Friday, March 31, 2006

A New Survey Says Prayer Doesn't Work

There will always be doubters as to what God will do for those that trust in Him. How can you measure the faith of someone in a survey? To try and measure faith would be to doubt God's Word, which says, "without faith, it is impossible to please Him". (Hebrews 11:6).

It found that patients undergoing heart surgery did no better when they were prayed for by people unknown to them than those who received no prayers. But 59% of those patients who were told they were definitely being prayed for developed complications, compared with 52% of those who had been told it was just a possibility.

It would be impossible to measure PRAYER, or how it works, in a survey. I believe, if a person is a believer, and requests prayer, prays for themselves, or accepts the prayers of others, then prayer works! It encourages the person receiving prayer. I've heard it countless times - 'thanks for the prayers. They worked wonders.' But, there are those who doubt that they will receive anything through prayer, although they may ask for prayer. It's just the human mentality, or perhaps satan playing a number on the human mind.

Dr Bethea and his colleague, Harvard professor Herbert Benson, emphasised that their investigations had been restricted to "intercessory prayer" by strangers - excluding prayer from family members and oneself.

Praying for oneself has been shown in many studies to be effective.

At the beginning of the article, they say that the survey shows that "the health effects of prayer seems to suggest it will make it worse". Which way will they have it: it either works, or doesn't work. I believe it's all up to the person with faith; either they have it or they don't. They either believe what scripture says, or they don't. In other words, they believe or they don't. Jesus himself said, in Matthew 21:21 "Very I say unto you, if you have faith and doubt not" ------ and in Mark 11:23, "...but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. "

As Dave Burchett said, you tell God your desires. And, you know HE is in control! And, He has a plan. Speaking of his and his wife's experience:

I believe there will never be a "scientific" substantiation of the power of prayer to heal. That is because the reason for prayer is not telling God what to do and sitting back to wait for Him to jump through celestial hoops. I would, however, like to suggest that there is powerful anecdotal and experiential evidence of the power of prayer in our lives.


Linked at Conservative Cat
Random Thoughts Open Trackbacks
Stuck On Stupid

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Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Christian Carnival 115 Is Up

Gary, at The Secret Life of Gary, is hosting Christian Carnival 115 this week. It is up and there are lots of good blog articles.

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Tuesday, March 28, 2006

How Faithful Are We To The Gospel?

A survey shows that baby boomers, according to Barna, have surpassed the born-again Christians, with a total of 53% versus 48% for the adults of older generations.

Born-again Christians are those that have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ, believe they are going to Heaven when they die, because they have confessed their sins, and accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior.

There are Four Spiritual Laws which govern your relationship with God.

But, have we accepted Him as Lord of our lives? Is He the master, the one to whom we turn, when we have problems? Or, do we seek out someone else to try and help us get over them?

Do we place our full trust in Him? Do we really believe we are ‘heirs according to the promise’, and ‘joint-heirs with Christ’?

Romans 14:23 says “for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” We have Christian liberty, but not to the expense of others. We should never offend others with our ways. And, we should never go against our doubting conscience. When in doubt, we should look to the Lord for guidance. But, how many times has this human flesh played a part in what we usually end up doing?

We need to search within ourselves and know, without a doubt, that we belong to Jesus Christ, and are bound for eternal life with Him. Do we believe completely in HIS Gospel, and not man-made doctrines? Do we believe in the Virgin birth, the crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus?

Does He reign and rule in your life? Do you have a truly personal relationship with Him? You have this through communication with Him, and daily praying and reading His Word. Too many times, we become complacent, and let the tricks of the devil get in the way of our truly knowing Christ as the Lord of our lives.

Linked at Right Wing Nation - Tuesday Free Thread
Blue Star Chronicles - What's EveryThe
body Talking About?
Don Surber -
Best of Tuesday
Tuesday's Specials At Jo's Cafe

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Eminent Domain - Stealing Made Legal?

Those of us who have property or homes have paid dearly for them. We've maintained them as we should, building up for our future. We, personally, bought our property and built our own home, hoping to live here until we die. Hopefully, since we live in the country, this will be the case, but you never know what the government has up their sleeve!

Government, through eminent domain, has made it easy for the taking of private lands and homes to give to other people to build on, in order to put money in their pockets, and the pockets of the local governments.

After the ruling, Alabama legislature passed a statue, prohibiting such actions in Alabama. But, some legislators, including Gov. Riley, believe there needs to be a state constitutional amendment.

After all, what the Legislature giveth, the Legislature can taketh away.
In poll after poll, the institute said, Americans don't want homes or other private property taken for private developments. In some cases, the public opposes all condemnation, including, apparently, eminent domain exercised for public use - for things such as highways, parks and government buildings.

