America's Most Biblically Hostile Chief Executive

Common Sense Commentary:  How many factual examples
does it take to convince a blind, imbecilic humanoid of truth?

Why did Jeremiah call them "foolish people" in 5:21 ?
"Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding;

which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not.

What happens to to those who will not hear ? Isaiah 6:9-10

"And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear you indeed, but

understand not; and see indeed, but perceive not. Make the

heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut

their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their

ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be

healed."....... Soon, those who will not hear, cannot hear.

Why did Jesus speak to them in parables in Matthew 13:13 ?
"Therefore I speak to them in parables: because they seeing
see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand"
Why should God even speak to the heart of someone who.....
"Will Not Hear"? "Ye will not come to me, that ye might
have life." John 5:40

America’s Most Biblically Hostile Chief Executive

When one observes President Obama’s unwillingness to accommodate America ’s four-century long religious conscience protection through his attempts to require Catholics to go against their own doctrines and beliefs, one is tempted to say that he is anti-Catholic. But that characterization would not be correct. Although he has recently singled out Catholics, he has equally targeted traditional Protestant beliefs over the past four years. So since he has attacked Catholics and Protestants, one is tempted to say that he is anti-Christian. But that, too, would be inaccurate. He has been equally disrespectful in his appalling treatment of religious Jews in general and Israel in particular. So perhaps the most accurate description of his antipathy toward Catholics, Protestants, religious Jews, and the Jewish nation would be to characterize him as anti-Biblical. And then when his hostility toward Biblical people of faith is contrasted with his preferential treatment of Muslims and Muslim nations, it further strengthens the accuracy of the anti-Biblical descriptor. In fact, there have been numerous clearly documented times when his pro-Islam positions have been the cause of his anti-Biblical actions.

Listed below in chronological order are (1) numerous records of his attacks on Biblical persons or organizations; (2) examples of the hostility toward Biblical faith that have become evident in the past three years in the Obama-led military; (3) a listing of his open attacks on Biblical values; and finally (4) a listing of numerous incidents of his preferential deference for Islam’s activities and positions, including letting his Islamic advisors guide and influence his hostility toward people of Biblical faith.

1. Acts of hostility toward people of Biblical faith:

• April 2008 – Obama speaks disrespectfully of Christians, saying they “cling to guns or religion” and have an “antipathy to people who aren't like them.” ¹
• February 2009 – Obama announces plans to revoke conscience protection for health workers who refuse to participate in medical activities that go against their beliefs, and fully implements the plan in February 2011. ²
• April 2009 – When speaking at Georgetown University , Obama orders that a monogram symbolizing Jesus' name be covered when he is making his speech. ³
• May 2009 – Obama declines to host services for the National Prayer Day (a day established by federal law) at the White House. ⁴
• April 2009 – In a deliberate act of disrespect, Obama nominated three pro-abortion ambassadors to the Vatican ; of course, the pro-life Vatican rejected all three. ⁵
• October 19, 2010 – Obama begins deliberately omitting the phrase about “the Creator” when quoting the Declaration of Independence – an omission he has made on no less than seven occasions. ⁶
• November 2010 – Obama misquotes the National Motto, saying it is “E pluribus unum” rather than “In God We Trust” as established by federal law. ⁷
• January 2011 – After a federal law was passed to transfer a WWI Memorial in the Mojave Desert to private ownership, the U. S. Supreme Court ruled that the cross in the memorial could continue to stand, but the Obama administration refused to allow the land to be transferred as required by law, and refused to allow the cross to be re-erected as ordered by the Court. ⁸
• February 2011 – Although he filled posts in the State Department, for more than two years Obama did not fill the post of religious freedom ambassador, an official that works against religious persecution across the world; he filled it only after heavy pressure from the public and from Congress. ⁹
• April 2011 – For the first time in American history, Obama urges passage of a non-discrimination law that does not contain hiring protections for religious groups, forcing religious organizations to hire according to federal mandates without regard to the dictates of their own faith, thus eliminating conscience protection in hiring. ¹⁰
• August 2011 – The Obama administration releases its new health care rules that override religious conscience protections for medical workers in the areas of abortion and contraception. ¹¹
• November 2011 – Obama opposes inclusion of President Franklin Roosevelt’s famous D-Day Prayer in the WWII Memorial. ¹²
• November 2011 – Unlike previous presidents, Obama studiously avoids any religious references in his Thanksgiving speech. ¹³
• December 2011 – The Obama administration denigrates other countries' religious beliefs as an obstacle to radical homosexual rights. ¹⁴
• January 2012 – The Obama administration argues that the First Amendment provides no protection for churches and synagogues in hiring their pastors and rabbis. ¹⁵
• February 2012 – The Obama administration forgives student loans in exchange for public service, but announces it will no longer forgive student loans if the public service is related to religion. ¹⁶

