The King's Highway

Boycotting Yahoo!

2006-05-01T09:49:00.000-04:00

Over the past several years, Yahoo has aided the Chinese Communist government in capturing "freedom-promoters." Yahoo has turned over draft emails, posts, and IP addresses. Other US-based companies have been accused of such crimes, but none of these companies have acted against the freedom of speech as enthusiastically, cooperatively, and blatantly as Yahoo!

Li Zhi, a 35-year old man from Dazhou ( southwest China), was sentenced on December 10, 2003 for “inciting subversion.” The Yahoo customer was criticizing local officials for their political corruption. Yahoo turned the material over to the Chinese government, and Zhi was sentenced to eight years in prison.

Jiang Lijun, 40, was sentenced to four years in prison on November 18, 2003 for “violent means” to impose democracy. Lijun had called the Chinese government "autocratic", and planned to form a new political party that promoted western-style democracy. In a video, Jiang Lijun exposed Yahoo's collaboration with Chinese officials.

Shi Tao, a 37-year old journalist, was sentenced to ten years in prison on April 30, 2005 for "divulging state secrets abroad”. Tao had spoken out against the government, and exposed threats made against the journalism industry. Yahoo supplied Chinese officials with Tao's identity, texts, and IP address.

There are actually many other cases, but information is sketchy. Dozens of other prisoners may have been arrested due to information provided by Yahoo.

Read more about Yahoo's involvement over the past five years.

Things you can do:

1. Close Your Yahoo Account

Search engines and instant messaging programs profit by their subscribers. The more customers they have, the more money they will get to advertise other products (you see in pop-up ads). The more customers they have, the better their stock numbers will do, and so on and so forth.

Closing your account:

1. Log into the Yahoo! account you are going to cancel.
2. Click the "mail" link.
3. Click on "My Account" on the upper left.
4. You'll have to re-enter your password.
5. Click on "Edit/Create Profiles" on the right.
6. Scroll down and click on "Read our help pages."
7. Scroll down and click on "How do I close my account?"
8. Type in your password at the bottom and click "Yes."

2. Replace Yahoo with the Following Services

Yahoo is used to get free email addresses... very handy. But you can get new email addresses elsewhere, just as easily.

HotMail.com is a service from MSN. It will provide you with new email addresses, inboxes, and other neat stuff.

GMail.com is a great service of Google. This is actually one of the best email providers out there, I already have an account. Gmail has great searching tools ( so you don't have to go through years of emails to find what you are looking for) and plenty of free storage.

Yahoo Instant Messaging is also very popular, but can be replaced easily.

MSN Instant Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger, and Google Talk are the best replacements. AOL is probably the best and simplest to use. MSN has the most smileys, audibles, and other cool extras. GoogleTalk is awesome for actual talking computer-to-computer ( if you have a mic).

Check them all out... they're free. If you have any questions about them, just ask me.

Finally, the Yahoo Search Engine which some of you may have been using. Believe me, there are many, better search engines out there.

Google is really the best search engine... It also has a good news service that is easily accessible.
MSN is another alternative.

3. Add a "Anti Yahoo" Button to your blog.

Create your own button/banner and link it to this or any other article you want to. It'll catch people's attention and spread the word around the blogosphere.

I found this button on a site somewhere. It's not the best, but if you like it, feel free to use it!

4. Sign the Petition

That's right. On September, 28 2005 a petition was formed against Yahoo.

Read it and sign it here.

If you don't like the petition, send your own letter or email in to Yahoo.

5. Tell People!

Tell your friends, family, church, and neighbors to boycott Yahoo. Blog about what they have done, and what we are doing to prevent it ( or discourage it) from happening again. Send emails, instant messages, telephone calls, Morse code.... :)

Other blogs talking about this:

Mercy Now
From the Pulpit...

Any other blog that does talk about this, I'll link here for others to read.

6. Give Me Feedback!

If you have any other links ( email, instant messaging, or alternative news providers), please show them.

If you have heard other stories about Yahoo's blatant disrespect for people's rights, let us know!

If you have an idea, please come forth....

If you do create a button, please share it with the rest of us.

And, if you have any questions, go ahead and ask them! :)

Yahoo! Aids the Communist Party

2006-04-25T23:36:00.000-04:00

Here's part of an AP article from a week ago:

While China encourages use of the Internet for business and education, it also tightly controls Web content, censoring anything it considers critical or a threat to the Communist Party. Blogs often are shut down, and users who post articles promoting Western-style democracy and freedom are regularly detained and jailed.

Yahoo! turned over a draft e-mail from one of its users to Chinese authorities, who used the information to jail the man on subversion charges, according to the verdict from his 2003 trial released Wednesday by a rights group.

It was the third time the U.S.-based Internet company has been accused of helping put a Chinese user in prison.

Jiang Lijun, 39, was sentenced to four years in prison in November 2003 for subversive activities aimed at overthrowing the ruling Communist Party....

The information was listed in the verdict under "physical evidence and written evidence." It proved that Jiang and the other activists were planning to "make preparations for organizing a party and to use violence to overthrow the Communist Party," the verdict said.

Jiang also was one of five activists who signed an open letter calling for political reform that was posted on the Internet ahead of the Communist Party congress -- a major event -- in November 2002.

Now the first thing that comes to mind is shock at how oppressed China is. The freedom of speech is so limited that the Chinese government will shut down blogs that speak out in any way against the Communist Party! In China, you can be jailed just for voicing your opinion! If you write an email, post, or article promoting democracy or Western civilization you can be arrested!

Just when you're good a mad at the Communist oppression, you learn that a US company is helping China track down these "free-speakers"?!?! Yahoo, a site that most of us use daily, has aided the Communist Party in finding, arresting, and jailing innocent people!!

What a terrible thing it must be to live in a country where you cannot even voice your opinions on a blog or an email. I'd love to lead a nation-wide boycott against Yahoo, but it would probably not get very far. So just say a prayer that life gets better ( and safer) for the poor people living in China.

Faith, Hope, and Charity- Part 2

2006-04-22T21:27:00.000-04:00

Hope
~~~~~~~

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison...
- 1 Peter 3:15-19

The word "hope" usually means "to wish or to long for something". But what is this Christian hope? And why is it such an important virtue?

Christian hope can be defined in many different ways: Hope is the longing for Christ's second coming. Hope is the longing for the fulfillment of Biblical prophecies. Christian hope is the yearning for the Lord's victory over his enemies.

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ... - Titus 2: 11-13

Hope comes from our love of God, our love of His kingdom and laws. Because of this, unbelievers are without this hope.

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. - Thessalonians 4:13

This hope is talked about as an "assurance" and a "comfort", being without it must be devastating. Having no hope, results in depression and loneliness. Before we became Christians, we all had this depression; we were lost, without any source of hope and comfort. If Jesus had not died for us, no one would have this hope, and we'd all be lost in sin.

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. - 1 John 3:1-3

This hope we are given is such a wonderful thing; we are commanded to spread the news of it. C.S. Lewis talked about this in his book, Mere Christianity:

It [having Christian hope] does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is. If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. The Apostles themselves who set on foot the conversion of the Roman Empire, the great men who built up the Middle Ages, the English Evangelicals who abolished the slave trade all left their mark on earth, precisely because their minds were occupied with Heaven.

So, in closing, enjoy the wonderful hope God has given us and share it with others!

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. - Ephesians 2: 12-13

The Oath- Book Review

2006-04-21T11:35:00.000-04:00

The Oath
Author- Frank Peretti
Release Date- 2003

An ancient sin. An ancient oath. A town with a deadly secret...

After reading Nightmare Academy and Monster, I became a big fan of Frank Peretti, one of today's leading Christian-fiction authors. I was a little disappointed with This Present Darkness, but The Oath is really an excellent novel.

Nature photographer, Cliff Benson, is found brutally killed after going on a camping expedition with his wife near the town of Hyde River. With very little evidence to work with, the local sheriff department closes the case, ruling that a rogue bear had been the culprit. Steve Benson, wildlife biologist and brother of the victim, is not satisfied with the sheriff's conclusion. He teams up with one of the local deputies, Tracy Ellis, and tries to find out what really happened. It seems that for the last several decades, dozens of mysterious deaths have occurred. The oddest thing is that the townsfolk of Hyde River, don't care at all what happened or is happening. In fact, the town tries to cover up these deaths, by removing any evidence of the attacks.

Steve Benson is repeatedly warned by the local sheriff office, to back off and go home. But the memories of his brother push him forward. He ends up unlocking a deadly secret that had been formed when the town was established over 200 years ago. It was back then, that the oath had been signed in blood and the terrifying predator had been unleashed.

"If This Be Sin, Let Sin Be Served"

The Oath was very suspenseful, and frightening at times. It was very well-written and carried a powerful message about sin and human bondage to it. Sin is a predator that when welcomed into the heart, grows stronger and stronger. The only way to stop sin's rule is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Warning: Even though The Oath is a Christian-fiction novel, the story does take place in a VERY wicked town. The people are wicked and their actions are very sinful. Hyde River contains a lot of murder (some rather gruesome), drinking, and immoral behavior. None of this is graphic in any way, but keep in mind that the characters in the book (even the main characters) are not saved.

Rating: Ages 15+

Faith, Hope, and Charity- Part 1

2006-04-14T09:25:00.000-04:00

Charity
~~~~~~~~~~

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. - 1Corinthians 13

Paul writes to the church at Corinth, expressing the necessity of faith, hope, and charity. Among these three virtues, the greatest is charity. In today's world, "charity" is defined as a donation to some organization or cause (such as the Red Cross or Salvation Army). But here in 1 Corinthians, the apostle Paul writes:

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing...

So what is "charity"? Let's look at the Scripture's definition:

And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. -Colossians 3:14

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: -Timothy 1:5

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 2 Peter 1:5-7

So far, we note that charity is one of the greatest virtues a Christian can have. Charity itself is our godly love to fellow man; it is the brotherly kindness and compassion we show to others.

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth. -2 Thessalonians 1:3

And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. - 1 Peter 4: 8-9

Charity can be defined Biblically as "hospitality" or "brotherly kindness" towards "others". We are commanded to be forgiving, compassionate, understanding, and kind towards fellow believers and "strangers."

Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church.... - 3 John 5:6

Charity is a specific kind of love. Throughout the Scriptures the word "charity" is defined as the love we bestow on one another. Charity is not the love we bestow on God, but a specific love we must show to men. Charity is a hard virtue to perform... how many times do we argue, hold a grudge, lose our tempers, and do all sorts of unkind things to one another? How often do we ignored strangers we see in church? By ourselves we can not hope to maintain charity and the "bond of perfectness", but with the aid of our Lord and Savior we can grow each day in this Christian virtue.

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. -Ephesians 4: 15-16

Vacation!

2006-04-07T13:23:00.000-04:00

That wonderful time of year! My family and I will be headed up to Pennsylvania for a couple of days to visit with my grandparents, so I won't be blogging for almost a week. I should return to the blog world on Thursday. In the meantime, check out these posts by some other bloggers:

The Special Challenges of the 21st Century by Brett Harris is about new technology and the challenges this technology presents to Christians worldwide.

Accountability by Spunky Jr. reminds us that we are going to be accountable to God for all our actions.

The State of Fear: Global Warming by Palm Boy shows the follies of modern environmentalists and their belief that man can change the entire world's environment one way or the other.

That should keep you busy for a couple of days... :)

God bless!

Noah's Ark Found?

2006-04-06T16:01:00.000-04:00

Satellite images taken over the past three years have spotted what many believe could be Noah's ark. These images capture an object almost 1,015 feet in length resting on Turkey's Mount Ararat.

ABC News reports:

A satellite image may launch a scientific expedition to search for Noah's Ark. The snapshot captures a mysterious object on Turkey's Mount Ararat.

"I see for a 1,015 feet in length a shiplike object that has almost unbroken symmetry," said Porcher Taylor, an assistant professor at the University of Richmond. Taylor, a professor of national security law, spent the past 13 years on a quest to discover what is on Mount Ararat, the area where the Bible says Noah steered his ark through raging floodwaters. Taylor persuaded a commercial satellite company to capture the mystery shot.

He calculated that the object in the photo had the same length-to-width ratio -- 300 cubits by 500 cubits -- of the ark described in the Bible. That is about the size of an aircraft carrier. "Currently, I'm working with a naval architecture team, and they're trying to determine whether a wooden boat this size could actually float," Taylor said.

I hope the expedition can get underway without too much hassle. First the US scientists need to abtain permission from the Turkish government to explore Mount Ararat. The "ark" rests on a ledge ( over 15,000 feet high) on the northwest corner of the mountain.

ABC- Satellites May Have Found Noah's Ark

CNN- Satellites Close in on Noah's Ark Mystery

Regenerate Our Culture, Issue 2

2006-04-03T11:16:00.000-04:00

Regenerate Our Culture's second issue came out yesterday... The magazine is awesome with articles like "Can Evidence Lie?"- David S. MacMillian, "Dogpile: Soicial Darwinism Evaluated"- Tim Sweetman, and "God Breathed, Part 2"- David Ketter. Of course, the blog network is still up and running beautifully, so go check it out!

Zenkey, zonkey, zebra donkey!

2006-04-02T17:29:00.000-04:00

Well, it's been a really busy week for me.... So I'm sorry I haven't posted in a couple of days...

But anyway, here's an interesting story from Answers in Genesis:

A zoo in Japan has proudly announced the birth of a zebra-donkey hybrid, describing it as a ‘zenkey’—a story excitedly picked up and relayed around the world by news media. Actually, the offspring of a zebra stallion and donkey mare (jenny) is more usually defined as a ‘zonkey’ or ‘zedonk’, or even ‘zebrass’. But whether zenkey, zonkey or zedonk, the appearance of this little foal sure caused a stir at Nasu Safari Park (near Tokyo).

‘As we keep herbivorous animals without separating them, the unbelievable can happen’, said Osamu Ishikawa, deputy head of the safari park. ‘A donkey was pregnant and everybody was expecting a donkey foal.’

But the keepers were surprised when, in August 2003, a striped foal was born! Was it a donkey, or … ? It had a donkey’s ears, and the black cross mark on its withers is characteristic of donkey foals, but oh … those stripes!

This is not the first time the arrival of a half-zebra foal from a non-zebra mare has surprised observers. A Shetland pony astonished its UK owners by giving birth to a half-zebra, half-horse foal—a ‘zorse’ or ‘zony’. The owners had earlier purchased the pony from a wildlife park, where, like the donkey mare at Nasu Safari Park, it had shared a field with a male zebra.

This ability of donkeys, horses and zebras to breed with one another indicates they all descended from the same original created ‘kind’, as specified in Genesis 1. This again helps us understand that Noah needed far fewer animals on the Ark than sceptics claim. Only two animals (maybe not horses as we know them today) were needed to represent the equine kind on the Ark.

Some people might argue that because hybrid offspring are often sterile, the horse, ass and zebra must therefore be separate created kinds. But this definition goes beyond the biblical text—no-one would say that a human male/female couple unable to have children must therefore be separate species!

Infertility in hybrid offspring can be due to rearrangements of chromosomes. Such (non-evolutionary) changes within the horse kind sees zebras today with 44 chromosomes, donkeys 62, and horses 64—so mules, the offspring of donkeys and horses, are often sterile as they end up with 63 chromosomes, which theoretically cannot divide into chromosome pairs.

However, accounts of mules giving birth show they are not always infertile, and also demonstrate that the genetics in such cases is not yet fully understood. Occasional fertile hybrids such as these strengthen the case that all Equus species and their offspring (mules, hinnies, zorses, zonies, zedonks/zonkeys and whatever other inventive names we give them) are the same created kind—descendants of the ‘horses’ that Noah let loose after the Flood around 4,500 years ago.

Southern Baptist Church Condemned by Eminent Domain

2006-03-29T11:25:00.000-05:00

The Redevelopment Agency Board of Long Beach, California voted to condemn the Filipino Baptist Fellowship church building two weeks ago. They claim the building is a "blighted area" and should be removed to make way for condominiums. Many of the town's citizens have testified before the board in an attempt to save their church.

John Eastman of the Claremont Institute’s Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, is defending the Baptist church. He said after the board's vote: "I had no illusions that we were going to stop the vote, but what was most discouraging yesterday was the utter lack of any evidence on why this was necessary to cure some blighted areas blocks away. They didn’t bother to answer that. That was their legal obligation, and they went ahead and condemned a church anyway."

Eastman may challenge the decision in court, but the city leaders have offered the church other sites in which to meet. Eastman talked about these sites several days ago, "Well, let me tell you about the properties they’ve offered. Most of them were vacant lots. It’s a little hard to hold a church service in a vacant lot. Several of them were leases, not buildings to own. [The church members] own this one, and they want to have a church that they own so they’re not at the whim of a landlord. So you take all those off the table. Almost all of the others were in other parts of the redevelopment area, where they could be forced to move out a couple of years down the road when the city gets around to developing that block. "

The city offers three other sites: a bar and two gas stations.

The Filipino Baptist Fellowship church formed nearly twenty years ago, meeting wherever they could find room. Finally in 2002, the congregation gathered enough money to buy their current building.

Eastman says that he believes the church should be protected under the First and Fifth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution as well as under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000.

Pastor Roem Agustine of the church said, "We are more united than ever and more focused in our prayers to the Lord." The congregation is obviously sad over the matter, but continue to trust in the Lord, " We know that the Lord will not leave us, and we just don’t know what it is that the Lord has laid out before us. But it’s there and we know it’s there. We continue with our prayers and our hopes up, trusting Him."

I had worries about this sort of thing when Eminent Domain was first introduced in June of last year. The city should not have the right to take away the building from this church and offer them no suitable site to move to. I know how hard it is for a church to relocate ( my old church did it twice over the past eight years). It is a very difficult and annoying procedure... I really feel bad for this congregation, and I hope they can get things settled out with the city.

Afghan Christian to be Released

2006-03-27T09:23:00.000-05:00

Afghan officials announced to the media yesterday that Abdul Rahman, the man imprisoned for converting to Christianity, was going to be released. Those close to the trial claim that the case was dropped because prosecutors were unsure if Abdul Rahman was mentally fit for the trial. Right now, the prosecutors and lawyers are debating how and when the release should take place.

Meanwhile, dozens of protests are taking place inside various parts of the country. Muslim clerics threaten to incite other protests if Rahman is not sentenced to death.

Rahman is being held in a high-security prison, Policharki, inside Kabul. He was moved to this prison on Friday, after inmates of a lesser-security prison threatened to take his life. Rahman is being kept hidden from the media and other prisoners for his own safety.

I am very thankful that the Afghani courts have decided to release this man. He is clearly very brave, standing up for his faith in the middle of a country full of hate. But even if he is released, I believe for his own health, he should leave the country or remain under some sort of protection. Muslim clerics will not allow him to live peacefully. All we can do is pray for the Lord to watch over him.

Psalm 148

2006-03-25T19:24:00.000-05:00

Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights...

Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light...

Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens....

Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created. He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass. Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:

Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word:

Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:

Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:

Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth: Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven. He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD.

President Bush Speaks Out On Afghan Case

2006-03-23T19:49:00.000-05:00

Man Faces Death for Converting to Christianity

President Bush spoke about the situation:

"I'm troubled when I hear, deeply troubled when I hear the fact that a person who has converted away from Islam may be held to account. That's not the universal application of the values that I talked about. I look forward to working with the Government of that country to make sure that people are protected in their capacity to worship."

Later, the president continued:

"It is deeply troubling that a country we helped liberate would hold a person to account because they chose a particular religion over another. We have got influence in Afghanistan and we are going to use it to remind them that there are universal values."

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper called Afghani president Hamid Karzai to discuss the matter. Karzai promised that "respect for human and religious rights will be fully upheld." Italy, Germany, and the UN have also raised their concerns, some threatening to pull out their peace-keeping troops from the country.

Man Faces Death Penalty for Converting to Christianity

2006-03-22T09:59:00.000-05:00

Abdul Rahman, 40 years old, is on trial for breaking a law, forbidding Muslims to convert into Christians. The nation is Afghanistan, a country US soldiers have occupied for over four years. This is the first case in which the defendant has admitted conversion to Christianity and will not back down, even in the face of death.

Abdul Rahman was converted into Christianity 16 years ago when he worked with Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Many years later when he returned to Afghanistan, his relatives denounced him, his children were taken from him, and he was arrested. Rahman was brought before Judge Ansarullah Mawlavezada several days ago. The judge claimed, "We are not against any particular religion in the world. But in Afghanistan, this sort of thing is against the law. It is an attack on Islam." The law states that no Muslim man can reject the religion of Islam.

A sentence will be decided within the next two months.

US State Department spokesman, Sean McCormack talked to reporters about the incident: "Our view … is that tolerance, freedom of worship is an important element of any democracy. And these are issues as Afghan democracy matures that they are going to have to deal with increasingly."

The prosecutor in the case, Abdul Wasi, commented, "He would have been forgiven if he changed back. But he said he was a Christian and would always remain one. We are Muslims and becoming a Christian is against our laws. He must get the death penalty." Right now, the only way for Rahman not to get the death penalty is an insanity plea.

Abdul Rahman is a very brave person. In the face of almost certain death, he sticks to his belief and can be a witness to others in that area of the world. If Afghanistan does execute this man, it will be a giant step backwards for the country. Right now, all the eyes of the world are watching the situation. Italy has threatened to remove it's peacekeeping troops from the country if this man is executed. Maybe other nations will follow Italy's example and keep Rahman from the death penalty. Just remember to keep this brave man in your prayers.

Other blogs covering this:
Unconformed
Mercy Now
Boy Scout Blogger
Pete's Place

Sophie Scholl: The Final Days

2006-03-21T09:18:00.000-05:00

World Magazine movie review:

As is often the case, most of the Academy Award nominees for Best Foreign Language Film were largely unknown to American audiences at the time of the ceremony. What's especially sad about this is that the most inspiring, gripping, and surprising film nominated that evening—among both the winners and losers—was one of these little-seen gems.

Germany's entry, Sophie Scholl: The Final Days, deserves a place next to A Man for All Seasons, Chariots of Fire, and others of the most profound portrayals of faith on film. Although currently only playing in select cities (with a wider release expected), this import is the definition of a film worth seeking out, even though it lost the Oscar to the South African film Tsotsi.

Well-known in Germany, Sophie Scholl is a figure of remarkable courage, intellect, and faith. The film deals with just six days of this young woman's life—the final six days. Key members of a passive resistance anti-Nazi group known as The White Rose, Sophie (Julia Jentsch) and her brother Hans (Fabian Hinrichs) risk their lives by writing, printing, and distributing pamphlets that condemn National Socialism and a bloody war that Germany could not win.

On the morning of Feb. 18, 1943, Sophie and Hans walk into a lecture hall at the University of Munich to secretly distribute the group's sixth pamphlet before the building was flooded with students. This dangerous mission does not end well.

The film concerns itself with the short but intense period between Sophie's capture and execution. After she is jailed, Sophie faces off against Gestapo interrogator Robert Mohr (the steely Gerald Alexander Held), a Nazi true believer and atheist committed to breaking Sophie's spirit in order both to convict her and to search out her collaborators. While one might initially be frustrated at the lack of context for Sophie and her strongly held beliefs, the force of these interrogation scenes erases all misgivings.

