I wanted to share some scripture which I found moving during the advance. Some of the statements below are from our guest lecturer, Martha Lawley.
- The deception: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." James 1:22
- Our outward behavior stems from our hearts.
- "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove you from your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." Ezekiel 36:26
- God is calling us to know Him, not just know about Him. (Isaiah 43:10)
- "But whatever was to my profit, I now consider loss for the sake of Christ." Philippians 3:7
- Our responsibility is to live in the grace we have been given through Christ and to allow God to work in our lives to accomplish His purposes.
- "My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Colossians 2:2-3
- See things from God's perspective.
- Sin hinders prayer.
- Allow Him in so that He can reorder your life for what He wants.
- Knowing Him and loving Him are intricately connected
- John 3:16
- God is not like us in that we can't attribute human characteristics to Him. (Numbers 23:19)
- "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
- Even if I were the only person on earth, the only sinner, Jesus STILL would have gone to the cross for me.
- Paul said "The love of Christ compels me"
- "Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." 1 John 4:11
- "And He has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother." 1 John 4:21
- The greater love of LESSER things gets in the way of loving God with all our hearts!
- One of the clearest measures of our love for God is shown in our relationships with other people.
- "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8
- Transformation is messy but don't hide the mess! Be transparent.
- God has no need for undercover Christians.
- "Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress." 1 Timothy 4:15
- God transforms us in plain view of those around us so that we can reveal His grace and His glory!
- "Be holy, because I am holy." 1 Peter 1:16
- "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14
- God doesn't just desire the absence of sin; His ultimate goal is the presence of a joy filled relationships.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
The Opposite of Retreat is Advance
My mother told me the men's ministry of her church wants to change what they call retreats to "advance". In other words, instead of going on a retreat, we're going on an advance. This the story of my advance.
Mom asked my sister-in-law, Mackenzie and me if we'd like to join her on a Christian women's retreat through her and Mackenzie's church. We both told her "yes" and thus set in motion a journey of faith I was not expecting.
Friday afternoon I meet mom and Mackenzie in Estes Park, Colorado for a late lunch. As we eat out on the terrace, I enjoy the beautiful Rocky Mountain weather and I'm not thinking much about our retreat. I have no real expectations going in except that there will be a lot of women there and will that make me nervous?
We arrive at the Emerald Lodge at the YMCA of the Rockies, receive our room keys, get settled and then head over to the confrence room. As women trickle in, the three of us sit there, talking amongst ourselves until somebody either Mom or Mackenzie knows comes over to say "hi". Worship begins and we're introduced to a song written specifically for this retreat by a woman with beautiful and haunting voice. We're also introduced to Martha Lawley who will be our guest speaker for the duration of the weekend.
We are dismissed to join our small groups which consist of six to seven women including a "group girlfriend" who will act as our group leader. I'm very quiet during small group time as I am nervous to say much about myself due to concerns I won't be accepted. So, I stay reserved and listen to the other women make conversation.
We make our way back up to the main room where we are to be dressed in our pajamas for a party. I feel like a fool because I'm enormous, have nothing cute to wear and am completely mismatched in my pajama selection. There is a woman wearing a genuine Nebraska Snuggie so I approach her and tell her I'm a fellow Husker fan and that my cat's name is "Osborne" after a former football coach at the university. She knows exactly what I am saying and my nerves subside slightly.
None of us sleep well that night and wake up a bit tired but ready to greet the day. Again, we go to the main room to worship and pray and I still feeling anxious because this is a large group of women of who very few I actually know. We sit down to listen to Martha speak during our first session. Her topic for the day will be "Lord, I want to know you". I take in what she has to say and see her words as very poingnant but I feel myself getting anxious and I start to feel nerves well up in me. This is generally the first sign I am approaching a panic attack but this time is different. I am able to calm down and enjoy the duration of the lecture.
The rest of the day I spend enjoying Mom and Mackenzie as we venture into the cold weather and drive up into Rocky Mountain National Park to view the elk. I realize during lunch time that the men's ministry from my own church family is also retreating at the YMCA. After nearly ten years of attending Timberline Church, I finally introduce myself to our senior pastor outside the mess hall.
Session two of our retreat is entitled "Lord, I want to love you" and this is where the change in my heart begins. I start to better understand the greatness of God's love for his children and that he knows and loves each one of us individually. God IS love. He knows me better than anyone in the whole world; better than my husband knows me, better than my dearest friends know me and better than my family knows me. The thought that EVERYTHING begins and ends with God's love is planted in my heart and mind. What really sinks this thought in is when we are asked to think of the person we love most in the world. For me, that is my husband, Jim. "Think about how much you love this person", Martha states. "Now, think about this: GOD LOVES THAT PERSON MORE."
Wow. What? Huge! How can I even begin to comprehend this and wrap my mind around it? I'm not meant to, I realize. God will always love me more than anyone else ever can and me loving Him means I may come to understand levels of love I have yet to experience. After this lecture, I am emotional and overwhelmed and I am uncertain how to process it all.
After small group, we return to the main room for worship and prayer time. The lights are dim, candles are flickering, music is soft and relaxing and scripture is read. Women get up one by one and read scripture to the rest of the group. Some cry during this time, some do not. I am on the floor, laying down and praying. The retreat has now changed to an advance. My heart is full, my faith grows and my cup runneth over.
"God is building something in me that is meant to last for eternity" is the thought that rings through for me during the lecture of session three: "Lord, I want to be like you." It's Sunday morning and although we slept quite well during the night, we are all spent from emotion and we're wrecked by the second worship song.
We learn that our "Sunday Portrait" as Martha puts it, can be a misrepresentation of our lives, if we allow it. If we choose to be different, that portrait will shine through our everyday actions which will represent Him and His glory! The more like Him we become, the more intimate our relationship with Him becomes. So simple and so profound all at the same time.
A lot of words have been written about my advance in the mountains, a lot of moving forward in my faith, a lot of emotions bubbled up and a lot of understanding still will occur in the future as I am fully aware that I will never, nor am I meant to ever understand His plan, His love and His mightyness! But, I'm surely going to try!
Mom asked my sister-in-law, Mackenzie and me if we'd like to join her on a Christian women's retreat through her and Mackenzie's church. We both told her "yes" and thus set in motion a journey of faith I was not expecting.
Friday afternoon I meet mom and Mackenzie in Estes Park, Colorado for a late lunch. As we eat out on the terrace, I enjoy the beautiful Rocky Mountain weather and I'm not thinking much about our retreat. I have no real expectations going in except that there will be a lot of women there and will that make me nervous?
We arrive at the Emerald Lodge at the YMCA of the Rockies, receive our room keys, get settled and then head over to the confrence room. As women trickle in, the three of us sit there, talking amongst ourselves until somebody either Mom or Mackenzie knows comes over to say "hi". Worship begins and we're introduced to a song written specifically for this retreat by a woman with beautiful and haunting voice. We're also introduced to Martha Lawley who will be our guest speaker for the duration of the weekend.
We are dismissed to join our small groups which consist of six to seven women including a "group girlfriend" who will act as our group leader. I'm very quiet during small group time as I am nervous to say much about myself due to concerns I won't be accepted. So, I stay reserved and listen to the other women make conversation.
We make our way back up to the main room where we are to be dressed in our pajamas for a party. I feel like a fool because I'm enormous, have nothing cute to wear and am completely mismatched in my pajama selection. There is a woman wearing a genuine Nebraska Snuggie so I approach her and tell her I'm a fellow Husker fan and that my cat's name is "Osborne" after a former football coach at the university. She knows exactly what I am saying and my nerves subside slightly.
None of us sleep well that night and wake up a bit tired but ready to greet the day. Again, we go to the main room to worship and pray and I still feeling anxious because this is a large group of women of who very few I actually know. We sit down to listen to Martha speak during our first session. Her topic for the day will be "Lord, I want to know you". I take in what she has to say and see her words as very poingnant but I feel myself getting anxious and I start to feel nerves well up in me. This is generally the first sign I am approaching a panic attack but this time is different. I am able to calm down and enjoy the duration of the lecture.
The rest of the day I spend enjoying Mom and Mackenzie as we venture into the cold weather and drive up into Rocky Mountain National Park to view the elk. I realize during lunch time that the men's ministry from my own church family is also retreating at the YMCA. After nearly ten years of attending Timberline Church, I finally introduce myself to our senior pastor outside the mess hall.
Session two of our retreat is entitled "Lord, I want to love you" and this is where the change in my heart begins. I start to better understand the greatness of God's love for his children and that he knows and loves each one of us individually. God IS love. He knows me better than anyone in the whole world; better than my husband knows me, better than my dearest friends know me and better than my family knows me. The thought that EVERYTHING begins and ends with God's love is planted in my heart and mind. What really sinks this thought in is when we are asked to think of the person we love most in the world. For me, that is my husband, Jim. "Think about how much you love this person", Martha states. "Now, think about this: GOD LOVES THAT PERSON MORE."
Wow. What? Huge! How can I even begin to comprehend this and wrap my mind around it? I'm not meant to, I realize. God will always love me more than anyone else ever can and me loving Him means I may come to understand levels of love I have yet to experience. After this lecture, I am emotional and overwhelmed and I am uncertain how to process it all.
