ELECTION 2016: The Christian’s Dilemma

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"Never Trump", America, Christianity, conscience, future, Hillary, Trump

October 20, 2016 Posted by Dutch Sheets Ministries – No Comments

Dear Fellow Believers,

As you can tell from my greeting, I am writing primarily to you, the American church. I am doing so personally, not representing Dutch Sheets Ministries. Though this is longer than the blogs I normally send, please read it as an urgent, heartfelt appeal. The sense of urgency I feel is hard to put in words. I have prayed and wept much over the condition of our nation, and continue to be deeply burdened. We are so close to the precipice of a complete self-destruction—a devastation of such magnitude that it would take decades to recover. Some believe a complete recovery would never be possible. The America we have known and loved is being systematically dismantled and reshaped.

Voting is a precious right and a serious responsibility; I realize it is also a very personal and private one. We do it by secret ballot in America for a reason. I don’t want to be another voice of manipulation—there are so many in presidential election campaigns—therefore, it is with the utmost caution and conviction that I do this.

I also want to state upfront that I am neither a registered Republican nor Democrat. Years ago, I concluded that if my “calls to prayer” were to be trusted by believers across the board, I would have to issue them as an independent voter. With this in mind, I relinquished my party affiliation, along with the rights to vote in primaries, help shape party platforms, possibly become a delegate, etc. and became an Independent. Since then, like many of you I have become fed-up with both parties—disillusioned with the Republicans, offended and appalled by the Democrats. I say this to assure you that I am not making this appeal in order to stump for “my party’s candidate.”

Finally, I want to also preface my appeal by saying I have not been a huge Trump fan. Had I been allowed to vote in the primaries, he would not have been my first choice. His seeming arrogance, insults, history of philandering, personal ambition, etc. were very disconcerting to me. I kept an open mind, however, knowing God uses imperfect people and that He is very merciful—I don’t condone sin, but neither do I cast the first stone—and knowing that people do, indeed, change. I was also challenged to remain open-minded about Trump by the fact that several spiritual leaders I trusted were convinced God wanted to use him to overthrow an ineffective and corrupt system. Over time, I came to agree with them. However, for me, this election is not nearly as much about who I am for, as it is who and what I am against; and frankly, even with my initial concerns, the decision has never been easier.

One of the most devastating occurrences in America in our lifetimes, ranking up with The Supreme Court’s decisions of Roe vs. Wade and Engel vs. Vitale (the removal of prayer from schools), was the election of Barack Obama. I gave a strong warning about what would happen to our nation if he was elected. Sadly, it has all come to pass: a continued liberalization and empowerment of the judicial system in America; a weakened economy (our national debt has doubled in 7 years to $19 TRILLION!); further moral deterioration, along with a rebellion to and mockery of God (does anyone remember the White House lit up in the colors of the LGBT movement after marriage was re-defined by the Supreme Court? If that wasn’t an “in your face” to God and those of us who “cling to their God, guns and religion” by the man who mockingly said it, I don’t know what could ever be!); increased violence; a weakened position in the world, along with a weakened military; the advance of radical Islamist terrorism; a setback in race relations; and more. I rejoice that our nation has been able to elect our first black president. I am deeply saddened, however, that it was Barack Obama.

The damage has been so great that America is now one president away from a complete transformation to secularism, a loss of our Judeo-Christian foundation, the loss of our position as the stabilizing force for good in the earth, and the leading voice of the gospel to all the world. If elected, Hillary Clinton will be the president who finishes the job. She stands almost entirely against everything we, the church, are for, and for everything we are against. Hillary is pro-abortion, including partial-birth abortion, the most insidious evil of the last century; will raise taxes while continuing out-of-control spending; will further weaken our military; is for completely open borders; is pro-gay marriage; supports Obamacare; has no respect for our Judeo-Christian heritage; sells influence; and is a proven liar. Do not be fooled—she will completely finish what Obama started.

The notion peddled by some “Never Trump” Republicans that they can keep Hillary from accomplishing what she wants for 4 years, then replace her with someone they prefer, is laughable. The fact that they should know this, and don’t, is truly scary. Even more frightening is…perhaps they do. The Republican Congress has done nothing to stop Obama; why should we believe they will do so with Hillary? When they threaten to curb Obama with “the power of the purse,” he simply calls their bluff and either bullies them into giving him what he wants, or simply does as he pleases through unconstitutional executive orders. A Republican controlled Congress has done nothing to defund Obamacare, slow down the TRILLIONS of dollars of debt he has accrued, prevent his treasonous acts with Iran, defund Planned Parenthood and their selling of babies’ body parts (can you even believe such a thing even exists, and that the Obama’s and Hillary condone it?!), or stop any number of other inappropriate actions and wasteful expenditures. Much of Washington, DC is an out-of-control cancer that must be cut out.

To be sure, there are Republican leaders who desperately want to change things but the entrenched, lobbyist-owned, career politicians–many of them liberals in conservative clothing–have neither the will, backbone, and perhaps not the intellect needed to change it. Radical surgery is necessary. Again, it is laughable to think that the leadership of this weak and diluted Republican Congress would be able or willing to stop the agenda of the libs once they enjoy an even greater momentum from another White House win. Someone please tell me why we should believe that. If the Republican Party has not sold us out, why did they spend $18.2 million on Bush’s election in 2004, $53.5 million for McCain in 2008, $42.4 million for Romney in 2012, and $0 on ads to elect Trump?! They have sold us out.

It is also ridiculous, and perhaps insincere, for the “Never Trump” Republican leaders to suggest “we would only need to reverse 4-8 years of damage if Hillary is elected, which in the long run isn’t much.” Again, these leaders are either lying or horribly deceived. The damage presently occurring to our nation is—in the sense of time—exponential. Every year of damage means closer to 10 years in it’s longevity.

