Big John Has Gone and Done It Again!

Murtha remark debated…Rep apologizes; reaction mixed --- Johnstown Tribune-Democrat front page headline – October 17, 2008

Big John Murtha, infamous congressman from south central Pennsylvania, just can’t control that mouth of his under just about any circumstance – it seems to be a major problem of getting the brain and mouth in sync at the same time. Perhaps that is a unique disease that is prevalent in the nation’s Capitol!

Some time back he went on public record lashing out at certain Marines, accusing them of killing innocent women and children and labeled them as “cold blooded killers.” At this point in time 7 of the 8 have been exonerated of all charges leveled against them. The case of the 8th Marine is on hold for the time being. Big John did not go out of his way in making apology for his loose cannon mouth in this matter.

Now that same mouth recently fired off a barrage again which involves us who reside in his district and beyond in western Pennsylvania. We are now “racists” and by implication, will show our prejudices by voting against Barack Obama on election day in November.

As an aside, I admit I will be voting against B. O. on election day, but not because his skin color is much darker than mine – but mainly due to the undisputed fact that he is dedicated to perpetuating the ongoing practice of mutilating and murdering thousands of unborn children each week of the year in a nation that makes the hypocritical claim that every person should have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness! He has opposed efforts to preserve even the lives of those few late term infants who miraculously survive an abortion attempt – just let them lie there until they die is B. O.’s approach to these circumstances.

Big John attempted some kind of “apology” but as reported by the Tribune-Democrat of Johnstown, the reaction to what he said is mixed. WJAC-TV, the local television station, conducted a poll on this issue and that was “mixed” with a number of persons indicating they were not offended by what he said.

John Murtha holds a position in the Johnstown and Cambria County area which can be compared to that of deity – in fact, God is probably at best second in position and perhaps quite a few rungs lower than John on the ladder of prestige.

He has brought millions of dollars into his district from the coffers of the U. S Treasury Department. He is at the top of the list when it comes to earmarks and tapping into tax dollars for whatever reason which will somehow benefit the district which he represents. This will help guarantee that his job is rather secure. Since his election to the U. S. Congress in the mid 70’s there have been opponents who have tried to unseat him, but to no avail.

Murtha is at a place where he can do about anything he wants, say anything he wants, even if it is a bold-faced lie, and still hold his position without any serious challenge..

Dyed-in-the-wool Democratic loyalty in the Johnstown and Cambria County area is such that if the Devil himself were running on the Democratic ticket and the people knew for real that it was the Devil running on the ticket, they would vote for him anyway – if the Devil is a Democrat running for office, it’s OK and it’s right! But then, there are some Republicans that are of about the same mind when it comes to blind loyalty as well – if the Devil ran on the Republican ticket, he would get their vote without question.

But as I have said previously on my web site and blog, there is reason to be excited and hopeful – the day is coming when all politicians and government leaders all over the world will be out of a job – no desperate speculation, but fact! The evidence? Take a look at Good News! A Day Coming in Which All Politicians Will Be Removed from Office! -- use reverse feature on your web browser to return to this place.

Oh yes, a parting question – John Murtha is up for reelection in November – anybody want to guess what I will do when I see his name on the ballot – will he get the “X” or will it be somebody else?

And do not assume that because I said I would vote against B. O. that I will be voting for John McCain -- there will be other names on the ballot for the office of president -- you ARE aware of that, are you not? None of us is obligated to select one of two major party nominees in a presidential election!

This was written by a non-affiliated registered voter living in Cambria County, Pennsylvania.

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.'" --- Psalm 2:1-9

Before & After Experiences with Racism!

And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts......" --- Mark 7:20-23

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. --- 2 Corinthians 5:17

As stated in yesterday's post, there are some more things I want to mention relative to the issue of racism, but this one is more of a record of a journey from the very young years to what most would say are the "senior" years! So let's get going!

In my very young years, I never saw a black person. They did not live in the rural area where I was born and raised. My first view of a person of another race was at our church where a mission program was being held and the featured person was a Japanese -- before WW II. I was very curious about that person and noticed immediately that he did not look like white people in his facial features.

Later on I may have seen some blacks, but do not distinctly remember the occasion/s.