After small group, we return to the main room for worship and prayer time. The lights are dim, candles are flickering, music is soft and relaxing and scripture is read. Women get up one by one and read scripture to the rest of the group. Some cry during this time, some do not. I am on the floor, laying down and praying. The retreat has now changed to an advance. My heart is full, my faith grows and my cup runneth over.
"God is building something in me that is meant to last for eternity" is the thought that rings through for me during the lecture of session three: "Lord, I want to be like you." It's Sunday morning and although we slept quite well during the night, we are all spent from emotion and we're wrecked by the second worship song.
We learn that our "Sunday Portrait" as Martha puts it, can be a misrepresentation of our lives, if we allow it. If we choose to be different, that portrait will shine through our everyday actions which will represent Him and His glory! The more like Him we become, the more intimate our relationship with Him becomes. So simple and so profound all at the same time.
A lot of words have been written about my advance in the mountains, a lot of moving forward in my faith, a lot of emotions bubbled up and a lot of understanding still will occur in the future as I am fully aware that I will never, nor am I meant to ever understand His plan, His love and His mightyness! But, I'm surely going to try!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Things you may not know about me...
* I've traveled to 13 countries (England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Holland, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France, Mexico, Bahamas, Netherland Antilles) and two principalities (Monoco and Lichtenstein).
* I've traveled to 22 states
* I've been on two Disney cruises
* I've been to Walt Disney World six times and can't count the amount of times to Disneyland
* I have a tatoo of a small flower on my big toe
* I lettered in tennis in high school
* I was the editor of the high school newspaper
* I used to have three water turtles (Sampson, Rosie and Toby) and a hedgehog (Penny)
* I know how to thread a movie through a projector and a movie theater
* I have skinny dipped
* I was baptized on my 31st birthday
* I'm still trying to read through the Bible, I'm about half way through.
* I occassionally have small panic attacks when I'm in a large group of people or on an airplane
* I have completed a sprint triathalon (1/2 mile swim, 12 mile cycle, 5K walk/run)
* I cried the day Tom Osborne (former head coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers) announced his retirement.
* One time, when I was just a tyke, I pooed in the backyard at my house because I didn't want to go back inside to use the restroom. I did get caught.
* I've lived in my current house for 12 years.
* I got the chicken pox when I was in the sixth grade by drinking out of a glass which was contaminated with the bugs. I was sick at the same time as my friend and my brother.
* I've seen Phantom of the Opera on stage four times.
I'm not really that interesting of a person but thought I'd share those tidbits about myself.
* I've traveled to 22 states
* I've been on two Disney cruises
* I've been to Walt Disney World six times and can't count the amount of times to Disneyland
* I have a tatoo of a small flower on my big toe
* I lettered in tennis in high school
* I was the editor of the high school newspaper
* I used to have three water turtles (Sampson, Rosie and Toby) and a hedgehog (Penny)
* I know how to thread a movie through a projector and a movie theater
* I have skinny dipped
* I was baptized on my 31st birthday
* I'm still trying to read through the Bible, I'm about half way through.
* I occassionally have small panic attacks when I'm in a large group of people or on an airplane
* I have completed a sprint triathalon (1/2 mile swim, 12 mile cycle, 5K walk/run)
* I cried the day Tom Osborne (former head coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers) announced his retirement.
* One time, when I was just a tyke, I pooed in the backyard at my house because I didn't want to go back inside to use the restroom. I did get caught.
* I've lived in my current house for 12 years.
* I got the chicken pox when I was in the sixth grade by drinking out of a glass which was contaminated with the bugs. I was sick at the same time as my friend and my brother.
* I've seen Phantom of the Opera on stage four times.
I'm not really that interesting of a person but thought I'd share those tidbits about myself.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Tolerance and Convictions
An English author by the name of G.K. Chesterton once said, "Tolerance is a virtue of a man without conviction."
This is a very strong statement and has forced me to reassess my views of what constitutes tolerance. The dictionary definition of tolerance regarding the views of others is: The capacity for or the patience of recognizing and respecting the beliefs and practices of others without sharing them. Basically, this differentiates between the thoughts and actions of a person from the person himself. In our politically correct society, tolerance has been given a new and warped definition: the beliefs and practices of others are equal in correctness and validity. This presents to quandary of moral relativism. We can deduce that the two definitions are far from the same. Thus, the above quote by Chesterton, comes into play.
In the current American culture, it is considered acceptable to be tolerant of the views of others with whom you may disagree but the "new tolerance" is applied her in not simply being tolerant of the rights of others to have different views. It is politically correct to perceive the views of others as equal to your own, therefore, leading to a loss of conviction. This would present a world where all is equal: actions, beliefs, cultures, lifestyles, truth claims. If all views are equal, where does that leave conviction?
I, for one, am not willing to compromise my convictions in order to apply "new tolerance" to the perspectives of others. Paul of Tarsus, in his letters to the church in Corinth, wrote that Christians are to practice tolerance and freedom of religious conscience within the church. The strong in faith should not judge the weak in faith; that is the job of our Lord. This does not mean that Christians must readily accept things of which God does not approve. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6:12, 13b, "All things are lawful for me but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me but I will not be mastered by anything...Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord; and the Lord is for the body."
If one incorporates morals and beliefs, which are contrary to their own thoughts, into decisions and lifestyles, the person has then adulterated their core convictions. By integrating beliefs which are not of your own, loss of credibility of convictions will be the result. Because the "new tolerance" is what is accepted in our culture, incorporating beliefs of somebody else is deemed "open-minded". If one is not open-minded, he is labeled as intolerant, bigoted and shunned from discussions of convictions. Because of the inherent fear of being an outcast and labeled as "intolerant", people will loosen their convictions in order to fit into society. Again, this brings moral relativism into play. Are we willing to back down on our convictions, our core values and beliefs, just so we will be seen as tolerant and accepting, or do we need to revisit the original definition of "tolerance" and live by the teachings of the Bible? This begs the question of "if we are tolerant (new tolerance) of the sins of others, is that a sin in and of itself?"
I am of the camp of "exclusivism", meaning I believe Christianity to be the only way, the only truth and utterly complete but I am allow myself to be altered by the teachings of Jesus the Christ. The teachings do not change, I do. I do not hold the idea that other religions have validity based on the culture in which they are prominent because, that would invalidate my belief that Jesus is the ONLY way. If I were to say, "well, yes, I think my religion is the truth but if you put into context the other religions in their societies, they could be valid as well, but just not complete," I would, basically, be invalidating my own beliefs. My tolerant view comes into play when I pronounce that people have the right to follow whatever faith they choose, but I in no way believe if someone chooses something other than Christianity, that they are right. I will not change the validity of my values in order to equal those of others simply because they have the right to chose an alternate path.
The lesson of this post is to be cognizant and respectful of the rights of others to make a decision but hold strong to the convictions which lead you on the right path, the way of Jesus.
"Accept one another, then just as Jesus Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God." Romans 15:17
This is a very strong statement and has forced me to reassess my views of what constitutes tolerance. The dictionary definition of tolerance regarding the views of others is: The capacity for or the patience of recognizing and respecting the beliefs and practices of others without sharing them. Basically, this differentiates between the thoughts and actions of a person from the person himself. In our politically correct society, tolerance has been given a new and warped definition: the beliefs and practices of others are equal in correctness and validity. This presents to quandary of moral relativism. We can deduce that the two definitions are far from the same. Thus, the above quote by Chesterton, comes into play.
In the current American culture, it is considered acceptable to be tolerant of the views of others with whom you may disagree but the "new tolerance" is applied her in not simply being tolerant of the rights of others to have different views. It is politically correct to perceive the views of others as equal to your own, therefore, leading to a loss of conviction. This would present a world where all is equal: actions, beliefs, cultures, lifestyles, truth claims. If all views are equal, where does that leave conviction?
I, for one, am not willing to compromise my convictions in order to apply "new tolerance" to the perspectives of others. Paul of Tarsus, in his letters to the church in Corinth, wrote that Christians are to practice tolerance and freedom of religious conscience within the church. The strong in faith should not judge the weak in faith; that is the job of our Lord. This does not mean that Christians must readily accept things of which God does not approve. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6:12, 13b, "All things are lawful for me but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me but I will not be mastered by anything...Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord; and the Lord is for the body."
If one incorporates morals and beliefs, which are contrary to their own thoughts, into decisions and lifestyles, the person has then adulterated their core convictions. By integrating beliefs which are not of your own, loss of credibility of convictions will be the result. Because the "new tolerance" is what is accepted in our culture, incorporating beliefs of somebody else is deemed "open-minded". If one is not open-minded, he is labeled as intolerant, bigoted and shunned from discussions of convictions. Because of the inherent fear of being an outcast and labeled as "intolerant", people will loosen their convictions in order to fit into society. Again, this brings moral relativism into play. Are we willing to back down on our convictions, our core values and beliefs, just so we will be seen as tolerant and accepting, or do we need to revisit the original definition of "tolerance" and live by the teachings of the Bible? This begs the question of "if we are tolerant (new tolerance) of the sins of others, is that a sin in and of itself?"
I am of the camp of "exclusivism", meaning I believe Christianity to be the only way, the only truth and utterly complete but I am allow myself to be altered by the teachings of Jesus the Christ. The teachings do not change, I do. I do not hold the idea that other religions have validity based on the culture in which they are prominent because, that would invalidate my belief that Jesus is the ONLY way. If I were to say, "well, yes, I think my religion is the truth but if you put into context the other religions in their societies, they could be valid as well, but just not complete," I would, basically, be invalidating my own beliefs. My tolerant view comes into play when I pronounce that people have the right to follow whatever faith they choose, but I in no way believe if someone chooses something other than Christianity, that they are right. I will not change the validity of my values in order to equal those of others simply because they have the right to chose an alternate path.