Director Marc Rothemund and screenwriter Fred Breinersdorfer base their story extensively on transcripts of Sophie's interrogation and trial previously unpublished and unavailable (they were sealed away in East Germany before 1990). Never coming across as a Nazi-villain caricature, Mohr demonstrates supreme intellect and commitment to his cause—but is shocked to find himself matched by Sophie, who has intellect and willpower to spare.

Mr. Rothemund, at the helm of a technically excellent production, shows immense skill at weaving in details that inform Sophie's character but never overwhelm the production with heavy-handed exposition. We learn of her faith in quiet moments of prayer, and of the influence of her parents (remarkably, it's positive) in informing her political views. Sophie possesses a deep-seated strength of character, and her humble confidence is so unnerving to Mohr that one wonders whether the first to break will be her or him.

Sophie Scholl: The Final Days makes Sophie's moving story accessible to the rest of the world. Though the film is unrated, it contains nothing objectionable; only the intensity of the subject matter ought to give parents pause in allowing children to see it. It's a story that serves as a powerful example of faith and courage in the face of great evil. Go see it.

The Legacy of Terri Schiavo

2006-03-19T16:23:00.000-05:00

Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of the removal of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube. In my opinion, this was one of the most atrocious acts ever committed in American history.

Here is a quick recap of the story:

In February of 1990, Terri Schiavo, then 26 years old, collapsed at her Florida home. As a result, oxygen was cut off from her brain for several minutes. The cause of this collapse is still disputed: Terri's husband claimed that she suffered from a cardiac arrest. But top physicians found several neck injuries and bone fractures possibly caused by an attempted strangulation.

Even though she remained in a coma, Terri could breathe, look around, and move her limbs slightly. In contradiction to Michael Schiavo's opinion, his wife was not a "vegetable."

William Hammesfahr, a neurologist hired by the Schindlers (Terri's parents), testified to the Florida court on Terri behalf:

I spent about 10 hours across about three months [examining Terri] and the woman is very aware of her surroundings. She's very aware. She's alert. She's not in a coma. She's not in PVS," Hammesfahr told CNN Tuesday night. "With proper therapy, she will have a tremendous improvement. I think, personally, that she'll be able to walk, eventually, and she will be able to use at least one of her arms.

A video tape showed Terri's interaction with her family ( like Terri's smiling at her mother and watching a balloon float around the room). But nevertheless, Michael Schiavo persisted that it was his wife's wish to be allowed to die. The Schindlers tried desperately to remove Michael as Terri's legal guardian but to no avail.

Judge John Greer ordered the feeding tube removed stating that Terri would not want to live by artificial means. Terri Schiavo died 13 days later.

There are so many injustices seen in this tragic story. First of all, Michael Schiavo's actions were very suspicious and many people believe that he may of had something to do with the accident. Michael should not have been Terri's legal guardian under such circumstances. Terri's parents, who obviously cared for her, should have been made guardians.

It was very clear that Terri was alert and could react to things around her. Of course she would want to live! She took up no room... and expenses were not an issue. Thousands of people volunteered to pay her hospital bills, but Michael Schiavo still insisted on her "execution".

How sickening could this be?

The Florida courts sentenced an innocent woman to death.

Michael Schiavo has moved on and re-married.

The Schindlers still miss their daughter.
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Other blogs covering this:

Agent Tim Online
Mission Amare
The Rebelution
Jennifer's Musings
The RIGHT stuff...
Spunky Jr.

St. Patrick, the Missionary to Ireland

2006-03-17T09:00:00.000-05:00

Patrick was born in Dumbarton, Scotland around 390 AD. His father was a deacon and his grandfather was a priest, but Patrick, himself, had no interest in Christianity. When he was 16 years old, Patrick was captured by pirates and sold into slavery in Ireland. It was during this time that he turned to God for help. The next four years were very difficult ( as you can imagine), and Patrick's only solace was his Lord and Savior. Finally, Patrick escaped from Ireland and returned to his home and family. Once there he began an extensive study of the Scriptures and preparation to go abroad with the news of the Gospel.

Around 435 AD, Patrick ( or St. Patrick) was sent to Ireland as a missionary to replace the discouraged and unsuccessful, Bishop Palladius. He set up his mission "headquarters" in Armagh, Ireland from where he began various evangelistic outreaches. It was during this time that Patrick gave his famous sermon, explaining the trinity by using a three-leaf clover. Patrick probably did more for the nation of Ireland then any other missionary before or after him.

Excerpt from St. Patrick's confession of faith:

.....exalt and praise His wonders before every nation that is anywhere under the heaven. Because there is no other God, nor ever was, nor will be, than God the Father unbegotten, without beginning, from whom is all beginning, the Lord of the universe, as we have been taught; and His son Jesus Christ, whom we declare to have always been with the Father .... begotten by the Father before the beginning of the world, before all beginning; and by Him are made all things visible and invisible.

He spent 40 years witnessing to the pagans, druids, and those who practiced dark magic. His work also staged a surge of missionaries pouring upon Germany, France, and Ireland over the next several decades. Before he died, St. Patrick looked back at the work he had accomplished:

Those who never had a knowledge of God but worshipped idols and things impure, have now become a people of the Lord, sons of God.

Now, I'm sure St. Patrick's doctrine wasn't perfect, but we should respect and remember his work of bringing the Gospel to a dark, unfriendly land. He taught the pagans about the Creation, the fall of man, salvation, and the path to God.

Blog Header and Regenerate Our Culture Button

2006-03-16T10:56:00.000-05:00

I finally got my blog header up! It took me longer then it should have, but at least I got it up.

Palm Boy is the creator of this header. Thanks so much for putting it together for me!

Wholesome Works helped me with the technical work ( putting the header up, adjusting it, and fitting it in the top space), so thanks to you too!

The header still needs some work and adjusting, so it's not completely finished yet.

Also, as you probably noticed, all the "Regenerate Our culture" buttons have died for some reason. So I made my own button:

This isn't the nicest button there is.... but it's good temporarily. :) If you want this button for your blog, let me know and I'll email you the code.

Edit: Regenerate Our Culture has a new button out for your blog. You can find it here.

Regenerate Our Culture Kick Off

2006-03-15T11:17:00.000-05:00

Regenerate Our Culture kicks off today! This excellent idea is finally taking off!! If you haven't become a sponsor, please do so here. Over 50 blogs are helping to sponsor the magazine, you should be one of them.

Note: Check back to the site on and off during the day to see the updates.

1,600 More SAT Scoring Problems Found

2006-03-14T16:51:00.000-05:00

When I take my SAT test... this better not happen...

The College Board disclosed Tuesday that an additional 1,600 SAT scores have not been rechecked from an exam in October that had scoring problems.

The previously overlooked batch of answer sheets came from among those being scored separately for a variety of reasons, including security concerns. Some of those scores were on hold and had not been reported, but others may have been reported incorrectly, according to an e-mail sent to college admissions officers and guidance counselors early Tuesday. The statement also was posted on the College Board's Web site.

College Board spokeswoman Chiara Coletti said Tuesday she became aware of the latest problem late Monday. The sheets will be rescanned over the next few days and colleges and students notified of any changes as soon as possible.

She said she expected some, though perhaps a small number, of scores would be affected."To the best of my knowledge, there are no more surprises," she said.

The College Board, which owns the SAT college entrance exam, disclosed last week that scoring errors had been discovered on 4,000 out of 495,000 tests taken during the October sitting. All 495,000 tests, plus answer sheets from three other sittings, were rescanned.

College admissions offices said that the earlier disclosure came just in time, before final decisions were made, though some expressed concern erroneous scores may have affected the decisions of students on where to apply for college.

Though it is unknown how many — if any — scores will be changed from the latest group of 1,600, the latest revelation will likely intensify criticism that has already surfaced from many in the admissions and testing fields over the College Board's handling of the error.

Some counselors and admissions professionals have also criticized the College Board's decision not to change the scores of students who received higher scores than they should have. The College Board said last week that the effect of those mistakes was "minute" but has since acknowledged about 600 students received higher scores that they deserved because of the scanning error.

Blog Header

2006-03-12T17:30:00.000-05:00

My sister keeps telling me that I need a blog header, and I have to agree that my blog looks pretty "blah" without a nice one. Unfortunately, I don't own any of the fancy photo programs (Photoshop, Adope Photos, etc...) so I'm not quite sure how to do it. If anyone could tell me how to build or customize my blog header, I'd greatly appreciate it. :)

The God of All Comfort, Continued...

2006-03-10T16:45:00.000-05:00

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort....- 2 Corinthians 1:3

The name, "God of all Comfort", is to me the greatest and dearest of all names ( or characteristics) attributed to our Lord Jesus Christ. "All comfort" is an incredible amount of assurance and care given to us by God. But why then are so many Christians troubled or worried? Why are so many ( in fact, a majority of Christians) apprehensive and distressed about spiritual and physical matters? Some do not feel that they are "fit" to come before God and some do not trust him as they ought... These Christians spread sorrow wherever they go, and do not, in any way, glorify God.

God commands us to be lights unto men, living epistles to unbelievers. But how can these "dismal Christians" be living epistles unto the world?

This is a section from Hannah Smith's The God of All Comfort ( a must-read for Christians):

I was once talking on the subject of religion with an intelligent agnostic, whom I very much wished to influence, and after listening to me politely for a little while, he said, "Well, madam, all I have to say is this. If you Christians want to make us agnostics inclined to look into your religion, you must try to be more comfortable in the possession of it yourselves. The Christians I meet seem to me to be the very most uncomfortable people anywhere around. they seem to carry their religion as a man carries a headache. He does not want to get rid of his head, but at the same time it is very uncomfortable to have it. And I for one do not care to have that sort of religion."

How can we promote our religion if we carry it as a headache? We can witness about God's comfort, but if we do not truly know what it is or have it in us, then how are we to be believed by the world? When witnessing, it is not just what we say, but also how we act in our daily life.

What is the comfort that God gives us? This comfort is the knowledge and trust in our Savior. This comfort is the all-encompassing, complete assurance in God's care for us. But many people read about God's comfort and think: "This is all too good to be true.." "Will God truly bestow this incredible gift to us?" "Will God truly send His comfort to me, a sinner?"

As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you... - Isaiah 66:13

What a wonderful verse... How many times when you were young ( or even now), did you go to your mother for comfort? Remember the comfort you got from being in her arms? In our mother's arms we feel completely safe... our worries seem to "melt" away as we are basked in motherly affection. Do you remember the times you disobeyed or lied, and were kindly forgiven by your mother?

But unfortunately, many Christians view God as a Judge, instead of as a Comforter. They look up to God fearfully, trembling before a stern, austere, unloving judge. Now I admit, God is the Judge of all nations... He punishes us and keeps His law, but the stern, unforgiving judge imagined by many pitiful Christians DOES NOT EXIST.

I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; - Isaiah 51:12

What do Christians have to fear, if God is comforting us? And most of all, why do some Christians stand terrified before the GOD OF ALL COMFORT? It is very foolish to do so....

This brings us back to the sheep illustration used many times in the Bible. We are the sheep... foolish... frightened... confused. We are sometimes too frightened or foolish to trust in God, and be comforted by Him.

....to comfort all that mourn....- Isaiah 61:2

God will comfort ALL that mourn... No one is too sinful to be comforted by God ( for EVERY MAN is dead in sin). God offers His comfort to, not a select few Christians, but to ALL.

Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down...-2 Corinthians 7:6

This message must be shown to all worried Christians. Yes, God has comfort for all who come to Him. And God is always here, always willing to give us His wonderful comfort. He never sleeps and never is "too busy" to help us!

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.- John 14:27

Now how can any believer, after reading this, go about with fear and terror inside of him?

Many ask, "How can I get God's comfort?" The answer is simple. You must take it.

God offers it to all of His children, but first the believer must have faith and trust in Him. Once he has the faith, he can ask God for the divine comfort...

The next time you meet a Christian who is worried and troubled, give him this message. Show him, that he belongs to a God of all comfort.

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.- 2 Thessalonians 2: 16-17

Some Short News Stories...

2006-03-09T22:09:00.000-05:00

-Everyone trips and falls, but one art lover in Cambridge, England, had an epic stumble late last month. The visitor at Fitzwilliam Museum reportedly fell down a flight of stairs and crashed into a display of Qing dynasty Chinese vases. The visitor was uninjured, but the priceless vases, which date from the late 17th or early 18th century, were left in pieces. "It was a most unfortunate and regrettable accident," museum director Duncan Robinson told the Reuters news service, "but we are glad that the visitor involved was able to leave the museum unharmed."

-For shame: A Florida state senator wants to use embarrassment as a tool against drunken driving. Mike Fasano proposed that license plates issued to drivers convicted of drunken driving offenses should begin with "DUI" and be pink. "Maybe it will embarrass people and keep them from drinking and driving," Mr. Fasano said. "Maybe they'll think twice." Of course, the ACLU disagrees. Larry Spalding, a legislative counsel for the group, said it opposed anything that would heap ridicule atop punishment for drunk drivers.

- New Jersey may be tired of being made fun of, but a recent campaign to spruce up the state's image with a new slogan might not be having its intended effect. While a vast majority of the slogan suggestions from New Jersey citizens have been positive, some have reflected a sarcastic flair for self-denigration. Slogans perpetuating New Jersey's image of political corruption probably won't help the state's tourism business. "New Jersey: We can always use another relative on the payroll," and "Why should death end your voting rights?" were two entries that probably won't get much consideration. Neither will one suggestion that heaped scorn on the state's environmental record: "Come to New Jersey—it's not as bad as it smells."

-At least one hunter didn't have to spend hours in a deer stand to bag a five-point buck. Wayne Goldsberry was staying at his daughter's Bentonville, Ark., home when he heard the sounds of glass breaking from a back bedroom. When he went to investigate, he discovered a five-point buck had crashed through a window and into the home. When the animal blazed past him into the master bedroom, he told his wife to call police. But instead of waiting for police, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound man eventually wrestled the deer to the ground, broke its neck, and in the struggle suffered only bruises from being kicked. Mr. Goldsberry butchered the animal and packed the venison in a freezer.

These are just a couple of interesting news stories of the past few weeks... :) Read more at World Magazine.com.

Oh, by the way, this is my 100th blog post! Next stop, 150!

South Dakota Governor Signs Abortion Ban Into Law

2006-03-08T10:24:00.000-05:00

On Monday, Governor Mike Rounds of South Dakota signed a bill making nearly all abortions illegal in the state. This is a great blow to overturning the 1973 Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion.

The bill makes it unlawful for a doctor to perform abortion unless it is in an effort to save a woman's life. Any doctor who performs an illegal abortion faces up to five years in prison. ( Rather a light sentencing, no?)

Of course this move faces a lot of opposition from groups such as Planned Parenthood, which is planning on challenging the new law.

I can't wait to see how this all plays out in South Dakota and in other states as well.

Gadget Lets Authors Sign Books From Afar

2006-03-05T23:42:00.000-05:00

I just thought this was cool....

Margaret Atwood has had enough of long journeys, late nights and writer's cramp. Tired of grueling book tours, the Booker Prize-winning Canadian author on Sunday unveiled her new invention: a remote-controlled pen that allows writers to sign books for fans from thousands of miles away.

Some fear Atwood's LongPen could end the personal contact between writers and readers. Atwood says it will enhance the relationship. "I think of this as a democratizing device," said Atwood, whose appearances draw hundreds of fans willing to stand in long lines for a word and an autograph.

"You cannot be in five countries at the same time. But you can be in five countries at the same time with the LongPen."

Atwood's democratic device underwent the most universal of experiences on Sunday: the last-minute technical hitch. Its first-ever public demonstration, at the London Book Fair, was delayed as project director Matthew Gibson and his crew engaged in some frantic tinkering.

"We've had a setback, and we're trying to address it," Gibson said.

Anxious minutes later, Atwood picked up a pen to autograph her new short story collection, "The Tent," for Nigel Newton, chief executive of her British publisher, Bloomsbury. She wrote the words on an electronic pad while chatting to Newton over a video linkup.

A few seconds later in another part of the exhibition center, two spindly metal arms clutching a pen reproduced the words onto Newton's book in Atwood's angular scrawl: "For Nigel, with best wishes, Margaret Atwood."

Later, Atwood planned to give the device its trans-Atlantic "Marconi moment," signing copies of "The Tent," for readers in New York and Guelph, Ontario.

When Atwood, 66, announced her invention late in 2004, many assumed it was a hoax. But the inventive spirit is not surprising from an author whose interest in science and technology informed science fiction-flavored novels such as "The Handmaid's Tale" and "Oryx and Crake."
Atwood, however, said the invention sprang from her own technological ignorance.

"You know those people who come around with a package and you sign a thing?" she told The Associated Press in an interview. "I thought my signature was whizzing through the air and landing somewhere else, and I thought as I was crawling through the night on another maniacal book tour, wouldn't it be great if I could sign a book like that?

"It turns out they don't work that way. But I asked some technically minded people if such a thing was possible, and they said it was."

Atwood set up a company with Gibson and several others to produce the device, naming the firm Unotchit — pronounced "you no touch it."

They plan to lease the gadget, rather than sell it, renting it out to publishers for one-time signing events or tours. Atwood hopes publishers will use it to promote lesser-known authors and to bring author signings to small towns and small countries that usually aren't on the book tour circuit.

Read the rest of the article here.

Petition to Governor Rounds of South Dakota

2006-03-02T21:56:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned a few posts back, South Dakota legislation has passed a bill that would make abortion illegal ( unless the mother's life was in immediate danger). This is a giant step towards overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that made abortion legal.

Over 47 million innocent infants have been "legally" murdered over the past 30 years! America really has sunken far during this time, but finally has a chance to get back on track.

If you support this bill ( and making abortion illegal), please sign this petition to Governor Rounds.

The goal is to get 1,000,000 names on this petition by March 15th... this petition will be sent to the South Dakota Governor Rounds, Senator Bartling, and Representative Hunt. It's very simple, so please get your friends and family to sign it...

You can read more about the petition on the Boy Scout Blogger

So please get everyone you know to sign this petition and say a prayer that Governor Rounds signs the bill into law.

Regenerate Our Culture

2006-03-01T13:50:00.000-05:00

Regenerate Our Culture is an organization of bloggers, committed to "regenerating our nation's worldview away from... post-modernism.... and back to the Christian worldview." The organization is headed ( or sponsored) by top bloggers- Travis, Kristin, Alex, Jake, and Tim. The plan is to create a new Christian/Conservative magazine (with a target audience of 15-25 year-olds). Along with the magazine, the Regenerate Our Culture organization will be setting up a blog network, bringing together all the brilliant Christian minds of the "blogoshpere." Check out this
page to learn more about this idea and how it is going to work. And then if you are interested, which I'm sure you will be, become a sponsor.

This really is an awesome way to spread the Gospel, so I urge you all to join in!

Note the cool "Regenerate Our Culture" button you get for your blog -->

God of All Comfort

2006-02-27T15:47:00.000-05:00

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. - 2 Corinthians 1:3-6

What a magnificent message in two ways. First we are told that our Lord is the "God of all comfort." Whenever we are in distress, we can rest on Him.

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him... -Psalms 37:7

I think back on many times I have been worried or panicked over something or other, and have failed to rest on God. Because of this, I worry needlessly for hours and even days...

Fortunately, God will always ( even if others forsake us) be there for us.... ready to help us when we come to Him...

When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. -Psalms 27:10

The verse also tells us to comfort one another as we are comforted by God.

Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous. -1 Peter 3:8

Even if we are feeling fine and worry-free, we must take the time to console, comfort, and have compassion upon others.

But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? -1 John 3: 17

South Dakota House Approves Abortion Ban Bill

2006-02-25T19:26:00.000-05:00

Browsing through Yahoo news, I came upon this news flash:

---South Dakota lawmakers approved a ban on nearly all abortions Friday, setting up a deliberate frontal assault on Roe v. Wade at a time when some activists see the U.S. Supreme Court as more willing than ever to overturn the 33-year-old decision.

Republican Gov. Mike Rounds said he was inclined to sign the bill, which would make it a crime for doctors to perform an abortion unless it was necessary to save the woman's life.

Many opponents and supporters of abortion rights believe the U.S. Supreme Court is more likely to overturn its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion now that conservatives John Roberts and Samuel Alito are on the bench. Lawmakers said growing support among South Dakotans for abortion restrictions added momentum to the bill.

"I think the stars are aligned," said House Speaker Matthew Michels, a Republican. "Simply put, now is the time."

Planned Parenthood, which operates the only abortion clinic in South Dakota, has pledged to sue over the measure. About 800 abortions a year are performed in South Dakota...

Under the measure, doctors could get up to five years in prison for performing an illegal abortion. The House passed the bill 50-18 on Friday, and the Senate approved it 23-12 earlier this week. If signed, it would become law July 1.

Some advocates said an abortion ban would hurt poor women the most by forcing them to travel long distances to other states where the procedure is legal. ----

Read more about the bill here.

Well, this is an excellent step toward the overturning of Roe vs. Wade. For over 30 years, America has made the murdering of infants, legal. Hopefully, things will change for the better...

Finding God in the Olympic Games

2006-02-23T12:38:00.000-05:00

That was my mission over the past couple days, to find God in the 2006 Winter Olympics.

There has been a lot of negative Olympic feedback from most of the bloggers I know. Everyone is eager to jump out and show the bad parts of the Olympics. Now, I confess the Olympic games are flawed in many ways ( i.e. doping, drugging, and cheating). But these "world games" are not entirely without the Light of God.

First of all there are several Christian athletes participating in these games, such as US Bobsledder, Vonetta Flowers:

Vonetta Flowers made history when she became the first African-American to win a medal at a Winter Olympics game. In the 2002 Salt Lake City games, Flowers stunned the world as she won gold, beating the heavily-favored German team. Vonetta Flowers is married with two children, and is a devout Christian. In her book, Running on Ice, Flowers describes what it is like to be saved: "...the decision meant more to me than going to church or studying the Bible on a regular basis. It meant that day in and day out, I was going to follow the heart of God and the footsteps of Jesus. My Bible became more than a book that I carried to church on Sundays."

Once again, Vonetta Flowers has made the US Olympic team in Torino, Italy. "I just put my faith in God and let him take over. I do my job of training and put the rest in his hands."

Learn more about Vonetta Flowers

(Another Christian Olympic athlete is Rebecca Dussault, US cross-country).

Also, many of the Olympic athletes have Christian coaches and ministers:

The International Sports Coalition – a sports ministry –has sent off several Christian counselors and coaches to aid the athletes. These counselors and ministers will hold devotionals, services, and prayer meetings throughout parts of Italy. "Athletes in Action" and "Campus Crusade for Christ" have also sent out ministers and Christian coaches. These men will be handing out evangelistic material, such as the Jesus film. The counselors are from various nations of the world, bringing the Gospel to their fellow countrymen.

Read more about these projects here.

Hundreds of youth missions and evangelistic outreaches flock to the Olympics:

The "More than Gold" outreach event is headed up mainly by ministers from Italy and the US. Over 50 churches are available to the athletes and the spectators. “We’re linking together with churches and other Christian organizations and the main emphasis of the outreaches are serving the people of sport and reaching out through literature and video materials to the visitors and the athletes that are going to be there at the games,” said Martin Bateman who heads OM’s Sportslink ministry. “Having something like a big event where the Christians can be motivated and come together [like the Olympics] can be a springboard for more ministry and more opportunities...” The "More than Gold" ministries have rented a 4000-seat arena for their mission purposes...