The Kentucky state Senate has passed a bill that would protect property owners from the state's rights to eminent domain.

So far, Alabama, Delaware, Ohio, South Dakota and Texas are the only states that have enacted limits to eminent domain in the wake of the court's decision.
Linked at Jo's Cafe - Tuesday's Specials

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Truth Wins - OR, Does It?

The current world record for a fish was a bass 22 pounds, 4 ounces, caught by George Washington Perry in 1932. But, Mac Weakly, from Carlsbad, California, has tried for five years to topple this record.

Weakley's shot at Perry's record was controversial. He caught the fish by accidentally hooking it behind the dorsal fin, instead of the mouth, which was illegal in California. He also did not use an association-certified scale for weigh-in, and didn't get measurements of its length and girth, two requirements for world-record applications.

Over the years, people have also tried to cheat their way to the world record, altering photographs they've sent into the game fish association (the keeper of all fishing records) and weighing fish on suspicious bathroom scales. A woman in California even got caught stuffing lead diving weights down the mouth of a bass.

Even Perry's standing record has its share of doubters. Perry, a poor farmer from McRae, Ga., neither took a photograph of his fish nor had it mounted. He simply caught the fish, had it weighed at a country store, took it home and ate it.

Weakly thought about sending in the application. But, he acknowledged he caught it wrong, and decided to just weigh it, and let it go. The fish was a female bass, full of eggs.

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Ohio Urged To Not Allow Statue of Limitations for Child Molestors

Former NFL offensive lineman Roy Simmons questions why there would be a statue of limitations on child molestors. He rightly acknowledges that there is no statue of limitations on the pain and suffering a child who has been molested goes through his or her entire life, afterwards.

Simmons says he still struggles today with what happened to him when he was 11 years old. A postman neighbor sexually abused him 38 years ago, and he has had to endure those memories all these years. He said he realized now that the rape led to his dysfunctional areas and actions in his life.

The Ohio House Judiciary Committee is expected today to add a civil registry to the bill, an idea suggested by the Catholic Conference of Ohio.

The registry would be a public list of those people identified as sex offenders, regardless of whether they have been convicted in a criminal proceeding, following a civil judicial process.

The future is unclear, however, for the controversial one-time, one-year window for lawsuits to be filed against abusers and those who covered for them by victims who would have turned 18 as long ago as 1970.

Supporters of the window have portrayed it as providing a way of using the lawsuit discovery process to force the Catholic Church to open its records, potentially revealing how much the church knew of abuse by its priests and perhaps identifying others who still have access to children.

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Sleep-Deprived Teens Pose Safety Hazard

Children who do not get enough sleep are not functioning properly. They doze off in class, trying to get homework, and even drive drowsy. A clinical psychologist with the Henry Ford Sleep Center in Detroit says that 20% of children are getting optimal sleep, and about 50% of the children are getting insufficient sleep.

Children who are deprived of sufficient sleep are more likely to be depressed, to get bad grades, and they will not be good drivers.

Society is more the culprit than the children. Children stay up late, yet have to wake up very early in order to get to school in time. Most kids are more alert at night, and tend to wake up later in the morning. Yet, when they are in school, they are unable to get the needed rest with that schedule. Also, electronics have invaded their lives, including the bedroom. These things, such as the cell phone, televisions, and computers cause children to stay up longer, since they are in the bedroom where they would ordinarly go just to sleep. Perhaps it is time to get back to only a bed being in the bedroom!

  • At least once a week, 28 percent of high-schoolers fall asleep in school, 22 percent fall sleep while doing homework and 14 percent get to school late or miss school because they overslept.
  • During the past year, 51 percent of adolescents have driven while drowsy. Some 15 percent of drivers in grades 10 to 12 drive drowsy at least once a week.
  • More than one quarter (28 percent) of adolescents say they're too fatigued to exercise.
  • Most parents (90 percent) thought their kids were getting enough sleep time.

Parents should be watching their children more closely to make sure they get the needed rest. They would do good to take electronics from the teens in their bedrooms. Also, caffeine is harmful to teens, in that it deters sleep. Most teenagers have caffeine during the day and at night, with their meals. And, with better supervision, this could all be avoided.

Linked at Conservative Cat

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Monday, March 27, 2006

Just A Rose Will Do

I love flowers. The rose is one of my favorites. Although I love them, I've never planted a rose bush. My Mother has several in her yard. But, they take so much care in order to produce properly, and I've never had a 'green thumb' for that!

Scripture says He is the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley. (Song of Solomon 2:1) Ida A. Guirey wrote a song in 1922, entitled Jesus, Rose of Sharon.