2. Acts of hostility from the Obama-led military toward people of Biblical faith:

• June 2011 – The Department of Veterans Affairs forbids references to God and Jesus during burial ceremonies at Houston National Cemetery . ¹⁷
• August 2011 – The Air Force stops teaching the Just War theory to officers in California because the course is taught by chaplains and is based on a philosophy introduced by St. Augustine in the third century AD – a theory long taught by civilized nations across the world (except America). ¹⁸
• September 2011 – Air Force Chief of Staff prohibits commanders from notifying airmen of programs and services available to them from chaplains. ¹⁹
• September 2011 – The Army issues guidelines for Walter Reed Medical Center stipulating that “No religious items (i.e. Bibles, reading materials and/or facts) are allowed to be given away or used during a visit.” ²⁰
• November 2011 – The Air Force Academy rescinds support for Operation Christmas Child, a program to send holiday gifts to impoverished children across the world, because the program is run by a Christian charity. ²¹
• November 2011 – The Air Force Academy pays $80,000 to add a Stonehenge-like worship center for pagans, druids, witches and Wiccans. ²²
• February 2012 – The U. S. Military Academy at West Point disinvites three star Army general and decorated war hero Lieutenant General William G. (“Jerry”) Boykin (retired) from speaking at an event because he is an outspoken Christian. ²³
• February 2012 – The Air Force removes “God” from the patch of Rapid Capabilities Office (the word on the patch was in Latin: Dei). ²⁴
• February 2012 – The Army orders Catholic chaplains not to read a letter to parishioners that their archbishop asked them to read. ²⁵

3. Acts of hostility toward Biblical values:

• January 2009 – Obama lifts restrictions on U.S. government funding for groups that provide abortion services or counseling abroad, forcing taxpayers to fund pro-abortion groups that either promote or perform abortions in other nations. ²⁶
• January 2009 – President Obama’s nominee for deputy secretary of state asserts that American taxpayers are required to pay for abortions and that limits on abortion funding are unconstitutional. ²⁷
• March 2009 – The Obama administration shut out pro-life groups from attending a White House-sponsored health care summit. ²⁸
• March 2009 – Obama orders taxpayer funding of embryonic stem cell research. ²⁹
• March 2009 – Obama gave $50 million for the UNFPA, the UN population agency that promotes abortion and works closely with Chinese population control officials who use forced abortions and involuntary sterilizations. ³⁰
• May 2009 – The White House budget eliminates all funding for abstinence-only education and replaces it with “comprehensive” sexual education, repeatedly proven to increase teen pregnancies and abortions. ³¹ He continues the deletion in subsequent budgets. ³²
• May 2009 – Obama officials assemble a terrorism dictionary calling pro-life advocates violent and charging that they use racism in their “criminal” activities. ³³
• July 2009 – The Obama administration illegally extends federal benefits to same-sex partners of Foreign Service and Executive Branch employees, in direction violation of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.³⁴
• September 16, 2009 – The Obama administration appoints as EEOC Commissioner Chai Feldblum, who asserts that society should “not tolerate” any “private beliefs,” including religious beliefs, if they may negatively affect homosexual “equality.” ³⁵
• July 2010 – The Obama administration uses federal funds in violation of federal law to get Kenya to change its constitution to include abortion. ³⁶
• August 2010 – The Obama administration Cuts funding for 176 abstinence education programs. ³⁷
• September 2010 – The Obama administration tells researchers to ignore a judge’s decision striking down federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. ³⁸
• February 2011 – Obama directs the Justice Department to stop defending the federal Defense of Marriage Act. ³⁹
• March 2011 – The Obama administration refuses to investigate videos showing Planned Parenthood helping alleged sex traffickers get abortions for victimized underage girls. ⁴⁰
• July 2011 – Obama allows homosexuals to serve openly in the military, reversing a policy originally instituted by George Washington in March 1778. ⁴¹
• September 2011 – The Pentagon directs that military chaplains may perform same-sex marriages at military facilities in violation of the federal Defense of Marriage Act. ⁴²
• October 2011 – The Obama administration eliminates federal grants to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for their extensive programs that aid victims of human trafficking because the Catholic Church is anti-abortion. ⁴³

4. Acts of preferentialism for Islam:

• May 2009 – While Obama does not host any National Day of Prayer event at the White House, he does host White House Iftar dinners in honor of Ramadan. ⁴⁴
• April 2010 – Christian leader Franklin Graham is disinvited from the Pentagon’s National Day of Prayer Event because of complaints from the Muslim community. ⁴⁵
• April 2010 – The Obama administration requires rewriting of government documents and a change in administration vocabulary to remove terms that are deemed offensive to Muslims, including jihad, jihadists, terrorists, radical Islamic, etc. ⁴⁶
• August 2010 – Obama speaks with great praise of Islam and condescendingly of Christianity. ⁴⁷
• August 2010 – Obama went to great lengths to speak out on multiple occasions on behalf of building an Islamic mosque at Ground Zero, while at the same time he was silent about a Christian church being denied permission to rebuild at that location. ⁴⁸
• 2010 – While every White House traditionally issues hundreds of official proclamations and statements on numerous occasions, this White House avoids traditional Biblical holidays and events but regularly recognizes major Muslim holidays, as evidenced by its 2010 statements on Ramadan, Eid-ul-Fitr, Hajj, and Eid-ul-Adha. ⁴⁹
• October 2011 – Obama’s Muslim advisers block Middle Eastern Christians’ access to the White House. ⁵⁰
• February 2012 – The Obama administration makes effulgent apologies for Korans being burned by the U. S. military, ⁵¹ but when Bibles were burned by the military, numerous reasons were offered why it was the right thing to do. ⁵²

Many of these actions are literally unprecedented – this is the first time they have happened in four centuries of American history. The hostility of President Obama toward Biblical faith and values is without equal from any previous American president.