• How long will it take America to reverse another $4-8 trillion of increased debt? Decades!
• How long will it take us to recover from the decimating of our military? Decades!
• How long will it take to defeat a now entrenched Obama/Clinton-enabled ISIS? Decades! (And honest military and intelligence leaders admit that we now have many radical Islamist terrorists here in the US, not just abroad.)
• How long will it take to undo the loss of appropriate fear, which our enemies, and the enemies of freedom around the world, once had toward us? Decades! (Our enemies now laugh at us, while attacking us with our own weapons, or weapons purchased with millions in ransom money we paid them. While Putin rebuilds the Soviet empire and China makes plans to rule the world, we are disarming. We can’t even identify our enemies. Obama and those around him are foolish and spineless, and our military leaders know it. We are the laughingstock of our enemies. Hillary helped to set this debacle of foreign policy, and she will continue it.)
• How long will it take to recover from 2–5 Clinton lifetime appointees to the Supreme Court? Decades! If she appoints five, which is feasible, she will have single-handedly appointed over half of the Supreme Court, and will have given the liberal, non-constitutionalists a 30-40 year, 7–2 majority advantage! (There is one vacancy now, and of the other 8 Justices, the three oldest are 77, 79 and 83; two more are in their late 60’s.) Then there are the several hundred lifetime Federal Judges she would appoint. Obama has already appointed nearly half of our Federal Judges—all liberals—and Hillary would appoint the other half. This entire scenario is unthinkable! If all this occurs, these overreaching, legislating ideologues will finish the job of decimating everything you and I stand for. America as we have known it may then be gone forever. We have less than three weeks to stop this.

Do not listen to the “only four years” crowd!

I also want to make an appeal to those who say their conscience won’t allow them to vote for either Trump or Clinton, so they simply won’t vote at all. I sincerely respect your convictions, but in this election, that argument fails the logic test (as does voting for someone who cannot possibly win). Trump’s potential negative developments do not come close to the magnitude of those Hillary would produce. We simply cannot—regardless of our concerns regarding Trump—allow all the above-mentioned consequences to happen. I respectfully appeal to you to turn your “conscience” and “principles” toward the unborn, your children, grandchildren, and the destiny of this nation. Please! (emphasis blog owner) We have already been down this “not voting” path once before when millions of evangelicals refused to vote for Romney because he was a Mormon. As disgusted as I am with Romney’s current choice of Hillary over Trump, how much better off would we have been with him, rather than 4 more years of Obama?

To see how Trump would actually lead, I would challenge you to look at those with whom he has surrounded himself: Pence; Carson; Huckabee; Giuliani; Christie; Gingrich; Palin; trusted generals; law enforcement officials; border patrol officials; evangelical leaders of all races; and otherwise, ethical, conservative leaders. What does this tell us? It is probably the greatest indicator of who Trump now is, clearly making the case that he has changed his moral ways over the past 10 years, as he claims. I personally believe he has changed. I also believe God has gripped his heart for the nation, and is in the process of further transforming Mr. Trump. God has certainly allowed him to be humbled. Of course, the statements made by Trump on the video released from 2005 were despicable. However, if we reject him because of the sins of his past, we would also have to reject Abraham, King David, Rahab, “the woman at the well”, Mary Magdeline—all adulterers in their unrighteous past. And don’t forget murderers like the Apostle Paul. A lot of formerly despicable people will be in heaven! And a lot of them, by the way, became great leaders and champions for God. Some changed the world.

These associations also tell us that Trump’s stated conservative bent is genuine, and they state that he is wise enough to know what he doesn’t know! I believe Trump is showing us that he will function, if elected president, as any wise businessperson does: find qualified people who know how to get the job done, as in the above examples, and empower them to do it. I like those whom he is signaling to us would be those leaders. They are proven, trustworthy and honorable. If you cannot vote for Trump, vote for them.

Hillary, on the other hand, would give us 4–8 more years of polytheists, liberal progressives, media elites, police-haters, global statists, financially irresponsible leaders and a weak military.

Perhaps a better way for the disenchanted to approach this election is to vote AGAINST someone. I would suggest to you that voting against a candidate is a good reason to vote! “Neutrality” is not a valid option at this critical crossroads in history. The times demand that we make a stand! If not for, make your stand against:

• Vote against the foolish, selfish, shortsighted, establishment Republicans fighting to maintain their power.
• Vote against an immoral, ungodly Democratic Party. (To those who take issue with this characterization, don’t forget that they booed God at their convention in 2012.)
• Vote against an unelected, unaccountable, overreaching, out of control Judiciary that believes it has the right to reshape America.
• Vote against the unethical, biased, lying and untrustworthy media. (We will never reclaim America until we reject their influence. They may be the single greatest obstacle to America’s recovery.)
• Vote against a weakened military.
• Vote against a loss of national sovereignty and a one-world government.
• Vote against open borders.
• Vote against policies that enable radical Islamist terrorism.
• Vote against the removing of our 2nd Amendment rights.
• Vote against higher taxes.
• Vote against Obamacare.
• Vote against the redefining of marriage. (It is not too late to reverse this.)
• Vote against abortion-on-demand, partial-birth abortion, and Planned Parenthood with its selling of babies’ body parts.
• Vote against liberalism and progressivism.
• Vote against the silencing of the church. (Only the totally naïve do not see this coming quickly.)
• Vote against revising our history and the loss of our Judeo-Christian heritage.
• Vote against the politicization and exploitation of racism, and the polarizing of America.
• Vote against the slandering and weakening of law-enforcement.
• Vote against the politicization of the Justice Department, the FBI and other important departments of government. (Both departments are now undeniably and shamelessly used for political purposes and to oppose Christians and conservatives.)

Pastors, if you’ve ever made a stand, make one now—it may be your last chance. Tell your people the truth…clearly. Pray and fast! Turn your services into prayer meetings.

To all believers, if you agree with what I have written, forward it to all of your friends and family members. Most of them hear only from a hypocritical, lying media, which is now the propaganda arm of the liberal agenda. Speak up. Appeal to them to read this and think about it.

And vote!

Vote for a future, one that includes what you love and believe in. Trump has flaws, but Hillary will be fatal.