The lesson of this post is to be cognizant and respectful of the rights of others to make a decision but hold strong to the convictions which lead you on the right path, the way of Jesus.
"Accept one another, then just as Jesus Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God." Romans 15:17
Friday, January 21, 2011
Give it to Jesus
I come home from work feeling sorrowful and possessing a boatload of self-pity for actions I've elected to partake in which are not in my character normally. I have let my emotions get the best of me and an uncontrolled attitude was the result. In other words, I screwed up and allowed myself to be someone I'm not. More importantly, I forgot to give my emotions over to Jesus and let Him take control. As Carrie Underwood would say, "Jesus, take the wheel" which I have neglected to do in a particular situation.
How can I do this? How can a person of faith, not remember to give Him control? Sure, I pray and I read devotionals and scripture, but in this particular set of circumstances, I have not given my heart to Him. That was then, this is now.
My husband, bless his heart, reminded me to "give it to Jesus". He reminded me to choose faith and Him and the rest will fall into place. Jim is such an astonishing person who possesses a beautiful heart of glory, love and kindness. He told me, I need to keep a prayer with me, so in times of need, I can refer back to that prayer for comfort and to remind me to talk to Jesus. To rely on Him. To trust Him. To give control to Him.
Simply after crying and talking to Jim, I feel lighter and I already feel Jesus in my heart. I feel the warmth. I know He's there, with me, always. Period.
I guess what I can take away from some of the emotions I've been feeling is this: faith is a work in progress. I can ALWAYS grow stronger in my faith, I can ALWAYS pray more. The bottom line is, to keep my faith. Step out in faith. Trust Him and trust my faith in Him.
How can I do this? How can a person of faith, not remember to give Him control? Sure, I pray and I read devotionals and scripture, but in this particular set of circumstances, I have not given my heart to Him. That was then, this is now.
My husband, bless his heart, reminded me to "give it to Jesus". He reminded me to choose faith and Him and the rest will fall into place. Jim is such an astonishing person who possesses a beautiful heart of glory, love and kindness. He told me, I need to keep a prayer with me, so in times of need, I can refer back to that prayer for comfort and to remind me to talk to Jesus. To rely on Him. To trust Him. To give control to Him.
Simply after crying and talking to Jim, I feel lighter and I already feel Jesus in my heart. I feel the warmth. I know He's there, with me, always. Period.
I guess what I can take away from some of the emotions I've been feeling is this: faith is a work in progress. I can ALWAYS grow stronger in my faith, I can ALWAYS pray more. The bottom line is, to keep my faith. Step out in faith. Trust Him and trust my faith in Him.
Monday, January 3, 2011
I choose..
This is simply a copy of a devotional by Max Lucado shared with my by my mother. It's wonderful and beautiful and offers guidance that I know I should apply to my own life.
I choose love...
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.
I choose joy...
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical...the tool of a lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.
I choose peace...
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.
I choose patience...
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I'll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.
I choose kindness...
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.
I choose goodness...
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.
I choose faithfulness...
Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. Any my children will never fear that their father will not come home.
I choose gentleness...
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.
I choose self-control...
I am a spiritual being... After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control.
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek His grace. An then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.
I choose love...
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.
I choose joy...
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical...the tool of a lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.
I choose peace...
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.
I choose patience...
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I'll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.
I choose kindness...
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.
I choose goodness...
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.
I choose faithfulness...
Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. Any my children will never fear that their father will not come home.
I choose gentleness...
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.
I choose self-control...
I am a spiritual being... After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control.
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek His grace. An then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
It's CHRISTmas time!
This is a wonderful time of year to be spent with family and friends. Gifts are exchanged, laughs are had, food is consumed and Jesus is frequently forgotten. Someone asked me recently what my favorite part of Christmas is and I answered, "Jesus is my favorite part of Christmas". And it's true; I could care less about gifts but I do care immensely about our Saviour, Jesus the Christ.
I love spending time with the family at any time of the year, especially this time. I enjoy seeing the kids faces light up when opening gifts, I enjoy the food and I really love the closeness I feel to Jesus. There's no feeling like the one I get at Christmas time.
Giving to people who can use our help was our way to do gifts for some this year. We decided that our money would be better spent if we put it towards Christian charities that will help people in impoverished countries.
We don't put up Christmas decorations much any more because of these two rebels:
Smalls, the dark one, she climbs up inside the tree, knocks the ornaments off and the tree finally tipped over and broke. She also has a tendency to "play" with my Christmas Village pieces.
All is well though, it's not about decorations anyway, it's about Him.
"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14)
I love spending time with the family at any time of the year, especially this time. I enjoy seeing the kids faces light up when opening gifts, I enjoy the food and I really love the closeness I feel to Jesus. There's no feeling like the one I get at Christmas time.
Giving to people who can use our help was our way to do gifts for some this year. We decided that our money would be better spent if we put it towards Christian charities that will help people in impoverished countries.
We don't put up Christmas decorations much any more because of these two rebels:
All is well though, it's not about decorations anyway, it's about Him.
"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14)
Friday, August 28, 2009
Hypocrisies, lies and misunderstandings
Before we dive into the hypocrisies and lies from the left during the last seven months, let me just say that the right is just as guilty as these as the left is. Don't think that I'm not aware of that.
Let's talk about some of the lies from the left:
-The man who carried an AR-15 to a town hall in Arizona was made out to be a white man by MSNBC due to their cropping of the video and then saying "these white men are out there with guns." In fact, that man was a black man exercising is 2nd Amendment right.
- The man attacked during a health care protest was made by MSNBC to be a liberal being attacked by a conservative because they didn't give the whole story. In fact, the man was a black man attacked by members of SEIU. He ended up in the hospital due to injuries to his shoulder.
- The man who created the "Obama joker" painting was not a right wing nut job. He in fact, painted that picture because he felt President Obama is not left ENOUGH.
- The man who vandalized the Denver Democrat Party office was not a right wing crazy or a left wing crazy. He was in fact a member of a Denver transgender anarchist group taking money from the democrats to further his cause of anarchy.
Now, let's take a look at some of the hypocrisies from the left:
- Some how it was okay for President George W. Bush and Vice-Presidential nominee Sarah Palin to be hung in effigy but it was not okay when someone hung a congressman in effigy who happened to be a democrat. Fact of the matter is, it wasn't okay EITHER way.
- Some how it was okay for President George W. Bush to be compared to Hitler but not okay for President Obama to be compared to Hitler. Fact of the matter is, neither is like Hitler and it's not okay EITHER way.
- Some how it was okay for protesters of the Iraq war to speak their minds and exercise their 1st Amendment right but it's not okay for protesters of the current health care reform proposal or big government with out being labeled as racists. Fact of the matter is, it is okay EITHER way to protest and speak your mind.
- Some how when protester of the Iraq war spoke their minds, they were grass roots but then opponents of President Obama's policies speak their minds the are labeled "astroturf", "racist", "evil-mongers", "fear-mongers" and "rednecks". Fact of the matter is, people can exercise their 1st Amendment right EITHER way.
- Some how when a senator used the term "Great white hope" (which she didn't know was "racist") and apologizes and actually said "If I offended anyone, of course, I apologize" that apology isn't good enough. But when David Letterman smears Sarah Palin's family (family is ALWAYS off limits) and never actually says "I apologize" the left says nothing about it. Fact of the matter is, people need to be held accountable for their words, EITHER way.
- Some how when a Republican congressman says he will vote against HR 3200 (current health care reform proposal) without even reading it, the left is upset about him not reading it when people on BOTH sides of the aisle aren't reading these bills. Fact of the matter is, these senators and representatives have to read the bills, EITHER way.
- Some how when Glenn Beck calls President Obama a racist (which I thought was an inappropriate statement to make) he is labeled a terrible person but when Jeanine Garafalo calls American citizens who are in opposition to the president racists, that is okay. Fact of the matter is, calling someone a racist EITHER way is inappropriate.
The point of all this? We ALL (conservatives, liberals, progressives, libertarians, democrats and republicans) need to LISTEN to each other, talk, ask questions, learn, respect and not act like we're in high school by calling people names. The government belongs to the people, the American citizens.
Let's talk about some of the lies from the left:
-The man who carried an AR-15 to a town hall in Arizona was made out to be a white man by MSNBC due to their cropping of the video and then saying "these white men are out there with guns." In fact, that man was a black man exercising is 2nd Amendment right.
- The man attacked during a health care protest was made by MSNBC to be a liberal being attacked by a conservative because they didn't give the whole story. In fact, the man was a black man attacked by members of SEIU. He ended up in the hospital due to injuries to his shoulder.
- The man who created the "Obama joker" painting was not a right wing nut job. He in fact, painted that picture because he felt President Obama is not left ENOUGH.
- The man who vandalized the Denver Democrat Party office was not a right wing crazy or a left wing crazy. He was in fact a member of a Denver transgender anarchist group taking money from the democrats to further his cause of anarchy.
Now, let's take a look at some of the hypocrisies from the left:
- Some how it was okay for President George W. Bush and Vice-Presidential nominee Sarah Palin to be hung in effigy but it was not okay when someone hung a congressman in effigy who happened to be a democrat. Fact of the matter is, it wasn't okay EITHER way.