Endnotes

1. Sarah Pulliam Baily, "Obama: ‘They cling to guns or religion’," Christianity Today, April 13, 2008. (Return)2. Aliza Marcus, "Obama to Lift ‘Conscience’ Rule for Health Workers," Bloomberg, February 27, 2009; Sarah Pulliam Baily, "Obama Admin. Changes Bush ‘Conscience’ Rule for Health Workers," Christianity Today, February 18, 2011. (Return)3. Jim Lovino, "Jesus Missing From Obama’s Georgetown Speech," NBC Washington, April 17, 2009. (Return)4. Johanna Neuman, “Obama end Bush-era National Prayer Day Service at White House," Los Angeles Times, May 7, 2009. (Return)5. Chris McGreal, “Vatican vetoes Barack Obama’s nominees for U.S. Ambassador,” The Guardian, April 14, 2009. (Return)6. Meredith Jessup, “Obama Continues to Omit ‘Creator’ From Declaration of Independence,” The Blaze, October 19, 2010. (Return)7. "Remarks by the President at the University of Indonesia in Jakarta, Indonesia," The White House, November 10, 2010. (Return)8. LadyImpactOhio, " Feds sued by Veterans to allow stolen Mojave Desert Cross to be rebuilt," Red State , January 14, 2011. (Return)9. Marrianne Medlin, “Amid criticism, President Obama moves to fill vacant religious ambassador post,” Catholic News Agency, February 9, 2011; Thomas F. Farr, “Undefender of the Faith,” Foreign Policy, April 5, 2012. (Return)10. Chris Johnson, “ENDA passage effort renewed with Senate introduction,” Washington Blade, April 15, 2011. (Return)11. Chuck Donovan, “HHS’s New Health Guidelines Trample on Conscience,” Heritage Foundation, August 2, 2011. (Return)12. Todd Starns, “Obama Administration Opposes FDR Prayer at WWII Memorial,” Fox News, November 4, 2011. (Return)13. Joel Siegel, “Obama Omits God From Thanksgiving Speech, Riles Critics,” ABC News, November 25, 2011. (Return)14. Hillary Rodham Clinton, “Remarks in Recognition of International Human Rights Day,” U.S. Department of State, December 6, 2011. (Return)15. Ted Olson, “Church Wins Firing Case at Supreme Court,” Christianity Today, January 11, 2012. (Return)16. Audrey Hudson, “Obama administration religious service for student loan forgiveness,” Human Events, February 15, 2012. (Return)17. “Houston Veterans Claim Censorship of Prayers, Including Ban of ‘God’ and ‘Jesus’,” Fox News, June 29, 2011. (Return)18. Jason Ukman, “Air Force suspends ethics course that used Bible passages that train missle launch officers,” Washington Post, August 2, 2011. (Return)19. "Maintaining Government Neutrality Regarding Religion," Department of the Air Force, September 1, 2011. (Return)20. "Wounded, Ill, and Injured Partners in Care Guidelines," Department of the Navy (accessed on February 29, 2012). (Return)21. "Air Force Academy Backs Away from Christmas Charity," Fox News Radio, November 4, 2011. (Return)22. Jenny Dean, "Air Force Academy adapts to pagans, druids, witches and Wiccans," Los Angeles Times, November 26, 2011. (Return)23. Ken Blackwell, "Gen. Boykin Blocked At West Point," cnsnews.com, February 1, 2012. (Return)24. Geoff Herbert, " Air Force unit removes 'God' from logo; lawmakers warn of 'dangerous precedent'," syracuse.com, February 9, 2012. (Return)25. Todd Starnes, "Army Silences Catholic Chaplains," Fox News Radio, February 6, 2012. (Return)26. Jeff Mason and Deborah Charles, "Obama lifts restrictions on abortion funding," Reuters, January 23, 2009. (Return)27. "Obama pick: Taxpayers must fund abortions," World Net Daily, January 27, 2009. (Return)28. Steven Ertelt, "Pro-Life Groups Left Off Obama’s Health Care Summit List, Abortion Advocates OK," LifeNews, March 5, 2009. (Return)29. " Obama Signs Order Lifting Restrictions on Stem Cell Research Funding," Fox News, March 9, 2009. (Return)30. Steven Ertelt, “ Obama Administration Announces $50 Million for Pro-Forced Abortion UNFPA,” LifeNews, March 26, 2009; Steven Ertelt, "President Barack Obama’s Pro-Abortion Record: A Pro-Life Compilation," LifeNews, February 11, 2012. (Return)31. Steven Ertelt, "Barack Obama’s Federal Budget Eliminates Funding for Abstinence-Only Education," LifeNews, May 8, 2009. (Return)32. Steven Ertelt, "Obama Budget Funds Sex Ed Over Abstinence on 16-1 Margin," LifeNews, February 14, 2011. (Return)33. Steven Ertelt, "Obama Admin Terrorism Dictionary Calls Pro-Life Advocates Violent, Racist," LifeNews, May 5, 2009. (Return)34. "Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies," The White House, June 17, 2009. (Return)35. Matt Cover, "Obama’s EEOC Nominee: Society Should ‘Not Tolerate Private Beliefs’ That ‘Adversely Affect’ Homosexuals," cnsnews.com, January 18, 2010. (Return)36. Tess Civantos, "White House Spent $23M of Taxpayer Money to Back Kenyan Constitution That Legalizes Abortion, GOP Reps Say," Fox News, July 22, 2010. (Return)37. Steven Ertelt, "Obama, Congress Cut Funding for 176 Abstinence Programs Despite New Study," LifeNews, August 26, 2010. (Return)38. Steven Ertelt, "President Barack Obama’s Pro-Abortion Record: A Pro-Life Compilation," LifeNews, February 11, 2012. (Return)39. Brian Montopoli, "Obama administration will no longer defend DOMA," CBSNews, February 23, 2011. (Return)40. Steven Ertelt, "Obama Admin Ignores Planned Parenthood Sex Trafficking Videos," LifeNews, March 2, 2011. (Return)41. Elisabeth Bumiller, "Obama Ends ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Policy," New York Times, July 22, 2011; George Washington, The Writings of George Washington, John C. Fitzpatrick, editor (Washington: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1934), Vol. XI, pp. 83-84, from General Orders at Valley Forge on March 14, 1778. (Return)42. Luis Martinez, "Will Same Sex Marriages Pose a Dilemma for Military Chaplains?," ABC News, October 12, 2011. (Return)
43. Jerry Markon, "Health, abortion issues split Obama administration and Catholic groups," Washington Post, October 31, 2011. (Return)44. Barack Obama, “ Remarks by the President at Iftar Dinner,” The White House, September 1, 2009; Kristi Keck, “ Obama tones down National Day of Prayer observance,” CNN, May 6, 2009; Dan Gilgoff, “ The White House on National Day of Prayer: A Proclamation, but No Formal Ceremony,” U.S. News, May 1, 2009. (Return)45. "Franklin Graham Regrets Army's Decision to Rescind Invite to Pentagon Prayer Service," Fox News, April 22, 2010. (Return)46. “Obama Bans Islam, Jihad From National Security Strategy Document,” Fox News, April 7, 2010; "Counterterror Adviser Defends Jihad as 'Legitimate Tenet of Islam'," Fox News, May 27, 2010; "'Islamic Radicalism' Nixed From Obama Document," CBSNews, April 7, 2010. (Return)47. Chuck Norris, “ President Obama: Muslim Missionary? (Part 2),” Townhall.com, August 24, 2010; Chuck Norris, "President Obama: Muslim Missionary?,"Townhall.com, August 17, 2010.(Return)48. Barack Obama, “Remarks by the President at Iftar Dinner,” The White House, August 13, 2010; "Obama Comes Out in Favor of Allowing Mosque Near Ground Zero," Fox News, August 13, 2010; Pamela Geller, "Islamic Supremacism Trumps Christianity at Ground Zero," American Thinker, July 21, 2011. (Return)49. "WH Fails to Release Easter Proclamation," Fox Nation, April 25, 2011; "President Obama ignores most holy Christian holiday; AFA calls act intentional," American Family Association (accessed on February 29, 2012).(Return)50. "Report: Obama’s Muslim Advisers Block Middle Eastern Christians’ Access to the White House," Big Peace (accessed on February 29, 2012). (Return)51. Masoud Popalzai and Nick Paton Walsh, “ Obama apologizes to Afghanistan for Quran burning,” CNN, February 23, 2012; "USA/Afghanistan-Islamophobia: Pentagon official apologizes for Quran burning," International Islamic News Agency (accessed on February 29, 2012). (Return)52. "Military burns unsolicited Bibles sent to Afghanistan," CNN, May 22, 2009. (Return)

