Chicago Loses Out on Olympic Bid -- Was It An Answer to Prayer?

Chicago had seemed to pick up momentum in the last few days, with many International Olympic Committee members seemingly charmed by Mrs. Obama. But when IOC president Jacques Rogge announced the results of the first vote, Chicago was the city that fell out.

It was one of the biggest upsets in IOC voting history, and will likely have ramifications throughout the U.S. Olympic Committee. USOC chairman Larry Probst was stone-faced as he and acting CEO Stephanie Streeter walked down a hallway.

Chicago was eliminated in the first ballot of voting for the 2016 Olympics on Friday, a stunning defeat for the city that was expected to be one of the two finalists. Not even the presence of President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama — nor a long list of celebrities — was enough to help the United States' third-largest city. --- news releases Friday, October 2, 2009

Taking two planes (Air Force One for him, and a smaller Boeing machine for her) plus some high profile people including the high and mighty Oprah Winfrey, the Obama camp descended on Copenhagen like vultures going after a dead animal decomposing in 95 degree temperatures!

Their mission? To convince the IOC that Chicago was the only decent place to hold the 2016 Olympic games. The other three cities being considered are not worthy of the honor of hosting the games – that is, if you talk to anyone connected with Chicago politics.

Then a shock wave struck – comparable, if not greater in intensity, than the shakeups taking place in certain areas of the Pacific Ocean in recent days, only in the lobbying sense where the “lobbyist” is arrogant with the attitude, “Because I am who I am, I will get what I’m after!” Chicago was the first one of the four to be kicked out of the competition! Having been in both Rio and Chicago years ago, there is no comparison between the two. Once you’ve been in Rio, Chicago has no attraction whatsoever! Sort of like standing a guy with a fresh haircut and shave dressed up in a brand new tuxedo along side a hobo in rags who hasn't taken a bath in six months!

Was it an answer to prayer? Maybe someone did pray to the effect that until the rampant corruption is purged from that city, may such a blessing as the privilege to host the Olympic Games be withheld!

Preposterous? Yes, many would say so. But stop and think seriously for a moment. Chicago politics is the measuring stick when it comes to how low politics can sink in our republic – so low in fact, that at that level you have to use a high powered telescope to look up in order to see the navel of a blacksnake!

We in Pennsylvania have to put up with the rottenness of Philadelphia politics such as a governor (Ed Rendell) whose roots are in that quagmire and a turncoat senator named Arlen Specter. But these are rank amateurs compared to the pros in Chicago from which there comes forth “The One” named Barack Obama.

This one thing we can be assured of – the bid for the 2016 Olympics disaster is but one of many he will experience. The reason is clear – here is a man who cares not a bit about the will of God for himself and the country he is supposed to lead. Proof of that is clear to anyone who has a sensitivity to God’s view of human life at all stages of existence and the fact that if governing leaders are to fulfill their responsibilities effectively, then the work has to be done in consultation with God on a daily basis!

The prophet Isaiah hit the nail on the head and explains why things are the way they are politically speaking when he said, “For the leaders of this people cause them to err, and those who are led by them are destroyed.” (Isaiah 9:16).

It will be interesting to see what God does in the times ahead so far as the elected officials of our republic are concerned. More answers to prayer as God deals with the self-centered corruption that has brought our system of government to the precipice of unprecedented disaster?

“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” --- Jeremiah 33:3

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. --- 1 John 5:14, 15

Bush and Chinese Human Rights -- Too Little, Too Late!

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Just hours before flying to Beijing for the Olympics on Thursday, U.S. President George W. Bush used some of his bluntest language yet in publicly pressing China to improve its human rights record.

In a speech in Bangkok on the eve of the Games' opening ceremony, when the eyes of the world will be on Beijing, Bush voiced "firm opposition" to China's detention of dissidents, human rights advocates and religious activists.

"The United States believes the people of China deserve the fundamental liberty that is the natural right of all human beings," he said in comments likely to anger China's communist leadership.

"We speak out for a free press, freedom of assembly, and labour rights not to antagonize China's leaders, but because trusting its people with greater freedom is the only way for China to develop its full potential," he said...
--- Opening statement of news release by Reuters on August 7, 2008

He’s been president for over 7 ½ years and he’s never confronted the Chinese with one of the greatest violations of human rights committed by a country in recent times

What he said about human rights as the Olympic Games were about to begin in China was in very general terms and the Chinese leadership can weather that very easily knowing all the while the United States is dependent on China for a majority of its imported consumer goods. China also owns more than just a tad of United States’ debt! If the Chinese ever demand that we pay up, we’ll see financial chaos such as never before.

The act of gross injustice and violation of human rights which Mr. Bush has not mentioned in the years of his presidency is the invasion and take over of the sovereign nation of Tibet! That happened some time ago and it is likely a big bunch of U. S. citizens don’t even know it happened, and couldn’t care less anyhow. There are a number of sources on the internet which spell out the grisly details of this event.

How many delegates, including ours, to the United Nations are demanding that China withdraw and completely turn control over to the people of Tibet – that is, simply let them run their own country?

George Bush is the same kind of “human rights” president as he is a “pro-life” president – he can “talk” pro-life talk, but when it comes to aggressively doing anything of substance to protect the unborn, well the massive shedding of innocent blood continues without any real restriction since he became president!

So, human rights in different areas of the world -– rights for the unborn children in the U. S? A fellow by the name of Bush hasn’t much by way of an impressive record on those issues, has he?

See the numbers of unborn victims since George W. Bush became president and number of victims since he said we needed to liberate the people of Iraq from the excessive brutality of Saddam Hussein – just go to A Quick Look at the United States’ Massacre Tally! Do the unborn not have rights also, even in the "land of the free and the home of the brave?"

But there is good news on the horizon in spite of this deplorable thing on the widespread violation of human rights – one of these days such violations of human rights, both of those born and those unborn, will be ended as all government leaders will be relieved of their positions permanently! You think not? Then just what does God mean when He says things such as the following:

Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, "Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us." He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The LORD shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: "Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion. "I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ' 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.'" Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. --- Psalm 2:1-12

You realize, do you not, that the vast majority want nothing to do with Jesus Christ – to bow the knee to Him and acknowledge Him as Savior and Lord is just unthinkable! But the day is coming when there will be no choice.

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. --- Philippians 2:9-11