Jesus, Rose of Sharon, bloom within my heart;
Beauties of Thy truth and holiness impart,
That where’er I go my life may shed abroad
Fragrance of the knowledge of the love of God.

Refrain

Jesus, blessèd Jesus, Rose of Sharon,
Bloom in radiance
And in love within my heart.

Jesus, Rose of Sharon, sweeter far to see
Than the fairest flow’rs of earth could ever be,
Fill my life completely, adding more each day
Of Thy grace divine and purity, I pray.

Refrain

Jesus, Rose of Sharon, balm for ev’ry ill,
May Thy tender mercy’s healing power distil
For afflicted souls of weary burdened men,
Giving needy mortals health and hope again.

Refrain

Jesus, Rose of Sharon, bloom forevermore;
Be Thy glory seen on earth from shore to shore,
Till the nations own Thy sov’reignty complete,
Lay their honors down and worship at Thy feet.

Our hearts desire should be that we show God's love wherever we go, to whomever we meet, just as the rose blooms and gives off its fragrance. Jesus, our Rose of Sharon, is able to guide us throughout life, to fill us to overflowing with His love, so it flows over into those with whom we come in contact. I pray His love shows in me every day.

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The Appeal Of A Blog

Each of us, with a blog, wants to reach out on the Web in a way that it brings readers to our site. It doesn’t matter whether we are a Christian blog, politics, secular, a mixture, or just enjoy writing about our everyday adventures.

Carol, at She Lives, was writing about having an outreach blog. She wondered aloud at what others might find on her blog, when they did a google search. Being a blogger, I have often wondered how people would find me, and, when they did, what would be their interpretation of my blog intentions.

You see, I didn’t start out with the intention of having a blog that just reached out to Christians. I wanted a blog in which I could give my views on different things, but also show that I was a Christian. I do not express myself in the ways in which Carol does. She has so many different things to draw upon. But, I write about the news, my views, and things in my life, from day to day.

When I go searching for blogs to read, I have in my mind just the sort that appeals to me. A few theology blogs appeal to me, but only those with a personal touch which just reaches out and ‘grabs’ you. I really like those Christian blogs which put the character of the blogger into them – another appeal of Carol’s SHE LIVES blog. It’s though she just reaches out and pulls you into her circle. The first time I ran across her blog, I fell in love with the blue bonnets she used as her the background to her picture. Just a lovely setting!

There are so many great bloggers out there, both men and women, and I enjoy lots of them. And, then there are lots of big blogs out there that get thousands of hits that do not appeal to me in the least. I wonder how they are getting thousands of hits, and mine stays in the hundreds. But, then, different things appeal to different kinds of people. It’s not necessarily ’what is good for the goose is good for the gander’ mentality, when it comes to appealing blogs. When a blog article really touches me, I often put them on my list and go back from time to time and read more. Sometimes, it means I will take them off, because I find perhaps it was only that one post that was appealing – not the personality that draws me in. Hopefully, when people come to my blog, they will see something here that ‘draws them in’, and they will keep coming back. Only time will tell!

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Saturday, March 25, 2006

Red Cross Fires Administrators In New Orleans

There have been reports that certain administrators have not been doing their job - that is, 'following the rules' set by the Red Cross, in the Katrina relief operations. So, after months of investigation by two volunteers assigned by Red Cross, they urged the removal of two supervisors. One is Mr. Patrick Keena.

Mr. Keena has been affilated with the Red Cross for 25 years. He told others he was leaving because of a medical emergency. But, in reality, he was fired by the Red Cross. He was the senior official in charge of the organization's food and shelter operations in the disaster area.

The identity of the other supervisor was not told. But, Jill Paul said yesterday she had elected to leave the organization. She was in charge of kitchens were meals were prepared for delivery. It's been found that she had ordered 1500 meals for Bywater, a New Orleans neighborhood. But, upon investigation in the area, it was found only 500 meals were needed. And, nobody knows where the other 1000 meals were used.

The interim president of the Red Cross, John F. McGuire, acknowledged this week that the organization was investigating accusations that relief supplies had been improperly diverted and that procedures for tracking inventory had been ignored.

Linked at Conservative Cat
Point Five - Weekend Open Trackbacks
Church And State - Weekend Open Trackback
Linked at Basil's Blog Picnic

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Friday, March 24, 2006

Minister's Wife Charged With His Murder

Often, we think we may really know someone, and, then, something happens to let us know we didn't know that person as well as we thought. This happened in the little town of Selmer, TN.

The 31 year old pastor of the 200 member Church of Christ in Selmer was found murdered in his home on Wednesday evening. His wife and 3 young daughters were missing. They were later found in Orange Beach, AL. They were detained, and the wife later admitted she murdered her husband, but no details of the reason was given, although the police know the motive.