U.S. Constitution: Executive, Legislative, Judicial are Equal

Common Sense Commentary:

The Three Equal Branches of United States Government

Delegates at the Constitutional Convention wanted to divide power within the federal government. They did not want these powers to be controlled by just one man or one group. The delegates were afraid that if a small group received too much power, the United States would wind up under the rule of another dictator or tyrant.

To avoid the risk of dictatorship or tyranny, the group divided the new government into three equal parts, or equal branches: the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch.

	Executive Branch: Headed by the president. The president carries out federal laws and recommends new ones, directs national defense and foreign policy, and performs ceremonial duties. Powers include directing government, commanding the Armed Forces, dealing with international powers, acting as chief law enforcement officer, and vetoing laws.
	Legislative Branch: Headed by Congress, which includes the House of Representatives and the Senate. The main task of these two bodies is to make the laws. Its powers include passing laws, originating spending bills (House), impeaching officials (Senate), and approving treaties (Senate).
	Judicial Branch: Headed by the Supreme Court. Its powers include interpreting the Constitution, reviewing laws, and deciding cases involving states' rights.

(1) Christian Wealth Is A Way Of Life, Not A Stash Of Cash

Common Sense Commentary: Christian Wealth is a way of  life...not a stash of cash.
This is the first in a series of articles I will do on "Christian Wealth".

The Dead Sea is dead because it has no outlet.  It takes in water from the River Jordan, but it gives nothing out.  It sits there, shinning in the sun, contented, on vacation, full of wealth and ... dead. Tourists can swim in it, float on it or drown in it but they can't live in it.  Stay in it and you will die with it.

King Solomon, who was one of the wealthiest people in history, and knew what he was talking about,  said, "There is a sore evil which I have seen.... riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. Ecc.5:13.  The Hebrew word translated "kept" here is "shamar" and means, "preserved to be observed".  This word reflects excess wealth, unneeded, but kept as a status symbol, a point of pride or just to look at. When I was a boy, almost all women "preserved" fruit and vegetables in Kerr or Mason fruit jars, lined them up on shelves to enjoy looking at and to show their friends.  They did it out of necessity, to survive the coming winter months but  they got great satisfaction out of "observing their preserves".  Men had similar prideful accomplishments, like fields of perfectly straight, plowed rows, and hay put away in their barns.  They too did those things to survive.  Neither the government nor the neighbors had enough to bail them out if they didn't bother to put in crops and preserve the harvest in one way or another.
During the Great Depression of the 1930's, almost everybody farmed. They had to preserve or starve.  But there were a very few farmers who were rich with excess wealth like the one in Luke 12:16-20. "And He (Jesus) spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, this will I do, I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then, whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."  It is not a sin to be rich or to save for a rainy day or for your old age or other good causes.  The sin is, when the rich have the attitude of that farmer. "Soul, you are rich enough to spend the rest of your life resting, eating, drinking and being fat and happy". He had "laid up treasure for himself" but was "not rich toward God".  He loved his wealth more than he loved God.  "For the love of money is the root of all evil." I Tim.6:10.  It is "the love of money" that is "the root of all evil" not money itself.  It is the self-centered selfishness, while Christ's Church, good causes and people go without, all around you, that is wrong.  Good Stewardship doesn't just dish out money to any and every needy person or cause.  Good Stewardship studies, analyses and prays for God's direction in how to use the resources God has given that Steward. 

