Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category

Thanks to Hot Air for posting Michelle Malkin’s interview with Robert Spencer about his new book “Religion of Peace, Why Christianity Is and Islam Isn’t” .  Robert Spencer eloquently shows how Christianity has been maligned by those who espouse some kind of moral equivalence between Christianity and Islam.  It is an excellent interview and I highly recommend you listen to it.

Thanks to Sarge Sargent for his article on Integral Locks in firearms. I don’t care for the hideous, worthless, useless abominations myself, but perhaps I understate my position. However, as I read his article I was struck by the similarity of his views on the subject of internal locks and my own position on political issues. I’ve gotten into hot water over my views on the Republican Party and the vast majority of the presidential candidates that are being offered up by various parts of the GOP for our approval in 2008.

Now, how can one get from internal locks to presidential politics and find a connection? My brain works differently from most I suppose. So, here’s a few excerpts from Sarge’s article and how they reflect my own views on political issues.

Sarge writes:

Note to manufacturers supplying the US firearms market-I will NOT buy ANY firearm with an Integral Locking System.

I could very well write: “Note to politicians supplying presidential candidates for the US of A – I will NOT vote for any candidate who supports the homosexual/lesbian agenda, abortion, violations of the second amendment of the US constitution or higher taxes for any tax bracket.

Sarge also states:

The Emperor never likes to be told that he’s parading around bare-ass naked. You’ll catch some flak from folks who contend that we should be grateful, and buy whatever the gunmakers produce.

Yep, the same holds true with the political emperors as well. When one points out that a certain party’s current crop of money grubbing politicians leaves a lot to be desired the typical reaction is “Well, if THE OTHER party were in control you’d REALLY be sorry!” As if it matters which party is violating the US constitution. The US Constitution was written to give direction to our nation – not to be circumvented and ignored by self serving politicians.

Sarge continues:

You’ll also hear the excuse that the poor manufacturers are just installing IL’s because of, or in anticipation of, legislation requiring them on guns ‘approved’ for sale to the public.

People also seek excuses for the sorry crop of politicians currently infesting our nation’s capitol. They say things like “They are only reflecting their voter base.” – Yeah, right. Like when folks are OPPOSED to higher taxes -and they pass them anyway. Or when folks are calling for an end to our open door “secured” borders – and they try to pass guarantees of citizenship to those who have violated our nation’s laws as illegal aliens residing within our borders contrary to our nation’s laws. Time after time the US Congress ignores and tramples on the Constitution – and folks still say “That’s OK, they’re not as bad as THE OTHER PARTY.” Giuliani, Romney, etc openly support(ed) abortion and homosexuality and we’re told “That’s OK. They’re still not THE OTHER PARTY” as if it matters what side of the aisle one sits while supporting issues which make our founding fathers spin in their graves – not to mention the opinion of He Who made us a nation.

Sarge warns:

Stand By For Guilt Trip #12,788…
I can hear the howling already- “What? You’re actually proposing that we withhold our business from already-embattled gun-makers who are still suffering under under Clinton-era lawsuits, etc.?

The same holds true for the “Vote Republican even though they’re liberals in RINO clothing” crowd. I’ve heard it, time after time: “What? Vote third party? You’re proposing we not reward the GOP for betraying our trust by voting for them?” Uh, yeah. That’s what I’m suggesting. Just like Sarge mentions, we’ve got to hit them where it hurts. By voting for left leaning candidates we are saying “Serve us what filth you want and we’ll swallow it – no problem!”.

So, what if we DO decide to vote “third party” or simply annul our votes – thus stating “None of the above”? We’re saying “Treat us with respect. You are OUR servants, OUR representatives – you MUST do as we ask or you will not be sent back to Washington.” By demanding that the GOP give us a solid, conservative candidate we are saying “No more RINOs, we want TRUE conservative candidates!”

What if this means that “THE OTHER PARTY” gets into power? It’s NOT MY FAULT! My vote does NOT support homosexuality, abortion, abridgment of the right to self defense nor higher taxes. After all, one’s vote should be for that person who represents one’s values. And Giulianni, Romney, etc do NOT represent my values. It’s a matter of the GOP needing to re-examine its values and deciding to either REALLY become the conservative party again or to join forces with “The Other Party” and quit the pretense.

The last time I checked the US Constitution, the government derives its power from the consent of the governed. And I do NOT consent to the policies that most of the front runners in the GOP are in favor of. If that means that THE OTHER PARTY gets power then that means that the GOP should have thought about offering us something different.