The people who knew the couple in both this church and the last church where the husband was youth pastor were shocked to hear the news. They all loved the pastor's family. They say they seemed to be a very loving couple, very likeable, and no problems between them.

People often do not show outwardly things that are going on in their home life. We never know how they may be struggling with issues that we would never dare think they had. From all outwardly appearances, nothing seemed to be wrong in this marriage. She was by her husband's side all the time. She was a substitute teacher at the Selmer Elementary. And, she and her husband had been married for ten years, after meeting at college. But, something definitely happened to cause her to murder her husband.

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Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Take The TourBus...

The Internet Tourbus, that is, with Bob Rankin and Pat Crispen - they have some of the best advice around! They have the scoop on almost anything you want to know about the Web, or the how-to's, or in and outs of computing.

You can subcribe to The Internet Tourbus newletter and receive it in your email box regularly. It was originally at tourbus.com, but somehow, it got removed completely from the Google search, and hits started falling. So, they decided it was time for a new name, a spruced up Web site, and new beginning. So, now, you have The Internet Tourbus, with a different URL, but the same great things we've received for years.

As Rankin and Crispen say, "Why Surf When You Can Ride The Bus?".

Linked at Conservative Cat

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Watch Where You Step!

That's a fair warning. This wasn't heeded by teenager Larry Mugrage in Ohio, and it cost him his life. It was a tragic death that never should happened.

66 year old Charles Martin was very protective about his 'manicured lawn'. I heard on television today that he would often go out and check and cut several times a day - that he would measure and have it all cut precisely the same length. And,he claimed to be harrassed by this boy and his family for 5 years.

Today, because of his obsession with his lawn, a young man is dead, and Martin is in jail for killing the teenager. It was something that never should have happened. But, Mugrage had apparently walked across his lawn once already that day, and Martin was waiting for him, when he returned. Someone should have seen this coming before now and done something about it. But, Martin has no criminal background, and seemed to be a nice man, just obssessed with his lawn.

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Addressing Rudeness: A Lack Of Etiquette

I often check out what Carol at SHE LIVES has to say. It’s usually something satisfying to the spiritual palette, good for the soul, or just so good, you can’t help but love it. Well, today, I ran across her post about Google, and all the searches that brought her to her own site. One stuck out to me – SHE IS RUDE – so, I had to try that one out. Guess what! It took me to SHE LIVES, just like Carol said it did.

So, I check out She Is Rude. I don’t, for one moment, think that Carol is rude. Well, I only know her through her blog, and some emails, or comments on my blog. But, she never has struck me as a rude person. She’s too ‘into Jesus’ to be very rude. But, I think I do understand where she is coming from, because we probably all have been a little rude, at time. It may come out as ill-mannered, or discourteous. Or, perhaps, we aren’t very tactful, when speaking to others.

Common courtesies should be just that:common. But, today, most of those are lost in society. Opening doors for your date/spouse is hardly even seen in public. Once, a friend of ours commented on my husband, the way he would open the door for me at the car and let me in first. But, then, he was brought up in the era when we were taught those things – opening doors for others, giving your seat to someone older, and being kind in your speech to others. There was also manners – yes, ma’am, no, ma’am, thank you, please. It thrills me to hear a child/youth/teenager say ‘thank you’ without being prompted. It excites me more to hear one of those address an elderly person correctly. I see young children come into my beautician’s shop, and rather than calling her by her first name as most patrons do, they will say “Miss Mary”. You can tell those children have been taught manners. Had my children talked to people the way I see some addressing their elders, or even their parents, their hide would have taken awhile to get well! To me, that is the worse kind of rudeness!

Another pet peeve – a major rudeness, in my opinion – is the fact so many people think ‘self, me’ ..........before they ever consider the other person. A person with the ‘it’s all about me’ attitude has a rude awakening coming – there’s that word again – rude!

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Be Selective With Hand Sanitizers

It seems that not all hand sanitizers work to make your hands safe from germs. The new gel and foam sanitizers have become a hit with even the general public, not to say anything about the hospitals and restaurants and department stores. Almost all you go in now days are either using foam, or have the gel sitting on the counter in the wash rooms.

But, picking up just any sanitizer on the shelf is not advisable, according to a test from East Tennessee State University. It was found that a gel found on your local store shelf did not cleanse your hands; if anything, it just spread the germs over your hands, when you used it. The problem seems to be in the concentration of alcohol in any gel or foam. It was found from the tests, that anything under 60% alcohol does not work.