Sincerely,

Dutch Sheets

Treasury Direct. “Historical Debt Outstanding – Annual 2000-2015.” Last updated June 8, 2016. https://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/histdebt/histdebt_histo5.htm
Wolfgang, Ben. “Clinton admitted she’s for ‘open borders’ in paid, private speech: WikiLeaks.” The Washington Times. October 8, 2016. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/oct/8/hillary-clinton-dreams-open-borders-leaked-speech-/
Vogel, Kenneth P. and Isenstadt, Alex. “RNC TV ad spending for Trump: $0.” Politico. October 13, 2016. http://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/rnc-donald-trump-ad-spending-229711
Murashko, Alex. “DNC: Christian leaders comment on night ‘Dems booed God.” The Christian Post. September 7, 2012. http://www.christianpost.com/news/dnc-christian-leaders-comment-on-night-dems-booed-god-81234/

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Watch “America: No Documents Needed” on YouTube

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conspiracy, Constitutionsl Republic, democracy, Democrat, election 2016, globalism, One World Government, Republican, US Constitution

A powerful video must-see before you vote!

“America: No Documents Needed”

A Nation Divided Against Itself Can Not Stand! Part 1

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Americans, change, Conservatives, constitution, Cruz, democrats, divisions, election 2016, Founders, history, Liberals, obama, Republicans, Trump

A house divided against itself cannot stand.

It’s written in the Bible (Mark 3:24-25), and it is the foundation of one of President Abraham Lincoln’s most important speeches.

On June 16, 1858 more than 1,000 delegates met in the Springfield, Illinois, statehouse for the Republican State Convention. At 5:00 p.m. they chose Abraham Lincoln as their candidate for the U.S. Senate, running against Democrat Stephen A. Douglas. At 8:00 p.m. Lincoln delivered this address to his Republican colleagues in the Hall of Representatives. The title reflects part of the speech’s introduction, “A house divided against itself cannot stand,” a concept familiar to Lincoln’s audience as a statement by Jesus recorded in all three synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke). House Divided Speech, Springfield, Illinois, June 16, 1858. Read more HERE.

Decades later, running on a platform that publicly declared his intention to “fundamentally change America,” against the wishes of millions of Americans, President Obama has succeeded in is goal to piece by piece dismantle and disrespect the very foundation of our nation: our Constitution and the rule of law.

A house divided against itself cannot stand.

A Historical background via Obama the Great Divider, by J. Robert Smith

 “Throughout our nation’s history, division has been the rule; unity, the exception.  That goes back to the Revolution.  When it was clear to the Founders and outraged colonists that the British had no interest in redressing their grievances, they elected to divide, to fight for independence.

“Lucky for us and the world that they chose to do so. 

“Today, many Americans aren’t acquainted with the fact that colonists weren’t unanimous for independence.  A sizeable minority — Tories — backed the Crown.  They supported British troops and some fought alongside them. 

“The nation’s early, formative political era was marked by sharp divisions.  Federalists versus Jeffersonians.  Pro-Jackson versus Anti-Jackson factions.  Disputes over slavery were ongoing.  There was a whiskey rebellion and another war with the British.

“By the mid 1800s, the nation divided into sections and fought a civil war.  That, assuredly, was a tragic division.  620,000 military casualties, north and south, say so.  A ravaged South and a depleted North say so, too. 

“But as Lincoln stated, the war came, despite efforts at reconciliation.  The good that resulted from the war was the abolition of slavery.  And though it would take another hundred years, and yet more divisions and trials, abolition set African-Americans on the path to gaining their full God-given rights.  

“In the 20^th Century, Americans divided about other wars as well.  World Wars I and II, Vietnam and the Iraq War.  Toward the end, they divided about the Cold War.  

“And they’ve divided about the New Deal, the Fair Deal, The Great Society and the Reagan Revolution.  They’ve divided culturally, starting in the 1960s, over drugs, sex and rock and roll.  They’ve divided over abortion.

“As we look back over the long arc of the nation’s history, we see that from divisions came resolutions.  Freedom, more often than not, was advanced.  Our rights better secured.  Our nation, strengthened.   

“We live in a time of momentous divisions.  Many of us will not live to see the resolutions completely.  Since the early part of the 20^th Century, a great conflict has not only been playing out abroad, but at home, between statism and freedom. 

“At home, the statists – call them progressives, liberals or leftists – have worked diligently to advance government, to centralize authority in a political elite and bureaucracy and to, thereby, abridge the rights of the individual.  They dismiss the original intent that undergirds the Constitution, claiming a right to make interpretations that are frequently aimed at pressing their causes and increasing their power.  Many disdain our values, faith and traditions.

“Where shall we find common ground with the statists?  Compromise?  Compromise must invariably lead to less, not more, freedom.  And wasn’t that tried by our parents’ and grandparents’ generations?  Aren’t we, in part, struggling against a looming tyranny – albeit a soft tyranny – because of the good will and accommodations of our predecessors? 

Though ideological opponents, these two responsible leaders were also friends.

“Note, too, that overseas, in the 20^th Century and now, tyrants, established or aspiring, all sought or seek unity.  Unity under their rule in the service of the state.  Inevitably, they use force to achieve that end.  Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, Mao, Pol Pot and an assortment of lesser dictators all bullied, imprisoned, maimed or killed millions who failed to unite with their will. 

“Today, the Castro brothers are still at it.  Hugo Chavez is attempting it in Venezuela.  The mullahs are at it in Iran.  Kim Jong-Il has been at it in North Korea.  So are the Chinese.  Putin isn’t far from reasserting unity in service to the Russian state. 

“In our nation, we are fortunate that the Founders had great insight into human nature and the wisdom to arrange our government in ways that divided and authority.   They instituted checks and balances to thwart the tyranny of any faction, or combination of factions, to impose unity on us. 

