morality on someone else.
If same-sex marriage became law, the definition of marriage would be changed for all of us.
It would affect adoption laws and certainly the entire school system. Already, a father here in Chicago asked me recently how he should handle a situation in which his 6-year-old daughter is expected to watch a film that defines a family as any combination of adults: two men, two women, etc. So who is seeking to impose his morality on whom?
Ominously, on Jan. 11, both the Illinois House of Representatives and Senate amended the Illinois Human Rights Act to include sexual orientation as a protected class. Two weeks later, Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed it into law.
This law makes no exemption for churches and other religious institutions. Sen. Carol Ronen, the sponsor of the bill, is on record saying that the new law applied to churches: "If that is their goal, to discriminate against gay people, this law won't allow them to do that. But I don't believe that's what the Catholic Church wants or stands for."
If same-sex marriages were legalized, we have every reason to believe that churches that fail to comply will have their tax-exempt status revoked. We can hear it already: "You have no right to deny us our constitutional rights to be married."
When that happens, we will witness a chilling intolerance for those who write or speak against such unions. No laws are neutral.
The mother who chooses abortion imposes her own morality on her preborn infant, whose life is wantonly snuffed out. And in the case of Schiavo, the will of her husband was imposed upon her (evidence to the contrary is at least questionable), and she was starved to death.
In other words, in all moral judgments, and in every law, someone's morality prevails.
In recent years, many judges have expanded the 1st Amendment phrase "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion" as a reason to eliminate all expressions of religion in the so-called public square.
Forgotten is the second part of the sentence, which bars Congress from "prohibiting the free exercise thereof." It is indeed difficult to see how a prayer before a football game is an example of Congress establishing a religion, or why a principal would think that a student who brings his Bible to school is guilty of establishing religion.
Nevertheless, through the courts, we see an ever-increasing desire to stamp out religion from public life and to impose a secular agenda on "the whole body politic."
When we hear that a teacher is forbidden to read the Declaration of Independence in a classroom because it contains the word God, we can be assured that such a notion was foreign to the framers of the Constitution. Already many years ago, George Will perceptively wrote, "And it is by now a scandal beyond irony that thanks to the energetic litigation of `civil liberties' fanatics, pornographers enjoy expansive 1st Amendment protection while 1st graders in a nativity play are said to violate 1st Amendment values."
When I visited the People's Republic of China in 1984, our tour guide justified the government's policy on religion by arguing for a separation of church and state. She said that religion was free to operate in all of those areas that were not controlled by the state. When we probed more deeply, she said that religion was a private matter and that the people of China were free to be as religious as they wanted to be "within their own minds."
Today the Senate is deadlocked over the question of which judges should be approved; this of course is not a small matter. Conservative Christians wonder whether the approved judges will further limit religious expression, or whether they will take the Constitution seriously when it says that the free expression of religion should not be prohibited.
Freedom of religion necessitates freedom of speech beyond the narrow boundaries that some of our courts dictate.
Conservative Christians do not advocate a totalitarian government; if anything, they fear a totalitarian government from the left: When children, beginning in the 1st grade, are indoctrinated in a morality that is contrary to both natural law and their parents' convictions, is not this a step toward totalitarianism?
And when a whole class of people, such as preborn infants, is denied protection, and thus can be killed for convenience--is not this a precursor to totalitarianism?
After all, if one class of people can be denied a basic right to live, who is next, the elderly, the infirm? And if religion is deemed to be private, who is to say that the day might come when it is completely restricted to houses of worship, eventually to our homes, or even limited to our own minds?
Harvey Cox was right when he said that secularism is most deceptive when it pretends to be neutral.
He writes, "Secularism, on the other hand, is the name of an ideology, a new closed worldview which functions very much like a new religion. ... It must be especially checked where it pretends not to be a worldview but nonetheless seeks to impose its ideology through the organs of the state."
It is so easy to repeat the mantra that conservative Christians want to "impose their morality on others" without realizing that the liberals have been doing so for years, by judges whose opinions affect us all.
Conservative Christians do not pretend to be neutral.
We are opposed to abortion on demand; in keeping with the desire of most parents, we are opposed to pornography in our libraries, and we are opposed to same-sex marriage. We are also opposed to an arbitrary religious censorship in the schools, and we favor tolerance of religion rather than the abolition of religion in the public square.
We must thoughtfully debate these issues and at the same time seek for common ground that will help us respectfully live together despite our deeply held differences.
Decisions made today will have far-reaching consequences tomorrow.
END
LAST POINT
Which brings me to this. This battle those of us who are called to it is not about religion, politics or freedom. It's about life and death. I responded to a column by Jane Ahlin.
If you have the courage to face the truth this should stir you.
JANE AHLIN
I don't want you to do more than think about it and ask yourself the hard questions. Is this really where you want to go?
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