Read more about "More than Gold"

The WMU ( Woman's Missionary Union) will also have a large presence at the games. The WMU pass out Olympic-themed evangelistic materials and Biblical tracts.

Andrea Mullins, publisher for WMU’s New Hope book division and team leader for the trip on the Olympic games: “The incredible thing about the Olympics is that you actually have an opportunity to share the Gospel with people from all over the world, and because they’re at the Olympics they’re more open,” she said. “You can just walk up and talk to anyone in a way that you’re just not normally free to do.... [A]t the Olympics people want to talk, they want to meet other people. They’re there to engage the experience.”

Read more about WMU here.

"Committee 2006" will spend the Olympics passing out tracts on the "Gospel of Mark" to anyone visiting one of their churches. "The Gospel according to Mark is one of the books of the Bible which tells the story of the life, work and teachings of Jesus Christ," said Pastor Luciano Deodato, president of the "Committee 2006", As a concrete sign of warm welcome to our visitors, we've decided to make a gift of that which is precious to us as churches and church people."

Read more about "Committee 2006" here.

So we come to my conclusion. Yes, the Olympics are flawed ( as any sport is), but there are several spots to be found.

1. Christian athletes ( like Vonetta Flowers) show their trust and faith in God. They use their publicity to spread the Gospel and be a witness to others ( through open confessions of faith, authoring books, or speaking out to the media). Since the Olympic are watched worldwide ( in the US the Olympics average 28 million viewers a night), these Christian athletes, though few, are a shining light.

2. The Olympics bring the opportunity for Christian missionaries, counselors, and coaches to witness to foreign athletes. Many of these foreign athletes are highly celebrated and often in their country's spotlight. These athletes, if called by God, could be incredible witnesses to millions of people. But these athletes first must hear the Gospel, and what better place for this to happen then the Olympics?

3. Over 300 separate missions have flood the Torino area bringing the Good News with them. As Andrea Mullins stated: "The incredible thing about the Olympics is that you actually have an opportunity to share the Gospel with people from all over the world, and because they’re at the Olympics they’re more open..." People from across the globe gather to watch their countries' participants. This is a giant mission opportunity. If the seed of God is planted in the heart of one man, that man will return to his home country carrying the Light of God with him.

4. The Olympic games carry the Christian spirit and message in many ways.

A. The athletes hold great courage. "Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed..."- 2 Chronicles 32: 7

B. These athletes find great obstacles and stumblingblocks throughout the games and their lives.

C. The Olympic athletes stand strong, and never give up. "...stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong."- 1 Corinthians 16:13

D. The athletes continually practice over and over again until they achieve their goals (Hebrews 5:14).

E. They refine their skills. "A wise man will hear, and will increase learning..."- Proverbs 1:5

Once more we see God's light shining, even in unexpected places.

Personally, I LOVE the Olympics. I love the competition, and the values held and shown by the participants. I love to watch the athletes overcome great odds and triumph in victory. But even more then that... I love the fact that God uses everything, including the 2006 Winter Olympics, for His own glory.

Update

2006-02-21T23:35:00.000-05:00

Thank you all very much for your prayers! My grandfather's surgery went very well; the doctors successfully removed the small tumor. He is in recovery in the hospital ( where he will probably stay for over a week). The doctors aren't sure yet if he will need chemo therapy or not. Hopefully, he won't need it, but we are all just very thankful that everything worked out.

Prayer Request

2006-02-20T22:18:00.000-05:00

My grandfather will be undergoing cancer surgery tomorrow ( the 21st) at noon. He was diagnosed with colon cancer a little less then a month ago. The doctors caught the cancer early, so thankfully this isn't as bad as it could be. But please keep him in your prayers.

My grandmother will be alone for several weeks (while my grandfather is recovering in the hospital) for the first time in their almost sixty years of marriage. So please keep her in your prayers as well.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.- 1 Peter 5:6-7

Are Christians Ever To Fight?

2006-02-19T16:41:00.000-05:00

This question is highly debated among many Christian denominations. Some, like the Mennonites, who use the teachings in Matthew 5, believe that Christians should be at all times, non-resistant.

The following is my argument, using the Word of God and simple logic, that there are indeed certain times when a Christian must stand up and fight.

To start off, let's look at Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3:1-8:

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

This passage states that there is: "A time to kill" and "a time for war" Obviously, there are times when fighting is necessary.

Throughout the Old Testament, we see the Lord leading the children of Israel into battle. The Lord, Himself, fought against the Israelite's enemies:

And the LORD delivered it also, and the king thereof, into the hand of Israel; and he smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain in it; but did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho.- Joshua 10:30

....Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.- Judges 7:15

And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.- Joshua 10:14

And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel.- Joshua 10:42

And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel.- 2 Chronicles 20:29

Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.-Zechariah 14:3

So we get to the main issue at hand- are Christians today ever to "draw swords"? Are we ever called on to fight? Are we ever to defend ourselves, our homes, or our loved ones?

To delve into this some more, I'm going to go ahead and set up a scenario:

There is a Christian named Steve. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Cindy, and three kids. One night he comes home from work and finds his house broken in to. His wife is being attacked by a thug.

Now what should he do, as a Christian?

A. Stand there and watch the proceedings, being totally non-resistant.

B. Go attack the criminal and defend his wife.

Let's go to the Scriptures to figure this out....

But he.. [ David]...stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory. - 2 Samuel 23:12

David defended his land, and GOD WON A GREAT VICTORY. Did God condemn David for this act of defense? Did God punish David for fighting? No! The exact opposite happened. God wrought a great victory.

Jesus while teaching His disciples in Luke 11:21 said: When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace.

Why will the strong man's goods be kept in peace? Because the strong man defends his house.

In John, Jesus tells the disciples to arm themselves in order to defend themselves if necessary:

Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.-John 22:36

( Note: The only reason the disciples didn't use the swords to defend Jesus at the Garden of Gethsemane was that it was God's plan for Jesus to be arrested and put to death: But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled..... Matthew 26:56)

But obviously the disciples were to use the swords elsewhere when necessary. ( If they were not to be used, then why did Jesus tell the disciples to carry swords in the first place?)

In one instance, Jesus defended the tabernacle from the wicked: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables. -John 2:15

Did Jesus sit back and wait for the money changers to leave? No, he forced them out of the temple.

Did Jesus hold the scourge (whip) and say: "Knock it off, or I'll hit you?" No, He didn't! He "drove" the money changers out. He "cast them out" of His temple ( Matthew 21).

Zechariah speaks of the House of Judah fighting against evildoers:

And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the LORD is with them.... Zechariah 10:5

THE LORD IS WITH THEM.

Now, the Scripture does speak out strongly against revenge, murder, and needless violence. We are taught to turn the other cheek, for if we didn't, our lives would be full of violence and "getting even". But nowhere in the Bible are we called to be cowards. Nowhere are we commanded to be sissies.

In Numbers 32, the men of the tribe of Rueben are told by Moses to fight and not be cowards:

Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?-Numbers 32:6

God defended the Children of Israel against their enemies. Why? Because He loved them and cared for them. Jesus defended His temple, by driving out the traders and money changers. Great men of God like David and Joshua fought against evil doers and were commended by God.

There is NO passage in the Scriptures that says it is a sin to defend one's home or loved ones.

We are to be like Jesus: patient, loving, merciful, forgiving, and when NECESSARY a fighter/defender. Yes, we should not fight for revenge, blood-lust, or any other wicked desire, but sometimes, through love, we must stand up and fight.

-----------------------------------------------
I wrote this article while arguing the topic with Unconformed, go ahead over and visit the site if you want to read more.

Favorite Country Songs

2006-02-18T11:33:00.000-05:00

Today, I'm being kind of random....

As many of you know, I'm a huge country music fan, so here is my list ( I compiled a while ago) of my 100 favorite country music songs. :)

[Click on the links to go to the artist's home page, then scroll down and click on the song you want to hear. All the videos are shown through CMT.com. Some of the videos follow a thirty second commercial, so you'll have to be patient. ]

100. Don't Come Home A Drinkin'- Loretta Lynn

99. The Highwaymen- Highwaymen

98. When the Lights Go Down- Faith Hill

97. Whiskey Lullaby- Brad Paisley/ Alison Krauss

96. Cheatin' Heart- Hank Williams

95. Is There Life Out There?-Reba McEntire

94. Stand By Your Man- Tammy Wynette

93. One's On the Way- Loretta Lynn

92. When You Say Nothing At All- Alison Krauss

91. Jackson- Johnny Cash

90. You Win My Love- Shania Twain

89. Ashes By Now- Lee Ann Womack

88. Sunday Mornin' Coming Down- Johnny Cash

87.My Maria - Brooks and Dunn

86. We Were In Love- Toby Keith

85. What About Now- Lonestar

84. Killin' Time - Clint Black

83. The Cowboy in Me- Tim McGraw

82. Mama He's Crazy- the Judds

81. I'm Tryin'- Trace Adkins

80. Bye, Bye- Jo Dee Messina

79. The Chair- George Strait

78. I Fall to Pieces- Patsy Cline

77. Blue- LeAnn Rimes

76. Beautiful Mess- Diamond Rio

75. The Dance- Garth Brooks

74. The Heart that Jack Broke- Lorrie Morgan

73. Bring On the Rain- Jo Dee Messina

72. Drive- Alan Jackson

71. Any Man of Mine- Shania Twain

70. Crazy- Patsy Cline

69. What a Beautiful Day- Chris Cagle

68. Cowboy Take Me Away- Dixie Chicks

67. Be My Baby Tonight- John Michael Montgomery

66. Coat of Many Colors- Dolly Parton

65. The Baby- Blake Shelton

64. Midnight in Montgomery- Alan Jackson

63. How Do You Like Me Know?-Toby Keith

62. Runnin' Away With My Heart- Lonestar

61. Wide Open Spaces- Dixie Chicks

60. Walkin' After Midnight- Patsy Cline

59. Mayberry- Rascal Flatts

58. My Town- Montgomery Gentry

57. She's My Kind of Rain- Tim McGraw

56. Blessed- Martina McBride

55. The Rodeo Song- Garth Brooks

54. The Fightin' Side of Me- Merle Haggard

53. Beer For Me Horses- Toby Keith/ Willie Nelson

52. Check Yes or No- George Strait

51. Better Things to Do- Terri Clark

50. I Walk the Line- Johnny Cash

49. What Say You?-Travis Tritt/ John Mellencamp

48. Friends in Low Places- Garth Brooks

47. Broken Wing- Martina McBride

46. Where Are You Christmas?- Faith Hill

45. Go Rest High on That Mountain- Vince Gill

44. Big Red- Blake Shelton

43. Meet in the Middle- Diamond Rio

42. No Place That Far- Sara Evans

41. Forever and Ever, Amen- Randy Travis

40. No One Else on Earth- Wynonna

39. Don't Rock the Jukebox- Alan Jackson

38. Indian Outlaw- Tim McGraw

37. One More Day - Diamond Rio

36. One Way Ticket- LeAnn Rimes

35. I Miss My Friend- Darryl Worley

34. When Mama Prayed- Randy Travis

33. Have You Forgotten?- Darryl Worley

32. When I Said I Do- Clint Black

31. Ring of Fire- Johnny Cash

30. Thunder Rolls- Garth Brooks

29. Please Remember Me- Tim McGraw

28. Saints and Angels- Sara Evans

27. Independence Day- Martina McBride

26. Mendocino County Line- Willie Nelson/ Lee Ann Womack

25. Breathe- Faith Hill

24. He Stopped Lovin' Her Today- George Jones

23. Not A Day Goes By- Lonestar

22. My Heart Is Lost to You- Brooks and Dunn

21. You're Still the One- Shania Twain

20. She's In Love With the Boy- Trisha Yearwood

19. God Bless the USA- Lee Greenwood

18. God Bless the Broken Road- Rascal Flatts

17. Hurt- Johnny Cash

16. It's a Great Day to Be Alive- Travis Tritt

15. American Child- Phil Vassar

14. Something in Red- Lorrie Morgan

13. I Cross My Heart- George Strait

12. It's Your Love- Faith Hill/ Tim McGraw

11. Should've Been A Cowboy- Toby Keith

10. I'm In a Hurry- Alabama

9. Amazed- Lonestar

8. Only In America- Brooks and Dunn

7. Three Wooden Crosses- Randy Travis

6. Coal Miner's Daughter- Loretta Lynn

5. Keeper of the Stars- Tracy Byrd

4. Where Were You?-Alan Jackson

3. I Will Always Love You- Dolly Parton

2. Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue- Toby Keith

1. Islands in the Stream- Dolly Parton/ Kenny Rogers

Any thoughts? Any country music songs I missed?

Exclusive Story from Iraq (Joke)

2006-02-14T21:53:00.000-05:00

A U.S. Marine squad was marching north of Basra when they came upon an Iraqi terrorist, badly injured and unconscious.

On the opposite side of the road was an American Marine in similar but less serious state. The Marine was conscious and alert and as first aid was given to both men, the squad leader asked the injured Marine what had happened.

The Marine reported, "I was heavily armed and moving north along the highway here, and coming south was a heavily armed insurgent. We saw each other and both took cover in the ditches along the road.

I yelled to him that Saddam Hussein is a miserable, lowlife, coward, scumbag, and he yelled back that Senator Ted Kennedy is a good-for-nothing, fat, left wing liberal drunk pig.

So I said that Osama Bin Ladin dresses and acts like a frigid, mean spirited woman!"

He retaliated by yelling, "Oh yeah? Well so does Hillary Clinton!"

"And, there we were, standing in the middle of the road, shaking hands, when a truck hit us."
--------------------------------------------

A friend of mine showed that to me, I thought it was a riot. :) More later....

Busy....

2006-02-12T22:48:00.000-05:00

I am really sorry for not updating in the past couple of days.... I have been swamped with school. Plus we got hit by a snowstorm over the weekend so things have been REALLY busy. But I am still alive, and will have a real post soon!

Arda Message Forum

2006-02-05T19:26:00.000-05:00

Let's try this again.... I posted this once and then it disappeared.... :)

Two friends of mine, Gabriel and his sister, Regina, started a message forum, called Arda. Arda is a place where Christian teens can discuss books, movies, and some politics. Eragon, Lord of the Rings, and The Chronicles of Narnia are among the various topics. The forum is still small so we would appreciate any membership!

ARDA-The Land of the Valar, Elves, Dwarfs, Men, and Hobbits

(Note: The name, Arda, refers to the works of J.R.R. Tolkein)

Check it out! If you like it and want to join, register here! After you've joined let me know so I can tell Gabriel and Regina who you are. Thanks! Enjoy!

Techical Difficulties

2006-02-05T19:07:00.000-05:00

My blog is undergoing some technical difficulties. So you might not be able to read or reply to anything I post. I'm attempting to fix this soon. :)

Treasures

2006-02-03T16:24:00.000-05:00

I read this poem in Literature today:

One by one He took them from me,
All the things I valued most,
Until I was empty-handed;
Every glittering toy was lost.

And I walked earth's highways, grieving.
In my rags and poverty.
Till I heard His voice inviting,
"Lift your empty hands to Me!

"So I held my hands toward heaven,
And He filled them with a store
Of His own transcendent riches,
Till they could contain no more.

And at last I comprehended
With my stupid mind and dull,
That God COULD not pour His riches
Into hands already full!

~ Martha Snell Nicholson

What an awesome poem! If we are too pre-occupied with worldy riches and treasures, how are we going to receive any of the blessings God has for us?

And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. -Luke 18: 18-24

We have to choose between God and this world, riches. Many ( including this ruler), because of their love for money and fame, choose earthly riches and do not inherit the gifts offered by God. In the poem, "Treasures", God took away "All the things I valued most"....earthly treasures. Then He could give the character in the poem his wonderful blessings.

Now this passage does not mean that we as Christians shouldn't have money and things of this world. We just have to make sure that God is always first and fore-most in our lives. We have to be willing to drop everything and follow him. :)

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: - Matthew 6: 19-20

And check out Glory '06, a new Christian blog run by Noah, a Southern Baptist from Kentucky.

A Biblical Defense of the Death Penalty

2006-02-02T09:30:00.000-05:00

Capital Punishment is an area of high dispute amongst Christians. Some believe that since it involves the killing of a human being, it is wrong. Those who stand opposed to the death penalty use the sixth commandment: "thou shalt not kill" as their platform. Others, like myself, think that the death penalty does not stand against the Word of God.

The following will be a Biblical case for the death penalty.

First, why is a death penalty needed?

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. -Ecclesiastes 8:11

If an evildoer is not punished, he will continue to commit evil deeds without fear. Now if a criminal realizes there is a punishment behind murder, he will be less likely to commit it.

Secondly, does the Bible commend the death penalty in any way?

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;- Ecclesiastes 3:1-3

There is a time to kill. A time for the authorities to exact punishment on the wicked.

For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.-Romans 13:4

In this chapter, Paul is talking about governmental authority. And he warns, that the authority "beareth not the sword in vain". "The sword" was the means of execution. ( Acts 12:2) Paul tells us that it is the government's JOB to punish the offenders.

For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die...
-Acts 25:11

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. -1 Peter 2: 13-14

Clearly, the Bible supports government and it's job to punish the wicked. ( As a side note: At the time that this was written the chief means of punishment were flogging and execution)

And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.- Luke 23:41

On the cross, the criminal ( along side of Jesus) knew that he had committed many sins and deserved this punishment.

The sixth commandment speaks of murder. We are not to take justice into our own hands, it is the authorities job to deal out punishment to criminals. Paul admitted in Acts 25, if he committed anything worthy of death then he should be put to death. Punishment and murder are two different things. Murder comes from hate, and a desire to harm someone. Murder is when a person takes the law into their own hands. Murder is obviously, against the Word of God. But punishment, is instituted by God. Punishment ( by the proper authorities) and after a fair trial is Biblical.

Now- how capital punishment should be brought about- and- for what crimes should capital punishment be put into effect- are other questions. Murder and rape are two crimes that should be punishable by death.

The death penalty should not be used "frivolously"....only when necessary. It takes a good, Christian-based government to be able to deem out capital punishment when most needed. Fortuantely, the US has a ( somewhat) Christian-based government with a very fair and just set of laws. Although in my opinion, the death penalty is not used often enough, the US justice system is probably the best in the world. And we should thank the Lord for that!

Any thoughts?

The "Monkey Trial", Part 2

2006-01-30T22:16:00.000-05:00

In my last post, I described the true proceedings of the Scopes Trial. I discussed what many schools refuse to talk about, the actual facts.

In high schools across America ( even the ones around where I live), a 1960's movie entitled, Inherit The Wind, is being shown. Inherit the Wind is supposedly a "historical account" of the Scopes Trial. But, as is usually the case, Hollywood struggles to get the facts straight.

The cast of Inherit the Wind ( You'll note that the movie changed the names of all the true-life characters):

Spencer Tracy as Henry Drummond ( aka Clarence Darrow)
Fredric March as Matthew Harrison Brady ( aka William Jennings Bryan)
Dick York as Bert Cates (aka John Scopes)

The following is the description of Inherit the Wind and it's many lies. Regardless of Hollywood's name changes, I'm going to call each of the characters by their proper names:

The movie "facts" are written in black. The true facts are written in red.
---------------------------------------------------------------

The movie opens as a fictitious clergyman ( Rev. Jeremiah Brown) and a businessman/lawyer march into the Dalton, Tennessee high school. They storm into Scopes' biology class, where Mr. Scopes is passionately teaching evolution.

Fact: Scopes never actually taught evolution. Scopes himself stated:

"There's something I must tell you. It's worried me. I didn't violate the law ...I never taught that evolution lesson."

After a few minutes of listening to Scopes' teachings, the two men arrest John Scopes and throw him into jail where he remains for the rest of the movie.

Fact: John Scopes never actually went to jail. The ACLU immediately paid his $1000 dollar bail.

Shortly after being tossed in jail, Scopes writes a letter to a local newspaper requesting help. The newspaperman sends for Clarence Darrow.

Fact: None of this occurred in reality. Darrow, after hearing about the case in the newspapers, offered to defend Scopes for free.

Scopes sits in jail and listens to the townspeople of Dalton, TN singing "We'll Lynch Him To An Apple Tree" to the melody of the Battle Hymn of the Republic. The song was directed to John Scopes. Not only is this absolutely false, but it is sickening because the movie portrays the "Christians" of Dalton as a hateful, spiteful crowd.

Fact: The religious citizens of Dalton, Tennessee were polite and courteous to everyone, including: Scopes, Bryan, and Darrow.

Clarence Darrow speaking about the citizens of Dalton:

"I don't know as I was ever in a community in my life where my religious ideas differed as widely from the great mass as I have found them since I have been in Tennessee. Yet I came here a perfect stranger and I can say what I have said before that I have not found upon anybody's part - any citizen here in this town or outside the slightest discourtesy. I have been treated better, kindlier and more hospitably than I fancied would have been the case in the north."

From a Toronto newspaperman:

I would like to "express my great appreciation of the extreme courtesy which has been accorded me and my brethren of the press by the court and the citizens of Dayton. I shall take back with me a deeper appreciation of the great republic for which we have felt so kindly, and whose institutions we so magnify and admire."

Once again, Hollywood dismisses the truth.

At one point, the movie shows the citizens of Dalton threatening and yelling at the defense and reporters in the courtroom.

Fact: The transcript of the Scopes Trial shows this to be fictional.

The trial's prosecutor, William Jennings Bryan, is portrayed as an angry, greedy, sloppy, undignified, stupid maniac who, as the movie progresses, becomes more and more obsessive about bringing down John Scopes and defeating evolution. The movie's portrayal of Bryan is deeply disturbing. Inherit the Wind tries to show that this is how all Christians are... crazy and ignorant.

Fact: William Jennings Bryan was, in reality, an intelligent, Christian gentleman.

Sprague De Camp, author of The Great Monkey Trial, said this of Bryan:

As a speaker, Bryan radiated good humored sincerity. Few who heard him could help liking him. In personality he was forceful, energetic, and opinionated but genial, kindly, generous, likable and charming. He showed a praise worthy tolerance towards those who disagreed with him. Bryan was the greatest American orator of his time and perhaps any time.

Meanwhile, Darrow, a hateful atheist in real life, is shown as a kind, well-meaning gentleman. He is full of compassion and is portrayed as a hero.

During the trial, Darrow gets Bryan to admit that he is absolutely opposed to The Descent of Man (which Scopes was supposedly teaching in the Tennessee high school), but had never actually read it.

Fact: Bryan did disagree with Darwin's Descent of Man, but he HAD indeed read it. Also,The Descent of Man was never used in the school's curriculem. The real biology book taught in the high school was Hunter's Civic Biology.

Bryan had, in real life, written many papers on evolution, after having read the Descent of Man.The movie's attempt to show Bryan's having a blind prejudice against evolution and total ignorance is apparent.

The movie really spins off as it shows a "Miss Rachel Brown", a completely fictional character, as John Scopes' fiancée. She was forced ( by her evil father, a "Christian" minister) to testify against Scopes. Bryan badly mistreats "Miss Brown" as he completely flies off the handle in his passion against evolution. Darrow, always the courteous man, agrees to let "Miss Brown" rest and not cross- examine her.

Fact: Scopes was not engaged to any girl, and did not even have a girlfriend at the time.

Darrow often "brow-beat" and lost his temper with many witnesses during this trial, while Bryan treated the witnesses with respect.