“In the last ninety years, the barriers erected by the Founders to protect us from the tyranny of unity have been breached.  But they still stand.  It falls to us to repair and strengthen those barriers.  To reclaim the full measure of freedom which is our birthright and was intended us by the Founders.  And pass on that freedom to our children and theirs.” Read more HERE

If you listen to both Hillary and Bernie, they are so angry, so victimized, so … dead set on the next chapter in the self-destruction of America, that cannot or will not change course. Even the “driveby” media has nothing good to say, nothing hopeful, nothing uplifting to point to in anything going on. MORE coming soon.

 

 

 

“What is the purpose of public education?”

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a House divided against itself cannot stand, Americanism, citizenship, common ground, divisions, education, freedom, legal immigrants, melting pot, public school

The question is,”What is the purpose of public education?” That depends on who you ask.

“The purpose of education is to enable us to develop to the fullest that which is inside us” Norman Cousins, prominent political journalist, author and professor

“The purpose of education is to cultivate human minds with values and principles that help to distinguish between wrong and right. The purpose of education though has a much broader aspect which also entails learning skill for a certain area along with achieving overall development. While life passes education never ends, so education purpose entails a continuous change in direction.” (emphasis mine)

Horace Mann, commonly named the “Father of American Education,” “founded and edited The Common School Journal. In this journal, Mann targeted the public school and its problems. His six main principles were:

(1) the public should no longer remain ignorant;

(2) that such education should be paid for, controlled, and sustained by an interested public;

(3) that this education will be best provided in schools that embrace children from a variety of backgrounds;

(4) that this education must be non-sectarian;

(5) that this education must be taught by the spirit, methods, and discipline of a free society; and

(6) that education should be provided by well-trained, professional teachers.

Mann worked for more and better equipped school houses, longer school years (until 16 years old), higher pay for teachers, and a wider curriculum.”

The problem with today’s public education is that it generally fails in all six principles. Many of our high schools produce children who still cannot read with comprehension, write grammatically correct sentences, paragraphs, or  essays or solve basic math in life situations. Public school has been repeatedly and routinely dumbed down, especially over the last decade, to the lowest common denominator, and its original purpose: to prepare our children for a productive and responsible adult life, has been perverted to emphasize our differences rather than our common ground.

Parents are much busier in their own lives which means generally less involvement in their childrens’ educational process. In America’s early years, parents were actually fined if they were found slacking in the education of their children. Now, in essence, our children are being raised by the State which is not allowed to teach morals. Deposited in local daycares as early as 3 weeks old, many parents see their children long enough to feed them, bathe them, and tuck them into bed. Whose responsibility is it to see that your children are properly educated and prepared for adulthood?

In this era of political correctness, the American public is  told education must be all-inclusive across the board. That means ethnicity, race, religion, ability, and legal status, supposedly, don’t affect the availability or quality of education . As commonly happens, however, in the attempt to equalize that which is not equal by definition, the prevailing thought is seen to be “old-fashioned,” “too narrow,” “not appropriate for today’s youth,” or just idiotic.

“Because the way a people schools its children is so closely tied to how a people sees itself and its priorities,” history tells us that while once, it was “wishful thinking” for Americans to see themselves as the proverbial “melting pot,” a unified society, over the last decade, history seems to indicate that the “wishful thinking,” or perhaps the “social communism” taught in our schools today demonstrates a question of whether Americans still “wish”to be unified.”  from Public Education in America: Born in Unity; Endangered by Disunity

“If we look at it analytically, if we look at it historically, we quickly find out exactly what it is. Political Correctness is cultural Marxism. It is Marxism translated from economic into cultural terms. It is an effort that goes back not to the 1960s and the hippies and the peace movement, but back to World War I. If we compare the basic tenets of Political Correctness with classical Marxism the parallels are very obvious.”

When public school was born, our nation was populated predominantly with legal immigrants from many nations far and wide. Public school was designed at that time to teach “Americanism!” It was supposed to even the ground so all knew the American way AND the American Dream. In complete contrast, now, Americanism is gone, and schools are sterilized lest anyone be “offended” at what might appear to be American. Some schools g so far as to disallow clothing or decals depicting the American flag.

Schools are supposed to teach by the spirit, methods, and discipline of a free America. Like,uh, no patriotic clothing or gear, no Christmas, no Christianity, but satanism is okay, Islam is okay, existentialism is okay, humanitarianism is okay … and of course, materialism is wonderful, but capitalism is EVIL. Education is taught from a liberal political perspective, especially in our colleges and universities, and all other thoughts are dismissed as absurd.

When public school was born, America was a young nation of legal immigrants in search of a better life. It became obvious quickly that with all the different nations, languages, religions and ethnicities involved, something had to be done to get everyone on the ame page, so to speak. Public school was born, not just to teach basic reading, writing, and arithmetic, but also Americanism … and even in some places, trades. Whether or not it began as a myth, it morphed into the reality many of us knew as children.

No longer are those basic academics taught adequately, but all that has been AMERICA is being scrubbed from the curriculum as well and replaced with certain bits and pieces of chosen cultures and doctrines, many of which are completely counter-American.

I asked this question before, now I ask again … Who are we, America?

E Pluribus Unum: Out of many, ONE

“A people only begins to discover conservatism when it becomes aware of something it has lost. By the mid-20th century, Americans knew they had lost their independence from the affairs of the old world, and they increasingly felt the loss of the culture and community that had defined their form of self-government. Now America was a nation of big business and even bigger government … Today the country pays the price for the left-wing ideologies that ran rampant in the 20th century and the right-wing, but not conservative, reaction that has only exacerbated the destruction wrought by the left. To solve the country’s seemingly intractable–and, in the long-term, lethal–strategic, economic, and socio-cultural problems requires a rediscovery of traditional conservatism.”

Do we still comprehend the meaning of FREEDOM?

Are we still …

the Land of the FREE and the home of the Brave?

Or have we been bought

by the promise of a lifetime vacation

with plenty of FREE goodies

paid for by … ?

AMERICA, who are we?

ADDITIONAL READING:

Public Education in America: Born in Unity; Endangered by Disunity

Who are We, America?