It is always recommended you wash your hands with soap and water, especially with matter on them. But, if they appear to be clean, and you need a quick sanitizer, then be sure to choose one with at least 60% concentration of alcohol. These are good to use in the car to clean hands after sneezing, or to change your contacts. Also, I like to use them before eating in a restaurant, if you don't stop by the restroom on the way in.

Linked at Conservative Cat

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Monday, March 20, 2006

Moment of Silence In Texas Challenged

If taking prayer out of schools, or trying to remove 'under God' from the pledge isn't enough, the Crofts now wants the 'moment of silence' in Texas schools to be stopped. They say it is only a way of getting prayer back in the schools. Actually, the students can do anything they want in that minute - from reflecting on a future test to praying, but it is not considered prayer time.

David and Shannon Croft have filed a complaint in federal court saying this 'moment of silence' is unconstitutional.

The law, passed in 2003, allows children to "reflect, pray, meditate or engage in any other silent activities" for one minute after the American and Texas pledges at the beginning of each school day.
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In Memory Of Terri Schiavo

On March 31st, it will have been one year since Terri Schiavo met her untimely death, by removal of all her ability to live; her feeding tube, which sustained her life, was removed from her. To me, this was very inhumane behavior! What person would remove the sustaining life from even a pet, let alone a human being, which they are supposed to love?

Terri would probably be with her family today, had it not been for the decisions of her legal guardian, (her estranged husband whom lived with another woman, having had children by her), his lawyers, and a judge. This should never have happened, and hopefully, it will never happen again, if this case is kept in the forefront of our minds. When something like this is let go, then others are subject to the same abuse.

Thanks to Dory from Wittenberg Gate, who is having a Blogburst in memory of Terri. Check out the site, and read all the posts that will be in honor of Terri the next few Fridays.


Other older posts on my site:
From The Heart Of A Child
Michael Schiavo's At It Again

Older Articles on the Web:
Opinion Journal had as a featured article: Terri Schiavo And The Law
Jews For Life - Pro-life Issues and Politics

What makes this case so sad is the fact she was called 'brain dead', yet, she responded to her family. There is a case I personally know about, which happened only weeks ago. The older brother of a friend of mine had a blood clot to go from his heart to his lung - he "died", according to the doctors - he was out for 19 minutes, and put on a breathing machine. They asked the ones who had power of attorney to give permission to unhook him. This sister and his Mother refused. Everyone began to pray and lay hands on him, each time they went into ICU to see him. Today, that man no longer has a breathing machine on him; it was removed and he breathed on his on. In other words, he is recovering. He is out in a room, making eye contact, responding to commands; yet, had they listened to the doctors that particular day and taken off his breathing machine, he would be dead today. Only GOD knows the hour in which we will truly leave this earth - not by human hands, but by His timing.

Linked at Conservative Cat

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Christian Convert Faces Death

Adbul Rahman, a 41 year old Afghan man, was accused last month of being a Christian by his family. He may face death.

Rahman was an Afghan muslim. And, Afghanistan's Constitution is based on shariah law, which states that any muslim that rejects Islam will be put to death. The prosecutor said he would drop the charges, if the defendant would revert back to Islam, but he refused.

The judge said in an interview: "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."

Linked at Conservative Cat

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Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Global Deception: The UN's Stealth Assault on America's Freedom

Book Revew:

Joseph A. Klein, author of “Global Deception", has written a wake up call to all Americans! This book will open your eyes to the real threat the United Nations is toward the United States.

With the help of some of our own people, the UN and the globalists are pushing toward neutralizing any powers the United States has in the world community.

This book has opened my eyes to things I was aware of, but of which I had no true knowledge as to the harm that was coming to the United States, if these things came into existence. The freedoms that we now possess in the USA are under attack by those of the globalist community who are out to take down the US and our power in the world. What the US stands for will be over-looked for a “globalization with a human face” – being pushed by none other than French President Jacques Chirac. He is also pushing for global taxes to ‘finance human development’, but will the money ever get into the hands of the countries really needing the aid? Not with all the corruption that is now within the United Nations!

In reading this book, you will discover how many NGO’s (non-governmental organizations) are behind the UN proposals, the pushing for the one-world government, and the corruption within the United Nations. Any of these organizations are headed by well-trained, well-educated people from the US, who have their own agenda to push before the UN. Some of those people even want to bring down the US!

As Klein says:

“ They are a highly co-ordinated, international network of activist influence peddlers, largely peddling on behalf of “progressive” – read left-wing causes."

We have extremist judges that would like none other than to re-write the Constitution to meet their own interpretations. They believe they are not bound by what our “Founding Fathers” so meticulously put together in order to protect the very freedoms that are now seemingly being taken away from us.