- Some how it was okay for President George W. Bush to be compared to Hitler but not okay for President Obama to be compared to Hitler. Fact of the matter is, neither is like Hitler and it's not okay EITHER way.
- Some how it was okay for protesters of the Iraq war to speak their minds and exercise their 1st Amendment right but it's not okay for protesters of the current health care reform proposal or big government with out being labeled as racists. Fact of the matter is, it is okay EITHER way to protest and speak your mind.
- Some how when protester of the Iraq war spoke their minds, they were grass roots but then opponents of President Obama's policies speak their minds the are labeled "astroturf", "racist", "evil-mongers", "fear-mongers" and "rednecks". Fact of the matter is, people can exercise their 1st Amendment right EITHER way.
- Some how when a senator used the term "Great white hope" (which she didn't know was "racist") and apologizes and actually said "If I offended anyone, of course, I apologize" that apology isn't good enough. But when David Letterman smears Sarah Palin's family (family is ALWAYS off limits) and never actually says "I apologize" the left says nothing about it. Fact of the matter is, people need to be held accountable for their words, EITHER way.
- Some how when a Republican congressman says he will vote against HR 3200 (current health care reform proposal) without even reading it, the left is upset about him not reading it when people on BOTH sides of the aisle aren't reading these bills. Fact of the matter is, these senators and representatives have to read the bills, EITHER way.
- Some how when Glenn Beck calls President Obama a racist (which I thought was an inappropriate statement to make) he is labeled a terrible person but when Jeanine Garafalo calls American citizens who are in opposition to the president racists, that is okay. Fact of the matter is, calling someone a racist EITHER way is inappropriate.
The point of all this? We ALL (conservatives, liberals, progressives, libertarians, democrats and republicans) need to LISTEN to each other, talk, ask questions, learn, respect and not act like we're in high school by calling people names. The government belongs to the people, the American citizens.
A Case for Glenn Beck - Don't roll your eyes, just read!
As I worry so much about where our great country is headed in times of larger government, more power and threats to our very liberties, I turn to Glenn Beck to see what is going on other than what the main stream media is reporting.
Now, I know many of you believe Glenn is a bat crazy whack-a-doo, but what he really is, is passionate. Very passionate. He will tell you things that no one else reports on, not even others on Fox News. He will show you sides to stories that will leave you speechless.
The thing about Beck is this: he's not mean, disrespectful or disingenuous (see disclaimer at the end of my note).
-He's not like Olberman who is condescending and rude and has a segment that names people the worst in the world.
-He's not like Maddow who mocks Americans who disagree with liberals.
-He's not like O'Reilly who is arrogant and won't let anyone get an opposing opinion in before interrupting them.
-He's not like Hannity who has a "liberal translation" segment (which I don't even understand) or who is full of talking points.
Beck says what he means and means what he says
Here are some links to sites with information about what is going on in our current government and who POTUS is surrounding himself with. This information is not made up and is out there for anyone to research!
http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/29631/
This article has questions that nobody seems to be answering and that probably we all should be asking.
http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/29391/?ck=1
This article is a list of Obama's Czars (which equal nearly three times as many as Reagan, Bush 1, Clinton and Bush 2 had PUT TOGETHER), how much they make, what their duties are, what department could have covered their duties, etc. And yes, the Green Jobs Czar IS in fact a self-avowed communist.
I issue every one a challenge. No matter what your political standing, liberal, conservative, moderate, lean a little bit left, whatever, watch Glenn Beck's television program for one week. Listen, hear and don't go in with a preconceived notion of what Keith Olbermann has told you about Beck on his "Worst persons in the world" segment. Just watch for one week and you may gain perspective as to why so many Americans are upset right now.
After you've done this, please, let's talk! Open discussion is the key to conquering all kinds of disrespect and misunderstandings of the views of others. I get very tired of people being afraid to talk about politics. Why be afraid? Just talk, it may surprise you!
**Disclaimers: The disgust with our government did NOT start w/ Obama, he just happens to be the straw that broke the camel's back. Also, Beck called POTUS a racist on national television and while I'm not sure if I agree with that statement or not, I do think that it was inappropriate and should not have been said.
Now, I know many of you believe Glenn is a bat crazy whack-a-doo, but what he really is, is passionate. Very passionate. He will tell you things that no one else reports on, not even others on Fox News. He will show you sides to stories that will leave you speechless.
The thing about Beck is this: he's not mean, disrespectful or disingenuous (see disclaimer at the end of my note).
-He's not like Olberman who is condescending and rude and has a segment that names people the worst in the world.
-He's not like Maddow who mocks Americans who disagree with liberals.
-He's not like O'Reilly who is arrogant and won't let anyone get an opposing opinion in before interrupting them.
-He's not like Hannity who has a "liberal translation" segment (which I don't even understand) or who is full of talking points.
Beck says what he means and means what he says
Here are some links to sites with information about what is going on in our current government and who POTUS is surrounding himself with. This information is not made up and is out there for anyone to research!
http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/29631/
This article has questions that nobody seems to be answering and that probably we all should be asking.
http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/29391/?ck=1
This article is a list of Obama's Czars (which equal nearly three times as many as Reagan, Bush 1, Clinton and Bush 2 had PUT TOGETHER), how much they make, what their duties are, what department could have covered their duties, etc. And yes, the Green Jobs Czar IS in fact a self-avowed communist.
I issue every one a challenge. No matter what your political standing, liberal, conservative, moderate, lean a little bit left, whatever, watch Glenn Beck's television program for one week. Listen, hear and don't go in with a preconceived notion of what Keith Olbermann has told you about Beck on his "Worst persons in the world" segment. Just watch for one week and you may gain perspective as to why so many Americans are upset right now.
After you've done this, please, let's talk! Open discussion is the key to conquering all kinds of disrespect and misunderstandings of the views of others. I get very tired of people being afraid to talk about politics. Why be afraid? Just talk, it may surprise you!
**Disclaimers: The disgust with our government did NOT start w/ Obama, he just happens to be the straw that broke the camel's back. Also, Beck called POTUS a racist on national television and while I'm not sure if I agree with that statement or not, I do think that it was inappropriate and should not have been said.
Monday, August 3, 2009
The good, the bad and the Cash for Clunkers
"Cash for Clunkers" sounds like a wonderful idea, right? In some aspects, yes and in some aspects, no.
Cash for Clunkers is a government program that will allow $3,500 to $4,500 allowance when a consumer trades in his clunker for a newer, more fuel efficient automobile. The program was set to begin July 1, 2009 but didn't start until July 24, 2009. $1 billion was allocated for this program which quickly ran out as over 22,000 new cars were purchased within the first week of the program. Cash for Clunkers is already broke but Congress is said to be allocating another $2 billion for the program, due to end in November, this year.
In some aspects this program has been stimulative as its raised sales for car companies like Ford. And that isn't a bad thing. With that being said, there are some major issues with this program that aren't being advertised by the main stream media.
1. As previously discussed, the program went broke with in one week as the estimated allocations were not enough. The government must put more money into the program, which means more tax payer dollars.
2. We won't know for sure for a while who the people are that are actually purchasing these more fuel efficient cars but the assumption is that they're either people who were going to buy a car in the next year anyway or they're people who won't be able to afford their payments later on down the road (remember the housing bust?).
3. The cars that are eligible for the program that are considered "clunkers" CAN NOT be older than 25 years. So, those who have a clunker from before 1984 are NOT eligible for the program.
4. Consumers must purchase a new vehicle, not a "new-used" vehicle.
5. The cars that are traded in are shredded or crushed and then will be put into a landfill (very green).
6. The government run program in which dealers register in order to be able to participate has already been backlogged and is behind on paperwork in getting vouchers to the dealers. However, if the dealer doesn't provide the necessary paperwork for the program it will be fined.
7. The website that dealers must use to participate in the program, states in its terms of use agreement, that once you click "I agree", the government now owns your computer and any authorized officials can have access to it.
8. There is only a limited amount of funds that are to be used for certain categories of trucks and once that runs out, people won't be able to purchase that type of truck.
9. The difference in mileage required from clunker to new auto ranges from 2-10 mpg (2 for certain types of trucks and 10 for certain types of cars).
10. Cars turned traded in can not be used for spare parts which could significantly affect used parts dealers.
11. Those who tell you that Cash for Clunkers has been the best part of the stimulus program are lying. This program was not even in the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. Originally, it was to be included in a defense spending bill, but later became a bill of it's own. It was never a part of the original stimulus; this money is NOT part of the $787 billion stimulus package.
12. No where in the rules does it stipulate that the new cars purchased must be American.
So, with all that being said, the actual "stimulus" portion of this program is not necessarily a bad thing but it is not sustainable and there is the possibility that there are people participating in the program who should not be purchasing cars as they can't afford them. This program could ultimately hurt Americans who are in the used parts business, thus costing jobs. The program is already technically a failure as it's run out of money and the system has already been overloaded and doesn't work.
The point of all this? These people who instituted this program that will have ramifications beyond just tax payer dollars going towards other people purchasing cars are THE SAME PEOPLE WHO WANT TO OVERHAUL THE ENTIRE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM!!!!