Who We Are

Who Are We?: The Challenges to America’s National Identity

The Cost of Freedom

Tags

America, American history, application, compassion, First Responders, freedom, military personel, patriotism, sacrifice

During the last several years, I have been increasingly embarrassed by the number of Americans who have sold out to the well-intentioned but misguided concept of COMPASSION. It is an age-old deception passed down through the generations that says if we are to be kind, we must be willing to compromise our standards. Nothing could be further from the truth.

In fact, true compassion, the self-sacrificing noble compassion can only be rooted in solid, absolute but merciful moral code.

COMPASSION: a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.

The question is, what is the best way to alleviate the suffering or hardship of others. Pain and suffering are part of life, and not necessarily the worst part. Though no one desires pain and hardship, many people around the world manage to endure it with joy, or at least acceptance knowing that good always follows pain … eventually.

It saddens me that in today’s America, we seem to have forgotten the benefits of struggle, or working toward a goal, of fighting through disease, of sacrificing for the good of others. This is the essence of compassion.

Instead, we have opted for the shortcuts. Problem is, “No pain – no gain” is completely accurate! We are left with a nation of Americans who have no idea what it cost to build America into a nation where, at least before the current administration, people of all races, religions, and backgrounds could live together in relative harmony. We are no longer taught of the price the Founding Fathers paid for their rebellion against the status quo. Of course, humans are imperfect, and today’s educators and political liberals choose to focus on their imperfections rather than the enormous gifts they gave and the heavy costs they paid.

Today is July 4, 2015. For any who are not aware, July Fourth in the U.S., is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, by the Continental Congress declaring that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as a new nation, the United States of America, and no longer part of the British Empire. During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declaring the United States independent from Great Britain rule.

Now, there are many whose lives reflect the same selfless sacrifice in service to others. Recently, police have come under irrational scrutiny because of some ideologues political agenda. Of course, there are imperfections and abuses. As long as they are human, that will be the case. But we dare not overlook the tremendous personal sacrifices made by our first responders and military service members (and families.)

As we celebrate this weekend, I pray we remember … the tremendous cost of freedom that allows us the many choices we have, and it is my prayer that we will work to overcome evil with good…each of us…one kindness at a time!

Father God, many in our nation have turned away from You, but you know each one and love us still. Father God, please turn our hearts back to You in gratitude for all You have provided. Heal the divides between neighbors. Restore our yearning for self-reliance with You as our Source and our Guide … for the sake of the lost people of the world.

Are there now Two Americas?

Tags

Big Government, contradictions, Democrat, Enterprise America, history, Republican, think it though, truth, War on Poverty, welfare, Welfare America

Two Americas

By Greg Richards
Why did it take until 100 years after the Civil War, until 1964, to pass a Civil Rights Act? Because the Democratic Party would not take its boot off the neck of the black man until Martin Luther King made the black vote a political force. Dedicated to being in power above all else, the Democrats had to make a U-turn on their race policy in the 1960s and join the Republicans in passing the Civil Rights Act because they realized that after the black vote was counted, they were not going to win any more national elections without it.

But there was a problem. How was the Democratic Party going to overcome its deplorable record on race? It was the party of slavery, segregation, lynching, and the Klan.

What to do now? Get back in front of history with comprehensive rather than palliative welfare — the Great Society. The Democratic Party would become the friend of the black community by giving it things it wasn’t asking for, but were hard to resist.

But there is a big problem with comprehensive welfare: it destroys the role of men in the community and this was disproportionately true of the black community. There is nothing worse than taking away a person’s mission in life, making that person unnecessary and thus unwanted. That is evil. And today we see the results of that evil.

Single mothers can cope, but the family as a force in the community cannot flourish without men as a responsible presence. Without men, there is nobody to show boys how to behave, have someone to look up to and emulate, to set them straight when they go off the path, to show them how to be men. This has been true of every civilization in history.

But over the last 50 years, the Democratic Party wiped out the black family by wiping out the role of black men in order to stay in power. The black family had withstood 250 years of slavery and 100 years of Jim Crow, but was destroyed by 50 years of Liberalism. In 1960, the illegitimacy rate in the black community was 30%. Now it is 78%. And as Star Parker has pointed out, there is nothing unique about blacks. Whites are now where blacks were in 1960 and are on the same path.

What is the result of this devastation? There are now two Americas — Welfare America and Enterprise America.

The Democratic Party is the party of Welfare America and the Republican Party is the part of Enterprise America. Enterprise America is that part of America that is hands-on in its affairs. That does not mean the top managers of big business, which either out of necessity or out of temperament, in many cases cozy up to Big Government. There is also the billionaire effect, where billionaires, unaware of the wellspring of their own success, do not preach what they practice and support Welfare America for reasons of social standing.

Let’s compare the cultural attributes of Enterprise America and Welfare America.

READ MORE

WE must make more NOISE!!!

Tags

accountability, American Conservative, Big Government, choices, conservatism, WE THE PEOPLE

The general unrest across America is palpable! People are angry, frustrated, and disgusted with the ‘business as usual’ in DC, but they also feel helpless. Clearly, the majority of our elected officials no longer care two hoots what the people want. Suddenly, once elected, they simply work toward fulfilling their own agenda, whatever that is. Usually, it’s little more than lining their own pockets with taxpayer money!

The “system” is so badly out of whack that WE, the PEOPLE feel we have little or no recourse, no place to argue our distrust of government, no place to flay the “mainstream media” for feeding us only their left-leaning drippings, no place to decry the GREED from top to bottom because morality is currently out of fashion. Sadly, many decent Americans have simply given up and gone into hiding, so to speak.

I heard Sean Hannity a few weeks ago in conversation with a guest from the Republican party attempt to explain an opinion I agree with – Americans are so accustomed to the media’s definition of “Conservativism” that we are left to play defense on the various issues America faces. The would-be voices of Conservative leaders are silenced or manipulated into idiocy beyond recognition. As Americans, WE must define ourselves. WE must make more noise, positive noise! Let the left continue to make a mess of things for now, but USE our successes to prove our point. Use the soaring economy in the Dakotas and Texas to demonstrate the success of Conservative economic policies. Bring national social issues to a referendum – things like abortion and same-sex marriage. Let WE-the PEOPLE declare our choices loud and clear. CONSERVATISM is both logical and pragmatic, and it is what America needs!!!