At the 1966 Istanbul Conference, the-then director general of the World Health Organization reportedly told a press conference that “the three great monotheistic religions are not compatible with the New World Order.”

Klein writes, “Evidently God is not a globalist.”

Despite how the UN has mis-managed or how corrupt they have become, we are still to believe, by some standards, or according to globalists, that they are still capable of overseeing world affairs – that they are sort of “Housekeeping”. So, there is no way that the US can bow out of the UN. Instead, as Klein says, the US needs to stay in and use our Security Council Veto and our financial source. Let those countries with grievances have a place to blow off steam – and maybe we can keep the UN from exercising any real powers which would be at odds with the US’s national sovereignty.

Look around you: we have liberal judges today who have begun to search out the ‘international norms’ for a case before them, rather than to rely on our on Constitution! Thomas Jefferson once warned that this would happen, if the courts were not controlled. And, today, it is coming true!

I highly recommend this book for learning more about what is really going on within the United Nations, and within our own boundaries with those globalists who would like for the US to be brought under a One World Order.

The publisher, World Ahead Publishing Company, gave this book to me through Mind And Media, for review. I have been given no other amenities for the privilege of reading this fine book.

Linked at Conservative Cat

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Mad Cow Case Found On Alabama Farm

A veternarian examined a downed cow on a farm in Alabama. It was thought to have mad cow disease. The private veternarian euthanized the animal and then sent samples to the University of Alabama for testing. Other tests were made in Iowa to confirm the diagnosis and the results were announced on Monday.

The cow was about 10 years old, so it was born before the ban on ground cattle being added to cattle feed in 1997. It was found on a farm with around 40 head of cattle. A local radio station commentator said they had discovered it was on a farm in Lawrence County, but he would not release the name of the city or the farmer, because it would not be right to expose him to all the media that would flock there.

This is the third case of mad cow disease found in the United States. The first one was in Washington, with the cow coming from Canada. The second was on a ranch in Texas. When this disease is found, the cows are destroyed, and the meat never enters the market. But, it still scares people, and they are afraid to eat the meat for awhile.

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Monday, March 13, 2006

Maureen Stapleton Dead At Age 80

The news was just released on Fox News that Maureen Stapleton has just died from natural causes. The information was given by her son.

This release just came across the wires - Actress Maureen Stapleton dies at 80.


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Jabez Descendants Sue For Royalties

I could not believe what I was reading, when I ran across this article at Larknews.com. How could the 'descendants' of a man in the Bible, from so many years ago, think they deserve royalties off of a book written by Bruce Wilkinson in 2000?

They contend his book has nothing to do with their Jabez of the Bible. And, they say all of the wisdom of Jabez was intended only for the descendants of Jabez, not for the world, and that's why they were kept secret. I have not come across anything about Jabez other than the two scriptures in which his name is mentioned, along with the prayer. ( I Chronicles 4:9-10 ) How could Wilkinson taken 'the secrets' (wisdom) of Jabez, if they aren't listed? I'm very puzzled that these people think they deserve anything. I suppose the answer is in the 'eye of the beholder'.

Wilkinson and publisher Multnomah claim that the prayer of Jabez has been in the public domain for thousands of years. The Jabez family lawsuit counters that it has been "in active continual use" the entire time and constitutes a "prized business asset."

The following statement really caught my attention:

"We added a line to our prayers," says Tomas Yabezki. "'God, expand our borders and shrink the borders of that thief Bruce Wilkinson.'"
Linked at Conservative Cat

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Saturday, March 11, 2006

Ex-White House Aide Arrested In Alleged Refund Scam

Claude Allen, former adviser to President Bush, was arrested this week in Maryland. He was charged with swindling two department stores of over $5,000. Allen had resigned without explanation in early February.

Allen was a trusted adviser to President Bush. Bush had nominated him for a federal appeals court judge in 2003, but Democrats blocked the move.

Allen made $161,000 in his role as Bush's top domestic policy adviser. It's puzzling that a man in his position would become entangled in a refund scam of this nature.

Linked at Blue Start Chronicles
Thanks to Extended Weekend Trackbacks Stuck on Stupid

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A New Book For Review By James Scott Bell

Mind and Media has another great suspense book by author James Scott Bell for review. The book, Presumed Guilty, is about the pastor of a large, thriving church, who has been suspected of murder. You can read the description of the book on his site.

Come and join the reviewers at Mind and Media and receive free books from the publishers. You will enjoy every minute of your time spent reading these great books.

Linked at Conservative Cat

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At College, Moral Obligations Are Felt On Church Burnings

Both students and administrators from Birmingham Southern College are trying to come to terms with the arrest of two of their sophomores in connection with the burning of the 9 churches in West Alabama.