The movie goes on to show Darrow's attempt to bring "real" scientists in to testify. But Bryan is afraid of their testimony, and thanks to a biased judge gets the "scientists" deemed irrelevant.

Fact: Darrow was afraid to bring in his evolution experts because he knew Bryan would cross-examine them.

And of course, the movie had to show Darrow questioning Bryan about sex in the Bible. I'm not going to go in to this, but I wanted to point out that Hollywood couldn't resist throwing in this dialogue.

Fact: According to transcripts, this entire discussion never took place.

In the movie, Bryan has pinned down the exact date of the earth's Creation, October 23rd.

But in reality, Bryan confessed that he did not know the earth's age.

(From actual transcripts)

Darrow: "Mr. Bryan could you tell me how old the earth is?"

Bryan: "No sir, I couldn't."

As the trial is coming to a close, Darrow is valiantly fighting for his client. Scopes begins to give in and wants to just confess guilt. Darrow turns around and asks Scopes: "Are you going to find yourself guilty before the jury does?"

Fact: Darrow conceded his client's guilt, and the case ended.

Scopes is found guilty and is sued $100. ( I guess this was the only true fact shown in the movie.)

Darrow is shown shaken and shocked at this "great injustice" ( Scopes being found guilty). Bryan, meanwhile, is furious that Scopes is only sued $100.

And now for the icing on the cake....

The movie ends with a wonderful scene. *sarcasm*

Bryan is vigorously screaming out his closing statement, blasting evolution, and acting like a maniac. The crowd gets bored and leaves the courtroom as Bryan continues his rant. Meanwhile, Bryan's wife looks on in horror. Bryan continues yelling and eventually just starts listing the books of the Bible in an emphatic manner. ( I don't know why) After a minute of that, he drops down dead.

Fact: Neither Darrow or Bryan gave closing arguments. And Bryan left the courthouse with dignity. He died a short while later.

The quotes I used were from the official transcript of the Scopes Trial. My sources are Answers in Genesis, Dr. David Menton's Inherently Wind, US History textbooks, and an NHC study on the Scopes Trial.
---------------------------------------------------------------

Now, it's bad enough that this film was ever made, but the fact that Inherit the Wind is shown in highschools across the nation is infuriating! Public schools are painting a vile picture of Christians. Public schoolers don't know any better.... they watch this movie and believe that all Christians behave like the Bryan of this film. Why does Hollywood (and for that matter, the Liberal extremists of the world) constantly attack Christians, and try to smear them in front of the world? Because they hate God.

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. - John 15:18

Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you- 1 John 3:13

May the Word of God shine, even in this world of hate.

The "Monkey Trial", Part 1

2006-01-26T21:43:00.000-05:00

In the spring of 1925, Tennessee legislature passed a law ( the Butler Act) forbidding anyone to teach the theory of evolution in any Tennessee public school. This was one of many such bills being passed in state legislatures around the nation.

What happened next has been recorded in most US history books. A biology teacher, John Scopes, was arrested and charged with violating the "Butler Act" by openly teaching Darwin's theory that man evolved from apes.

But unfortunately, this is not at all historically accurate.

Several weeks after the Butler Act was made official, the ACLU ( in its earliest stages) placed an ad in the Chattanooga's Daily Times stating:

"We are looking for a Tennessee teacher who is willing to accept our services in testing this law in the courts......."

This ad was read by a Tennessee business man, George Rappleyea, who saw this ad as an opportunity to advance his own business. ( He knew that a case such as the one proposed by the ACLU would draw many people to Dalton, Tennessee and therefore promote his business) So Rappleyea talked his young friend, John Scopes, into playing the part.

John Scopes was a math teacher and football coach. He was NOT a biology teacher. Only once, he filled in for a sick biology teacher, and helped students study for their final exams. Scopes didn't even have a degree in science!

John Scopes to a reporter during the last days of the trial:

There's something I must tell you. It's worried me. I didn't violate the law ...I never taught that evolution lesson.

Slight evolution implications were found in the biology curriculum, but John Scopes never taught it or read it to the class.

Nevertheless, George Rappleyea responded to the ACLU with this message:

"Professor J.T. Scopes, teacher of science Rhea County high School, Dayton, Tenn, will be arrested and charged with teaching evolution. Consent of superintendent of education for test case to be defended by you. Wire me collect if you wish to cooperate and arrest will follow."

Soon afterwards, Sue Hicks, a local lawyer, arrested John Scopes. Scopes never actually went to jail though, since his bail of $1000 was paid immediately by the ACLU.

It was in this way, that the "Monkey Trial" came about.

William Jennings Bryan, a three-time presidential candidate and former Secretary of State ( under Woodrow Wilson), was the state's prosecutor. He was stood very strongly against evolution and eagerly took on this case. Bryan was a popular orator, Christian speaker, and respected gentleman.

Sprague de Camp, author of The Great Monkey Trial had this to say about Bryan: "As a speaker, Bryan radiated good humored sincerity. Few who heard him could help liking him. In personality he was forceful, energetic, and opinionated but genial, kindly, generous, likable and charming. He showed a praise worthy tolerance towards those who disagreed with him. Bryan was the greatest American orator of his time and perhaps any time."

Clarence Darrow, a lawyer who had rescued many unsavory characters from death row, took the defense field. Darrow was an "all-out" atheist, and offered to defend Scopes for free.

The media instantly swooped in, and started painting a biased picture. Even back then, the public media was hateful and spiteful of Christians and their beliefs. Bryan was pictured as a greedy, self-centered pig who blind to any fact. Darrow, of course, was portrayed in a very positive light.

Over 2000 newsmen crowded the Tennessee courtroom as the trial began.

The trial's legal question:

Did John Scopes violate the Butler Act by teaching that man descended from a lower order of animals?

William Bryan's goals were "..to establish the right of taxpayers to control what is taught in their schools....Secondly, to draw a line between the teaching of evolution as a fact or theory."

Clarence Darrow's objective was to focus the attention of the USA on Bryan's "fundamentalist views."

But after the first few days, the trial began to shift from-whether or not Scopes broke the law to evolution versus Creationism.

(picture to the left is Clarence Darrow)

Darrow brought in a field of "evolutionist experts" to testify, but when Bryan insisted on cross-examining them, Darrow decided not to call on them. The defense continued to argue: "All human life comes from one cell. You came from one and I came from one." The defense claimed that evolution was science and that students, who inspired to be biologists or physicians, needed to learn about it.

Defense lawyer Dudley Field Malone stated: "The embryo becomes a human being when it is born. Evolution never stops from the beginning of the one cell until the human being returns in death to lifeless dust. We wish to set before you evidence of this character in order to stress the importance of the theory of evolution."

Bryan continually argued for Creation.

The decisive moment of the trial came when William Bryan agreed to take the stand and defend Creation himself.

Darrow worked away at Bryan's beliefs. Darrow knew, Bryan's one weakness in this argument.

Darrow: Do you think the earth was made in six days?

Bryan: Not in 24-hour literal days.

Darrow: No?

Bryan: No, sir.

Darrow: Doesn't the statement- And the evening and the morning were the first day- mean anything to you?..... the creation might have been going on for a long time?

Bryan: It may have gone on for millions of years.

This was Bryan's weakness. He lacked the belief in a literal, six-day creation.

Darrow had gotten what he wanted. The defense rested it's case, and Darrow conceded Scopes' guilt. No closing arguments. The trial was over.

Scopes was sued around $100, but was soon forgotten.

Bryan's words had lost him his case defending Creationism.

William Jennings Bryan died several months after the trial.... the national media continued, even then, to ridicule him.

H.L. Menken wrote in Bryan's obituary:

"Bryan was deluded by a childish theology, full of almost a pathological hatred of all learning..."

All Darrow had to say was: "We finally killed the SOB. "

So you see the sadness of the "Monkey trial", and even though Scopes himself was found guilty, evolutionists won a great battle. It was not long afterwards that evolution was introduced into public schools, and it has only grown. In fact the tables have completely turned. We are now fighting to get Creationism back into public schools! The American education system in many ways collapsed soon after the Scopes Trial.

( In Part 2, I will show what public schoolers are being taught about the Scopes Trial.)

The quotes I used were from the official transcript of the Scopes Trial. My sources are Answers in Genesis, Dr. David Menton's Inherently Wind, US History textbooks, and an NHC study on the Scopes Trial.

US Army Stretched to Breaking Point

2006-01-24T17:30:00.000-05:00

Stretched by frequent troop rotations to Iraq and Afghanistan, the Army has become a "thin green line" that could snap unless relief comes soon, according to a study for the Pentagon.

Andrew Krepinevich, a retired Army officer who wrote the report under a Pentagon contract, concluded that the Army cannot sustain the pace of troop deployments to Iraq long enough to break the back of the insurgency. He also suggested that the Pentagon's decision, announced in December, to begin reducing the force in Iraq this year was driven in part by a realization that the Army was overextended.

As evidence, Krepinevich points to the Army's 2005 recruiting slump — missing its recruiting goal for the first time since 1999 — and its decision to offer much bigger enlistment bonuses and other incentives.

"You really begin to wonder just how much stress and strain there is on the Army, how much longer it can continue," he said in an interview. He added that the Army is still a highly effective fighting force and is implementing a plan that will expand the number of combat brigades available for rotations to Iraq and Afghanistan.

The 136-page report represents a more sobering picture of the Army's condition than military officials offer in public. While not released publicly, a copy of the report was provided in response to an Associated Press inquiry.

Illustrating his level of concern about strain on the Army, Krepinevich titled one of his report's chapters,

He wrote that the Army is "in a race against time" to adjust to the demands of war "or risk `breaking' the force in the form of a catastrophic decline" in recruitment and re-enlistment.

-Associated Press

Read more here.

Some Changes...

2006-01-23T17:56:00.000-05:00

This week I've done a lot of work on my blog, and wanted to point out some of the changes. :)

I added several blogspot blogs to my blogroll including:Kate's Chosen, Random Responses, Think Upon These Things, Unconformed, La Shawn Barber, and Politics of a Patriot. I also added a news site( with a blog) Transparency News, run by a Conservative friend of mine, Rhett.

My poll ( over there --> ) is a new addition to this blog. I want to find out what was sung the most in my readers' churches. Pollhost makes some awesome polls! You can pick the size, color, font, and even the shape of your poll!

And you can find a dozen Xangas farther on down the blogroll.

My "Currently Reading" section shows which books I am... you guessed it... currently reading. Right now I am reading Christopher Paolini's Eldest which is an epic science-fiction novel. ( And the sequel to Eragon)

Finally, all the way at the bottom of my blogroll is a BlogAdSwap ad. Learn more about this system at the BlogAdSwap site-

Now you can earn advertising on other blogs by displaying their ads on yours!! BlogAdSwap offer a two for one ad swap. For every two ads that are displayed on your blog, one of yours will be shown on another blog in our network of blogs.

I'll have a real post up soon on the Scopes Trial and what is being taught about it in highschools around the US.

Have a good day!

Answers In Genesis Creation Conference

2006-01-22T16:55:00.000-05:00

Saturday ( yesterday) I got to go to the Answers In Genesis Creation Conference in Wayne, New Jersey. The conference took place in a huge church/school facility. The place was packed with families of Bible-believing parents and children. There were well over a thousand people at the conference.

We bought our tickets and were ushered into a huge auditorium (with a balcony fitting several hundred people). Unfortunately, we had seats in the far back, but we still had an average view of the podium.

At 9AM, one of North America's most popular Christian speakers, best-selling author, evangelist, radio host, and founder of Answers in Genesis, Ken Ham started his lecture on genes and races, called "One Blood". He talked about how there is only one race, mankind, on the planet. The Tower of Babel was a gene pool that was dispersed throughout the world. He tackled issues such as gay-marriage and inter-racial marriage. He was, of course, opposed to gay marriage, but he had some very interesting points on inter-racial marriage and how it isn't opposed at all by the Bible. And of course, he discussed evolution and the "man evolved from apes" theory. The lecture was really good but ended after an hour and fifteen minutes.

Then the audience was given a twenty minute intermission to stretch their legs and look at the book and DVD collections ( which were very impressive).

During this time, I pushed through the crowds to the front of the auditorium and climbed on stage. After a couple minutes of impatient waiting, I got to meet Ken Ham, chat with him for a couple of minutes, and get his autograph. He said: "it's good to see young, Christian men like you, interested in this stuff."

Needless to say, I was thrilled. :)

Next, award-winning professor and Creation speaker, Dr. David Menton took the stage to give a lecture on biology and the Bible. "The Hearing Ear and the Seeing Eye" was a little over an hour long and focused on the incredible structure of our ears and eyes. How could such incredible things just evolve? How could it be pure chance that clear skin is formed only over our eyes? How could the intricate formation of our inner ears be pure blind luck? How could the "trap door censors" inside our ears just evolve by chance?

After lunch, we returned to the auditorium to hear Ken Ham's "Why Won't They Listen? How To Evangelize an Increasingly Secular World". He explained that public schools are giving children an "evolution foundation" which makes the Christian's job of evangelizing much more difficult. He said that we need to use the evangelism method that Paul used while witnessing to the Greeks. Paul had to build a foundation, a Christian foundation based on Creation before telling the unbelievers about sin and forgiveness.

Then author, speaker, and popular musician Buddy Davis took the stage playing the guitar and mandolin for a 20 minute concert. His songs were all Christian themed and fun. ( Buddy Davis is also the man who sculpted all the dinosaurs at the Creation Museum.) I, once again, climbed on stage and met Mr. Davis and got his autograph.

The final lecture was by Dr. David Menton on the movie, "Inherit the Wind", a film with a twisted view on the Scopes Trial. He went over the basics of the Scopes Trial and what went on during it. I'll post more on this later in my up-coming series on the Scopes Trial.

The conference was very educational and fun ( and cost a reasonable $16 per family). My entire family enjoyed it, even the younger ones. Ken Ham's ministry is awesome! Founded on Genesis and the marvels of Creation, it has spread through America and the rest of the world. Hopefully, his ministry will continue to grow in the up-coming years.

Freedom of Speech, Restricted...

2006-01-20T15:09:00.000-05:00

You would think that spreading the Gospel in a nation that has freedom of religion would be fairly easy, right? Unfortunately, it's not.

Fort Worth, Texas:

Lawyers for a woman who was told she couldn't distribute religious materials on a sidewalk in front of a high school said Monday that her free speech rights were violated and demanded that the school change its policies.

Janice Colston, 65, of Fort Worth, Texas said she was outside Crowley High School when the assistant principal ordered her to dispense Christian pamphlets at the end of the block, not in front of the school.

School officials said it is a safety concern because students board buses in that location. "The safety of our students is always going to be foremost in our minds," said Janet Wynne, Crowley ISD assistant superintendent.

But Colston's lawyers say the sidewalk is a public forum, and that any infringement upon that right of free speech warrants legal action.

"If there's one piece of law that's undisputable, it's that every citizen has a right to speak and share the gospel on a public sidewalk," said Kelly Shackelford, chief counsel for Liberty Legal Institute, which is representing Colston.

Colston said she was directed to a spot that offered no access to students as they left the building.

Not only does the government want to keep religion away from schools, but to keep religion totally away from students!

End of the Spear

2006-01-19T12:33:00.000-05:00

In January 1956, the death of five missionaries at the hands of the Waodani tribe of Ecuador was big news around the world; 50 years later End of the Spear, opening Jan. 20 in 1,200 theaters nationwide, recaptures that agony and the astounding change that followed as the power of forgiveness became evident.

But this first dramatic product of a new movie company is also one more example of how Christians are adding to American culture rather than merely trying to subtract harmful elements of it.

Mart Green, an Oklahoma City businessman whose family owns the Hobby Lobby craft chain and the Mardel Christian bookstore chain, founded the new company, Every Tribe Entertainment, in 1998. He told WORLD, "I was raised never to go to movies," and at age 35 "had never been in a theater." But he saw the effect of media on his children and also witnessed the commitment of Bible translators in Guatemala. During conversations at a meeting of the North American Forum of Bible Agencies, the account of the five slain missionaries and the aftermath kept coming up.

Mr. Green brought on board director Jim Hanon, who had made commercials for his company, and producer Bill Ewing, a Christian with 43 years of experience in the Hollywood film industry. Together they formed Every Tribe Entertainment with the goal of making a movie that would focus not on the martyrdom of the missionaries but on the Waodani (known to neighboring tribes as "Auca," meaning "savage") and how they changed. "We went down to Ecuador, flew out to the bush, backpacked out, and asked the permission from the Waodani," Mr. Green said.

At first the tribal elders were unwilling. Then the conversation turned to the then-recent Columbine school shooting. "We know the anger and hate that go with that," the elders said. "If our story can help North America, fine."

Mr. Hanon recalls, "We lived with the Waodani for 17 days. . . . We bathed in their river and ate monkey and ate in their huts. The simplicity of their faith and their lifestyle was such an interesting and unique thing for us." The first project was Beyond the Gates of Splendor, a documentary released last year. Then came the feature film, End of the Spear, filmed in the jungles of Panama. Professional actors portrayed four of the Indian roles, but the rest were members of an indigenous tribe, the Embera.

Although the Embera had never seen a movie before and didn't know how to act, Mr. Hanon said "they were able to understand what their character was feeling and portray it. It made it not about what was said but about the delivery, the intent, the emotion." Much of the film is in the Embera language: "Doing it in their language also created a great relationship with them. Usually they had to learn the other language."

Despite or because of the difficulties, the result is exquisite. With the cameras capturing the lush beauty of the rain forest, End of the Spear (rated PG-13 for violence) evokes two different worlds that first clash and then are reconciled, and tells the story from two alternating points of view. We get the perspective of Mincayani (based on the real-life Micaye), first shown as a child whose parents are killed in a tribal vendetta and then as the warrior who kills Nate Saint. We also see the point of view of Steve Saint, first as a 5-year-old boy in a missionary household and later as an adult.

Movies generally depict tribal people as indistinguishable stereotypes, but this film brings alive unique personalities within the Waodani tribe. The film shows them smiling, playing, worrying, and being likeable—except for that habit of killing each other. Director Jim Hanon coaxes remarkable performances from the indigenous people who make up most of his cast.

The film also captures the feel of the 1950s in its portrayal of the missionary household, as little Stevie in his cowboy hat overhears the missionaries making their plans and worries about his dad. After the slow-motion scene in which the five missionaries die, we see his grief. Then we see him living with the tribe, playing with the Waodani children, and gradually developing a life-long friendship with Mincayani, who struggles to accept his forgiveness.

The real-life Steve Saint, a missionary pilot like his father, flew the planes in the movie and commented on the script as it was developed. Mr. Saint said that when he lived with the Waodani as an adult, he and his wife showed them movies, with as many as 100 people crowding around the screen in their home. The Waodani said of Hollywood violence, "We killed people we hate, but the foreigners kill people they don't even know."

Mr. Saint showed End of the Spear to the real-life Micaye, wondering whether he would comprehend it. A little way into the movie Micaye said, "Look! That's like me!" Mr. Saint replied, "And see that little boy, he's like me!" Micaye kept up the thrill of recognition, saying throughout the movie, "And that's like . . ."

"When it got to the killing scene," Mr. Saint said, "I held my breath and prayed he wouldn't be offended." Micaye was somber as the movie depicted his character killing the missionaries. "This is our history," he said, "but other people are pretending to be us."

At the end of the movie, Micaye said he felt "very much well." Why? "Maybe now the foreigners who are living angry and killing will see there is a better trail and they will want to walk this good trail."

-WORLD Magazine

Read the entire review here.

Sick....

2006-01-17T10:17:00.000-05:00

Having the flu is NOT fun... So if you don't see or hear from me in a couple of days, I'm fighting this dreaded sickness. But I shall return soon....

Season Premiere Tomorrow Night!

2006-01-14T15:19:00.000-05:00

I hate that the show has to premiere on Sunday! That's so annoying! But after tomorrow's premiere all the other episodes will be shown on Monday.

24 is a drama following the actions of a CTU ( counter- terrorism unit) agent, Jack Bauer ( Keifer Sutherland). Each episode is one hour in the day. ( 24 hours, 24 episodes) During the show, terrorists attack the US in one way or another. Bauer and his team have to find the terrorists, stop the terrorists, free hostages, follow leads, stop bombs from going off, etc.. The show is REALLY nerve-racking and suspenseful. This will be the fifth season of 24. The show has ranged from presidential assasination attempts, nuclear weapon threats, hostage situations, etc... Sean Astin ( Sam from Lord of the Rings) will star in the show this season.

Last season, Jack and his team had to stop the launching of a nuclear bomb ( by terrorists of course) and rescue a prominent Senator from execution at the hands of Muslim extremists.

24 is probably my favorite TV show, but it is not for everyone. The show is rated TV-14 for violence ( which gets really bad at times) and some foul language ( very rare and very brief).

I can't wait!

Alito Hearings

2006-01-13T08:53:00.000-05:00

On his final day before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito covered some new ground as senators conducted a third round of questioning. Other witnesses testified on the nomination.

Below, are some of Alito's answers to important questions posed at him.

ON REPLACING SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR:

Alito said O'Connor, whom he would replace on the court, will be remembered for her devotion to the facts of the cases that come before her. Alito said he would try to emulate "her integrity and her dedication to the case-by-case process of adjudication." Asked by Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., whether he would fill O'Connor's role as a centrist on the court, Alito said he will be his own person with "whatever abilities I have and whatever limitations I have."

JUDICIAL TERM LIMITS:

Alito said that had he been a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, he would have supported lifetime tenure for federal judges, which is the case now, or would have supported long terms "so that the judiciary would be insulated from being swayed by popular opinion."

DEATH PENALTY:

Sen. Patrick Leahy D-Vt., asked Alito whether, as a courtesy, he would sign on as the required fifth person if four other justices vote to stay an execution or hear the case. Alito said that seems to be a "very sensible procedure because I think we all want to avoid the tragedy of having an innocent person executed."

STARE DECISIS:

On the principle that a court should adhere to principles laid down in previous decisions, Alito said courts need a special justification for overruling a prior precedent. He also said reliance on a precedent and its reaffirmation in subsequent decisions are important factors to consider. "But I've also said it's not an inexorable command," Alito added.

CONGRESS AND THE COURT:

Kohl said that in recent years the Supreme Court, under former Chief Justice William Rehnquist, has struck down more laws than any court in recent memory. Alito responded that he would approach cases involving acts of Congress with a "heavy presumption" that they are constitutional.

DISCRIMINATION:

Alito told Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., "I can't think of a reason" why Congress would not have the power to prohibit employment discrimination against gays and lesbians, although he said he would have to see the arguments.

RIGHT TO DIE:

Leahy brought up the controversial case of Terri Schiavo, the Florida woman who suffered a brain injury in 1990 that left her in what some doctors called a "persistent vegetative state." Schiavo was at the center of a fierce fight between her husband and family over her fate. Leahy asked whether patients with a living will can designate somebody to speak for them "in a case of terrible injury" or unconsciousness.

"Yes, senator," Alito responded, "that's, I think, an extension of the traditional right that I was talking about that existed under common law. And it's been developed by state legislatures, and in some instances by state courts, to deal with the living will situation and with advances in ... medical technology, which create new issues in this area."

Read more here.
-----------------------------------------------------

Alito has faced very tough questioning and done very well. The Democrats of Congress try to attack him in any way possible, but Alito has held his own. He looks like a man, capable of filling the position of a Supreme Court judge.

In 30 years...