Cash for Clunkers is a government program that will allow $3,500 to $4,500 allowance when a consumer trades in his clunker for a newer, more fuel efficient automobile. The program was set to begin July 1, 2009 but didn't start until July 24, 2009. $1 billion was allocated for this program which quickly ran out as over 22,000 new cars were purchased within the first week of the program. Cash for Clunkers is already broke but Congress is said to be allocating another $2 billion for the program, due to end in November, this year.
In some aspects this program has been stimulative as its raised sales for car companies like Ford. And that isn't a bad thing. With that being said, there are some major issues with this program that aren't being advertised by the main stream media.
1. As previously discussed, the program went broke with in one week as the estimated allocations were not enough. The government must put more money into the program, which means more tax payer dollars.
2. We won't know for sure for a while who the people are that are actually purchasing these more fuel efficient cars but the assumption is that they're either people who were going to buy a car in the next year anyway or they're people who won't be able to afford their payments later on down the road (remember the housing bust?).
3. The cars that are eligible for the program that are considered "clunkers" CAN NOT be older than 25 years. So, those who have a clunker from before 1984 are NOT eligible for the program.
4. Consumers must purchase a new vehicle, not a "new-used" vehicle.
5. The cars that are traded in are shredded or crushed and then will be put into a landfill (very green).
6. The government run program in which dealers register in order to be able to participate has already been backlogged and is behind on paperwork in getting vouchers to the dealers. However, if the dealer doesn't provide the necessary paperwork for the program it will be fined.
7. The website that dealers must use to participate in the program, states in its terms of use agreement, that once you click "I agree", the government now owns your computer and any authorized officials can have access to it.
8. There is only a limited amount of funds that are to be used for certain categories of trucks and once that runs out, people won't be able to purchase that type of truck.
9. The difference in mileage required from clunker to new auto ranges from 2-10 mpg (2 for certain types of trucks and 10 for certain types of cars).
10. Cars turned traded in can not be used for spare parts which could significantly affect used parts dealers.
11. Those who tell you that Cash for Clunkers has been the best part of the stimulus program are lying. This program was not even in the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. Originally, it was to be included in a defense spending bill, but later became a bill of it's own. It was never a part of the original stimulus; this money is NOT part of the $787 billion stimulus package.
12. No where in the rules does it stipulate that the new cars purchased must be American.
So, with all that being said, the actual "stimulus" portion of this program is not necessarily a bad thing but it is not sustainable and there is the possibility that there are people participating in the program who should not be purchasing cars as they can't afford them. This program could ultimately hurt Americans who are in the used parts business, thus costing jobs. The program is already technically a failure as it's run out of money and the system has already been overloaded and doesn't work.
The point of all this? These people who instituted this program that will have ramifications beyond just tax payer dollars going towards other people purchasing cars are THE SAME PEOPLE WHO WANT TO OVERHAUL THE ENTIRE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM!!!!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
My latest letter to POTUS
Mr. President,
SLOW DOWN!! Give the American people a chance to understand this health care plan that congress is proposing. You are dismissive of critics and are telling congress not to listen to the critics. I've got news for you: THE CRITICS ARE THE AMERICAN CITIZENS and your job is to listen to us. Give us a chance to understand what may or may not happen to OUR health care since it will have an impact on all of us.
We need to be able to have a say, ask questions and be treated with RESPECT if we happen to disagree with the proposal. You do NOT know what is best for me and my family and I have every right, as a voting American to question something so huge as health care reform. I have a right to be heard, respected and understood.
Should you continue to disrespect those who are questioning the proposal, you will lose votes. You are the President, as you so often remind us, and you are the one who needs to make sure that we, the American people, are heard!
Sincerely,
Jennifer Bradley
SLOW DOWN!! Give the American people a chance to understand this health care plan that congress is proposing. You are dismissive of critics and are telling congress not to listen to the critics. I've got news for you: THE CRITICS ARE THE AMERICAN CITIZENS and your job is to listen to us. Give us a chance to understand what may or may not happen to OUR health care since it will have an impact on all of us.
We need to be able to have a say, ask questions and be treated with RESPECT if we happen to disagree with the proposal. You do NOT know what is best for me and my family and I have every right, as a voting American to question something so huge as health care reform. I have a right to be heard, respected and understood.
Should you continue to disrespect those who are questioning the proposal, you will lose votes. You are the President, as you so often remind us, and you are the one who needs to make sure that we, the American people, are heard!
Sincerely,
Jennifer Bradley
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Prayer, faith and government
The father of modern liberalism is, for most, FDR and it may surprise some that he had very strong convictions in faith. A prayer he gave during a radio address after the allies took Normandy was very important and I think can still be applied to modern times.
---
Almighty God, our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our republic, our religion and our civilizations and to set free a suffering humanity.
Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.
And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but a fleeting moment, let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose. Thy will be done, Almighty God. Amen
----
This was a beautiful prayer and everyone should remember that prayer every day is essential in keeping our faith alive in our Lord, country, brethren and our selves. Let us know forget that religion and faith are two separate entities and should never, ever be confused as one in the same. Organized religion is NOT the same as faith. Faith in Our Lord will guide us as individuals and as a country.
We should also not forget the history of our forefathers and faith and it should NOT be ignored by the secular left and SHOULD be taught in history because it IS history. During the Constitutional Convention of 1787, Benjamin Franklin (yes, Franklin) proposed that each day of the convention begin with a prayer. George Washington was the one who added "So help me God" when being sworn into office as President.
Anyone who thinks that faith has no place in government, I would high suggest reading the book "Rediscovering God in America" by Newt Gingrich. One may be surprised to find out how large a role faith played in the founding of our country and how many landmarks, buildings and memorials in Washington, D.C. have references to Our Lord.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Another liberal buries a story...
This is from www.catholicnewsagency.com. These are not my words, just an article I thought was important.
Oprah’s website buries Dr. Oz's ‘stem cell debate is dead’
Dr. Mehment Oz / Oprah Winfrey
Chicago, Ill., Apr 8, 2009 / 01:08 pm (CNA).- Yesterday, Dr. Mehment Oz appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show to voice his support for adult stem cell research and to argue that “the stem cell debate is dead,” but instead of giving his statement a fair hearing, Oprah’s website buried and edited Oz’s comments.
Actor Michael J. Fox, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, was invited on the show to talk about his struggle with Parkinson’s and his foundation’s endorsement of embryonic stem cell research (ESCR).
Fox told Oprah that he believes President Obama’s decision lifting President Bush's restrictions on ESCR was a “step in the right direction” and that “we had eight years where there was no forward progress.” The United States has to make up for a lot of lost time, Fox added.
He also empathized with ethical concerns over ESCR, but said, “I just have faith in our scientists and the research community that they’ll do this ethically and to good purpose.”
After a commercial break, Oprah introduced Dr. Oz, who is the vice-chair and professor of surgery at Columbia University, to explain how stem cells could be used to treat or cure the effects of many diseases.
To demonstrate how stem cells could be used, Oz brought out a human brain. Both Oprah and Fox laughed and joked with Oz as he discussed how stem cells would work in the brain. But Dr. Oz became more serious as he spoke about the future of embryonic stem cell research.
“Now, I’m going to say something that’s going to be a bit provocative. I think, Oprah, the stem cell debate is dead, and I’ll tell you why,” said Oz.
“The problem with embryonic stem cells is that embryonic stem cells come from embryos, like all of us were made from embryos. And those cells can become any cell in the body. But it’s very hard to control them, and so they can become cancer.”
Oprah and Fox then became visibly uncomfortable, shifting around in their chairs, as Oz explained that, contrary to Fox’s earlier testimony, incredible medical advances are being made using adult stem cells and not embryonic stem cells. He claimed that, “in the last year, we’ve made a 10 year advancement.”
Oprah responded in disbelief by saying, “In the last year we’ve advanced 10 years?” Oz explained, “we went places we never thought we would go.”
He then boldly stated that within “single digit years” the medical community could find cures for people with “Parkinson’s disease, but also diabetics and heart attack victims” by using adult stem cells.
Oprah’s website summarized Oz’s argument for adult stem cells with two short paragraphs, hidden 11 pages deep in a 13 page summary of the show:
“Thanks to recent scientific discoveries, Dr. Oz says stem cells aren’t the only solution. ‘We went to a place we never thought we would go. I can take a little bit of your skin, take those cells and get them to go back in time so they’re like they were when you were first made.’”
“Dr. Oz says these skin cells, which contain your genes and are less prone to cancer, will be the ones that are ultimately used to cure Parkinson’s. ‘I think we’re single digit years away from making a big impact in the lives of [people with] Parkinson’s disease, but also diabetics and heart attack victims,’” the website summarized.
Oprah.com not only avoided quoting Oz as saying “the stem cell debate is dead,” but carefully avoided the words “stem cell” and “embryonic’ when quoting or summarizing his remarks.
Oz did in fact say stem cells were the solution, but instead of backing ESCR, he advocated adult stem cells as the future of medical breakthroughs.
Oprah’s website buries Dr. Oz's ‘stem cell debate is dead’
Dr. Mehment Oz / Oprah Winfrey
Chicago, Ill., Apr 8, 2009 / 01:08 pm (CNA).- Yesterday, Dr. Mehment Oz appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show to voice his support for adult stem cell research and to argue that “the stem cell debate is dead,” but instead of giving his statement a fair hearing, Oprah’s website buried and edited Oz’s comments.