David Pollick, president of the college, has people contacting each of the churches. Both faculty and students feel an obligation to those churches, since the students were from Birmingham Southern. They want to listen to the churches needs, and perhaps help rebuild. They will make use of student volunteers, too. And, they have set up a fund to take donations, called
"Alabama Churches Rebuilding and Restoration Fund."

The Student Government adopted a resolution which students flocked to sign.

The resolution said: "The alleged actions of the individuals linked to these crimes do not represent the values and principles held by the collective Birmingham-Southern College student body." It added that "the student body offers its full support and prayers to all those affected by these crimes."

All of the students were well liked, from good families, and never presented a problem. They were held in high regard by students with which they took part in theatre roles.

Back in his office on the Hilltop, Dr. Pollick said, "I think the underlying question remains to be answered: 'How did this happen?'

"We didn't expect this to happen to us any more than anybody expected it to happen to them. So this is the most serious question — how could two good students from wonderful families, with such a zest for life, do something so diametrically opposed to their background and this school?"

Linked to Conservative Cat

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Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Three Suspects Arrested In Alabama Church Fires

Three college students were arrested today in connection with 9 of the church fires in west Alabama. Two of the students were from Birmingham Southern College, a Methodist college in Birmingham. The other student was from The University of Alabama, in Birmingham, and had recently transferred from Birmingham Southern.

One of the students arrested said it started as a joke. The trio went to west Alabama on February 2 deer hunting and set the fires there. But, they later set the others as a diversion to the cops, but it didn't work.

I heard on the radio today that one set of parents from Pelham had asked their son if he knew who set the fires, and he said yes, but he didn't have anything to do with it. Turns out, his SUV was the one that was used, and they found it through tire tracks left at one of the churches.

The students face up to 5 years for each of the church fires. Jim Parker, Ashbury Baptist Church pastor, said it was sad what the boys had thrown away. They all had promising lives, but, now they may spend the rest of their lives in prison for what they preceived to be 'only a joke'.

Linked at Conservative Cat

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Monday, March 06, 2006

Did You Watch The Oscars Presentation?

Well, I didn't, and I didn't 'miss' them, since I had no intention on watching them. All the award shows just do not have enough 'flair' for my taste. Seem to have lots of 'flare' (light) for the world, since so many people are glued to their TV sets, when they come around.

I was over at Blogcorner Preacher's site today, reading. He has a post called 'Homophobic racist imperialist warmongers'. Here is how he characterizes it:

This is what we must be as a nation. If, that is, our most celebrated entertainments truly reflected our society. To judge America by which films and their actors just won Academy awards, one must conclude that we are, at once, homophobic ("Brokeback Mountain"), racist ("Crash") and imperialist warmongers ("Syriana").

I have lost absolutely nothing at the movies or in Hollywood. I don't have to take on their 'style' in order to be happy. Doesn't matter to me whether I see a movie or not; my happiness is not in whether or not I'm able to view all the things that come out of Hollywood. I think we have lost the bulk of the great talent that could make a movie simply on their 'talent' - the awareness of what constitutes a great movie, without the sleaze you see in some of them today.

Most of the movies on television are just the same. I will often watch an old rerun to see a great movie, or I just turn on the news or COPS, or something in that nature. If you want violence, then you have it, and it's not made up!

Blogcorner Preacher used a scripture that I think is appropriate for Christians today and every day:
  • Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Too often, Christians are trying to act like Christians, but they take on worldly actions. As one preacher said, 'my mind is not a garbage can'. Sometimes garbage gets pretty nasty, and lots of the movies coming from Hollywood are just that: garbage! So, why should Christians help Hollywood to promote such stuff by going to see the trash?

Linked at Conservative Cat

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Sunday, March 05, 2006

Marriage Bliss

I attended the 50th Wedding Anniversary of a friend I have known all my life this afternoon. Her husband is a minister. To see a couple so happy, and still in love, after 50 years of ups and downs warms your heart!

You could tell the couple has meant something to the community in which they live because of the large turn out. I saw people I have not seen in years, since some had moved off and we don't keep in touch anymore. And, then, I haven't lived in that community for almost 42 years myself. But, I grew up with this lady's family, attended church with her, until she married, and finished school with one of her sisters.

I have seen the life this couple has lived throughout the years. They have lived for God throughout their marriage. They have truly put Him first in their lives. And, I believe this is why they do truly still love one another, and said their vows today again, to follow the Lord in His purpose for their marriage, and to love one another until God calls one or the other home.

I scanned the room and saw several couples who have been married 50 years or more. But, then, there were more couples who never made it to 50 with a spouse; some of them had spouses who passed away young, or perhaps were married more than once, and will never enjoy that 50th. I pray that my husband and I will make it to our 50th, since we will be celebrating 42 years this year.