2006-01-11T22:53:00.000-05:00

Here's something I found on a message forum, hopefully, it's only a joke!

Headlines from the year 2036:

-Ozone created by electric cars now killing millions in the seventh largest country in the world, Mexifornia, formerly known as California.

-White minorities still trying to have English recognized as Mexifornia's third language.

-Spotted Owl plague threatens northwestern United States crops and livestock.

-Baby conceived naturally; scientists stumped.

-Last remaining Fundamentalist Muslim dies in the American Territory of the Middle East (formerly known as Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, and Lebanon).

-Iraq still closed off; physicists estimate it will take at least 10 more years before radioactivity decreases to safe levels.

-France pleads for global help after being taken over by Jamaica.

-Castro finally dies at age 112; Cuban cigars can now be imported legally, but President Chelsea Clinton has banned all smoking.

-George Z. Bush says he will run for President in 2036.

-Postal Service raises price of first class stamp to $17.89 and reduces mail delivery to Wednesdays only.

-85-year, $75.8 billion study shows that: Diet and Exercise is the key to weight loss.

-Average weight of Americans drops to 250 lbs. J

-Massachusetts executes last remaining conservative.

-Supreme Court rules punishment of criminals violates their civil rights.

-Average height of NBA players now nine feet, seven inches.

-New federal law requires that all nail clippers, screwdrivers, fly swatters, and rolled-up newspapers must be registered by January 2037.

-Congress authorizes direct deposit of formerly illegal political contributions to campaign accounts.

-IRS sets lowest tax rate at 75 percent.

-Florida voters still having trouble with voting machines

2: Heaven to find...

2006-01-11T10:16:00.000-05:00

The continuation of the study on the Bible lessons taught in the New England Primer.

Heaven to find;The Bible Mind.

What does it mean to find heaven?

Finding heaven means reaching the saving knowledge of God, realizing and believing that there is indeed a God and a heaven. Once you have become saved, you have in essence, found heaven.

...and he that seeketh findeth... -Matthew 7:8

Where do you seek heaven?

In the Bible. Mind the Bible, read the Bible, and study the Bible. The Bible holds the answers to our spiritual questions. The Bible explains what heaven is, why it exists, and how to get there. In order to find heaven, mind the Bible.

Therefore, this lesson- Heaven to Find; the Bible Mind- is explaining that in order to discover the truths of heaven, in order to find heaven, we must mind the Bible.

The New England Primer was once taught throughout all the schools in America, but sadly these important Bible lessons have been completely removed from the nation's public schools. Pray that God will reveal these lessons to children, teens, and adults as well...

Answers In Genesis stuff...

2006-01-09T20:20:00.001-05:00

Today, I'm doing something quite different on my blog...advertising! A couple of weeks ago, my family ordered some Answers In Genesis material. As usual, their products were very good! Here are two of them:

It Doesn't Take a P.H.D....The Cure for a Culture in Crisis- DVD ( 45 minutes long)

It Doesn't Take a P.H.D by Doctor A. Charles Ware is a thought-provoking DVD explaining America's sinful culture and it's steady downfall. Dr. Ware takes Bible passages describing a cultural downfall and compares them to America's current position. He claims that America has fallen so far away from God ( through issues such as abortion, gay marriage, euthanasia, etc...) that as a result, God has taken His hand off of America and let it run away from Him into its own vile passions. He urges all of us, as Christians, to earnestly pray for a reformation of America.

Learn more about It Doesn't Take a P.H.D... here.

Grand Canyon, A Different View- book

Grand Canyon... is authored by tour-guide, Tom Vail. The book explains a Biblical Grand Canyon, formed by the Flood. The jaw-dropping photos and stories inside are a plus as well. Mr. Vail describes how he went from an evolutionist to a Bible-believing Christian after being witnessed to by a woman he was guiding through the canyon. Grand Canyon... disproves evolutionist theories and point out physical evidence of the Flood.

The book has undergone a lot of fire by atheist and evolutionists who tried to have it removed from Grand Canyon gift shops. Fortunately, the book remains there to be read by many!

Learn more about Grand Canyon, A Different View here.

Tagging Season

2006-01-07T20:46:00.000-05:00

Well, I suppose there isn't any definite season for tagging, but it is quite rampant right now. Of course, we all can't respond every time we get tagged! But I have been tagged twice this week and am going to respond below. :) Enjoy! (if it doesn't bore you to death!)

Smaller one first...

I was tagged by Rabenstrange so here are Five Weird Things about Me:

1. I painted my hair lime green for my birthday! ( washed it off a couple of days later..)
2. I love the smell of skunk!
3. I participated in a contest to see who could make their face turn the most red, by holding our breath. ( I ended up temporarily losing consciousness)
4. I have broken several garage windows while playing baseball.
5. I've eaten jalapeno-flavored jelly beans! :)

I tag:
Emily
Danika
Kristin
Pete
Travis

Participate only if you want to!!!

And now, after being tagged by Danika, here is the OLS ( outrageously, long survey!)

*this survey has been edited by me*

Basic Questions...

1. First Name?:Zachary
2. Middle Name?:Paul
3. Age?: 15 years, 3 months
4. Birthday?: October 23rd
5. Where do you live?: Lost in New Jersey

6. Where were you born?: same as above
7. Who do you live with?: two parents, four sisters, one brother, two crazy cats, and a pigeon
8. How many siblings do you have?: five
9. Pets?: Two cats, 1 pigeon, and about 10 chickens
10. Grade at school?: Junior year in Highschool
11. Where do you go to school?: home! :)
12. Hair color?: very dark brown
13. Hair style?: no style, it just sits there on my head
14. Eye color?: light blue
15. Ethnic background?: Italian, German, and a bit of American Indian (Blackfoot tribe)
16. Do you play any sports?: baseball, soccer, and basketball with friends and family
17. If so, which ones?: see above
18. Do you play any instruments?: yes
19. If so, which ones?: piano ( poorly), harmonica ( a little bit), and will learn the guitar..
20. Height?: around 5' 11"
21. Weight?: not sure...
22. Do you look like anyone famous?: no... :(
23. Any nicknames?: Zack or "Z"
24. Do you like your name?: It suits me....
25. If you could change it, what would you want it to be?: Lance or Lemmuel...
26. Any talents?: hmmm.... yeah, I guess I have some
27. Do you have a cell phone?: no :(
28. If so, which kind?: N/A
29.What is your ringtone?: N/A

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE...

30. Movie?: "Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"
31. TV Show?: 24

32. Actress?: hmmm.... Nicole Kidman probably...
33. Actor?: Will Smith
34. Comedy movie?: Napoleon Dynamite!!!!
35. Romantic movie?: none...
36. Historical movie?: Tora, Tora, Tora!
37. Music Genre?: Country music
38. Band?: Lonestar
39. Singer?: Sara Evans...:)
.40. Song of all time?: "Ring of Fire" or "God Bless America" ( Lee Greenwood version)
41. Store [non-clothing]?: Barnes and Nobles
42. Store [clothing]?: don't have one....
43. Shoes?: Wolverine boots...
44. Place to go?: over my grandfather's house...
45. Vacation spot?: definitely Gettysburg!
46. City?: Orlando, Florida
47. Animal?: Panda bear
48. Candy?: Butterfingers
49. Food?: popcorn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
50. Holiday?: Christmas
51. Month?: APRIL!!!! (Baseball season begins!!!!!)
52. Car?: Hummer....
53. Sport to watch?: baseball!
54. Sport to play?: same as above
55. Subject in school?: Literature or History...
56. Book?: "Ben Hur"
57. Author?: C. S. Lewis
58. Color?: aqua or sky blue...
59. Cartoon?: hmmm.... Duck Dodgers.. :)
60. Artist?: I'll be really original *rolls eyes* Leonardo DaVinci....
61. Disney movie?: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
62. Quote?: "I have not yet begun to fight!"- John Paul Jones
63. Inspirational figure?: President Bush

--> 10 things you can't live without..

1) God
2) Family
3) Bible
4) Baseball... :)

5) Me...
6) Libraries..
7) a brain...
8) POPCORN!!!!
9)Ice cream!!!!
10) sleep...

--> 9 Songs that describe your life

1) Proud to be an American ( or God Bless America)- Lee Greenwood
2) Up! ( kinda, I guess...)- Shania Twain
3) Believe- Brooks and Dunn
4) Golum's Song- Two Tower's soundtrack... lol
5) If I ruled the World- War of the Worlds soundtrack...
6) Keeper of the Stars- Tracy Bird
7) How Great Thou Art, the hymn...
8) American Child- Phil Vassar
9) Have You Forgotten?- Daryl Worley

--> 8 of your favorite songs...

1) Ring of Fire- Johnny Cash
2) Thunder Rolls- Garth Brooks
3) Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue- Toby Keith

4) Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?-Alan Jackson
5) Keeper of the Stars- Tracy Bird
6) Beer For my Horses- Toby Keith
7) Saints and Angels- Sara Evans
8) No Place that Far-Sara Evans

--> 7 of your best friends...

1) Dad
2) Mom
3) Ashley
4) Grandfather
5) God
6) a sibling...
7) a sibling...

--> 6 things you always wear

1) skin
2) pants...
3) shoes...
4) a belt..
5) hair..
6) shirt

that was rather stupid.....

--> 5 of your favorite movies

1) Fellowship of the Ring
2) Two Towers
3)Return of the King

4)Signs
5)Independence Day

--> 4 things you could always eat

1) POPCORN!!!!!!!!!
2) CHOCOLATE!!!!!!!!!!!
3) cake
4) pie

--> 3 things you'd do with a trillion dollars

1) Buy a mansion on a river-side
2) Donate to my church!
3) Buy a castle...

--> 2 of your goals...

1) Become a doctor...
2) have a family and raise many children for the Lord

-->1 Most important thing to you...

1) My Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ

Random Questions.....

93. Do you have a cell?: I already said no!!!!
94 Do you have a computer?: yes, a Compaq Presario (sp?)
95. Most expensive pants?:I dunno....
96. Most expensive shirt?: no clue
97. Do you drive?: not yet...
98: What kind of car do you have?: none
99. Are you smart?: hmmmmm... good question! probably, but I'm not absolutely positive
100. What kind of grades do you have?: A's + Bs.
101. What cool electronics do you have?: not many.... and none worth mentioning
102. Do you have an MP3 player?: no... :(
103 What's your screen name?: MVP or MVB
104.What was your first sn ever?: same as above
105.Do you use AIM, MSN or yahoo?: all three all the time...
106. How many kids do you want to have someday?: a lot... but no definite number..
107.What would you name them?: whatever I feel like.... :)
108. Do you want to get married?: yes
109.Where do you want to live?: Montana
110.What do you want to study in college?: Medicine
111.Best concert you've been to?: Sean Hannity Freedom Concert!
112. Trademark saying of yours?: lol
113. Favorite quote ever?: *sigh* I have millions of them.....
114. Do you like to dance?: NO!
115.Color you think you look best in?: Black
116. If you could dye your hair any color, what would it be?: no dying for me!
117. Any piercings?: no!
118. If so, where?: N/A
119. How many?: none, I said!
120. Any tatoos?:No
121. Where & What?:N/A
122. If you dont have any, do you want a tatoo?: not particularly.....
123. What kind?: this is annoying!
124. How many DVD's do you own?: about 25.... I know, it's sad...
125. Do you own any TV seasons on DVD/: 4....
126. If so, which ones?: Andy Griffith, Beverly Hillbillies, and a couple others...
127. What's the first pet you ever had?: hamster
128. Favorite grade in school?: 6th!

This or that?

129. Movies at home or movies in the theater?: Theatre!!!
130. Popcorn or candy?: Popcorn!!!!

131. East coast or west coast?: East coast, definitely!!!
132. Snow or rain?: rain....
133. Summer or winter?:winter...
134. Fall or spring?: Fall! ( my favorite season)
135. Christmas or Valentine's Day? Christmas
136. Audi or BMW?: BMW
137 Range Rover or Rolls Royce?: Range Rover
138. Breakfast or dinner?: Dinner
139. Pizza or french fries?: Fries
140. McDonalds or Wendys?: McD's
141. Cell phones or pagers?: Phones
142. Cats or dogs?: dogs!
143. Rap or rock?: ROCK!!!
144. MP3s or radio stations?: radio...
145. Pink or orange?: Orange.
146. Red or yellow?: Red
147. Green or blue?: Blue
148. Going to the beach or swimming in a pool?: Beach

** Wrapping it all up...
What time is it?: 10:30 PM
How long have you been doing this?: ages and ages ( actually like an hour)
Do you like taking surveys?: comparatively....
Any final thoughts?: This was a VERY repetitive survey!!!! But enjoyable...

----------------------------------------------------

Phew! I thought I would never get done!!!!

Now I'm sure you'll ask me " MVB, why did you choose to waste an hour of your life like this?' and I'll say " I have no idea why...." :)

I tag:
Sara
Kaitlin
Neo
Hannah
Lindsey

Take this survey, only if you want to!

Hope you've enjoyed!

Adam's Fall

2006-01-06T10:43:00.000-05:00

In ADAM'S Fall, We sinned all.

1. In Adam's Fall...

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. -Genesis 3:1-6

This act of eating the forbidden fruit by Adam was in direct violation of the rule God had given to him:

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. -Genesis 2:16-17

This act, as described in Genesis 3, was the first sin; this was Adam's fall.

2. ...We sinned all

And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. -Corinthians 15:45

The first Adam, is the Adam from Genesis 1. And Adam was made a representative of mankind. When he fell into sin, all of mankind fell into sin. We became sinners with Adam; we died spiritually with Adam.

The last Adam refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ also was a representative of man. He came down to earth in the form of a man, and died on the cross for OUR sins. He represented man and paid for man's sins.

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. -Corinthians 15:22

We all died in sin with Adam, and we all rose with Christ, the last Adam. Without Christ, the sin of Adam would be on our heads forever.

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. - 1 John 4:9

Israeli Prime Minister Sharon Suffers Cerebral Hemorrhage

2006-01-04T17:31:00.000-05:00

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon' suffered a massive stroke Wednesday and was on a respirator after falling ill at his ranch. Doctors operated to drain excess blood from his brain.

Powers were transferred to his deputy, Vice Premier Ehud Olmert.

Dr. Shlomo Mor-Yosef, director of Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, said Sharon suffered "a significant stroke," adding that he was "under anesthetic and receiving breathing assistance." A few minutes later, Mor-Yosef emerged to say that initial tests showed Sharon had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, or bleeding in his brain.

Mor-Yosef said Sharon, 77 and overweight, had "massive bleeding and was being transferred to an operating theater."

Dr. Shmuel Shapira of Hadassah Hospital told Channel 10 TV that Sharon was taken to an operating room to drain the blood after suffering what he termed a "massive stroke."

Channel 2 TV said Sharon was suffering from paralysis in his lower body. Analysts on Israeli TV stations said he life could be in danger.

The latest health crisis came hours before Sharon was to undergo a procedure to seal a hole in his heart that contributed to a mild stroke on Dec. 18. Since then, Sharon had been on blood thinners, which increased his chances of bleeding.

Read more here.
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Prayers are desperately needed for the Israeli Prime Minister.

Series on the New England Primer and other stuff...

2006-01-04T13:00:00.000-05:00

Over the next month or so, I will be studying and researching the A-Z Bible lessons taught in the New England Primer. That will be very interesting...

We should all continue to pray for the families of those 12 miners who were found dead last night. At first, the news reported that 12 were alive and one was dead, but in truth one was alive and the other twelve were dead. It is a very tragic incident, so keep the sole surviving miner (who is in critical condition) and the famileis of all the miners in your prayers.

Read more about that story here.

Agent Tim is also covering this tragic incident.
------------------------------------------------------

For some lighter news, The Rebulation is going on tour!!!! This tour will start in Sacramento, Ca on March 11th, 2006. Online registration will be available starting on January 6th.

I continue to encourage you all to check out Sara's "Prayer in the Public School System" post as well.

Prayer in Public School

2006-01-03T22:48:00.000-05:00

Sara at No Greater Love has put together an excellent post on prayer in the public school system. Should prayer be allowed in school? Is removing prayer from school violating our "right to free speech"? I encourage all my readers to check it out, it is well-worth a visit.

Coal Mine Tragedy

2006-01-02T22:26:00.000-05:00

A coal mine explosion that may have been sparked by lightning trapped 13 miners 260 feet below ground Monday, and rescuers went in to find them after waiting almost 12 agonizing hours for dangerous gases to clear.

The condition of the miners was not immediately known. Four co-workers tried to reach them but were stopped by a wall of debris, and the blast knocked out the mine's communication equipment, preventing authorities from contacting the miners.

It was not known how much air they had or how big a space they were in. The miners had air-purifying equipment but no oxygen tanks, a co-worker said.

"You just have to hope that the explosions weren't of the magnitude that was horrific from the beginning," Joe Manchin, governor of the nation's No. 2 coal-producing state, told CNN. He added: "There's always that hope and chance that they were able to go to part of the mine that still had safe air."

The first of eight search-and-rescue teams entered the Sago Mine, more than 11
hours after the blast trapped the miners. Rescue crews were kept out of the mine for most of the day while dangerously high levels of carbon monoxide — a byproduct of combustion — were vented through holes drilled into the ground, authorities said.

Company officials believe the trapped miners were about two miles inside the mine, about 260 feet under the ground. The crew entered the mine on foot for fear of sparking another explosion.

The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration sent a rescue robot to the mine, situated about 100 miles northeast of Charleston.

Some 200 co-workers and relatives of those trapped gathered at the Sago Baptist Church, across the road from the mine.

Anna McCoy said her husband, Randall, 27, was among those missing. She said he had worked at the mine for three years "but was looking to get out. It was too dangerous."
Coal mine explosions are typically caused by buildups of naturally occurring methane gas, and the danger increases in the winter months, when the barometric pressure can release the odorless, colorless and highly flammable gas.

Manchin spokeswoman Lara Ramsburg said the blast may have been sparked by lightning from severe thunderstorms .But Roger Nicholson, general counsel for the mine's owner, International Coal Group, said that it was not clear what caused the blast and that there was no indication it was methane-related.

The mine has a single entrance, and the shaft winds its way for miles underground. The miners were supposed to be working about 160 feet below the surface, said the wife of one of the trapped men. But it was unclear how far into the shaft they had gone when the blast struck.

Gene Kitts, a senior vice president at ICG, said the company was preparing to drill into the mine to reach the miners.

"If the miners are barricaded, as we hope they are, they would prepare themselves for rescue by rationing," Kitts said. The miners would probably have only their lunches and water on hand.

The blast happened between 6 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. as the first shift of miners entered to resume production following the holiday, Ramsburg said.

"As they were heading in, the car in the back either heard or felt some type of explosion. They headed back out. The first car never made it back out," she said.

Thirteen miners were trapped, the coal company said. Four co-workers tried to reach the missing miners but "came to a wall" of debris, said Steve Milligan, deputy director of Upshur County's Office of Emergency Management.

Samantha Lewis, whose 28-year-old husband, David, was among those trapped, said he worked the mines so that he could be home every night to take care of their three daughters while she worked on a master's degree in health care administration.

"This was a good way to make a living until we could find something else," said Lewis, whose father, grandfather and stepfather also worked in the mines. "It's just a way of life. Unless you're a coal miner or you have a college degree, you don't make any money."

Miners who work in the mine carry individual air purifying systems that would give them up to seven hours of clean air, said Tim McGee, who works at the mine and was among those at the church. They do not carry oxygen tanks, he said.

"What I want to hear is he is alive, but they can't tell me that," said Loretta Ables, whose fiancee, 59-year-old Fred Ware Jr., was one of the trapped miners. "He's worked in this mine for six years. He said that's the way he's gonna go — in the mines."

Another trapped miner, 61-year-old Jim Bennett, planned to retire this year, said his son-in-law Daniel Merideth.

"Every day he would come home and pray for who was going in," said Merideth, who stood outside the mining complex. "Right now, he is probably in there witnessing to people. He would be organizing and praying."

Read the entire story here.

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Prayers are needed for these miners and their poor families. Hopefully, they are still alive and can be rescued.

The Creation of the World: Six Literal Days

2006-01-01T16:04:00.000-05:00

The creation of the world is one of the most common Bible stories told. In six days, God created the entire universe. It is the first moment of the world's history, and it shows the awesome might and power of God. But many modern-day Christians interpret the story differently. Their theory is that God created the world over a space of six ages, not days. They believe that the days the Bible mentions are not literal days, but actually a space, any space, of time.

The following is my belief ( and reasons) that the days, mentioned in the Bible, are literal, 24-hour days:

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

The Hebrew translation of the word "day" (used in Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, and 31) is "yom", and the plural (days) used is "yamim." The words, "yom" and "yamim", are used frequently throughout the Bible; they mean a literal day and literal days, respectively. Their meanings remain the same when they are used throughout the Bible.

And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. -Genesis 1:5

The reference to an "evening and morning" shows that the Bible is talking about days, our days. These terms "morning" and "evening" refer to 12-hour periods!

The "evenings" and "mornings" had to be around 12 hours because if it was evening or morning for too long the vegetation might burn up ( scorched) or freeze. Therefore these "evenings" and "mornings" are literal evenings and mornings which compose literal, 24-hour days.

But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. -Exodus 20: 10-11

This passage talks about the Sabbath, one literal day of the week and compares the Sabbath day to the literal day God rested. This passage talks about our seven day week and compares it to the literal seven day week in Genesis 1-2.

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: -Genesis 1:15

Surely the days mentioned in this verse are actual days, and the years, actual years, and the seasons, actual seasons?

And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. -Genesis 1:16-18

This part of the creation story shows the creation of the sun and moon. The sun rules by day, and the moon shines at night. When does the sun shine? During the day. Over a 12-hour space. When does the moon shine? At night, over a 12-hour space. The day that is mentioned here in the Bible was a 24-hour, literal day!

I believe the Bible. I believe it as fact and as truth. I believe that the flood waters were upon the earth for 150 literal days. I believe that Noah let the dove out of the ark after being on Mt. Ararat for 40 literal days. I believe that the children of Israel compassed the city of Jericho for 7 literal days. I believe that Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 literal days and 40 literal nights. I believe that Jesus rose from the dead after 3 literal days. Of course, I believe that God created the world in 7 literal, 24-hour days.

For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is.... Exodus 20:11

New Year's Resolution

2005-12-31T15:00:00.000-05:00

The New Year is closing in fast. Everyone is making New Year's resolutions, promises, and plans.

As Christians, our resolution ought to be that we will grow
more and more in the faith and knowledge of God. We should strive to do exactly what God commands us to do with our lives. We must live for Christ in everything we do!

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. - Romans 12:18

For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord... - Romans 14:8

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; -Titus 2:12

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;-Romans 12:10

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. -Ephesians 5:2

During 2006, we should all strive harder then ever to: live for God, follow His commandments, and honour Him in all that we do.

Have a happy and blessed New Year!

Homeschool Blog Award Winners!