While pastoring, I must have had 10,000 requests for the Lord's money.  Ninety nine percent of the time, it was not a member of our church but someone who didn't even go to church.   My first response was usually to offer them a job cleaning, cutting grass or some such need around the church.  Very few, who were able, were willing to work, and of them, fewer still did a good job or even finished the job.  Often, after we had helped some transient person with cash, they would return time after time or call from some distant place to get more help.   "They were sick, broke down on the highway, their mother had died and they needed money to go to her funeral and on and on".  As a steward of the Lord's business, I would call the hospital or funeral home,  a church in that area, or the police department and check their stories.  Again, ninety nine percent of the time, they were lying about the emergency. Similarly, you, and nobody else, are responsible for the good stewardship of the things God has put into your possession, or under your responsibility.  Use it wisely. Luke 16:1-8.  If you conclude that I was too insensitive and uncaring, consider this.  The church I founded in Tallahassee, Florida,  also founded and paid for the first, area wide, Food Bank, the first Children's Home, and the first Rescue Mission in Leon County, Florida. They are still in operation and in their own large, separate facilities.  We couldn't have done those things if we, the church, had given God's money to satisfy every request ... which would have fed upon itself and would have drawn more and more such requests.  Everyone is a Steward but everyone is not a Good Steward. Lk.12:42, 1Cor.4:2, Titus 1:7, 1Pet.4:10.  RB

Next.... Christian Wealth: By Abraham Used, By Lot Abused

Hope And Change Really Work

Common Sense Commentary:

God does not violate His own rules.  If your hope" is not in Christ and your "change" is not in becoming a "new creature (creation)" in Him, all other "hope" and "change" is in vain... useless.... empty. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; and behold, all things are become new." II Cor.5:17. Real change and real hope ... work.  False promises of them do not.

God, in His universe, has made these  inviolable rules  (holy laws) which He, Himself does not break.  Even as the Scripture says, "God cannot lie" Titus 1:2. He has a rule against it and cannot violate it. What can not God do?  He can not lie.  His rules have to do with many things:  Truth is always true ... forever.  Facts are indelible things, or they are not facts at all.  Right is always and eternally right.  Reality is what is ... really real.  Good is good and evil is evil, as measured with God's eternal determination of them as He has carved it upon the infinite wall of His law. Therefore, sowing and reaping are also as determinate as God's seasons and are found in every seed and cell, thought and action.  We are not saved by works, but "faith without works is dead". Jm.2:20.

If your income is consistently below your outgo, you will eventually bankrupt your little dream world ... It's called sowing and reaping. It's a law of God. "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Gal.6:7.  It's a law of God ... every time.

If you buy your "dream home" with payments equaling most of your income, your dream was, in reality, a masquerading nightmare sowing seeds of debt, which you can never pay off.  There are no such short cuts to reality, facts and truth.  We must follow God's road of rules to true success in this life. You want to know how God deals with His people: look at how he dealt with Israel in the Bible. Stay out of the ditches on each side of the straight and narrow truth. Look at every opportunity through eyes of reality. "A dream cometh through a multitude of business..." not fantacy. Ecc.5:3. God believes in good "business" practices and balanced budgets ... He invented them for our benefit.... It is a law if violated or neglected will drag us into it's consequences.

When you live off of credit card debt and "hope" for a miracle to pay it, the only "change" you get will be a few pennies and years of poverty.  It is a rule of God.

He... or she ... who eats tons and exercises ounces, consistently, will not grow up but out ... laterally, enslaved like an addict, uncontrollably hooked to run away obesity.  We sow and reap the same thing.  It too is a law.

If you bath well every ten days, you won't smell well for nine.  We sow, we reap.

Yes, hope and change really work ... if the hope is in Christ and the change is in you and me.

RB

There Is A Way !

Common Sense Commentary: "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the ends thereof are the ways of death."  Psm.14:12.     There was, in the ancient Cuman-Qipcaq language, a common greeting, farewell or toast ... Yol Bolsun ..."May there be a way" or road.  There has, since Eden, been within the nature of men, a searching spirit ... seeking a way.  A way to happiness, a better life, a more secure and comfortable home, sufficient food sources and above all, a way to God.  When men/women cannot find a way to God, they invent ways ... to their own satisfaction... false gods in the form of idols, animals, heroes and religious dogma or superstition. There must be many thousands of such false ways and false gods.  "Their land is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made." Isa. 2:8.   "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes." Prov.12:15.

Once embraced, these false religions and false gods embed themselves as an unholy parasite in the soul of it's host worshipers ... eating away deterring factors of conscience, reason, and the "still small voice" of their Creator God.  Nature and the universe give clear and constant testimony of the one true God.  "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork."  Psm.19:1.

If there are ten million other ways, there are ten million ways to hell but just one way to heaven.  every single way devised by men or devils is a false way ... though broad and all inclusive they may be.  As Jesus, Himself warned in Matt.7:13-14, "Enter ye in at the straight gate: for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.  Because straight is the gate and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."  The reason the right gate, the straight gate is narrow, is because it is singular, one way only ... the Jesus way.  "Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12. Only that single, narrow way leads to life and that is the Jesus way.  He declared plainly, " I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh to the Father but by me."  John14:9.