Here I’ve seen folks set up one more arepa stand or one more corner hot dog stand rather than seeking something different, a niche of their own. And I’ve seen the GOP become so much like THE OTHER PARTY that it’s hard to distinguish between them. Homosexuality, abortion, higher taxes, bigger government and unconscionable infringements on the second amendment are part of both parties today. The only “difference” I see is in the rate of attrition.

So, blame me if you want – but as long as the GOP offers candidates that are merely mild versions of THE OTHER PARTY I’ll abstain, thank you very much. I refuse to eat manure and proclaim it to be pudding. Nor will I vote for those who represent that which I oppose – no matter WHAT side of the aisle they sit on or “represent”.

Folks continually say “But you MUST vote for the lesser of two evils!”  Uh, no. No you don’t.  There’s no reason to encourage EITHER party to keep giving us substandard candidates.   Those who vote “for the lesser of two evils” are still voting for evil and are guilty of encouraging those who serve up unprincipled candidates for our consideration.  Those who vote “for the lesser of two evils”, of course point their fingers at those of us who refuse to do so and blame us for THE OTHER PARTY winning.  It’s kind of like the US automobile companies blaming the consumers for their problems when the US consumers started purchasing higher quality, more fuel efficient foreign made vehicles.  Don’t blame those of us who will NOT vote for a liberal in conservative “clothing”.  Blame those who allowed such scum to pose as a conservative in the first place!

Well, here you have it – the reason why everyone should be disarmed. After all, weapons are dangerous to people like this guy. It’s logical that they should be banned, prohibited, forbidden. Thanks, Hobie, for bringing this to my attention. I’m VERY convinced now!

Thanks to Hobie for bringing this video to my attention on his own blog. Really, why hasn’t anyone thought of this before? It’s so simple, ANYONE can use this method to put a stop to crimes committed with firearms!

For some time (2001) I’ve been fed up with supposed “security measures” that do little except inconvenience honest, law abiding travelers.  The steadfast refusal to recognize where the attacks on US airplanes originate is inconceivable.  Feeling up white, christian grandmothers while allowing muslim men to walk through “security” unmolested is asinine – at best.  I’ve often observed that there are many ways around the “security checkpoints” if a group is serious about doing us harm.  It turns out that folks from inside the industry believe as I do – that the wrong things are being done and that a new look should be taken at the issue.  Thanks to Hot Air for posting the article on airline security.

While the western press pays a lot of attention to the islamic attacks on foreign/western troops, not much attention is given to the widespread intra-muslim fighting.  Some mention may be made about the Sunni or the Shi’ite factions, but little is published as to WHY they are at each other’s throats.  Well, today I listened to an interesting interview by Erick Stakelbeck of a former jihadi, Dr. Tawfik Hamid.  Towards the end of the interview published on Hotair this week, Dr. Hamid mentions why there are so few (if any) suicide bombers of Shi’ite persuasion.  It turns out that the Shía branch of Islam allows for a “temporary marriage for enjoyment” (lasting one hour) to the members of this belief system.  In other words, the young Shi’ites do not have to blow themselves up in order to obtain sexual gratification.  And that also explains why the Sunni branch is looking to destroy them – they have corrupted themselves by adhering to such liberal interpretations and practices.  The Sunni apparently see them much the same way that Fundamentalists in the US look upon certain “mainline denominations” which not only condone but even encourage a wide array of immoral activity amongst their adherents.  Some have even gone along similar paths as the Sunni by bombing abortion clinics and killing people they consider to be abominations.

Now, I do not condone nor approve the liberal tendencies found in the US, Europe and many other parts of the world.  I believe strongly in the sanctity of marriage and the holiness of the sexual union within the bonds of marriage.  Nor do I accept the sexual union  of members of the same sex to be “marriage”.  But if one wants to cleanse the world of such things, little good can be done by way of violence.  The Bible teaches us to “present your bodies as a living sacrifice” (emphasis added to distinguish from the suicide bombing mentality of Islam) and to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind”.  (Romans 12:1-2)  There must be a change of “heart” – a different way of thinking – in order to bring about lasting change.  That is where we must focus – on helping folks to think through the consequences of their actions and to choose a different way of living because they want to, not because we’ll kill them if they think or act differently from us.