Actor Michael J. Fox, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, was invited on the show to talk about his struggle with Parkinson’s and his foundation’s endorsement of embryonic stem cell research (ESCR).
Fox told Oprah that he believes President Obama’s decision lifting President Bush's restrictions on ESCR was a “step in the right direction” and that “we had eight years where there was no forward progress.” The United States has to make up for a lot of lost time, Fox added.
He also empathized with ethical concerns over ESCR, but said, “I just have faith in our scientists and the research community that they’ll do this ethically and to good purpose.”
After a commercial break, Oprah introduced Dr. Oz, who is the vice-chair and professor of surgery at Columbia University, to explain how stem cells could be used to treat or cure the effects of many diseases.
To demonstrate how stem cells could be used, Oz brought out a human brain. Both Oprah and Fox laughed and joked with Oz as he discussed how stem cells would work in the brain. But Dr. Oz became more serious as he spoke about the future of embryonic stem cell research.
“Now, I’m going to say something that’s going to be a bit provocative. I think, Oprah, the stem cell debate is dead, and I’ll tell you why,” said Oz.
“The problem with embryonic stem cells is that embryonic stem cells come from embryos, like all of us were made from embryos. And those cells can become any cell in the body. But it’s very hard to control them, and so they can become cancer.”
Oprah and Fox then became visibly uncomfortable, shifting around in their chairs, as Oz explained that, contrary to Fox’s earlier testimony, incredible medical advances are being made using adult stem cells and not embryonic stem cells. He claimed that, “in the last year, we’ve made a 10 year advancement.”
Oprah responded in disbelief by saying, “In the last year we’ve advanced 10 years?” Oz explained, “we went places we never thought we would go.”
He then boldly stated that within “single digit years” the medical community could find cures for people with “Parkinson’s disease, but also diabetics and heart attack victims” by using adult stem cells.
Oprah’s website summarized Oz’s argument for adult stem cells with two short paragraphs, hidden 11 pages deep in a 13 page summary of the show:
“Thanks to recent scientific discoveries, Dr. Oz says stem cells aren’t the only solution. ‘We went to a place we never thought we would go. I can take a little bit of your skin, take those cells and get them to go back in time so they’re like they were when you were first made.’”
“Dr. Oz says these skin cells, which contain your genes and are less prone to cancer, will be the ones that are ultimately used to cure Parkinson’s. ‘I think we’re single digit years away from making a big impact in the lives of [people with] Parkinson’s disease, but also diabetics and heart attack victims,’” the website summarized.
Oprah.com not only avoided quoting Oz as saying “the stem cell debate is dead,” but carefully avoided the words “stem cell” and “embryonic’ when quoting or summarizing his remarks.
Oz did in fact say stem cells were the solution, but instead of backing ESCR, he advocated adult stem cells as the future of medical breakthroughs.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
POTUS + apology
The POTUS owes the Americans who attended tea parties across the nation an apology. He needs to recognize the concerns of Americans who have different ideas than he does and he needs to recognize them as valid.
He needs to apologize for Nancy Pelosi, MSM (main stream media) and other congress people who downplayed the tea parties as "astroturf" organizations, despicable, invalid and crazy. We have valid concerns and I respect them; Mr. Obama is supposed to be a President of the people yet he's brushed off concerns of millions of Americans because they don't agree with him. What he should do is issue a statement that would go something like this: "I recognize the validity of the concerns of those who attended the tea parties on tax day and I am listening with an open mind. I apologize for the response of some in congress and the lack of respect show to fellow Americans by the main stream media. Americans are encouraged to exercise their 1st right and the government should not be so quick as to brush them off." Doubtful that something like that would happen but I am forwarding this paragraph on to the White House.
How dare they brush off our concerns! How dare they. Nancy Pelosi and the likes should be absolutely ashamed of themselves for downplaying concerns of the very people the represent. Shame on them!
The other thing POTUS needs to apologize for is because he's apologizing for us Americans on foreign soil. He apologized for the actions of Americans when he was in Europe and he's doing the same thing at the Summit of the Americas. When is he going to start acting like the President of the UNITED STATES and stand up for us and not act like the Apologizer of the United States. If only I could get my hands on TOTUS and write a speech the was pro-American instead of anti-American. Chances are he wouldn't even know what he was reading until the speech was done...sort of like when he thanked himself for inviting people to the White House.
He's not holding Americans accountable for how they are treating other Americans but he is holding Americans accountable for how we've treated foreign countries (in his mind). What's wrong with this picture?
He needs to apologize for Nancy Pelosi, MSM (main stream media) and other congress people who downplayed the tea parties as "astroturf" organizations, despicable, invalid and crazy. We have valid concerns and I respect them; Mr. Obama is supposed to be a President of the people yet he's brushed off concerns of millions of Americans because they don't agree with him. What he should do is issue a statement that would go something like this: "I recognize the validity of the concerns of those who attended the tea parties on tax day and I am listening with an open mind. I apologize for the response of some in congress and the lack of respect show to fellow Americans by the main stream media. Americans are encouraged to exercise their 1st right and the government should not be so quick as to brush them off." Doubtful that something like that would happen but I am forwarding this paragraph on to the White House.
How dare they brush off our concerns! How dare they. Nancy Pelosi and the likes should be absolutely ashamed of themselves for downplaying concerns of the very people the represent. Shame on them!
The other thing POTUS needs to apologize for is because he's apologizing for us Americans on foreign soil. He apologized for the actions of Americans when he was in Europe and he's doing the same thing at the Summit of the Americas. When is he going to start acting like the President of the UNITED STATES and stand up for us and not act like the Apologizer of the United States. If only I could get my hands on TOTUS and write a speech the was pro-American instead of anti-American. Chances are he wouldn't even know what he was reading until the speech was done...sort of like when he thanked himself for inviting people to the White House.
He's not holding Americans accountable for how they are treating other Americans but he is holding Americans accountable for how we've treated foreign countries (in his mind). What's wrong with this picture?
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Fighting the rise of privacy, er, uh piracy
I am writing to give President Obama props on a couple items. First, it's clear the POTUS has a great sense of humor as demonstrated by his spontaneousness when trying to find a microphone in the rabbit's ear at the White House Easter egg hunt. Second, he displayed quite the human side while playing with the children during the hunt and even helping a young boy slam dunk a basketball. It's always nice to see the President, no matter who he is, being relaxed and in a different environment than what we're used to. It was enjoyable to watch; they seemed to be having a wonderful time.
I was going to give Obama props for giving the directives to save the Captain held by pirates and thank goodness he was saved but turns out, what Obama did was actually the law. He had too. But still, the Captain was saved and that really is all that is important.
On to the second topic, the tea parties. All the lefties are calling them "tea bagging" parties which if you don't know what that mean, look it up on google! It's highly sexual and extremely offensive. The fact that many on the left really have absolutely no idea what the tea parties are about is quite sad. There are tens of thousands of Americans using their rights to speak their minds and assemble protests on April 15th. Now, this happens to be taking place on tax day but these protests aren't only about taxes. In fact, that's just a small part. The protests are about big spending, big government, bail outs, congress not reading bills, Obama moving the country to the left AND taxes. The other thing the lefties don't get is that Obama is simply the straw that broke the camel's back; these people were just as upset when Bush started bigger government by bailing out banks and it's all come to a culmination. It just happens to be that Obama has pushed people over the edge; this didn't start with him but he didn't make it any better.
I also find it interesting that it was perfectly okay for the liberals to protest Bush during his presidency but it's foolish, kooky and crazy for people to protest what the government is doing during the Obama term. It's complete hypocrisy.
The left also is in utter denial that these tea parties are a grass roots efforts; they are believing everything they hear on MSNBC. These protests started months ago and have been organized by people just like you and me. They may be covered by Fox News but they are not paid for or organized by Fox News. Plain and simple.
I was going to give Obama props for giving the directives to save the Captain held by pirates and thank goodness he was saved but turns out, what Obama did was actually the law. He had too. But still, the Captain was saved and that really is all that is important.
On to the second topic, the tea parties. All the lefties are calling them "tea bagging" parties which if you don't know what that mean, look it up on google! It's highly sexual and extremely offensive. The fact that many on the left really have absolutely no idea what the tea parties are about is quite sad. There are tens of thousands of Americans using their rights to speak their minds and assemble protests on April 15th. Now, this happens to be taking place on tax day but these protests aren't only about taxes. In fact, that's just a small part. The protests are about big spending, big government, bail outs, congress not reading bills, Obama moving the country to the left AND taxes. The other thing the lefties don't get is that Obama is simply the straw that broke the camel's back; these people were just as upset when Bush started bigger government by bailing out banks and it's all come to a culmination. It just happens to be that Obama has pushed people over the edge; this didn't start with him but he didn't make it any better.
I also find it interesting that it was perfectly okay for the liberals to protest Bush during his presidency but it's foolish, kooky and crazy for people to protest what the government is doing during the Obama term. It's complete hypocrisy.
The left also is in utter denial that these tea parties are a grass roots efforts; they are believing everything they hear on MSNBC. These protests started months ago and have been organized by people just like you and me. They may be covered by Fox News but they are not paid for or organized by Fox News. Plain and simple.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Global Warming mumbo jumbo
Global warming is one of those convtroversies wrapped up in a giant politcal mess.