2005-12-30T09:29:00.000-05:00

Spunky Homeschool has announced the winners of the Home School Blog Awards!!!! Here's is the list of winners:

Best Homeschooling Mom Blog:Mother-Lode, Here at the Bonny Glen , and True Blue Semi-Crunchy Mama

Best Homeschooling Dad Blog:Doug Phillips

Best Homeschooling Family Blog:Large Family Logistics

Best Homeschooling Teen Blog:The Rebelution

Best Informational Homeschooling Blog:Mental Multivitamin

Best Inspirational Homeschooling Blog:Holy Experience and Fearlessly Feminine

Best Homeschooling Humor Blog:Danielle Bean

Best Team/Group Homeschooling Blog:Choosing Home and Beauty from the Heart

Best Homeschool Curriculum/Business:Cindy Rushton and Still Thinking

Best Homeschool Blog Template Design:Classical Education 4 Me and Agent Tim

Best Canadian Homeschooling Blog:Poppins Classical Academy and Oneway Purpose

Best International Homeschool Blog:Wired Wisdom

Best Current Events Homeschool Blog:The Common Room and Legal Redux

Best Homeschooling Arts Blog:A Circle of Quiet and Rhetorical Response

Best Homeschooling Photo Blog:My Smoky Mtn. Homeschool and A Picture is Worth a 1000 words

Congratulations to all the winners!

Best Movies of 2005

2005-12-28T22:13:00.000-05:00

My personal favorite movies of 2005:

1. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

The Chronicles of Narnia was clearly the best movie of the year. The storyline is based on the C.S. Lewis classic. Four children ( Peter, Susan, Edmond, and Lucy) enter a closet and find themselves in the world of Narnia. There they must battle the White Witch and end Narnia's hundred year winter. Chronicles isn't just a children's film; yes, it has children characters, but this movie will be loved by adults as well as children. The acting was excellent, all the children played their parts perfectly, and Tilda Swinton deserves an award for her magnificent performance as the White Witch. The visual effects were great ( over 150 different creatures were created to be in this film), the music was magical, and Aslan himself was royal and powerful ( Liam Neeson did a fine job voicing him). The film did carry a subtle Christian message (Aslan death on behalf of Edmond and Aslan's resurrection). Both the death and resurrection of Aslan were emotional and moving scenes. The movie strayed from the book only a couple times, but these were barely noticeable. All together, The Chronicles of Narnia was one of my favorite movies, and I encourage all of you to go out and see it.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe now in theatres, rated PG for mild action sequences and some scary images.

2. War of the Worlds

War of the Worlds is a remake of the 1953 version. War of the Worlds is directed by the incredibly talented Steven Spielberg. ( As a side note, some of the film was shot right around where I live) Tom Cruise, Tim Robbins, and Dakota Fanning make up part of the superb cast. ( Dakota Fanning was especially brilliant) The visual effects were absolutely stunning, from the alien tripods breaking out of the ground to the incredible battle explosions. War of the Worlds was very scary and creepy; most of the movie was filmed at night and the fact that Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise) had to protect his young daughter made the movie even more frightening. One of the most poignant scenes was when a crowd, traveling by foot towards Canada, approaches a railroad track and pauses in front of it as a train passes. Every single car on the train is on fire, and the expressions of horror made by the crowd are absolutely real and terrifying.

War of the Worlds now on DVD, rated PG-13 for frightening sequences of sci-fi violence and disturbing images. As a personal warning, this film was very violent and a lot of foul language was used.

3. Star Wars Episode III:Revenge of the Sith

Revenge of the Sith, the final installment of the most successful franchise in the history of movies, opened on May 19. This Star Wars film was the first one rated PG-13. It was intense, violent, moving, tragic, and awesome all at the same time. Revenge of the Sith is the sequel to 2002's Phantom Menace and the prequel to the original Star Wars. Revenge of the Sith neatly tied together all the loose ends and revealed several key secrets. The movie showed Annakin's transformation from moody Jedi to an evil Sith lord. The movie was very sad ( it had two of my sisters in tears) and at parts light and comical. Following the trail of all Star Wars movies, the acting was pretty bad; Ewan McGregor who played Obi-Wan Kenobi was the only bright spot. The soundtrack and visual effects of this film were absolutely stunning. Revenge of the Sith also did well in the box office, grossing over $900 million dollars world-wide, and was the biggest money-making film in America this year.

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith now on DVD, rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence and some intense images.

4. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the remake of the classic, Willy Wonka. But this newer version sticks according to the novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Thus the "remake" is much, much better. Johnny Depp plays a very odd but very funny Willy Wonka. The difference betweens Depp's Wonka and the 1971 Gene Wilder's Wonka is that Johnny Depp plays a more child-like character. Willy Wonka is a creative genius, but is also very playful and insulting ( in a funny way). Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka acted superior and obnoxious. This aspect of the 2005 version made the film very family-friendly. Freddie Highmore did a superb job playing Charlie Bucket, a poor, young boy who wins the chance of a lifetime to see the mysterious Chocolate Factory. Charlie and his Grandpa Joe ( David Kelly) explore this amazing factory and undergo many adventures within ( you know the story). Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was a very warm, family-oriented movie which was quite different (and better) than the original Willy Wonka.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory now on DVD and Video, rated PG quirky situations, action and mild language.

My Other Blog

2005-12-27T12:28:00.000-05:00

I re-designed my baseball blog, and fixed it up a bit. So for all those baseball fans, you are welcome to visit it! I will also be updating it more regularly. My blog- Baseball Mania.

Christmas Quiz

2005-12-27T00:18:00.000-05:00

How well do you know the true story of Christmas?

Take this Christmas Quiz.

And post your results!

Merry Christmas!!!!

2005-12-23T16:42:00.000-05:00

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazereth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.
- Luke 2: 1-14

Merry Christmas to everyone! Have a wonderful and blessed day!!!!!

A Year in Review

2005-12-21T17:31:00.000-05:00

Watch the highlight reel
here.

The Truth of Creation, banned from schools

2005-12-20T14:04:00.000-05:00

"Intelligent design" cannot be mentioned in biology classes in a Pennsylvania public school district, a federal judge said Tuesday, ruling in one of the biggest courtroom clashes on evolution since the 1925 Scopes trial.

Dover Area School Board members violated the Constitution when they ordered that its biology curriculum include the notion that life on Earth was produced by an unidentified intelligent cause...

The ruling will not likely be appealed by the slate of new board members, who in the November election ousted the group that installed intelligent design, the new board president said Tuesday.

The school board policy, adopted in October 2004, was believed to have been the first of its kind in the nation.

"The citizens of the Dover area were poorly served by the members of the Board who voted for the ID Policy," Jones wrote, calling the board's decision "breathtaking inanity."
"The students, parents, and teachers of the Dover Area School District deserved better than to be dragged into this legal maelstrom, with its resulting utter waste of monetary and personal resources," he wrote.

The board's attorneys had said members were seeking to improve science education by exposing students to alternatives to Charles Darwin's theory that evolution develops through natural selection. Intelligent-design proponents argue that the theory cannot fully explain the existence of complex life forms.

Read more about the case here.

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How sad it is that the truth has been outlawed from these schools. Children will now be forced to blindly accept evolution as truth. It is outrageous that Creationism can't even be taught as an alternative to evolution!

The "Right" To Die

2005-12-15T09:32:00.000-05:00

By 2006, over eighty countries (including Mexico and France) will have outlawed the death penalty. Why? Because, to quote Kajikistani President Emomali Rahmonov: "the right to life is natural, and nobody has the right to deprive any other person of this right." Supposedly, the world is becoming more "civilized."

But in reality, the world is re-accepting a dark, murderous act called euthanasia. Euthanasia was first practiced by the ancient Romans and Greeks. It was carried out through the medieval ages, and used extensively by Nazi leader, Adolph Hitler.

What is Euthanasia?

Euthanasia, the practice of mercifully ending a person’s life in order to release the person from an incurable disease, intolerable suffering, or undignified death. The word euthanasia derives from the Greek for “good death” and originally referred to intentional mercy killing. When medical advances made prolonging the lives of dying or comatose patients possible, the term euthanasia was also applied to a lack of action to prevent death.Active euthanasia involves painlessly putting individuals to death for merciful reasons, as when a doctor administers a lethal dose of medication to a patient. Passive euthanasia involves not doing something to prevent death, as when doctors refrain from using an artificial respirator to keep alive a terminally ill patient. -MSN Encarta

In other words, men ( the doctors performing euthanasia) decide whether a person is "fit to live" or not. Medical doctors decide whether hospital patients live or die. If patients aren't fit, then the doctors (from some countries) will perform a "mercy killing."

What does the Bible Say about Euthanasia?

Here is a case of "mercy killing" from 2 Samuel 1:

Verses 6-10: ...As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul, leaned upon hi spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I. And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me. So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.

So the young Amalekite, saw Saul, almost dead, beyond any medical help, and in terrible pain. Saul asked the young Amalekite to kill him. ( These are the very excuses doctors are now using for their acts of euthanasia) The young Amalekite performed a "mercy killing" on Saul.

Was this the right thing to do? No!

Verses 11-16: Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them: and likewise all the men that were with him: And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword. And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite. And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the Lord's annointed? And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died. And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee saying, I have slain the Lord's annointed.

David saw that this young Amalekite was a murderer. He saw that the young man had murdered Saul. And because of his crime, the young Amalekite was put to death.

Earlier Saul had asked his armourbearer to kill him and put him out of his pain.

1 Samuel 31:4- Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid...

In this instance, Saul was afraid of dying an undignified death ( another "reason" for euthanasia today). But Saul's armourbearer was afraid of taking the life of Saul. He knew it was God's job only to take the life of a man, which is why he refused.

Euthanasia is murder. Plain and simple. When a doctor finds a baby he deems "unfit to live" he then administers a poison to kill the child! Euthanasia is the taking of a human life, it is murder.

With the exceptions of self-defense ( Exodus 22:2), war ( Numbers 10 :9), and capital punishment by authorities (Genesis 9:6) the killing of another human being is wrong.

"Thou shalt not kill." -Exodus 20:13

It is not man's job to take away the lives of people who aren't "fit to live"! Only God has the right to take away a life.

God is the giver of life ( Genesis 2:7), the perserver of life (Acts 17:28), and the taker away of life.

The Lord says: " .......I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand." -Deuteronomy 32:39

Our lives belong to God, not to any man.

Euthanasia Today

March 31, 2005: Florida- Terri Schiavo, a 41-year old woman, died after her feeding tube had been removed for over two weeks. Mrs. Schiavo had extensive brain damage, but was still able to move her head and eyes and smile at her family. Her husband, Michael Schiavo had ordered the feeding tube because his wife would not want to live under these conditions.

The feeding tube is very small and inexpensive, and Terri Schiavo did not take up much room in that hospital. There was no reason for the feeding tube to be removed. Her husband is a evil person who wanted her dead. Michael Schiavo committed murder and got away with it. This happened in our own country.
Read more about the Schiavo case here.

ACLU applauds Judge Greer on his decision to let doctors remove Terri's feeding tube.

December 4, 2005: Amsterdam, Holland- Baby Chanou at Groningen University Hospital was given a lethal dose of morphine and died. She (Chanou) had a terminal digestive disorder. Her parents gave the ok for her death after they deemed the infant unfit to live. "I'm convinced that if we meet again somewhere in heaven," her father said, "she'll tell us we reached the most perfect solution." Read more here.

Baby Chanou

Unfortunately, there are many more cases, but I won't cover them all here.

What countries have legalized euthanasia?

Netherlands: In 2002, the government legalized assisted suicide and euthanasia (the doctor administers a fatal injection of drugs). The law is not limited to adults, nor does an applicant for euthanasia have to be terminally ill. The main basis for a request is unbearable suffering, regardless of life expectancy.

Switzerland: Article 115 of the Swiss Penal Code exempts people who assist in a suicide for honorable motives, such as to help bring an end to suffering. Switzerland also allows voluntary organizations to help people, including foreigners, end their lives.

Belgium: The Belgian Act on Euthanasia, passed in 2002, defines euthanasia as "intentionally terminating life by someone other than the person concerned at the latter's request." Requirements include that the patient should have attained the age of majority, that the request be "voluntary, well-considered and repeated" and the patient be "in a futile medical condition.

Britain: A bill was introduced last month in the House of Lords that would allow a competent and terminally ill person who has reached the age of majority and is suffering unbearably to request either assisted suicide or voluntary euthanasia.

India: The Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine has now proposed guidelines for limitation of life-support treatment to dying patients. The guidelines specify conditions under which treatment for terminal patients may be withheld or withdrawn through a transparent and documented process.

Israel: A government bill - six years in the making - that will allow the terminally ill to die in dignity without being forced to be kept alive by artificial means was passed on its third and final reading by the Knesset plenum on Tuesday in a 22 to three vote, with one abstention.

France: According to the AP, the French may be the worst offenders, with a whopping 73% of all physicians surveyed have euthanized at least one infant with drug overdoses, the preferred method.

Countries trying to pass bills to legalize euthanasia:

Canada: The Criminal Code of Canada outlaws suicide assistance, with penalties of up to 14 years in prison – but opponents have recently challenged the law's constitutionality in court.

Luxembourg: Legislation that would have permitted euthanasia was lost by a single vote in March 2003.

England: England, where legislation that would legalize assisted suicide for the terminally ill was introduced into parliament in September 2004. Fortunately, that bill was voted down, but is sure to be introduced again later.

And these laws are put into effect, in the Netherlands, 15 to 20 infants are deemed "unfit to live" and are killed each year! Doctors are also euthanizing infants with spina bifida, a birth defect, that CAN be repaired! There are also reported cases throughout Europe of doctors euthanizing infants without the parents' consent! And France with 73% of their doctors euthanizing infants!

Euthanasia Laws in America

In 1994, California Bar approved physician assisted suicide stating that a doctor has the right to give a patient a lethal medication with which the patient commits suicide.

In 1998, sixteen people die through Oregon's Death With Dignity Act, physician-assisted suicide. Twenty-six people die the next year.

In California, Oregon, and parts of Michigan and New York, euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide is practiced.

As a side note, last year's Academy Award's Best Picture of the Year was Million Dollar Baby, a movie promoting and glorifying the idea of euthanasia. Read about the film here.

In conclusion, I apologize for this tremendous post. I wanted to show all my readers the evils of euthanasia and it's growth throughout the world. Euthanasia is murder, and many countries of the world are trying to make this type of murder, legal. Even some liberals in our country are trying to make forms of euthanasia legal. Hopefully, these liberals will be defeated, and euthanasia will remain mostly illegal in America.

Homeschool Blog of the Year Awards

2005-12-13T17:37:00.000-05:00

Why is everyone stealing my idea???? :)

Anyway, to all my readers, go out to SpunkyHome School and vote in the Homeschool blog of the year awards! The awards are broken up into several categories: Best Homeschool Family Blog, Best Team/ Group Homeschool Blog, Canadian Homeschool Blog, Current Events Homeschool Blog, Homeschool Arts Blog, Homeschool Blog Template Design, Homeschool Curriculem/ Business blog, Homeschool Photo Blog, Homeschooling Dad Blog, Homeschooling Humor Blog, Homeschooling Mom Blog, Homeschooling Teen Blog, Informational Homeschool Blog, Inspirational Homeschool Blog, and International Homeschool Blog.

The ladies and gentlemen from Still Thinking, SpunkyHomeschool, The Old Schoolhouse, Homeschool Buzz, Jay from Cleveland, A Typical Life/ Homeschool, and Beauty From the Heart did an outstanding job putting this all together. Well done! *applause*

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This is how I voted:

Best Homeschool Family Blog: School at Home
Best Team/ Group Homeschool Blog: The Rebulation
Canadian Homeschool Blog: A Typical Life
Current Events Homeschool Blog: Strangely Normal
Homeschool Arts Blog: Rhetorical Response
Homeschool Blog Template Design: Agent Tim Online
Homeschool Curriculem/ Business blog: Still Thinking
Homeschool Photo Blog: A Picture is Worth a 1000 Words
Homeschooling Dad Blog: Daddy Pundit
Homeschooling Humor Blog: Strangely Normal
Homeschooling Mom Blog: A Typical Life
Homeschooling Teen Blog: Jennifer's Musings
Informational Homeschool Blog: Strangely Normal
Inspirational Homeschool Blog: Spunky Jr.
International Homeschool Blog: Scotland Diaries
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Vote for whoever you want, whenever you want! But make sure you vote before December 26th.

Voting Rules: You may cast ONE vote in each category. You may only VOTE one time. Extra votes will not be counted. All votes are final and cannot be modified once you submit your ballot. The purpose of the email is only to ensure that people only vote one time. Emails will not be saved after the contest is over.

So everyone, vote here!!!

Origin of Christmas

2005-12-10T19:31:00.000-05:00

Christmas, the time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, is sadly a point of argument among many Christians. When I was younger, I thought that all Christians celebrated Christmas. Then the truth was revealed to me. A large portion of Christians believe that the act of celebrating Christmas is a sin! My church's leadership was sure that Christmas was evil, and that my family and I were sinning because we were celebrating it. ( Our church eventually split over this issue) So what is the argument of the "anti-Christmas crowd"?

The anti-Christmas crowd believe that Christmas originated in old pagan December festivals and that the church incorporated this holiday into Christianity. Supposedly, the church did this for a self-promotion. The idea was formed in the 1700s by Paul Ernst Jablonski, a German Protestant, and Dom Jean Hardouin, a Benedictine monk. These scholars based their theory on the "Birth of the Unconquered Sun" festival created by Roman emperor Aurelian. This festival, celebrated on december 25th, was an anti-Christian gathering of European cults who worshipped the sun.

But the above theory is a myth.

Christian scholars, from Rome and Greece, began the attempt to figure out the date of Christ's birth in the second and third centuries, hundreds of years before Emperor Aurelian's festival. These Christians, evidence proves, had a great desire to celebrate Christ's birth. December 25th was settled upon as the date of Christ's birth and throughout the centuries has been celebrated a such. The "Birth of the Unconquered Sun" was actually a festival formed as an alternate celebration to the Christians' celebration of Christmas.

But how was the date, December 25th chosen?

First scholars had to figure out the day of Christ's death. After studying the Gospel of John, Christian scholars concluded that Christ died on 14 Nissan ( around the Passover), according to the Jewish calendar, and March 25th according to Gregorian calendar ( the one used today). Now that the date of Christ death was fixed upon, a Jewish belief was used to determine Jesus' birth. The Jewish belief is that all prophets die on the day they were conceived. Jesus, of course, is the greatest prophet ever, so the conclusion was made that He was conceived by Mary on March 25th. Now we add the nine months of pregnancy and we get December 25th! So it was through this way that December 25th was chosen as the date of Christ's birth.

My conclusion:

Is December 25th really the date of Jesus' birth? Maybe, maybe not. But the point of my article is that Christmas and the celebration of it, is not a sin! I along with most Christians have the want and desire to celebrate the birth of our Lord. How could the celebration of God's works and wonders be a sin? It isn't. Christmas is a time to reflect on an awesome and merciful gift, God's sending of His only Son to die for us.

A movie for all ages...

2005-11-27T17:46:00.000-05:00

WHEN news came through that a film of C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was planned, many must have dismissed the idea as eccentric.

In this age of Harry Potter, and the atheist children's author Philip Pullman, surely C.S. Lewis was quaint, old-fashioned and too closely associated with Christianity to work in this climate?

How could a tale of London war-time evacuee children, a magical wardrobe, a terrifying witch and a lion who serves as a metaphor for Christ translate to an epic film that would take on the other major franchises?

But then, another epic from another crusty Oxford University figure of the 1950s -- J.R.R. Tolkien -- hasn't done badly.

And if this amazing film is anything to go by, C.S. Lewis is about to enjoy a similarly spectacular and well-deserved revival.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a wonderful, colossal film that should entertain people of any age, nationality or religion.

It is not merely a "must-see" but a "must-see again and again". As a film critic of many years, I've given it five out of five. If I could give it six out of five, I would.

Not only does it do full justice to Lewis's classic fantasy, it improves on it and gives a more sophisticated sense of humour.

Above all, there's a spectacular sense of scale that turns the children's saga into a worthy successor to The Lord of the Rings.

Even the Christian subtext of Lewis's book is handled with taste and sensitivity.

Though shot in New Zealand by a US-based director, it remains lovingly true to its British background.

With only a few weeks to go until the end of 2005, I was certain Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit would be carrying off my plaudits as Film of the Year.

But now I have seen this beautiful epic, I would have to give Narnia the award.

The script sticks amazingly -- religiously -- close to Lewis's novel.

The four Pevensie children are sent from London as Blitz evacuees to the rambling country house of the mysterious, eccentric, but benevolent Prof Kirke (Jim Broadbent).

Peter (William Moseley) is the oldest, but his authority is disputed by his stroppy younger brother Edmund. Peter's somewhat priggish sister Susan regards herself as a more responsible guardian of their small sister Lucy. It is Lucy who, in a game of hide-and-seek, discovers that a huge Jacobean wardrobe on the top floor contains more than merely coats and mothballs.

"It's an awfully big wardrobe," she comments in a masterpiece of English understatement as she stumbles out of its back and into the enchanted landscape of Narnia. The White Witch (Tilda Swinton) has ruled the land for a winter lasting 100 years.

Director Andrew Adamson proves not only a master of effects and animation -- that may be expected of the director of Shrek and Shrek 2 -- but an accomplished director of children.

The quality of the four young leads is exceptional -- light years ahead of the Harry Potter cast. They make an utterly convincing and captivating family and provide marvellous depth to characters that were sketchy in Lewis's original.

Even their comic timing is impeccable, as when Peter resists the responsibility of saving Narnia from the White Witch by objecting, "We're not heroes".

The direction is a delight in both its sweep and detail, as when the White Witch casually torches a passing butterfly and turns it to stone without bothering to watch it plummet to earth.

Tilda Swinton must be singled out for her cold, cruel and commanding performance; Ray Winstone and Dawn French are hugely funny as the voices of Mr and Mrs Beaver (two of many animated triumphs); Liam Neeson is impeccably leonine as the voice of the kind, but powerful Aslan.

Despite the long running time (more than two hours) I would recommend Narnia even for small children. Whatever your age, this is a magical movie and far classier and more imaginative than I dared to hope.

More importantly, expect your heart and the hearts of your children to soar.

-Herald Sun

High School Student Sworn in As Mayor

2005-11-22T14:43:00.000-05:00

Michael Sessions began talking about running for mayor when he was a sophomore in high school. He realized that dream before he got his diploma.

Sessions, an 18-year-old senior, became the city's (Hillside, Michigan) youngest mayor on Monday when he took the oath of office. The crowd included city residents, photographers and dozens of video cameras — some from news agencies as far away as Russia and Japan.

"The first couple of days are going to be rough, I think, on me. I've just got to get acquainted with the job," Sessions said earlier Monday as he took reporters on a tour of the city, which has a population of 8,200 and is located about 100 miles southwest of Detroit. "My confidence is gaining a lot each day."

Sessions beat Mayor Doug Ingles, 51, by two votes in the Nov. 8 election despite Sessions' status as a write-in candidate.

Baseball stiffens rules on steroids

2005-11-16T13:32:00.000-05:00

New 3-strikes policy sets suspensions of 50 games, 100 games, potential lifetime ban.

Major League Baseball and its players union agreed to harsher steroid penalties yesterday, more than three months after the Orioles' Rafael Palmeiro became the sport's highest-profile player to be suspended for using performance-enhancing drugs.

Instead of waiting for Congress to define testing procedures, punishments and banned substances, Major League Baseball and the Players Association announced an agreement that is expected to be ratified overwhelmingly by both sides and take effect next season.

"This has not only been a historic day in baseball but a very meaningful one," commissioner Bud Selig said in an evening teleconference........