WOW!  They finally came up with a study which proves what I’ve been saying for decades:  The death penalty deters crime.  At the very least, those who pay with their lives for the murder or rape committed will NOT go on to commit further crimes.  All to often we have a “revolving door” court system where the same criminals commit the vast majority of crimes.  Perhaps now we can convince folks to move the system along and clear the backlog in our prisons of violent criminals on death row.

The following is an excerpt from a newsletter I receive from Herb Pinney in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The following is very thought provoking. How can we as Christians have a positive impact on our world? By being salt and light and yeast – not being clumped up but by being spread out through society. It’s past time for a change in the way we think.  I didn’t realize that brother Pinney had this type of vision.  It’s similar to what we’re trying to do here in Pereira – reach into the heart of society to effect positive change on many levels.  He expresses things very well, especially the need to have a positive impact on all levels of society.

Three decades ago two luminaries of the Christian world got a flash of brilliance from God. Go to the youth of the nation, no matter how they want to earn their living, and capture their hearts and vision of a future with and for Jesus Christ. Two decades before that, I had decided to give up on being the geologist on the moon rocket, and to start shooting higher than the moon for my life’s work. In making that decision to go back to college and prepare to be a workplace minister, working with new and troubled churches, I would be earning the majority of my income in the market place. My deep conviction is that if Christianity does not work in the market place, it does not work at all. I have spent my life in unknown places, making the gospel known as I worked in the business world in Europe and the United States. It has prepared me for what God has in store for me, Agape Christian, and Morning Glory over the next twenty years.

The two shakers and makers that God sent a glimpse to, were Loren Cunningham of Youth with a Mission (YWAM) and Bill Bright with Campus Crusade for Christ. The impact of these two men with short term mission’s trips, campus work and the media with the Jesus Film that has now been shown to over 5 billion people, is monumental. The Jesus film has been translated into more languages than any other film and after the Passion of The Christ was shown in Arab countries, the film was in such demand that a million new copies had to be printed in various Arab and 10/40 languages. It was advertised as “the rest of the story.”

The glimpses that these men grasped were that if Christianity were to make an impact in the 20th and 21st century in the whole world, they would have to impact:

• BUSINESS
• GOVERNMENT
• FAMILY
• RELIGION
• MEDIA
• EDUCATION
• ART/ENTERTAINMENT.

Our Bible colleges, and seminaries have had some little impact on main street America. A strong impact in the third world. With the advent of mega churches doing so well in the Christian Churches and leading evangelical groups, still 80plus% of churches in the United States are at a plateau or declining. We are losing our teens that go to secular colleges at a rate of well above 90%. (Christianity Today and World Magazine have both reported that even the Campus Crusade for Christ, YWAM, and many campus ministries from coast to coast are predominantly Oriental, Latino. Anglos are a disappearing breed in Christian organization on campus. The other side of that story are Christian Church Campus houses in secular colleges that are reaching all flavors of the young). Across the nation, Bible College graduates with a ministerial degree are dropping out of the ministry at an alarming rate. I am a friend of our Bible Colleges, I have served on the Trustees of two different Bible Colleges over the years, and count a number of Bible College Presidents as good friends. My children that went to college, went first to Bible College. What I am about to write is nothing I did not say, while in board meetings, and in private conversations with leaders in the Bible college movement. We are missing the boat by not cross training our students so that they are most desirable to industry as well as ministry. I was constantly chided at Ozark Christian College in the 1950s, that “only those that could not get along with a church board and congregation became ‘tent maker’ or ‘market place ministers.’ I was at the top of my class, I would be wasting my time with small churches and the business world.” What I am saying, our Bible Colleges and those of a dozen other Bible believing denominations, have done fairly well with religion, but they have, in most cases ignored the other six areas of impact on culture. In the past decade, Walden Media has worked at taking Christianity in the arts and entertainment. Christian radio and TV are providing media for the choir (most of it non-biblical in my opinion.), Focus on the Family has worked at elevating the family back toward where God would like it to be. We really are, across the board, afraid of business, government, and education. To be bluntly honest, and even preachers ought to be honest once in a while, never before in U.S. history has Christianity had less influence on American culture than it does today. I do not believe that I need to illustrate or prove that point, if you read the news or watch “teleconfusion,” you know what I mean. I just want to make this caveat, there has been a good beginning in the right direction with Pacific Christian College in Fullerton. California, that has elevated to Hope International University, Cincinnati, and Kentucky and other having crossed that line, or others getting their ducks in a row, to cross the University line to have Christian Education for all seven areas of cultural responsibility, we are moving the right direction. But you still read and hear resistance from the old-line Bible colleges that think the only way to preach or witness is from behind a pulpit in a tie and suit.