As that great old prophet, Isaiah prophesied, "This is THE WAY, walk ye in it." Isa.30:21.

RB

Where Are You ... In The Valley Of Decision?

Common Sense Commentary: "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision." Joel 3:14

We human beings have a susceptibility to a huge flaw which is embedded in our ability to recognize reality.  We somehow drift off into a cloudy, ether world or smokey, nether world of seeing only the outward appearances, flesh and faults of people causes and events.  Even as Christians, who have the Holy Spirit living in us.  God sealed us with His Spirit and filled us with His presence that we might become Spiritually sensitive, aware of His truths and to "rightly dividing the word of truth".  2Tim.2:15.  The fact is, however, that most Christians seldom see beyond the surface of things  visible to our fleshly eyes. Spiritual perception looks beyond appearances ... to the truth in a thing.  Flesh is a slave to the preconceived, assumed, suspected, and preferred explanation.  Truth is cast aside in preference of "Commonly thought and Public opinion".  Dear Lord, is there no hope for this world?  But, yes, there is hope ... in the valley of decision ... if a person will simply, awaken enough to sincerely ask God, "Lord show me the truth" and then be ready and willing to hear it. If you ever plan to be saved, you had better decide for Christ NOW. If you are expecting to find the perfect church, preacher, "sign" or time, you will never be saved.... there are none.  Reality says that any and everything touched by human beings is flawed and imperfect to varying degrees.

Time is too short to waste it with inaction. If Christians are ever going to take a stand, speak out and take action, it must be NOW. Millions of believers have promised God and themselves that, "When a truly worthy cause comes my way, I will support it".... but such a cause never seems to be recognized as "truly worthy", to them, and action is never taken. They are in a trance, in the "valley of decision", gazing off into heaven, waiting their lives away for some miraculous, perfect, glorious cause that never arrives .... while reality and eternal causes pass them by into the yesterdays of opportunity ... indecisive. I am so thankful to see those few...... who see so many good causes and opportunities that they have to set some aside to get to the ones so urgent and earth changing that there is no time left for the lesser ones. The truth is, it is not a matter of finding a single worthy cause but finding time for the multitude of them flooding by every day. The first and foremost, of which, is the Cause Of Christ. RB

Poem: The Choice is yours

Common Sense Commentary:

Like hell will never "freeze over" the fire,
America will never be again the same,
For evil men crawled up from the mire,
Bringing infirm dishonor to her name.

When the Stinch Schumer hits the fan,
And Squat Al Sharpton comes a running,
Barack Obama sings "Yes We Can",
And Jessie Jackson employs his cunning.

It's times like these, a line in the sand,
Pelosi and Reid add fuel to their fire
While American patriots take their stand,
To restore our Republic, is their desire.

To win this hellish debate with sin,
The brave must step across that line
Dividing cowards from freedom's men.
The choice is yours, the choice is mine.

Rayburn Blair

This From The Catholics...But Where Are The Baptists, Penticostals & Protestants?

Common Sense Commentary: Catholic Leaders have put their money where their mouth is to produce this excellent video, "Test By Fire".   But where are our Baptist Leaders, Pentecostal, Church of Christ, Presbyterian and so called, "Main Line Protestants"? All that's necessary for Communists, Muslims and other tyrants to take over America is, to do nothing.  How many Conservative, All-American, Patriot Candidates have you sent support to this year?  If none .... where are you ... when freedom needs your prayers and
financial support?  Immediate action is required. RB


http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=D9vQt6IXXaM&hd

It's The Brain Or Heart That Lies, Not The Eyes

Common Sense Commentary: Jesus asks "Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not?"  Mark 8:18.

I have forgotten who said it, but years ago someone caught in the act, asked his wife, "Are you going to believe me or your lying eyes?"

Inscribed and quoted Scripture references to "God" and "Providence" are written, engraved and recorded upon and within our U.S. and State Capitols, Monuments and founding documents, hundreds or thousands of times. That fact cannot be honestly denied.  To deny, debate or despise this clear and certain truth  .....that our country was founded by Christian believers, upon the principles of God's Word, is to lie to ones self and reject the obvious truth that Adams, Madison, Jefferson, Franklin Hamilton, Washington and the other founders, were  intelligent, logical, and true believers ... Not deluded, religious fanatics.... your only other option. "The truth shall make you free" ... but lies are chain links which bind and enslave the mind and soul.  True freedom derives from truth alone and is in Christ alone, who said, "I am the way, the truth and the life." Jn.14:6. THE truth does not make us free to do wrong but sets us free to do right... in spite of ten thousand powerful opponents to THE truth.

A single lie is like, what we call in Texas, a "Dust Devil".  It's a very small tornado of hot wind and dust spinning like a whirl-wind across dry ground, blinding the eyes and getting in your ears, nose, hair and mouth ... making you feel dirty.... kinda like sin.  Often, a dust devil gets bigger and bigger and tears up things... like lies do.  A little lie can grow into a very large, destructive tornado.

Instead of gossiping about someone else's lies, think back about when your own lies spun out of control like a dust devil exploding into a powerful, destructive tornado which destroyed your peace of mind, kept you awake at night, drove a wedge between you and your spouse, disillusioned your children, relatives and friends.  Didn't that lie do you more damage, in the end, than anyone else?  If not .... it will, in the fullness of time.