Under baseball's new proposal, which is nearly identical to one Selig suggested in April, a first-time suspension for failing a drug test would increase from 10 days to 50 games. A second positive test would result in a 100-game suspension, up from 30 days, and a third would warrant a potential lifetime ban instead of the 60-day suspension now in place. After two years, a player banned for life could apply for reinstatement.

Players would now undergo urine testing once during spring training physicals, at least once during the season and again in the offseason. Under the prior agreement, players were tested once between the spring and season's end and again in the offseason. Twelve players, including Palmeiro, failed the tests in 2005. If one of the 12 players tests positive again in 2006, the penalty would be 50 games instead of the 100 now proposed for a second offense because of the major change in policy, said Robert Manfred, executive vice president of Major League Baseball.

The new plan adds amphetamines to the banned list, and mandates that all testing, specimen collection, lab supervision and reporting of positives now be handled by an independent administrator.

During his investigation into performance-enhancing drugs, Selig said he was most alarmed by information that amphetamines - commonly referred to as "greenies" - were prevalent throughout major league clubhouses. A former athletic trainer with the Texas Rangers told Congress that one of his players said eight Rangers starters used amphetamines one season.

If a player tests positive for amphetamines, he would be subjected to mandatory follow-up testing. A second positive urine test would result in a 25-game suspension, a third in an 80-game suspension and a fourth could mean a lifetime ban.

Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo said it was difficult enough to endure Palmeiro's 10-day suspension in August and the scrutiny that went with it. A 50-game penalty would affect a suspended player and his club "tremendously," Perlozzo said.

"It's basically like a two-month injury, and not only that, but you ruin your relationship with your teammates. And to me, that's a more important thing. ... Only a person that doesn't care about his career would get into it now," Perlozzo said. "I would think this should pretty much take care of the problem." -Sun Sentinel

Read the entire article here.

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This is great for baseball. For the past several years, the "penalties" for taking steroids have been laughable. Last year, a player could take steroids, in other words cheat, and have a cheap 10-game suspension. Now MLB is getting serious. These penalties will be heard by baseball players and will scare many of them out of using banned substances. But the best part of these new rules is that testing will be more frequent. I think this will really help baseball at least minimize it's steroids problem. Any thoughts?

Judge Alito- pro-life

2005-11-15T09:43:00.000-05:00

Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito's own words are offering abortion rights and civil rights supporters new fodder in their campaign to impede his bid for a seat on the nation's highest court.

Documents released Monday show Alito in 1985 telling the Reagan administration he was particularly proud to help argue that "the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion," a statement senators want to know more about before voting on his candidacy for the Supreme Court.

"This puts a much stronger onus on Judge Alito to answer questions on this subject," said Sen. Charles Schumer (news, bio, voting record), D-N.Y., who called the 1985 document "the strongest statement we've seen from a nominee on this very controversial subject for a long time."

Added Republican Susan Collins of Maine: "This is an area that should be further explored in his confirmation hearings."

The document, released by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Monday, shows a young Alito applying to become deputy assistant attorney general and saying his previous government work had included helping "to advance legal positions in which I personally believe very strongly."

"I am particularly proud of my contributions in recent cases in which the government argued that racial and ethnic quotas should not be allowed and that the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion," wrote Alito, who was then working for the solicitor general's office.

Alito's supporters say there's nothing surprising in that statement.

He "joins a long list of jurists who have written that Roe was wrongly decided, including Ruth Bader Ginsburg before she was confirmed to the court," said Sen. John Cornyn (news, bio, voting record), R-Texas, a Judiciary Committee member.

"The question is whether he will put his personal views aside as any judge should and base his rulings on what the Constitution says," he added. "His long track record as a federal appeals court judge shows that he has indeed put his personal views on abortion aside, and I have every confidence he will continue to do so."

Read the whole article here.

So know it comes out, that he really is very pro-life. And hopefully he will NOT put aside that "personal" view when he becomes a member of the Supreme Court.

Goliath's name found in Israeli archaeological dig

2005-11-13T17:31:00.000-05:00

An Israeli researcher said he has made a Goliath of a find -- the first archaeological evidence suggesting the biblical story of David slaying the Philistine giant actually took place.

A shard of pottery unearthed in a decade-old dig in southern Israel carried an inscription in early Semitic style spelling "Alwat and "Wlt", likely Philistine renderings of the name Goliath, said Aren Maeir, who directed the excavation.

"This is a groundbreaking find," he said of the rust-coloured ceramic. "Here we have very nice evidence the name Goliath appearing in the Bible in the context of the story of David and Goliath ... is not some later literary creation."

Maeir, head of the archaeology department at Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv, told Reuters that his excavators found the shard, possibly part of a bowl, about two metres (6.5 ft) underground at Tell es-Shafi.

The mound where the dig took place is widely believed to be the site of the ancient city of Gath, which the Bible calls Goliath's hometown.

The biblical story of the epic Philistine giant's defeat at the hands of a much smaller David, who went on to become king of Israel, has long been a popular metaphor for the triumph of good over evil against all odds.

The specimen, from about 900 BC, isn't old enough to have belonged to Goliath, himself -- believed to have lived around 1,000 BC, Maeir said.

But he added: "It is the first time in the land of Israel that we have (found) the name Goliath, or a name like Goliath".

"I haven't found Goliath's skeleton with the hole in the centre of his forehead, but it's the first archaeological evidence form a Philistine site which lends strong credibility" to the story, the U.S.-born researcher said.

The Book of Samuel I 17:4-10 spoke of "a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath", a heavily armed giant who challenged an Israelite soldier to a duel.

David, at the time a shepherd, took up Goliath's challenge and "prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone" (Samuel I 17:50).

Maeir said the shard is also the oldest Philistine inscription ever found in Israel.

"Up until now most of what we know about the Philistines is from the Bible's point of view. ... We get a very, very subjective view. They're the bad people, the barbarians, we don't get anything nice about them," he said.

"When we look at the Philistines from an archaeological point of view we get evidence of a very rich, dynamic, fascinating and advanced culture."

Maier said he spent several months verifying his find with other experts and planned to discuss it at a conference in the United States later this month.

Reuters

A Series of Unfortunate Events

2005-11-10T21:46:00.000-05:00

A very unfortunate thing happened to me about a year ago, I picked up Lemony Snicket's The Bad Beginning, the first in A Series of Unfortunate Events. Actually, I loved the book and read the next eleven books in the series ( of thirteen). The thirteenth book, the conclusion to this series, will come out sometime next year.

The books are based on the lives of the Baudelaire orphans who were left alone in the world after their parents died in a fire. The children, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are shipped to their nearest relative, Count Olaf. He turns out to be a greedy ( and evil) guardian who is out to steal the immense fortune that the children will receive when they come of age. He tries various schemes to keep the children and eventually get their money but they finally get away and go to live with another guardian. But unfortunately for them Olaf follows them everywhere, as they go from inept guardian to inept guardian. The number of villains grow as the series moves alone. Things just go from bad to worse. Meanwhile, the orphans are trying to unravel the growing mysteries. Who ( if anyone) burnt down their house ( in which their parents died)? What is the mysterious V.F.D. that Count Olaf along with their parents were a part of? What connection was their between these enemies and their parents? Are either of their parents alive? Why were there so many house fires amongst their closest friends? What was the mysterious shape of darkness they spotted while riding a submarine? Was there another reason that their enemies were chasing them so vehemently? What do their enemies want with a sugar bowl? In other words, what is going on?

The series is very captivating and intriguing. The books are very easy to read but that doesn't mean that teens wouldn't be interested in them. These books are clean, and the author Lemony Snicket is truly talented. Half the enjoyment gotten in reading these books is in the way the author writes the stories.

The books:

1. The Bad Beginning
2. The Reptile Room
3. The Wide Window
4. The Miserable Mill
5. The Austere Academy
6. The Ersatz Elevator
7. The Vile Village
8. The Hostile Hospital
9 The Carnivorous Carnival
10. The Slippery Slope
11. The Grim Grotto
12. The Penultimate Peril
13. ?

I know what you are thinking, "I don't have time for such silly children's books..." But if you read them, I'm sure you'll enjoy them. Anyway, it's a great break from all the Roman and Greek classics we have to read.

New Jersey

2005-11-09T11:00:00.000-05:00

New Jersey is driving me insane! The state of New Jersey itself I love, I've lived here all my life. But politics-wise we stink! Every election its the same thing: a more corrupt, more vile liberal becomes Senator, Congressman, or Governor. Each year I hope and pray that a Conservative will win any seat, but no, the foolish people of New Jersey keep voting in the worst liberal candidates possible. " Oh, New Jersey needs a change. Let's elect a new and more greedy liberal." Corzine practically bought his victory. He spends outrageous amounts of money in his campaigns and somehow makes the voters forget all the damage he's done to New Jersey. He is making New Jersey worse and worse, raising our taxes, and doing practically everything wrong. BUT KEEPS WINNING!!! It's SO frustrating! How can the voters of New Jersey be SOO stupid!!

It's partially the Republicans of this state's ( if there are any) fault. Why do they keep nominating such terrible "Republican" choices, like Doug Forrester who is pro-choice, supports stem-cell research and has helped raise our taxes almost 200%! How can the few conservatives of the state rally under him, how can there be a huge voter turnout for Forrester???

Anyway the moral of the story is, we're stuck with Corzine for another couple years.

Preaching Bible in church a crime?

2005-11-07T10:43:00.000-05:00

Could the Bible, a document held by Christians as the inerrant and infallible word of God, someday be treated as hate speech? As unlikely a scenario as this may seem considering our nation's history, this is within the realm of possibility if two trends are allowed to converge into a perfect storm of political correctness.

America has always placed a premium on the free exchange of ideas. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides that "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech." Although most speech is protected by the Constitution, the Supreme Court has identified certain types as less deserving of such protection.

These include incitement to immediate lawless action, fighting words, obscenity, defamation and false advertising. Religious speech has always received full constitutional protection, unless it falls within one of these five categories.

The first significant trend has developed in Europe. Over the past decade, many Western democratic nations such as Germany, Sweden, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Britain, Canada and Australia have passed laws criminalizing religious speech that is based on the Bible. Specifically, these laws target speech that could be deemed an aggression against the dignity of its citizens, particularly those who engage in homosexual behavior.

This development, in and of itself, would not be cause for grave concern. After all, repression of religious speech is nothing new in countries such as China and Iran. Many people around the globe live under the persistent threat of criminal penalties for espousing and sharing religious views inconsistent with those of that particular nation's official religion. But the recent development in those Western democracies is nevertheless unsettling considering that a minister who preaches directly from the Bible on the issue of homosexuality is likely to be prosecuted.

A second trend, however, makes this foreign hostility to religious speech significant within our borders. Over the past decade, the U.S. Supreme Court has turned with increasing frequency to foreign law when ruling on hot-button issues such as capital punishment, racial discrimination and gay rights.

Taken together, these two trends mean that legal developments overseas must be monitored and their impact on American jurisprudence scrutinized. It is conceivable, in the near future, that when reviewing the conviction of a minister for labeling homosexuality as sinful during a sermon, the Supreme Court could draw upon foreign law to uphold such a sentence.

Even more troubling, just last month, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (H.R. 2662). This bill would extend hate crimes law, which currently covers classifications of race, religion and national origin, to now include sexual orientation. This would pave the way for banning speech directed at a lifestyle that millions of Americans believe is contrary to the Bible. Such legislation would actually obviate the need for the Supreme Court to draw upon foreign law to take this leap.

What does this mean for the American clergy and Christians? The net effect would be that a minister preaching against homosexuality as a sin would do so under the threat of criminal prosecution. Simply pointing out that a certain lifestyle is against the Bible's teachings, without the suggestion of animus or violence against those who practice it (which would certainly go against the teachings of the Bible), could subject the speaker to possible incarceration.

This goes well beyond the issue of homosexuality. One can foresee a time when singling out other types of lifestyles, based on the Bible, would constitute a hate crime. This would no doubt result in stifling religious speech inside houses of worship across America.

Fifty years ago, the Supreme Court recognized that it is not "in the competence of courts under our constitutional scheme to approve, disapprove, classify, regulate or in any manner control sermons delivered at religious meetings. ... To call the words which one minister speaks to his congregation a sermon, immune from regulation, and the words of another minister an address, subject to regulation, is merely an indirect way of preferring one religion over another."

If the Supreme Court holds true to its precedents, America will weather the incoming storm of political correctness and preserve our most cherished rights, that of free speech and free exercise of religion, without the threat of criminal retribution. Should the court continue down this foreign law slope, however, there is no telling the impact upon religious speech in America.

Read the whole article here.

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Scary article. This is just more proof of America's downward slide. Now that Alito may become part of the Supreme Court, he will be another conservative voice in the Court. This could keep any such "hate speech" laws from being passed, at least in the near future.

Liberals' opinion on the War in Iraq

2005-11-02T22:25:00.000-05:00

As many of you have heard, the liberals, over the last couple of days, have been complaining over President Bush's decision to go into Iraq. Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry and others have been whining over how there was never any weapons of mass destruction, how Iraq was never a threat, and how they have been against the war since the beginning. Some democrats are calling for President Bush's impeachment and our immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq. It seems like the democrats are "flip-flopping", for this is what many liberals said BEFORE the war begin:

October 9th, 1999 Letter to President Clinton Signed by Senators Levin, Lieberman, Lautenberg, Dodd, Kerrey, Feinstein, Mikulski, Daschle, Breaux, Johnson, Inouye, Landrieu, Ford and Kerry -- all Democrats :

We urge you, after consulting with Congress and consistent with the US Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions, including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs.

John Kerry, January 23rd, 2003:

Without question we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator leading an impressive regime. He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation. And now he's miscalculating America's response to his continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction. His consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction.

Bill Clinton, February 17th, 1998:

If Saddam rejects peace, and we have to use force, our purpose is clear: We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program.

Madeleine Albright, February 1st, 1998:

We must stop Saddam from ever again jeopardizing the stability and the security of his neighbors with weapons of mass destruction.

Sandy Berger February 18th, 1998:

He''ll use those weapons of mass destruction again as he has 10 times since 1983.

Nancy Pelosi December 16th, 1998:

Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology, which is a threat to countries in the region, and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process.

Senator Carl Levin September 19th, 2002:

We begin with a common belief that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and a threat to the peace and stability of the region. He has ignored the mandate of the United Nations, is building weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them.

Al Gore September 23rd, 2002:

We know that he has stored nuclear supplies, secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country.

Senator Hillary Clinton, October 10th of 2002:

In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock. His missile delivery capability, his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists including Al-Qaeda members. It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons.

Ted Kennedy September 27th, 2002 :

We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction.

Madeleine Albright November 10th, 1999:

Hussein has chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies.

Robert Byrd October 3rd, 2002:

The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of '98. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retains some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capabilities. Intelligence reports indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons.

Al Gore, September 23rd, 2002:

Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter, and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power.

Senator Bob Graham December 2002:

We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has and has had for a number of years a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction.

----------------------------------------

Can you believe the lying and hypocrisy of the democrats? All this Bush-bashing over the war and look who else supported it, look who else said Sadaam was a threat, and look who else thought that the terrorists in Iraq had weapons of mass destrustion!!! The CIA intellegence reports were what led President Bush to war, he knew that the murderous Saddam Hussein was a threat to this country. The liberals saw the threat too, and agreed that we should go to take out this threat! Even for those who disagreed with the war, it is plain that the democrats in Washington are liars ( among other things :)!

Anger Spreads Across Paris Suburbs After Death of Muslim Boys

2005-11-02T09:32:00.000-05:00

Clashes between angry youths and French police spread to at least six Paris suburbs Tuesday night, with police firing tear gas and rubber-coated bullets at street fighters who lobbed Molotov cocktails and burned cars and trash bins.

With unrest expanding through the northern suburbs of high-rise apartments that house some of France's poorest immigrant populations, senior government officials were debating how to curb the violence during Wednesday morning's weekly cabinet meeting.
The clashes began last Thursday after two African Muslim teenagers were electrocuted in the northeastern suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois while trying to evade police. On Sunday, as the street fighting continued, a police tear gas canister landed inside a mosque during Ramadan prayers, further inflaming the impoverished communities.

On Tuesday night, sporadic fighting crossed into the suburbs from Clichy-sous-Bois to Aulnay-sous-Bois where groups of youths threw stones at police in riot gear and torched 15 cars.

France-Info radio reported about 150 fires throughout the area, including 69 vehicles and dozens of garbage bins.

Adel Benna tried to put himself in the shoes of his shy 17-year-old brother, Ziad, and two teenage friends who scaled a wall and leapt into the cables of a power substation last Thursday evening -- willing to face electrocution rather than the French police officers they were trying to evade in this impoverished Paris suburb.

"Young people don't just throw themselves into an electrical current," Benna said Tuesday, his voice trembling in anger. "They looked behind them and saw something that made them so terrified, so desperate, they did it out of absolute fear. I hate the police. They are responsible for my brother's death."

Ziad Benna and his friend Bouna Traore, 15, sons of working-class African Muslim immigrants, were both electrocuted. A third youth survived.

It set off five days of rioting, firebombing and car burning that continued here at least through Tuesday.

Groups of young men have attacked postal service vans and a police station, and set fire to trash bins during the rampages. The French news media reported that about three dozen law enforcement officials and rioters have been injured in the violence.

-Washington Post

Well right now France is in a mess, as you see here France has trouble keeping down Muslim protesters and riots. But more and more Muslims cross the border into France each day ( as you will notice many of these rioters are Muslim immigrants). Sometime in the not to distant future France's government will be taken over by Muslims.

Agent Tim's victory speech

2005-11-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

Go over and read Agent Tim's victory speech at Agent Tim Online . It really is a great speech as we learn more about Agent Tim's reaction to his overwhelming victory and the brilliant strategy he used. :)

Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith now on DVD!

2005-11-01T09:31:00.000-05:00

When "Revenge of the Sith" hit theaters last May, the most successful film franchise in history concluded with a big, box-office bang.

The final installment in the "Star Wars" saga became the top-grossing movie of 2005 and now stands as the seventh highest money-maker of all time, having amassed more than $380 million in domestic ticket sales. With the holidays looming, the "Revenge of the Sith" DVD is destined to make even more millions, no assistance from The Force needed.

Fortunately for "Star Wars" fans, this two-disc set will make a respectable addition to the library of Skywalker-related releases already occupying space on their entertainment center shelves. Like its DVD predecessors, the film looks sharp, sounds superb and comes with an arsenal of extras, including six deleted scenes, several documentaries and a commentary track. All of it is bound to keep Yoda desciples occupied for hours on end.

-Washington Post

Yes, Star Wars Episode III is finally out on DVD!!! The only problem is that the sale price is $29.98. Is it worth thirty of your hard earned dollars to by a Star Wars DVD? Oh yeah! Especially this Star Wars DVD. I saw Episode III in theatres and it was absolutely awesome, the visual effects were stunning and the acting , believe it or not, was pretty good. Star Wars is rated PG-13 this time though because of violence so it isn't for the squeemish. :) It's the final Star Wars movie ever, so go see it. ( as long as you have seen the other ones too, because otherwise you will be totally lost)

Abortion post

2005-10-31T09:07:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to let you guys know that there is an excellent post on Abortion over at Sara's blog, No Greater Love so go over and read it and discuss it. :) Do you think life begins at conception or not? Is abortion a sin? And should abortion be made illegal? It really is great post so go take a look....

Peek into Narnia

2005-10-31T08:59:00.000-05:00

The hype machine is getting cranked up for the upcoming movie, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, set to open Dec. 9. The dramatization of C.S. Lewis' classic tale, with its clear symbolism of the gospel, is being marketed to and through churches, in the same way as The Passion of the Christ.

WORLD caught one of the "Sneak Peeks" the promoters are staging for pastors and other Christian leaders across the country. (Go to Narniaresources.com for a schedule and ticket requests.) Though the producers of The Passion showed a rough cut of the whole movie, Disney and Walden Media are showing only clips of the Narnia movie. The event also included a walk-through of the plot, presentations from the production companies, suggestions from the evangelistic group Mission America for how churches could use this film, and a presentation from co-producer Douglas Gresham, Lewis' stepson.

Judging from the preview, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe looks very promising, both as a movie and as a Christian testimony.

First of all, will it be a good movie? The clips are stunning visually, showing magnificent snow-covered vistas, epic battles, and startlingly realistic talking animals. The set design, costumes, and cinematography are very satisfying. The special effects are from the same team that worked on the Lord of the Rings movies. The young actors playing Lucy, Susan, Peter, and Edmund seem exceptionally well-cast, and their performances—at least in these clips—are outstanding.

Will the movie be faithful to Lewis' novel and to his Christian themes? The plot elements are all there, including Aslan dying in the place of the sinful child and rising from the dead for his redemption.

The film is a joint venture between Disney—with its expertise in animation and movie-making—and Walden Media, which billionaire Philip Anschutz bankrolled to make positive, Christian-friendly movies. The Walden representative said the company considered this project "a sacred trust." Mr. Gresham said his role as a producer was to be "to blame" if the film was not faithful, thus taking responsibility for preserving his stepfather's legacy.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is the first in what may be a long-running franchise. Walden plans to film all seven of the novels. Mr. Gresham told WORLD that Prince Caspian will be next, if this first movie proves successful.

And there is every reason to think it will be. The book has sold 85 million copies, with legions of devoted fans, young and old. Fantasy and science-fiction fans are also eagerly awaiting this movie, just as they did the other pillar of contemporary fantasy, Lord of the Rings. The Passion of the Christ was rated R, but the Narnia movie will attract all ages, with families buying multiple tickets at a time.

Should churches allow themselves to become part of the marketing juggernaut of this movie? The promoters are offering churches posters, customizable fliers, even bulletin covers, as well as the chance to buy tickets in mass quantities. Churches should not allow themselves to be used commercially, though there is nothing wrong with companies trying to reach a Christian audience. And churches may well be able to use this cultural moment as an opportunity to proclaim the gospel.

That will take more than just going to the movies. Walden is offering a whole array of downloadable study guides, but, as we were told at the Sneak Peek, they are designed for public schools and so are not "faith-based." Churches will have to do their work of preaching, teaching, and evangelizing. But it can only help to have an imaginatively appealing presentation of the Fall, Christ's atonement, and the Christian life making its way through the popular culture.

-World Magazine

I am so excited about this movie! I read the series and everyone who hasn't should. The storyline is gripping and I hope the movie will have as much "magic" as the books had. :)

Case Against Lewis "Scooter" Libby

2005-10-31T08:30:00.000-05:00

Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, one of the most trusted and powerful aides in the White House, was indicted several days ago on charges of obstruction of justice, making false statements and perjury in a case that goes to the heart of the Bush administration's reasons for invading Iraq.

Libby resigned within an hour.

He was charged in connection with statements he made to FBI agents and to a grand jury investigating the disclosure of the identity of CIA operative Valerie Wilson, also known by her unmarried name, Valerie Plame.

The five felony counts were handed up by a federal grand jury, as the panel's term expired. If convicted on all charges, Libby would face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and $1.25 million in fines.

The charges against Libby allege that he lied to FBI agents who interviewed him on Oct. 14 and Nov. 26, 2003. He is also charged with committing perjury while testifying under oath before the grand jury on March 5 and March 24, 2004. The indictment alleges that he engaged in obstruction of justice by impeding the grand jury's investigation into the unauthorized disclosure of Plame's CIA affiliation to various reporters in the spring of 2003.