WE must make more NOISE!!!

Where Is Our Voice in the Wilderness Touting Conservatism?

By Lloyd Marcus · Sep. 18, 2014

For crying out loud, will someone “pleeeeease” take a stand for Conservatism? Someone forwarded this article to me, “Why Are Republicans Suddenly Leaning Left?” The article cites numerous examples of the GOP obviously believing it must embrace at least lukewarm Liberalism while backing away from Conservatism to win elections.

The article mentioned that Mitt Romney avoided saying “Republican” in an ad supporting Scott Brown’s Senate run. Romney said in the ad referring to Brown, “will buck his own party to do what’s right for New Hampshire.” Romney’s statement implies that Conservatism can be mean, but rest assured that Brown will push back if Republicans go down that road. This hogwash drives me nuts because Conservatism is not mean; Liberalism is mean!

Mr. Romney you are an honorable man. But, if you are not going to boldly articulate the superior attributes of Conservatism; how it is rooted in compassion and why it is most beneficial to all Americans – if you are afraid to explain the foundational evils of Liberalism, please stay home; out of the 2016 presidential race.

In the first 2012 presidential debate, Romney kicked Obama’s butt with truth and facts. Then, Romney went on “prevent defense” in the next debate. His behavior said, “I have Obama on the ropes. I’m not going to say or do anything to blow my lead.” Consequently, in the second debate Romney allowed Obama to get away with lies.

Clueless low info voters believed Obama’s lies and his sycophant MSM allies said nothing. Romney’s lukewarm defense of Republican principles (Conservatism) led to 4 million frustrated Republican voters staying home, not bothering to cast their votes on election day. READ MORE HERE

ADDITIONAL READING:

The People Are Revolting!

The Logic of Liberalism

He Who Governs Nearest, Governs Most?

The Tyrannical Logic of Liberalism

The Spirit of “Paul Revere’s Ride”

Tags

courage, education, globalists, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, leadership, lofty ideals, obama, patriotism, Paul Revere's Ride, personal sacrifice, work

In third grade, I was required to memorize and recite the first three stanzas of this epic poem classic. (Do schools ever do this any more?) It was the spark that ignited my fascination with the search for the New World, the great experiment known as AMERICA.

The spirit of Paul Revere’s Ride goes beyond the poetic perfection of the rhyme and meter achieved by Longfellow, even beyond the historical relevance, to the heart of one man, a Patriot, sometimes referred to as “any-man.”

America, too, is much more than her geographical dimensions, her conglomerate of peoples and tribes and nations all mixed together into One People. America is even more than her founding documents: the Declaration of Independence and Constitution of the United States of America.

America is an idea. It is BIG and BOLD. It is unique in the world. It is INDEPENDENCE – depending on no one else for anything, and she promotes independence in her people and around the world. It is pride, but not arrogance. It is generosity, but not manipulation. It is compassion, but not lawlessness. It is unique in ideal because it seeks “equality” for all, under the law. It is contrary to human nature, but still possible, if we are willing to WORK for it, willing to sacrifice for it, willing to swim against the stream for it. It’s easy to be mediocre, middle of the stream, average. Not so easy to be the best, the strongest, the leader because leaders are RESPONSIBLE for & to those they wish to lead.

“My legacy will be an America brought down to the level of the rest of the world.”
~ Barack Obama ~

Why the Globalists Selected Obama to be President

I wish “Paul Revere’s Ride” was required reading, not only for third graders, but for each and every adult citizen of this nation. Please read it … aloud, if possible, and let it stir your heart, your love for the IDEA of AMERICA. And then, share that Spirit … the spirit that says we can be AMERICA again. We can be strong, but compassionate, A NATION OF LAWS, and not men. We can be innovative, yet controlled. We can rein in our spending as a government and reduce the waste and overlap of offices. We can return to the perimeters of the Constitution, if we are willing to count the cost of NOT doing so.

Surely, if evolution is fact, then shouldn’t the human race be bettering itself instead of seeking mediocrity and the lowest common denominator?

Read … and share!

The Landlord’s Tale. Paul Revere’s Ride

By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Listen, my children, and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in ‘Seventy-five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.

He said to his friend, “If the British march
By land or sea from the town to-night,
Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch
Of the North Church tower as a signal light, —
One, if by land, and two, if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be,
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
Through every Middlesex village and farm,
For the country folk to be up and to arm.”

Then he said, “Good night!” and with muffled oar
Silently rowed to the Charlestown shore,
Just as the moon rose over the bay,
Where swinging wide at her moorings lay
The somerset, British man-of-war;
A phantom ship, with each mast and spar
Across the moon like a prison bar,
And a huge black hulk, that was magnified
By its own reflection in the tide.

Meanwhile, his friend, through alley and street,
Wanders and watches with eager ears,
Till in the silence around him he hears
The muster of men at the barrack door,
The sound of arms, and the tramp of feet,
And the measured tread of the grenadiers,
Marching down to their boats on the shore.

Then he climbed the tower of the Old North Church
By the wooden stairs, with stealthy tread,
To the belfry-chamber overhead,
And startled the pigeons from their perch
On the sombre rafters, that round him made
Masses and moving shapes of shade, —
By the trembling ladder, steep and tall,
To the highest window in the wall,
Where he paused to listen and look down
A moment on the roofs of the town,
And the moonlight flowing over all.

Beneath, in the churchyard, lay the dead,
In their night-encampment on the hill,
Wrapped in silence so deep and still
That he could hear, like a sentinel’s tread,
The watchful night-wind, as it went
Creeping along from tent to tent,
And seeming to whisper, “All is well!”
A moment only he feels the spell
Of the place and the hour, and the secret dread
Of the lonely belfry and the dead;
For suddenly all his thoughts are bent
On a shadowy something far away,
Where the river widens to meet the bay, —
A line of black that bends and floats
On the rising tide, like a bridge of boats.