Conservatives don't buy into it and liberals believe to be true. It's one of those issues on which you chose your side based on the facts you deem to be worthy of truthfulness. Conservatives are constantly told by liberals that Global Warming is a scientific fact and they have all the facts to back it up but when the facts to disprove Global Warming are presented, they are discounted as gibberish and meaningless.
Now, I believe we should most definitely take care of our planet for pollutionary reasons but I absolutely don't buy into the Global Warming scheme. I've provided various links below to back up why conservatives and myself don't buy it and believe the earth goes through natural warming and cooling trends and have throughout history.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=11383
http://inhofe.senate.gov/pressreleases/climate.htm
http://globalwarminghoax.wordpress.com/
http://www.oism.org/pproject/
http://www.discovery.org/v/30
Conservatives don't buy into it and liberals believe to be true. It's one of those issues on which you chose your side based on the facts you deem to be worthy of truthfulness. Conservatives are constantly told by liberals that Global Warming is a scientific fact and they have all the facts to back it up but when the facts to disprove Global Warming are presented, they are discounted as gibberish and meaningless.
Now, I believe we should most definitely take care of our planet for pollutionary reasons but I absolutely don't buy into the Global Warming scheme. I've provided various links below to back up why conservatives and myself don't buy it and believe the earth goes through natural warming and cooling trends and have throughout history.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=11383
http://inhofe.senate.gov/pressreleases/climate.htm
http://globalwarminghoax.wordpress.com/
http://www.oism.org/pproject/
http://www.discovery.org/v/30
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
And the oblviousness prevails....
I'm not even sure where to start on this one so we'll start with this post....read the threads by the leftists on this blog...
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/04/07/obama-islam-right-wing/#comments
Now, do some research to find out if we really are at war with Islam or if it's all just in our imagination. While, I firmly believe that there are extremists in every religion, Islam seems to take the cake in this category. Communities around the world are succumbing to Islam and it's a slow process so as not to alarm anyone.
Our President said "America is not and never will be at war with Islam", while that may be true, he neglected to include "but Islam is at war with us", "we are at war with extremists" (and bear in mind that the extremists in Islam aren't really all that extreme when the Q'uran and Shari'a law is examined. POTUS should have also said "America will continue to defend it's freedoms, it's citizens and it's land while working to continue to develop healthy, trusting relationships with (insert country name here)".
This is what I know; not all Muslims are bad but if asked which law prevails, Shari'a or Federal law, chances are Shari'a will prevail. I know that Christians, Jews, Hindus as well as other religions and Muslims can peacefully cohabitate. We need to remember to maintain our mutual respect for each other and our religions. I know that many Americans lump all Muslims into a fundamentalist category and that is wrong as well as disrespectful.
This is what I know of the Q'uran and Mohammad. I know that Mohammad originally preached peace while he was in Mecca. People of Mecca didn't like him but he was protected by a rich uncle's connections. Once that uncle passed, Mohammad lost his protection and was forced out of Mecca. He migrated north to Medina where he began preaching Islam as a religion of violence. This is the part of his life that fundamentalists cling to, not the beginning, peaceful years. This violent preaching is why we should worry. This part of the Q'uran tells Muslims, followers of Allah to kill all infidels, Jews and Christians. Either convert or die. I believe that it is quite possible for the Islamic faith to completely dissolve into the latter teachings of Mohammad.
The liberal left is completely unaware of or unwilling to accept this as a reality. There are no "moderate members of the Taliban", we cannot "maintain diplomacy with Iran", we will not ever be viewed by the Muslim world as equals, deserving of respect or as anything other than infidels. To think so, I believe would be foolish.
I suggest you plug into YouTube and search for FITNA and get just a glimpse of what goes on in the fundamentalist Muslim world. What FITNA shows is nothing new and can be found many places. It's frightening.
I will never not speak to, socialize with, listen to or befriend a Muslim, just like any other religion. That would go against MY faith to do so. I will continue to try to broaden my horizons and expand my understanding and knowledge, but I will also do so with caution only to remind myself that I need to understand both sides.
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/04/07/obama-islam-right-wing/#comments
Now, do some research to find out if we really are at war with Islam or if it's all just in our imagination. While, I firmly believe that there are extremists in every religion, Islam seems to take the cake in this category. Communities around the world are succumbing to Islam and it's a slow process so as not to alarm anyone.
Our President said "America is not and never will be at war with Islam", while that may be true, he neglected to include "but Islam is at war with us", "we are at war with extremists" (and bear in mind that the extremists in Islam aren't really all that extreme when the Q'uran and Shari'a law is examined. POTUS should have also said "America will continue to defend it's freedoms, it's citizens and it's land while working to continue to develop healthy, trusting relationships with (insert country name here)".
This is what I know; not all Muslims are bad but if asked which law prevails, Shari'a or Federal law, chances are Shari'a will prevail. I know that Christians, Jews, Hindus as well as other religions and Muslims can peacefully cohabitate. We need to remember to maintain our mutual respect for each other and our religions. I know that many Americans lump all Muslims into a fundamentalist category and that is wrong as well as disrespectful.
This is what I know of the Q'uran and Mohammad. I know that Mohammad originally preached peace while he was in Mecca. People of Mecca didn't like him but he was protected by a rich uncle's connections. Once that uncle passed, Mohammad lost his protection and was forced out of Mecca. He migrated north to Medina where he began preaching Islam as a religion of violence. This is the part of his life that fundamentalists cling to, not the beginning, peaceful years. This violent preaching is why we should worry. This part of the Q'uran tells Muslims, followers of Allah to kill all infidels, Jews and Christians. Either convert or die. I believe that it is quite possible for the Islamic faith to completely dissolve into the latter teachings of Mohammad.
The liberal left is completely unaware of or unwilling to accept this as a reality. There are no "moderate members of the Taliban", we cannot "maintain diplomacy with Iran", we will not ever be viewed by the Muslim world as equals, deserving of respect or as anything other than infidels. To think so, I believe would be foolish.
I suggest you plug into YouTube and search for FITNA and get just a glimpse of what goes on in the fundamentalist Muslim world. What FITNA shows is nothing new and can be found many places. It's frightening.
I will never not speak to, socialize with, listen to or befriend a Muslim, just like any other religion. That would go against MY faith to do so. I will continue to try to broaden my horizons and expand my understanding and knowledge, but I will also do so with caution only to remind myself that I need to understand both sides.
What? The libs are confused again? Never.
Once again, the leftist liberals are blaming the tragic shootings which have occurred over the past few weeks on "nutjob" right-winger gun activists. They are taking these shootings and using them as political opportunism to advance the gun control agenda. They have been saying that us conservatives who are worried about Obama taking our guns are fools because that's not on his agenda. Really? Let's take a look at why us right-winger gun activists may believe gun control is a priority on Obama's radar.
#1. Obama was voted the most liberal senator in the senate and for some reason, there were still people out there who foolishly thought he would govern from the center or maybe left of center. He's clearly shown his colors as a true leftist and, I believe, he never planned on governing from the center but he's such a slippery snake, he made people believe he would.
#2. He surrounding himself by gun control activists by filling his cabinet with people who won't support the 2nd Amendment. Let's take a look at some of these people:
A. Eric Holder, Attorney General, has been one of the most staunch gun control supporters for decades
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/holder_gun_control/2008/11/21/153808.html
B. Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education, won an award from the gun control lobby.
http://www.nrapublications.org/a1f/Duncan.html
C. Cass Sunstein, Regulatory Czar (whatever the hell that is), thinks that animals should be able to sue, yes I did write "SUE" humans.
http://www.nrapublications.org/a1f/Cass.html
D. Rahm Emmauel, White House Chief of Staff and former senior advisor to President Clinton, was a part of the gun ban lobbies and a supporter of the Brady Bill.
http://nugun.wordpress.com/2009/02/09/rahm-emmanuel-scariest-man-in-washington/
See, libs? See why we are concerned? People surround themselves with like minded individuals when and President Obama is doing just that. Now, let's get to the idea that the recent shootings are #1 because of conservative gun activists and #2 actually performed by legal gun owners. Neither of which are true.
The recent shootings that have been taking place are saddening. What the gun control activists really need to understand is that the people who committed these crimes either #1 possessed their weapons illegally or #2 were mentally unstable and if they didn't have access to guns, they would have found another way to carry out their missions (ie. the man who built a "tank" and wrecked the town of Granby, Colorado).
#1. Obama was voted the most liberal senator in the senate and for some reason, there were still people out there who foolishly thought he would govern from the center or maybe left of center. He's clearly shown his colors as a true leftist and, I believe, he never planned on governing from the center but he's such a slippery snake, he made people believe he would.
#2. He surrounding himself by gun control activists by filling his cabinet with people who won't support the 2nd Amendment. Let's take a look at some of these people:
A. Eric Holder, Attorney General, has been one of the most staunch gun control supporters for decades
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/holder_gun_control/2008/11/21/153808.html
B. Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education, won an award from the gun control lobby.
http://www.nrapublications.org/a1f/Duncan.html
C. Cass Sunstein, Regulatory Czar (whatever the hell that is), thinks that animals should be able to sue, yes I did write "SUE" humans.
http://www.nrapublications.org/a1f/Cass.html
D. Rahm Emmauel, White House Chief of Staff and former senior advisor to President Clinton, was a part of the gun ban lobbies and a supporter of the Brady Bill.
http://nugun.wordpress.com/2009/02/09/rahm-emmanuel-scariest-man-in-washington/
See, libs? See why we are concerned? People surround themselves with like minded individuals when and President Obama is doing just that. Now, let's get to the idea that the recent shootings are #1 because of conservative gun activists and #2 actually performed by legal gun owners. Neither of which are true.