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Thursday, March 02, 2006

Farris Hassan: Immersion Journalism or Immersed in Jihad?

I received an email tonight that led me to the Northeast Intelligence Network. Seems they have been doing a little research on the true nature of Farris Hassan's visit to Iraq. This is the young man that supposedly took off from his school in Florida to go to Iraq, without his parents knowledge. He claimed that he made the trip to put his lessons of his “immersion journalism” class into practice.

Turns out, none of his statements were true. It was found that he was not even enrolled in a journalism class at Pine Crest. His parents knew where he was. In fact, the school confirmed that his father knew of his travels, and authorized his absence from school.

Perhaps most importantly, research and investigation into Dr. Redha Hassan found that he was arrested by the FBI in 1985 for forging 2000 Iraqi passports and military I.D. cards and seeking to forge 2,000 more. Dr. Hassan asked his next-door-neighbor and print store owner Joel Feinstein to make the passports and IDs. According to Feinstein, Dr. Hassan claimed the documents were for his family in Iraq. Feinstein reported the request to the FBI, and became an operational asset for the federal government, leading to Hassan’s arrest. Also arrested were two of Farris's uncles and a "pro-Khomeini" activist identified as Salah Jawad Shubber. Interestingly, Dr. Hassan, who also went by the name Redha K. Alsawaf, was also the President of the now defunct Florida non-profit organization World Orphanage & Refugee Relief Foundation at the time of his arrest. Authorities dropped the charges against Hassan, and Shubber ultimately pled guilty to conspiracy charges.

Farris Hassan's initial trip was to the Amsterdam, Netherlands, where he supposedly bought a ticket to Kuwait City. He said he tried to cross the Kuwait-Iraqi border, but was turned back. He then says he sought assistance from his father, who told him to go to Beirut and stay with friends, which he did for ten days.

While there, met with a media relations officer of the terrorist group Hezbollah at their Central Press Office. This meeting was arranged through the assistance of his hosts – the family’s friends.

Hezbollah is a Shiite Muslim organization based in Lebanon and tied to Iran. They have a significant presence in Iraq, and an army that is resolved to drive the Americans out of Iraq. Given the family history, the inconsistencies and the public contradictions, could it be that Hassan was going to Iraq to join Hezbollah to fight against the "American occupation?" Perhaps those are the questions that need to be asked.

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Thousands In India Protest Bush's Visit

President Bush's visit to India was unwelcome, to say the least. Many protestors demonstrated at different places, holding up banners that said,"Bush Go Back", or "I Ambush".

Nearby, a few dozen men nearby stood under a banner declaring: "We are ready to become suicide bomber." It is a sentiment rarely expressed openly in India, which has had domestic terrorism over the years but whose citizens have not seemed to be attracted to the current global terrorist networks.

"Suppose Bush is here," said Sajid Khan, 25, a student. "I will suicide bomb to Bush. If we could get a visa, we would go there and fight."

I think, no matter how good America is to some other countries, we will never become friends to the people. They want what we have, but want us to 'disappear'. As Freedom Folks blog says in their article...."We'll take your jobs, but death to your President!" They don't understand America tries to help other countries, not 'dominate them', as one student commented.

The nuclear deal did not much energize a computer engineering student, Sidharth Jain, 19, either.

"The deal doesn't matter to us much," he said. "I don't think anyone really understands what it means." But he was hopeful that improved ties with the United States might make it easier for him to go to a university in America.

And, so it goes - give me your jobs, your land, and an education at your university, but we want nothing to do with you. They take our American flag, set it afire, and let a third grader urinate on it. That should tell our government something!

Linked at Right Wing Nation

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Missing Vehicle Linked To Alabama Church Fires Found

The getaway car used in the burning of the Alabama Baptist churches has been found by investigators. It was not the same dark-colored SUV that was initially sought in the arsons, but it is an important discovery.

9 of the 10 fires have been ruled arson and related. The 10 fire has been ruled arson, but it is unknown, at this time, if it is related to the other 9. Some information found by investigators has been withheld, in order to "leave no stone unturned".

Linked at Conservative Cat

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Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Man Arrested in Georgia Church Arson

An 18 year old Buena Vista, Georgia man was arrested after several attempts to burn a historical church in Marion County. He was found in a storage shed on Saturday at New Providence Baptist Church. The church is located on New Providence Road, off of GA. 41, north of Buena Vista.

There is no evidence to indicate there is anyone else involved. But, the fire is still under investigation.

The agent said he is not aware of any connection between Gaydosh and the church. He would not say what was used to set the fires.
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