Strange how a lie moves at the speed of light (telephone, satellite) but the truth seems to have no legs ... and crawls ever so slowly. As Mark Twain declared, "A lie will travel half-way around the world before the truth can get it's shoes on." RB

Half Of America Sanctions The Lie And Castigates Truth

Common Sense Commentary:  Satan is a master liar and uses misrepresentations, exagerations and half-truths to slander, divide and destroy nations, churches, families, ethnic groups and friends. He is an expert liar with thousands of years of experience. 

For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Hebrews 12:3  
".... and (they) spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Acts 13:45
1. Only in America could politicians talk about the greed of the rich at a $40,000-a-plate campaign fund raising event.
2. Only in America could people claim that the government still discriminates against black Americans when we have a black President, a black Attorney General, and a federal workforce that is roughly 18% black when the black population is only 12%.
3. Only in America could we have had the two people most responsible for our tax code — Timothy Geithner, the head of the Treasury Department and Charles Rangel who once ran the Ways and Means Committee — turn out to be tax cheats who are in favor of higher taxes.
4. Only in America can we have terrorists kill people in the name of Allah and have the media primarily react by fretting that Muslims might be harmed by the backlash.
5. Only in America would we make people who want to legally become American citizens wait for years in their home countries and pay tens of thousands of dollars for the privilege while we discuss letting anyone who sneaks into the country illegally just become American citizens.
6. Only in America could the people who believe in balancing the budget and sticking by the country’s Constitution be thought of as “extremists.”

7. Only in America could you need to present a driver’s license to cash a check or buy alcohol, but not to vote.

8. Only in America could people demand the government investigate whether oil companies are gouging the public because the price of gas went up when the return on equity invested in a major U.S. oil company (Marathon Oil) is less than half of what a company that manufactures sports shoes and apparel (Nike) makes.
9. Only in America could the government collect more tax dollars from the people than any nation in recorded history, still spend a trillion dollars more than it has per year for total spending ($7 million PER MINUTE), and complain that it doesn’t have nearly enough money.
10. Only in America could the rich people who pay 86% of all income taxes be accused of not paying their “fair share” by people who don’t pay any income taxes at all.

Jesus said it ....
"Ye are of your father the devil .... for he is a liar, and the father of it." Jn.8:42 

Chamas Is Eating America's Lunch

Common Sense Commentary: The Hebrew word, chamas, is found 63 times in the Old Testament and is translated 12 different ways:  Each of which gives a different facet of the meaning of the word.  There is no counterpart, English word, exactly equal to it . Chamas is not necessarily illegal, a violation of Civil Law, but is an evil violation of God's Laws and honor. I came across this very timely explanation of "chamas" by Brigadier General Gregory Zanetti, formerly Deputy Commander of Joint Task Force Guantanamo, and learned something I want to share with you. RB 

Wisdom from General Zanetti:

The source of today's insanity in the political, financial, social, corporate, government and educational realms:

From a Rabbi---- “chamas” translated as a "robbery," or "violence." Onkelos (the classical Aramaic translation of the Torah) renders it as, "seizing" or "grabbing".…a crime committed through cunning or malice, a crime which human justice has not the means to pursue, a crime which only the voice of conscience could prevent.

Some present day examples of chamas::

· When the Federal Reserve debases the currency, and by extension, debases the value of everyone’s labor (inflation), that is chamas.

· When Investment Banks use high frequency computer programs (HFT) to front-run trades and skim “inconsequential amounts” from millions of daily trades they process, that is chamas. 

· When politicians commit our children and our grandchildren to paying our debts, that is chamas.

· When generals recommend over-priced weapons systems and then, upon retirement, go to work for the winning defense contractor, that is chamas.

· When MF Global “rehypothocates” (steals) $1.6 billion of segregated client funds and no action is taken to punish the perpetrators, that is chamas.

If allowed to root, chamas is incredibly destructive; for while the society knows “something is wrong,” that “something” is so obtuse, camouflaged, and complex it is nearly impossible to know whom to blame…much less how to rectify the situation. The result is the people ache for some modicum of justice; yet somehow they know it will never come….at least on the earthly plane. Anger, frustration, resignation, and a sense of helplessness reign.

As America rose to power, we believed differently than we do now. As a society we closed ranks against chamas. Like the word chamas, no single word can describe why we were different...better. If such a word existed, however, it would likely combine the attributes of trust, love, faith, compassion, mercy, & courage. Perhaps the words “honor” and “virtue” are close. I’ll use “honor” to make my point.

· When a loan is made based on looking into a man’s eyes and gripping his hand in agreement, and each lives up to it, that is honor.

· When a soldier says to his battle buddy, “Cover me” and, without looking for acknowledgment, rushes toward a fortified building, that is honor.

· When a corporate officer sacrifices profit to deliver a safer product to a unknown child in Africa, that is honor.

· When a teacher stays after school for hours on end to help a student understand, that is honor.

Honor vs. chamas. Men tend to stumble and struggle as they strive toward honor. Men tend to glide easily toward chamas.

Most don’t realize that in the clash between honor and chamas the combatants, battlefields, and weapons are multi-dimensional. There are no front lines. Hostilities occur unceasingly on the spiritual, mental, emotional, psychological, and physical levels. Those without some modicum of situational-awareness and understanding (oftentimes the poor, uneducated, and weak) are the easiest victims…but all are affected. The casualties are very real…as are each sides’ victories and defeats.

It is becoming increasingly clear that chamas is gaining ground in America. Previously respected professions in the world of finance, politics, medicine, economics, and education are increasingly held in contempt…and rightfully so. Trust is breaking down. As Yeats so eloquently stated, “The center cannot hold, things fall apart.”

History is clear, if these trends are not arrested , no nation can recover from this one-two punch….I don’t care how many weapons it boasts. 