The recent shootings that have been taking place are saddening. What the gun control activists really need to understand is that the people who committed these crimes either #1 possessed their weapons illegally or #2 were mentally unstable and if they didn't have access to guns, they would have found another way to carry out their missions (ie. the man who built a "tank" and wrecked the town of Granby, Colorado).
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Another one bites the dust.....or does she?
Another POTUS nominee is a tax cheat, oops...I'm sorry, I meant to say another POTUS nominee made an honest mistake on her taxes.
Kathleen Sebelius, governor of Kansas and second choice nominee for HHS secretary has revealed that she paid over $7k in back taxes because of "mistakes" on her returns. I am pretty sure that our dear President has no clue how upset many Americans are over this happening over and over again with his nominees.
In an interview with CNN after the Daschle debacle, Obama said this: "And I take responsibility for it and we're going to make sure we fix it so it doesn't happen again." He also said this: "Ultimately, I campaigned on changing Washington and bottom-up politics," Obama said. "And I don't want to send a message to the American people that there are two sets of standards -- one for powerful people and one for ordinary folks who are working every day and paying their taxes."
I tell you now, if this bonehead gets confirmed and Obama does nothing, he will be viewed by so many as a typical Washington politician and a complete and total hypocrite. It seems to me that the best thing for him to do, is apologize to the American people once again because the vetting process screwed up again and pick yet a third choice for HHS secretary. He's already got Rahmbo on his staff and Geithner in his administration and both of them have tax issues of some sort.
Understandably, the President won't deal with this until he returns from the G20 summit and I'm okay with that. I find it so aggravating that the elitists on MSNBC mentioned Sebelius' tax issues in a round table discussion. The question was asked "do we care?" and everyone on the panel said "No, we don't care". That is so far out of touch with the view of so many Americans and they have no clue how high and mighty they sound for saying this!
I do know that if Sebelius is allowed in as HHS secretary, there will be an outrage and uproar from the public and THEN Obama will know how people really feel!!
Kathleen Sebelius, governor of Kansas and second choice nominee for HHS secretary has revealed that she paid over $7k in back taxes because of "mistakes" on her returns. I am pretty sure that our dear President has no clue how upset many Americans are over this happening over and over again with his nominees.
In an interview with CNN after the Daschle debacle, Obama said this: "And I take responsibility for it and we're going to make sure we fix it so it doesn't happen again." He also said this: "Ultimately, I campaigned on changing Washington and bottom-up politics," Obama said. "And I don't want to send a message to the American people that there are two sets of standards -- one for powerful people and one for ordinary folks who are working every day and paying their taxes."
I tell you now, if this bonehead gets confirmed and Obama does nothing, he will be viewed by so many as a typical Washington politician and a complete and total hypocrite. It seems to me that the best thing for him to do, is apologize to the American people once again because the vetting process screwed up again and pick yet a third choice for HHS secretary. He's already got Rahmbo on his staff and Geithner in his administration and both of them have tax issues of some sort.
Understandably, the President won't deal with this until he returns from the G20 summit and I'm okay with that. I find it so aggravating that the elitists on MSNBC mentioned Sebelius' tax issues in a round table discussion. The question was asked "do we care?" and everyone on the panel said "No, we don't care". That is so far out of touch with the view of so many Americans and they have no clue how high and mighty they sound for saying this!
I do know that if Sebelius is allowed in as HHS secretary, there will be an outrage and uproar from the public and THEN Obama will know how people really feel!!
Friday, March 27, 2009
How can we ever agree?
I don't know what I was thinking; I visited the far-left blogsite, thinkprogress.org. I do know what I was thinking actually, I wanted to see what the other side was saying and how they were feeling about issues. I truly believe that in order to continue to expand my ideas and values, I need to understand where someone else is coming from.
The issues they were addressing had to do with how much the abhor Bill O'Reilly, Bill Kristol, John McCain, Joe the Plumber and Glenn Beck but no real issues (ie. the budget, the stimulus, the military, abortion, etc.). There didn't seem to be too much of substance in the articles presented and the comments posted.
So, I started to comment and was trying to be nice and open minded and I immediately was attacked and demeaned. I was called idiotic, a moron, self-loathing, stupid troll, and an array of other not-so-nice terms. I was repeatedly flagged for "spewing nonsense" and "drivel". I was asked to leave because thinkprogress.org was a place for liberals to talk amongst themselves and outsiders weren't welcome. I was under the impression that the liberals were supposed to be about tolerance and acceptance. Apparently, not.
I politely asked why they hated Glenn Beck. I was told that he was clearly mentally ill, spoke nonsense, must still be an alcoholic and was a blubbering idiot because he cried all the time. I didn't quite understand how any of that made someone mentally ill and I never really got a solid answer to my question of "why do you think he's mentally ill?" They said because he called President Obama the Manchurian Candidate, he was clearly mentally ill.
It was quite interesting to me that anytime I used facts about conservatives/Bush, whatever, I was told I was just spinning and using talking points but whenever they used "facts" they were facts and not talking points yet the "facts" they used were simply things heard on MSNBC or read in the NYT. It seems a bit hypocritical to me and quite self-serving.
We were talking about what a big deal the conservatives are making of President Obama using the teleprompter so much. I find it entertaining and funny but not a real issue. They asked me why the conservatives would make it an issue and I replied with "for the same reason the liberals made an issue out of the money spent on Sarah Palin's wardrobe during the campaign". Well, that did it...they called me an idiot for making that comparison and told me there was clearly a difference. Is there? Really? When they complained about Amanda Terkel being "stalked" by O'Reilly's producer I asked "how is that any different that a network news show sending people to Alaska to bombard Levi Johnston with questions about his relationship with Bristol Palin and about his child?" Again, I was called a moron and told I didn't have any facts and these were not the same things.
I began to wonder, how are we ever going to come together as a country when there is this much hatred. I visited a popular blog site, that of Michelle Malkin who is really despised by the left. I wanted to see if the treatment of liberals on a conservative website was the same as the treatment I received as a conservative on a liberal website. Turns out, it is quite similar. Now, I am biased but the conservatives weren't quite as mean to the liberals as I was treated on thinkprogress.org. But, the conservatives did tell liberals to go away and that they were being flagged on the site.
We talk so much about bipartisanship but is there really such a thing? I'm not sure we can get past our own philosophies and ideals to really work together. I did learn one thing though, I won't treat anyone the same way I was treated by the people on thinkprogress.org...it was unbelievably disrespectful, hateful, mean and foolish.
The issues they were addressing had to do with how much the abhor Bill O'Reilly, Bill Kristol, John McCain, Joe the Plumber and Glenn Beck but no real issues (ie. the budget, the stimulus, the military, abortion, etc.). There didn't seem to be too much of substance in the articles presented and the comments posted.
So, I started to comment and was trying to be nice and open minded and I immediately was attacked and demeaned. I was called idiotic, a moron, self-loathing, stupid troll, and an array of other not-so-nice terms. I was repeatedly flagged for "spewing nonsense" and "drivel". I was asked to leave because thinkprogress.org was a place for liberals to talk amongst themselves and outsiders weren't welcome. I was under the impression that the liberals were supposed to be about tolerance and acceptance. Apparently, not.
I politely asked why they hated Glenn Beck. I was told that he was clearly mentally ill, spoke nonsense, must still be an alcoholic and was a blubbering idiot because he cried all the time. I didn't quite understand how any of that made someone mentally ill and I never really got a solid answer to my question of "why do you think he's mentally ill?" They said because he called President Obama the Manchurian Candidate, he was clearly mentally ill.
It was quite interesting to me that anytime I used facts about conservatives/Bush, whatever, I was told I was just spinning and using talking points but whenever they used "facts" they were facts and not talking points yet the "facts" they used were simply things heard on MSNBC or read in the NYT. It seems a bit hypocritical to me and quite self-serving.
We were talking about what a big deal the conservatives are making of President Obama using the teleprompter so much. I find it entertaining and funny but not a real issue. They asked me why the conservatives would make it an issue and I replied with "for the same reason the liberals made an issue out of the money spent on Sarah Palin's wardrobe during the campaign". Well, that did it...they called me an idiot for making that comparison and told me there was clearly a difference. Is there? Really? When they complained about Amanda Terkel being "stalked" by O'Reilly's producer I asked "how is that any different that a network news show sending people to Alaska to bombard Levi Johnston with questions about his relationship with Bristol Palin and about his child?" Again, I was called a moron and told I didn't have any facts and these were not the same things.
I began to wonder, how are we ever going to come together as a country when there is this much hatred. I visited a popular blog site, that of Michelle Malkin who is really despised by the left. I wanted to see if the treatment of liberals on a conservative website was the same as the treatment I received as a conservative on a liberal website. Turns out, it is quite similar. Now, I am biased but the conservatives weren't quite as mean to the liberals as I was treated on thinkprogress.org. But, the conservatives did tell liberals to go away and that they were being flagged on the site.
We talk so much about bipartisanship but is there really such a thing? I'm not sure we can get past our own philosophies and ideals to really work together. I did learn one thing though, I won't treat anyone the same way I was treated by the people on thinkprogress.org...it was unbelievably disrespectful, hateful, mean and foolish.
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