Meanwhile, impatient to mount and ride,
Booted and spurred, with a heavy stride,
On the opposite shore walked Paul Revere.
Now he patted his horse’s side,
Now gazed at the landscape far and near,
Then, impetuous, stamped the earth,
And turned and tightened his saddle-girth;
But mostly he watched with eager search
The belfry-tower of the Old North Church,
As it rose above the graves on the hill,
Lonely and spectral and sombre and still.
And lo! As he looks, on the belfry’s height
A glimmer, and then a gleam of light!
He springs to the saddle, the bridle he turns,
But lingers and gazes, till full on his sight
A second lamp in the belfry burns!

A hurry of hoofs in a village street,
A shape in the moonlight, a bulk in the dark,
And beneath, from the pebbles, in passing, a spark
Struck out by a steed flying fearless and fleet:
That was all! And yet, through the gloom and the light,
The fate of a nation was riding that night;
And the spark struck out by that steed, in his flight,
Kindled the land into flame with its heat.

He has left the village and mounted the steep,
And beneath him, tranquil and broad and deep,
Is the Mystic, meeting the ocean tides;
And under the alders, that skirt its edge,
Now soft on the sand, now loud on the ledge,
Is heard the tramp of his steed as he rides.

It was twelve by the village clock
When he crossed the bridge into Medford town.
He heard the crowing of the cock,
And the barking of the farmer’s dog,
And felt the damp of the river fog,
That rises after the sun goes down.

It was one by the village clock
When he galloped into Lexington.
He saw the gilded weathercock
Swim in the moonlight as he passed,
And the meeting-house windows, blank and bare,
Gaze at him with a spectral glare,
As if they already stood aghast
At the bloody work they would look upon.

It was two by the village clock
When he came to the bridge in Concord town.
He heard the bleating of the flock,
And the twitter of birds among the trees,
And felt the breath of the morning breeze
Blowing over the meadows brown.
And one was safe and asleep in his bed
Who at the bridge would be first to fall,
Who that day would be lying dead,
Pierced by a British musket-ball.

You know the rest. In the books you have read,
How the British Regulars fired and fled, —
How the farmers gave them ball for ball,
From behind each fence and farm-yard wall,
Chasing the redcoats down the lane,
Then crossing the fields to emerge again
Under the trees at the turn of the road,
And only pausing to fire and load.

So through the night rode Paul Revere;
And so through the night went his cry of alarm
To every Middlesex village and farm, —
A cry of defiance and not of fear,
A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door,
And a word that shall echo forevermore!
For borne on the night-wind of the Past,
Through all our history, to the last,
In the hour of darkness and peril and need,
The people will waken and listen to hear
The hurrying hoof-beats of that steed
And the midnight message of Paul Revere.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Click HERE to jump to amazon to buy a copy for your shelf or for your children or grandchildren!

A Parable of Faith Activation

Tags

aide, community-service, compassion, faith, fear, government, government-programs, help, people, personal service to others, Self-sacrifice, service, The Little Dutch Boy, unselfishness, volunteers

“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but YOU {emphasis bjb} do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” James 2: 14- 17

“The dam is breaking! The dam is breaking! Emergency!!!” The screams of the people of Borderville frantically scurrying to get out of harm’s way echoed from the hillsides surrounding the town. Chaos everywhere! People watched in horror from hilltops and housetops as a wall of water rushed down the ravine sweeping over everything in its path. Thousands of homes gone in a moment. Families swept away. Utter and complete devastation in the wake with more tragedy ahead in its path.

Warnings had been given prior, but no one listened. There was a lot of talk, several plans were put forth, money had even been allocated, but nothing was done. Now, it was too late.

Emergency broadcasts flooded the airways urgently notifying people to seek higher ground. There was a cry, too, for volunteers to help tend the wounded and homeless.

It wasn’t long before the government issued a “warning” to local residents, and they began to organize shelters and supplies for the many victims. The Governor sought Federal assistance asking it be declared an “EMERGENCY!” Thousands of homes had already been destroyed. Many lives had been lost, and still the enormity of this tragedy was only beginning.

The water surged downhill wiping out everything in its path. Homes, schools, churches … businesses. It was ruthless.

Within a half hour of the breach, three or four helicopters peppered the sky. Whether journalists reporting the story or government agencies looking at the devastation was unclear. News bulletins resounded across the nation.

The hours began to roll by. The path of tragedy grew. The cry for help continued. Checks began to pour in from the American public. Emergency “#800” phones were organized. Government agencies brought supplies to nearby make shift shelters. Piles of blankets and cases of water grew.

The following weekend, pleas issued from pulpits in churches, tabernacles, mosques, as well as community outreach programs. Tons of building and survival supplies were quickly being gathered at points from coast to coast.

Hollywood celebrities and politicians issued calls for help from their walled-in mansions and executive offices. Photos flashed across TV screens and computer screens of the gorgeous celebs at fundraisers supporting the victims relief effort.

Hours and days passed. The flood continued to demolish town after town, home after home. Politicians chose sides: some pleaded for more money and supplies to tend the victims, and others wanted, first, to repair the dam.

“Oh no, we must let the water go and take care of the people first! That is the compassionate thing. To repair the dam is taking food out of the childrens’ mouths!” they said.

A handful of volunteers gathered at the local Red Cross. The size or their task was immeasurable. Money was plentiful. Supplies from the government were available, but volunteers were scarce. Seems everyone had a reason not to lend a physical hand to help the distraught and displaced survivors.

* ~ * ~ * ~ *

There is a children’s story I recall – The Little Dutch Boy, by Mary Mapes Dodge. Peter Miller writes this synopsis of the tale:

“Dutch legend has it that there was once a small boy who upon passing a dyke (or dam) on his way to school noticed a slight leak as the sea trickled in through a small hole. Knowing that he would be in trouble if he were to be late for school, the boy poked his finger into the hole and so stemmed the flow of water. Some time later a passerby saw him and went to get help. This came in the form of other men who were able to effect repairs on the dyke and seal up the leak.