The indictment alleges that Libby lied about information he discussed about the CIA employment of Plame in conversations he had in June and July 2003 with three reporters — Tim Russert of NBC News, Matthew Cooper of Time magazine, and Judith Miller of the New York Times.

Presenting a portrait of a senior White House aide aggressively seeking information about a critic who had the potential to undercut public support for the war in Iraq, the indictment alleges that Libby learned of Plame's status from an undersecretary of State and a senior CIA officer. It also charges that Libby gathered information about her in the wake of a New York Times column questioning the accuracy of the president's assertion that Iraq had tried to develop nuclear weapons.

In a brief comment, President Bush said he was saddened by the news, but praised Libby for his sacrifices and for working "tirelessly on behalf of the American people." He noted that Libby should be presumed innocent.

"I got a job to do and so do the people in the White House," Bush said, saying he would remain focused on key issues, including a Supreme Court appointment. He added that he would name his nominee "pretty soon."

- Sun Sentinel

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If you notice, Libby has NOT been charged with revealing Valerie Plame's identity as a cover agent. He is just charged with lying about it. This case is somewhat similiar with the Martha Stewart case were she was not tried for the crime just for lying about it. They don't even have enough proof that Libby leaked the name, because it had been leaked in a magazine several months earlier! It's not like Mr. Libby put Valerie Plame, her family, or this country in any danger either... The charges and the whole case, in my opinion, is stupid. But what do you guys think, do you think that Prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald has any evidence against Mr. Libby and most of all do you think that Lewis Libby will be found guilty of any of these charges?

Agent Tim Online, Blog of the Year!!!!!

2005-10-28T23:39:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Agent Tim!!!! His blog, Agent Tim Online has been overwhelmingly voted Blog of the Year!!! Once again, congratulations on your truly great blog!

I'm sure we all ( whoever we voted for) think that Agent Tim Online is a deserving recipient of this award!

Tim, you'll have to give yourself the graphic you made... :)

Statistics:

1. Agent Tim Online : 31% ( 40 votes)

2. Spunky Jr. : 21% (27 votes)

3. Strangely Normal: 12% ( 16 votes)

4. Pete's Place: 10% ( 13 votes)

5. The Account: 9% ( 12 votes)

6. Polka Dotted Pickles: 8% ( 11 votes)

7. Jen's Musings : 4% ( 5 votes)

Boy Scout Blogger: 4% (5 votes)

9. Mission 3:6teen: 1% ( 1 vote)

These percentages are approximated and the votes I hope are correct, my apologies if they are off by one.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now I, MVB, want to thank everyone for participating in this event and voting. I especially want to thank those who have never been to my blog before and the parents and other relatives who took time out of their lives to come and vote. I know this election has been a success because of the 130 votes that were cast. Thankyou everybody!!

-Zachary

Vote Here!!

2005-10-20T23:41:00.000-04:00

Please read the following before voting!

Ok, it's time to choose the Blog of the Year. Just comment on this thread, telling us your favorite blog and why you like it ...

Anyone who wants to, can vote, there are no restrictions....

You have from Friday, October 21st to Friday, October 28th to visit the candidates' blogs and make your decision. ( I made the voting time an entire week because I know many of us are busy with work and school and may only have time to visit this blog once during the week.)

Please, invite your friends and readers to come vote, that way the chances of a tie will diminish... :)

Here are the rules:

1. Don't vote for yourself!

2. Don't vote more than once.

3. Don't get mad at someone for not voting for your blog! :)

4. If you want, you can post your choice as "Anonymous."

At the end of the week, the winner will be announced and hold the title of Blog of the Year until this time in 2006.

Remember, this thread is only for voting!

Go VOTE!!!

And spread the word.....

Candidates for Blog of the Year- updated

2005-10-13T22:00:00.000-04:00

Well here is the well-anticipated list of nominees for the Blog of the Year award........ ( The final two nominees were currently added by David Ketter)

1. The Account

The Account (owned by David Ketter) is one of the cornerstones of the Christian "blogworld." The Account's content has provoked passionate debates on subjects ranging from the Iraq war to Lord of the Rings! You can find it linked to about everyone's favorite blog list, since it is an in-depth, common sense blog.

2. In Rejection of Mediocrity

Besides its cool name, this blog is truly unique. ( And in a good way) A resource for Creation Vs. Evolution updates and arguments as well as discussions on Islam, Supreme Court rulings, and other news-related topics. David S. MacMillan III ( owner of In Rejection of Mediocrity) also has provided many of our blogs ( including his own) with cool headers.

3. Spunky Jr.

Spunky Jr. has to be the most up-to-date blog in our "blogworld." It's very talented author ( Kristin), not only keeps her blog moving, but also keeps it very interesting and entertaining. Spunky Jr. is a great place to read devotionals, discuss God's Word, and have friendly conversations ( unlike some blogs I know :).

4. Polka Dotted Pickles

Daring to be different. One of the most frequently visited blogs, Polka Dotted Pickles is a creative, fun blog. Amongst all the deep, theological blogs it's nice to be able to go to Polka Dotted Pickles ( owned by Danika) and talk about your life, experiences, movies, books, music, and other cool stuff. A friend of mine told me: " It's an adventure going to her blog."

5. Boy Scout Blogger

The one word I can use to describe Boy Scout Blogger ( Travis ' blog) is.... Patriotism. Topics ranging from Boy Scout issues to the Supreme Court judges, Boy Scout Blogger is always a great blog to visit. Many controversial arguments have taken place there such as: gay rights and prayer in school. But then there are some not so serious discussions such as paintballing which are always fun to read. Boy Scout Blogger is a very complete and updated blog well worth a visit.

6. Pete's Place

Well, Pete and I don't always agree on everything, I do think he has a great blog. Very well written and well-studied arguments are always to be found on Pete's Place ( obviously owned by Pete). "What is Saving Faith?", "Harriet Miers: What exactly is Bush thinking?", and "The Greatest Gift" are just some of the great articles to be found on this site. As a side note, Pete's Place is also a very heavily trafficked blog, so you can always find people to debate with. :)

7. Agent Tim Online

Just wrapping up its 1st anniversary celebrations, Agent Tim Online ( once again obviously manned by Agent Tim), is one of the most popular blogs around. Because of its focus on the Gospel, Agent Tim Online draws in quite a crowd. It is also a smart, humorous, and high-tech blog, which is Christian teen favorite.

8. Mission 3:6teen

Another Christian teen favorite, Mission 3:6teen ( owned by Jake) is a fun, educational, Christian blog. Life, our purpose in it, how we can glorify God or just some deep meaningful discussions to be found on Mission 3:6teen. On this blog, some of our problems in life, our short- comings are discussed, as well as some stories about Jake's personal life ( like his band, The Second Coming :) This is definitely a great blog for Christians and other alike.

9. Jennifer's Musings

Jennifer's Musings ( run by patriot15 aka Jennifer) is a down to earth, real-American blog. Supporting our troops is one of Jennifer's main themes, along with family issues and"The one good reason....Why we declared WAR." All the discussions are on important, common-sense topics. I think this blog is one of the many under-appreciated blogs, and is really, well worth a visit.

10. Strangely Normal: NeoFascist?

This amazingly straightforward blog operated by "Neo" is an early pioneer in the teen Christian blogosphere. Neo has something to say on just about everything (and he's impeccably correct) and sparks discussion from both believers and nonbelievers alike. Even if those don't interest you, a look at his sidebar is worth the visit. ;)

11. Smart Homeschool

Smart Homeschool - authored by Virtue Magazine tech-guy Alex King - is part of the analytic core of the Christian blogworld. When he posts, the logic and sense displayed makes any reader think "Why didn't I think of that?" While he writes on many controversial issues, he also finds time to take note of some of the latest gadgets and internet developments.

Do not vote yet!!!

First, you guys review this list and tell me if you are ok with it. Then I will post a " Vote Here" thread later next week and we will vote. The days to vote will be October 21st to October 28th. Everyone has one vote and cannot vote for themselves. ( If you want you can vote as Anonymous when the time comes) I'll post more voting rules later....

So give me your opinions, did I leave anyone out? Or is this list satisfactory? ( You'll note I excluded some newer blogs, because they haven't been around all year.)

Remember, before you make up your mind on which blog you will vote for, please, visit each one so you can make a fair decision... :)

Blog of the Year

2005-10-11T12:50:00.000-04:00

Well, this year is coming to a close, and I was thinking what a great year it has been. A great year personally and spiritually for me and my family, and a great year of blogging here in our circle of Christians, homeschoolers, friends, etc... So to honor such a great year, I am going to give away the title of Blog of the Year. In a couple of days, I will reveal the candidates, those who have done an extraordinary job of blogging, holding his or her reader's attention, and all around being fun and intellectual. Then during the course of the following week, you all will vote ( if you want). You can only vote once and never for yourself. Just post your choice for Blog of the Year on the candidate's thread and once the voting is done, I will tally the votes and reveal the winner. ( In case of a tie, well, I will decide.) The winner will hold the title of blog of the year, till this time next year.

You are all welcome to vote ( even you spammers :) and I really hope you do. If you have any questions just ask, I am currently putting together the list of candidates.

Catholic Church no longer swears by truth of the Bible

2005-10-05T11:15:00.000-04:00

-By Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent

" The hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church has published a teaching document instructing the faithful that some parts of the Bible are not actually true.

The Catholic bishops of England, Wales and Scotland are warning their five million worshippers, as well as any others drawn to the study of scripture, that they should not expect “total accuracy” from the Bible.

“We should not expect to find in Scripture full scientific accuracy or complete historical precision,” they say in The Gift of Scripture.

The document is timely, coming as it does amid the rise of the religious Right, in particular in the US.

Some Christians want a literal interpretation of the story of creation, as told in Genesis, taught alongside Darwin’s theory of evolution in schools, believing “intelligent design” to be an equally plausible theory of how the world began.

But the first 11 chapters of Genesis, in which two different and at times conflicting stories of creation are told, are among those that this country’s Catholic bishops insist cannot be “historical”. At most, they say, they may contain “historical traces”.

The document shows how far the Catholic Church has come since the 17th century, when Galileo was condemned as a heretic for flouting a near-universal belief in the divine inspiration of the Bible by advocating the Copernican view of the solar system. Only a century ago, Pope Pius X condemned Modernist Catholic scholars who adapted historical-critical methods of analysing ancient literature to the Bible.

In the document, the bishops acknowledge their debt to biblical scholars. They say the Bible must be approached in the knowledge that it is “God’s word expressed in human language” and that proper acknowledgement should be given both to the word of God and its human dimensions.

They say the Church must offer the gospel in ways “appropriate to changing times, intelligible and attractive to our contemporaries”.

The Bible is true in passages relating to human salvation, they say, but continue: “We should not expect total accuracy from the Bible in other, secular matters.”

They go on to condemn fundamentalism for its “intransigent intolerance” and to warn of “significant dangers” involved in a fundamentalist approach.

“Such an approach is dangerous, for example, when people of one nation or group see in the Bible a mandate for their own superiority, and even consider themselves permitted by the Bible to use violence against others.”

Of the notorious anti-Jewish curse in Matthew 27:25, “His blood be on us and on our children”, a passage used to justify centuries of anti-Semitism, the bishops say these and other words must never be used again as a pretext to treat Jewish people with contempt. Describing this passage as an example of dramatic exaggeration, the bishops say they have had “tragic consequences” in encouraging hatred and persecution. “The attitudes and language of first-century quarrels between Jews and Jewish Christians should never again be emulated in relations between Jews and Christians.”

As examples of passages not to be taken literally, the bishops cite the early chapters of Genesis, comparing them with early creation legends from other cultures, especially from the ancient East. The bishops say it is clear that the primary purpose of these chapters was to provide religious teaching and that they could not be described as historical writing.

Similarly, they refute the apocalyptic prophecies of Revelation, the last book of the Christian Bible, in which the writer describes the work of the risen Jesus, the death of the Beast and the wedding feast of Christ the Lamb.

The bishops say: “Such symbolic language must be respected for what it is, and is not to be interpreted literally. We should not expect to discover in this book details about the end of the world, about how many will be saved and about when the end will come.”

In their foreword to the teaching document, the two most senior Catholics of the land, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Archbishop of Westminster, and Cardinal Keith O’Brien, Archbishop of St Andrew’s and Edinburgh, explain its context.

They say people today are searching for what is worthwhile, what has real value, what can be trusted and what is really true.

The new teaching has been issued as part of the 40th anniversary celebrations of Dei Verbum, the Second Vatican Council document explaining the place of Scripture in revelation. In the past 40 years, Catholics have learnt more than ever before to cherish the Bible. “We have rediscovered the Bible as a precious treasure, both ancient and ever new.”

A Christian charity is sending a film about the Christmas story to every primary school in Britain after hearing of a young boy who asked his teacher why Mary and Joseph had named their baby after a swear word. The Breakout Trust raised £200,000 to make the 30-minute animated film, It’s a Boy. Steve Legg, head of the charity, said: “There are over 12 million children in the UK and only 756,000 of them go to church regularly.

That leaves a staggering number who are probably not receiving basic Christian teaching.”

BELIEVE IT OR NOT

Catholics believe UNTRUE

Genesis ii, 21-22

'So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh; and the rib which the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.'

Genesis iii, 16

'God said to the woman [after she was beguiled by the serpent]: “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”

Matthew xxvii, 25

'The words of the crowd: “His blood be on us and on our children.”

Revelation xix,20

'And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had worked the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with brimstone.”

Catholics believe TRUE:

Exodus iii, 14:

'God reveals himself to Moses as: “I am who I am.”

Leviticus xxvi,12:

“I will be your God, and you shall be my people.”

Exodus xx,1-17:

The Ten Commandments

Matthew v,7:

The Sermon on the Mount

Mark viii,29:

Peter declares Jesus to be the Christ

Luke i:

The Virgin Birth

John xx,28:

Proof of bodily resurrection"

£5.6bn treasure find on Crusoe island

2005-09-30T16:43:00.000-04:00

"A REMOTE island off the coast of Chile where the real-life Robinson Crusoe was stranded has now provided treasure hunters with a find which could be worth as much as £5.6 billion.

A group of adventurers on the hunt for booty from the Spanish colonial era on Mas-a-Tierra - also known as Robinson Crusoe Island - have found an estimated 600 barrels of gold coins and Incan jewels buried deep on the remote Pacific outpost.

Fernando Uribe Etxeverria, a lawyer who is advising the Chilean team, said: "It is the greatest treasure in history."

Bounty-seekers have visited the famous island for centuries, seeking the treasure rumoured to have been abandoned by a Spanish sailor in the 18th century. But a new expedition using a metal detecting robot which can scan soil up to 50 metres deep has finally uncovered the haul.

The island is the spot where Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk was marooned in 1704 after arguing with his captain. Selkirk lived on the tiny island for four years and four months before he was rescued. His adventures later inspired Daniel Defoe to write the book Robinson Crusoe.

Last week, a team of archaeologists, including Scottish expert Dr David Caldwell, found the site of the Fife-born sailor's base camp, where he would hopefully look out for ships, after finding a bronze tip that belonged to a pair of Selkirk's navigational dividers."- Scotsman News

I know that "£" equals 1.7655 US dollars, so sometime I'll do the convertion. But anyway, it's really a cool discovery.

Army in Worst Recruiting Slump in Decades

2005-09-30T16:34:00.000-04:00

"The Army is closing the books on one of the leanest recruiting years since it became an all-volunteer service three decades ago, missing its enlistment target by the largest margin since 1979 and raising questions about its plans for growth.

Many in Congress believe the Army needs to get bigger — perhaps by 50,000 soldiers over its current 1 million — in order to meet its many overseas commitments, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Army already is on a path to add 30,000 soldiers, but even that will be hard to achieve if recruiters cannot persuade more to join the service.

Officials insist the slump is not a crisis."- Yahoo news

Is it time for the draft? Well, maybe not yet, but if America invades another terrorist region, the draft may become an option. What do you guys think?

Update 2

2005-09-30T16:07:00.000-04:00

Hi all,

Sorry, I've been gone for a while, my family and I just went up to northern New York/ Vermont. Monday we toured Fort Ticonderoga, a key fort in a key location during the French and Indian war. It's set up in the shape of a star so that the cannons could fire upon a target in almost any position, even at another section of the fort in case it was taken by an enemy. The fort held a couple dozen cannons, most of them at least 300 years old. Ticonderoga actually lay in ruins for many years until the early 1900s when work on restoring it began. Very cool, although it rained the entire time we were there.

Tuesday, we explored Ausable Chasms, very picturesque and awesome. We got to do some rafting as well, which was very exciting as there were several minor rapids and everbody got soaked. Then we sailed on Lake Champlain for two hours, looking for their "sea-monster", Champ, but couldn't find it. :) All in all, it was a very exciting/ educational trip, which I definitely recommend. The only thing was that the towns up there had TERRIBLE food, absolutely terrible.... :(

LOST season premiere

2005-09-21T12:00:00.000-04:00

LOST Season 2 premieres tonight 8/7 central only on ABC!!

Australian downfall

2005-09-18T17:29:00.000-04:00

Today in church, my pastor read a letter he had received a couple of days ago. John Howard ( prime-minister of Australia) has instated "anti- vilification laws." These outlaw any vilification of any race, religion, group, sect, etc.. ( you can read more about these laws online, Google news, Crickey Website, and other Australian sources). A friend of my pastor has been tried and sentenced to time in prison ( I'm not sure how much, though), for speaking out against Islam when preaching. Witnessing to unbelievers against this religion, has landed a good Christian missionary in prison. Not only is this law anti-freedom of speech, but totally sinful. Remember this comes from Australia! Not a Communist country like China or Vietnam. Another chaplain was imprisoned for reading a part in the Bible that talks against witchcraft! All the man did, was read God's Word, and was imprisoned for breaking the law. ( He was preaching to some crowd and was heard by a witch who took him to court). This is really incredibly outrageous! My pastor's friend is currently appealing the sentence, so my prayers go out to him, Australia, and it's people....

Update

2005-09-18T17:16:00.000-04:00

Hi all,

Sorry I haven't been around much, but it has been really busy with school starting and all other summer stuff. My sister got a job so I have been given more household responsibility and chores. Just wanted to let you all know I'm still alive and well!

Sean Astin joins the cast of "24"!

2005-08-28T18:45:00.000-04:00

"Sean Astin, who starred in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, is joining the cast of Fox's real-time drama "24," which will again kick off its season with four episodes screening on two consecutive nights.

Astin will portray a new addition to the Counter Terrorist Unit in the drama series, which stars Kiefer Sutherland as agent Jack Bauer.

The fifth season will premiere with two episodes from 8-10 p.m. January 8, followed by two from 8-10 p.m. January 9 (the second episode January 9 will be the show's 100th). On January 16, the fifth hour of "24" will air in the show's regular 9 p.m. Monday slot..."- Reuters

Totally cool! Sean Astin is a great actor, and will be a great addition to the already great "24" cast!

New Movies!

2005-08-27T22:56:00.000-04:00

Hi all,

Through my wanderings through the Internet, I have come upon a list of movies to be released over the next few years. Which ones are you guys looking forward to? Here's the list:

2005:

1. KING KONG ( December 14th)

"Set in the 1930s, this is the story of a group of explorers and documentary filmmakers who travel to the mysterious Skull Island (near Sumatra) to investigate legends of a giant gorilla named Kong. Once there, they discover that King Kong is a real creature, living in a massive jungle where creatures from prehistoric times have been protected and hidden for millions of years. As the explorers search for the great ape, their quest puts them up against both Kong and his dinosaur enemies. Ultimately, it is the attention of a beautiful human woman (Watts) that soothes Kong long enough for him to be subdued by the explorers and shipped back to New York, where his bleak future involves being put on display in front of humans... but how long can even the mightiest shackles of man hold back an ape 25 feet tall?"

I saw a trailer for this one..... :)

2. THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE ( December 13th?)

" Four kids travel through a wardrobe to the land of Narnia and learn of their destiny to free it with the guidance of a lion messiah......"

I am so excited about this movie!

2006:

1. X-MEN 3 ( May 5th)

"Rumor, with some support, says the plot will focus on the Dark Phoenix storyline which originally appeared in the comic book series. Bryan Singer has left the series in favor of restarting the Superman movie franchise, no replacement yet named, but Famke Janssen will play Jean Grey's dark alter-ego, Patrick Stuart and Ian McKellen the wise old rivals, James Marsden again is Cyclops and Hugh Jackmen is the mean man with the titanium-bladed hands."

2. SUPERMAN RETURNS ( June ?)

"Bret Rattner directs this origin tale, the first of a trilogy written by J.J. Abrams (Felicity, Alias), only rumors on who (Keanu Reeves) will wear the red cape for now."

Please not Keanu Reeves!!!

3. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST ( July 7th)

"Depp, Knightley and Bloom will all be back for this sequel, as will director Gore Verbinsky......Johnny Depp's Capt. Jack Sparrow owes a blood debt to the legendary Davey Jones, ruler of the ocean depths and captain of the ghostly Flying Dutchman, and if Jack can't figure a way out he'll be cursed to an afterlife of eternal servitude and damnation...."

4. INDIANA JONES IV ( July ?)

"Spielberg, Lucas, and Ford bring back an Indy whose in his early '60s, the movie's set in the 1950s, and the script is by Frank Darabont (Green Mile, Shawshank Redemption). Sean Connery and some of Indy's girlfriends will be back, at least in cameos, as well."

2007:

1. SPIDERMAN 3 (May 4th)

" Toby Maguire and Kirsten Dunst are signed to return for the third film about the Webbed Wonder.... Thomas Haden Church, who was nominated for an Academy Award for best supporting actor in Sideways, has been cast as Spidey's new archenemy in the next chapter of the Spider-Man franchise but the name of his character hasn't been revealed."

2. THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM (May ?)

" Just announced, Matt Damon will be back as one of my favorite screen heroes of recent years for the third installment. Paul Greengrass, director of the second Bourne and the upcoming graphic novel group of superheroes Watchmen, also returns. Tony Gilroy will script, as he did for the first two.

No plot details yet though of course their may be some connection to Ludlum novel of the same name ;) One wonders how much connection is possible, however, since the novel depicts a "final battle" between Bourne and Carlos the Jackal, his terrorist arch-rival, but this relationship hasn't been mentioned at all in the previous movies. More likely, I think, is that the connection will be limited to the way Bourne is drawn out from a settled life lived under a new name with a family who know nothing of his past."

Well, what do you think?

BTK Killer

2005-08-18T23:29:00.000-04:00

Did any of you see the court hearing today, where the victims' family spewed their anger towards the monster? Some of the family members were reserved and quiet, trying not to let him see the pain that he had caused in their lives. But some had really moving messages. Some called him a "walking cesspool", a "demon", and a hideous "monster". Telling him how dare he associate himself with their religion
( Christianity), and what gave him the right to take away their loved ones. There were sons, daughters, husbands, and friends..

Dennnis Rader is an animal, who deserves to be put to death. But was sentenced to the maximum punishment available- life in prison. I hope that God has some special punishment/ torture saved up for him in hell. The BTK killer looked annoyed and angry in the courthouse, no remorse. No feeling. I am really upset that he was not eligable for the death penalty, but that is the law. The families now have to move on, leaving him to rot in a prison cage for the rest of his life, waiting for his eternal punishment at the hands of the Almighty God.