All of the above, though a national, moral problem, is at it's root, a spiritual failure.... sin.  The majority of American leadership has lost it's moral compass and is, in turn, influencing their blinded followers and affecting the entirety of our people.  The Bible, guided by God's Spirit, and the resulting Constitution have been our compass since the beginning of this nation but has been replaced by human greed, lust and envy. RB

What we permit ... we promote. Rex

What Has Changed In America ????

Common Sense Commentary: I add this line, after the fact,
to explain the below missing photos in the blank areas between
comments that were above and under each photo.  This is the
second time this year something or someone has removed
critical photographs from my blogs. Read the comments and
you will know what was in the pictures. The last time this
happened, I failed to be able to reinsert them. If "I" disappear,
it will be for the same reasons I suppose. So you will know
what happened to me.  I will try to e-mail pictures to you. RB

Dear readers, I have known people
who, because they neglected to deal with the roaches when they
were few, and came out to eat only in the darkness, grew so
numerous, they came out of the closets and cracks by day in their
thousands ... to rule the house.  have we reached that point in
America?  California has been a bell-weather state in this country;
for many years on the cutting edge of change.  Here is what is
NOW happening in this leader of change in America ....RB....

Unbelievable, even for California!

SEIU is the “Service Employees International Union” The “Poor me” people,

 who are never satisfied with their demands for more and more and more.   

This needs to go viral so that Americans can see what is happening in this country.

Look what’s happening in California! SEIU... Obama's

 biggest supporters...

God Help Us!

A May Day rally in Los Angeles, co-sponsored by the SEIU and various communist groups, as well as other unions and illegals, reflected yet another step in the normalization of self-identified communist and socialist ideologies in the Obama era. Not only did the SEIU help to organize the rally in conjunction with communists, they marched side-by-side with communists, while union members carried communist flags, communists carried union signs, and altogether there was no real way to tell the two apart.

The communists freely and proudly declare their affiliation. And the SEIU has no problem marching arm-in-arm with them.

"Smash Capitalism" is a slogan the SEIU apparently endorses - or at least doesn't mind marching behind. In case you think the SEIU is some peripheral out-of-the-mainstream organization:

The SEIU devoted $28 million to Obama's campaign, making the SEIU "the organization that spent the most to help Barack Obama get elected president."

Furthermore, who is Obama's favorite White House guest and one of his closest confidants? The individual who has visited the Obama White House the most: SEIU President Andy Stern, who has visited 53 times. Obama is closely linked with the SEIU. The SEIU is closely linked with communists. You do the math.

Did I say communists? Sorry, I meant Communists (with a capital "C"). Note how the Communists that day (like the women on the right in this photo) carried solid red flags symbolizing their ideology. Keep that in mind as you view the next photo.

One of the SEIU leaders picked up a Communist flag and led a contingent of rank-and-file SEIU members. Everyone was OK with that.

The way you can identify the SEIU members in all these pictures: They're the ones in purple t-shirts carrying blue-and-yellow signs.

So, as you can see, the communists and the union members intermingled as the march progressed.

In case you were wondering what the SEIU was saying during all of this, There is a video of the SEIU chanting "Legalization or REVOLUTION!" Clear enough?

And it wasn't just the SEIU at the march - other "normal" unions like the AFL-CIO were on hand as well.There were plenty of teachers' unions attending too, and they brought along many of their public school students for some good old-fashioned communist indoctrination.

Most in the US who walk around with Che buttons or Che shirts do so simply because they foolishly think he's "cool." These hardcore communists carry his image not because he's "cool," but because he was one of the most radical revolutionaries who ever lived. Right up there with Lenin, apparently.

No comment necessary!

In order to have a more "civil dialogue" with their political opponents, the marchers made a puppet of a demonic Statue of Liberty aligned with the "Tea Bag Party."

OK, I guess Hitler comparisons are off the table for now - too many people have called it taboo. So what's second best? The Devil!

Tell me the honest truth: If the Tea Party had marched in a rally behind a banner held up by fascists or neo-Nazis, don't you think it would have been national news? But the nation's biggest Obama-supporting political organization marched behind banners like these, and not a peep about it in the media. Hmmmm..So whose side are they on?

Until recently, the average American has regarded fascists and communists as equally noxious and equally malignant. As well they should have. But the drive these days by the left side of the Political

 spectrum is to make communism and socialism somewhat less remarkable and more palatable. For two years they angrily denied the Tea Party accusation that Obama's policies and supporters had a socialist bent.

But in recent months, as the accusation had started to gain traction, the new leftist tactic has become: "What's so bad about socialism after all? You're demonizing a very popular and respectable ideology!  Socialism plus Atheism is Communism.

Send this around the country!!!!!!  

 My question to you, my readers, is this. WHAT HAS CHANGED??
Why have Marxist Communists, illegals, unions, Democrats and a few
Republicans suddenly felt free to join forces and march through the
streets of California?  WHAT HAS CHANGED? Why are they so bold
as to carry signs extolling Communism, Marx, Lenin and Che Guevara ?


Would YOU be willing to join in this march?  If so, please "reply" to me
with three words ... "I'm with them"... and I will sadly remove you from
my mailing list.  If you are offended that I sent this to you, use the three
words and I will send you nothing else.

WHAT HAS CHANGED ? Do they suddenly believe they can now take
over our country?  Do they now know they have enough friends in
Washington to make their move at this weakened hour in America?


WHAT HAS CHANGED ? Is this the waining hours of our freedom
and Constitution ?  It may be ... if we do not act NOW. RB