“This story is told to children to teach them that if they act quickly and in time, even they with their limited strength and resources can avert disasters. The fact that the Little Dutch Boy used his finger to stop the flow of water, is used as an illustration of self-sacrifice. The physical lesson is also taught: a small trickle of water soon becomes a stream and the stream a torrent and the torrent a flood sweeping all before it, Dyke material, roadways and cars, and even railway tracks and bridges and whole trains.”

The Bible teaches God is a personal God. He is interested in our individual growth and character. In America, and in our world today, there are several “dams breaking.” We have agency upon agency duplicating tasks and spending obscene amounts of money, and accomplishing little. President Johnson back in the 60’s declared a “War on Poverty,” establishing “Social Security (creating medicare & medicaid) and “Food Stamp Act.”

As noble as the “War on Poverty” idea is, we have MORE poverty today, not less. We’ve lost the “War on Poverty!” Look around! If these programs actually worked, wouldn’t the percentages decrease and the numbers of thriving Americans increase? Service programs abound, but people willing to volunteer their time and talents are few. Government not equipped to tend the needs of individual families or communities. Government cannot empathize or feel compassion. We can!

See, only we, as individuals and neighbors know the specific needs of one another and have the ability to feel compassion. The thing about helping others … not only does serving one another help them, the victims, but it activates us! There is something reciprocal that happens when we reach out to “care” for another human being. I’ve heard it from missionaries to go with the warm intention of helping others, but they return feeling more a recipient than a giver.

It’s about people, a “People Connection” that opens our hearts and drowns the fears we have of people, of strangers. We are free to serve, yes, but only in doing does the reverse become true – our service frees us! Only in service to our neighbors does our faith become activated. Regardless of whether our religion is Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism … it is our personal service to others that confirms, affirms, and activates our Faith.

Our Constitution: A Firm Foundation Crumbling? (Warning – Historical Content!)

Tags

63rd NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER, Founders, JFK, liberty, NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER 2014, President D.D. Eisenhower, President Truman, US Constitution, US History, We Pray, WE THE PEOPLE

if My people who are called by My name put away their pride and pray, and look for My face, and turn from their sinful ways, then I will hear from heaven. I will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

STRENGTH
RESILIENCE
BALANCE
TIMELESSNESS

It’s the 63rd NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER, instituted by Pres. Truman. Since that time, thirty-four of the 44 U.S. Presidents have signed proclamations for National Prayer. Three of the Presidents who did not sign a proclamation died while serving in office. Two Presidents, not included in the count, William Howard Taft and Warren Gamaliel Harding, signed proclamations for Thanksgiving and Prayer.

At the Constitutional Convention of 1787, James Madison proposed the plan to divide the central government into three branches. He discovered this model of government from the Perfect Governor, as he read Isaiah 33:22;

“For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; He will save us.”

This is the birth of the branches of government.

Election season is upon us, and once again, We-the-People have the awesome responsibility of choosing our leaders. Most of us will agree that BOTH parties are corrupt. We can therefore NOT vote by party as we have in the past, as our parents and grandparents did. We must investigate the individuals who seek office, and choose as though our future, and perhaps our lives, depend on it. Something must be the guiderule, the standard by which we decide, the plumbline by which we measure the men and women who seek office.

But what?

The Founders goal was that this nation be a nation of Law and not of men. That “all men” would be judged equally under the Law. Clearly, we have drifted from this standard, and only We-the-People have the authority to turn us back in that direction, or continue toward the tyranny of men ruling over men. It is clear in our inspired Constitution, which direction is “FAIR,” but the political winds have perverted fairness and truth. America was built on God’s word by people who understood and accepted His sovereignty. Do not give ear to those who say otherwise Investigate on your own! Let’s choose those who will stand strong on our Constitution, rather than those who seek to rewrite it.

President D.D.Eisenhower, on the say of his inauguration, placed his hand on a specific verse in the Bible – Psalm 127: 1 which says:

Unless the Lord builds the house (America),
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city (cities),
The watchman stays awake in vain.

What will our course, then, be?

On that fateful day in Dallas, the day President Kennedy was assassinated, he was slated to give a speech. From that speech …

I have spoken of strength largely in terms of the deterrence and resistance of aggression and attack. But, in today’s world, freedom can be lost without a shot being fired, by ballots as well as bullets. The success of our leadership is dependent upon respect for our mission in the world as well as our missiles — on a clearer recognition of the virtues of freedom as well as the evils of tyranny.

America depends on us. It is not just a nation. It is an ideal, a hope, the God-ordained leader of nations, not for the sake of power-mongers or financial/political gain, but for the GOOD of the nations. No other nation has been as helpful in catastrophe, no other nation has been so compassionate in tragedy, no other nation has been so merciful in the collection of debt … no other nation has been the home of as much innovation, scientific advancement, medical development and academic prowess, but each of these fields has also fallen victim to corruption and abuse. Nevertheless, the goodness, the compassion continues as a result of God’s goodness to US!

For the tired and the weary
Lost and confused
Hopeless and needy
With nothing to lose
For those who are falling
Or have already fallen away

Cause Our hearts are exploding
With compassion and love
For a world that is dying
To be lifted up (oh)

We pray
Humbly we seek Your face
Broken yet unafraid to be, you hear
We leave it all in Your hands
Know that you hear us when we pray

Peace and forgiveness
For the nations at war
Strength in their weakness
When they can take no more
Mercy, redemption, healing
And for You to be Lord of all

Our hearts are exploding
With compassion and love
For a world that is crying
To be lifted up (oh)

Father in Heaven
The Giver of life
Your Kingdom forever be glorified
You’re all can will unite us
And heal our divide
We bow down before You
Oh Lord hear our cry

We pray, humbly we seek your face
Trust that you hear us when we pray

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
LAGERBERG, CLINT/PRICE, OTTO MONTGOMERY JR.