Dr. Lance Wallnau is an expert in the elevation of Christianity to reach all seven peaks of culture. Let me list them again for you, they are critical: Business, government, family, religion, media, education, arts/entertainment. Dr. Lance writes, “That 3 to 5% of educated people control the national and workplace, agenda for ours or any country. In some third world countries it is even a smaller percent. These people dominate culture and set the direction for everyone else.” It is our goal at Morning Glory to provide Guatemala with a good number of that 3%.

Maybe one out of thousands will rise to this level from the ranks of religion. Once in a great while you have a Billy Graham that is respected but basically ignored by culture. A Mother Teresa that looked President Bill Clinton in the eye and called his attention to abortion, hunger, and illnesses world wide, he smiled and went on to shake the next hand. What you really have are hundreds from the business world that get quoted and followed in Time, News Week, and the like. You have thousands from the education world that are speaking out and being listened to. Nearly the whole country bowed at “the alter” of embryonic stem cell research at the words of Michael Fox and “Superman” Reeves. And then we could mention the influence in Washington D.C. at the words of Nancy Reagan and dancer son about how important to “science” this all is. No evidence, no facts, just emotion from media stars. The battle for Christian apologetics and our world view is no longer being led by us ministers, even the ones of us with a scientific education, it is a battle between highly educated scientists. And other highly educated scientists over the scientific autopsy report on what happened at creation and beyond, it is called Intelligent Design today. (After our 10PM supper last night Melba and I previewed the DVD “The Privileged Planet” by Dr. Gonzalez, astronomer with U. of Iowa. He was denied tenure because of his magnificent proof by our planet’s position and direction by Intelligent Design.) And the educational world is frightened to near death over I.D. They can’t refute it, they must ban it at once, at all cost, before anyone gets to hear the Conner’s report in the trial for public opinion. What I am writing is this, if we Christians want to make an impact on the next 93 years of the 21st century, we need to impact the seven mountains of culture, all seven of them.

Dr. Lance Wallnau went on, “That industry is not necessarily looking for Christian employees. They are looking for highly trained men and women that example Christian qualities in their lives. You know, “no drinking alcohol to excess (a Herb note, if you don’t take the first drink, you will never need to be picked up drunk off the floor. I ran for 45 years with the alcoholic auto world, I never once lost an advantage because of drinking bottled water or Sprite. In fact, a couple hours into the evening, I had all the advantages on my table), non drug users, solid family men and women that are not going to embarrass the company with scandal about sexual relationships that hit the news. Men and women that have been taught the work ethic of honesty, dependability, and who paid attention in class, learned the lessons and were not passed because of pressure from parents, or alumni.” Sounds to me like the average graduate from our Bible colleges and Christian Universities. If they are being properly educated, they can slip right into one or two of the seven mountains of culture and we will have a toe hold on a strong move upward. They can have a world wide impact for Christ. Dr. Lance is a very highly paid advisor to mega churches, multi-million-dollar para-church organizations, governments, business and Fortune 500 companies. He knows that for which they are looking.

It’s good to hear someone advocating common sense regarding the further importation of people who wish to destroy us. The absolute refusal on the part of current politicians to recognize “who the enemy is” is frustrating, to say the least. When grandma’s get felt up by “Security” in the airport, while obvious Muslims parade past, scott free, something needs to change. Why are those in charge pretending that they don’t know who has declared war on our nation? I don’t know.

Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch has some common sense suggestions. Oh that the folks “in charge” would pay attention to such common sense suggestions. Unfortunately, those “in charge” are more likely to use such suggestions against any group other than the one that has declared war on us.

Michelle Malkin hosts “The First Annual Open Borders Oscar Awards“. A HOOT! I still don’t understand folks who claim that there are major differences between the two major political parties in the US, to the point of urging folks to vote blindly “for the right party”. There are too many Republicans who support the “shamnesty” bill, too many who support abortion, too many who support sodomy for me to say “The Republicans are God’s gift to America!” like some folks seem to claim. Vote the issues, not the party. As we were saying, “The First Annual Open Borders Oscar Awards” is a real hoot. Michelle’s typical humor shines light on the idiocy in Washington.

The First Annual Open Borders Oscars

Posted Jun 11, 2007

Hot Air’s Michelle Malkin takes the stage to hand out the Open Borders Oscars awards.