My first real exposure and contacts with blacks came when I entered the USMC and boot camp at Parris Island SC. There were some black fellows in our platoon, but nobody expressed any "racist" attitudes or feelings toward them -- we considered ourselves all in the same boat and worked together as a team in all that we did -- this was especially important on field day nights when we had to clean the barracks from top to bottom.

The only kind of "confrontation" during boot camp that might be called a "racist" matter, but really was not -- on November 10 which is the Marine Corps birthday, we were about at the end of boot camp training -- it was a day of partying of a sort -- at one point our DI's got out the boxing gloves -- the senior DI had done some boxing and learned that a black fellow in our platoon had done some also, so he challenged H. to a match. It wasn't long before we realized that H. was getting the best of the DI, but he seemed to hold back from "putting him away!" When asked about it later and why he didn't really put the DI down, H. replied as he rolled his eyes, "No, suh -- that man would remember the next day what I did to him and I would really pay!"

Then came schools at Jacksonville FL and Millington TN with blacks and whites in classes -- everyone got along -- we learned together -- ate together - slept in the same barracks, etc. -- no problems.

Then came assignment to duty at Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station in NC. Jean and I were just married and got an apartment in New Bern which was a few miles from the base. I had a car -- some others didn't. I was approached by a black fellow in my squadron who lived in New Bern and asked if he could ride to base with me. I told him yes and we became very close buddies. There were a couple of other fellows who also rode with me and helped with the driving expense. But H. (not the fellow in boot camp) was the kind of fellow who would do anything for you if he could -- a real friend. But he lamented to me more than once how he wished we could just go out together in the evening to a bar and have some beers together (understand this was in my BC days [Before Christ]). Segregation was the order of the day -- we could not go into a bar together -- all whites in one place and all blacks in the other!

I was much bothered by this -- I saw water fountains in the local 5 & 10 -- one marked "colored" and the other marked "white" -- when I took my dad to the bus station for his trip back home we stared a bit at the way the station was set up -- an area for the "colored" and a much nicer area for the "white" folks.

And that's the way it was in NC for the time we were there and I admit to being very uncomfortable with that "social" system -- that under certain circumstances a very close buddy who happened to be black and I, a white person, could not socialize! It was ok if we were in a foxhole together under fire, but that was about it!

Then came discharge from the USMC -- back in northwestern PA and work in a factory that manufactured mobile homes near Clarion PA. Months passed and then God did a most merciful and miraculous work -- I repented of my many sins, received Jesus Christ into my life as Savior and Lord. Right on the heels of that came the call to the ministry in the former Methodist Church. From the time of receiving Jesus into my life to the time of standing in the pulpits of 2 Methodist Churches in New Castle PA was about 20 months, give or take a few weeks!

I finished college and was on the way to seminary. Contact with black people during this period was rather limited, but occasionally we crossed paths from time to time.

During the time at seminary things were rumbling a bit in Washington DC -- something called Civil Rights legislation was being debated in the Congress and pressure was mounting to correct many injustices and prejudices which had taken place over time. Three of us from the seminary went up to Washington DC to participate in what was called a "vigil" by seminary students -- a visible witness in the capitol in support of the proposed Civil Rights legislation. Some eyebrows were raised a bit at the seminary I was attending since the pending legislation was considered to be a "liberal" effort! While at the site of the vigil there was another "protest" going on just a few yards away from us -- the American Nazi Party under the leadership of George Lincoln Rockwell was vehemently protesting the Civil Rights legislation. They were dressed in their khaki uniforms with swastikas and all, and had their signs and their literature.

At one point a couple of us went over to one of the young men who was on "duty." We asked him some questions about this issue of race and the treatment of the blacks, etc. I can say that I never saw so much hate expressed in words, facial expressions and in the eyes of a person in my entire life. But that moment also was a blunt reminder of that need, as stressed in yesterday's post, that the only remedy for this thing is to experience what Jesus said must happen -- one has to be born again!

The legislation eventually was passed and some changes began to take place. It was by no means perfect, but at least it was a start.

As time passed there came into being something called Affirmative Action -- a further attempt to right the past wrongs and in a sense, go overboard to correct the past wrongs by use of a "quota" system.

I found out that this can be more than a bit rough for white folks under certain conditions. I had a PA State Trooper and his family attending one of my churches when they moved into the area. He was a corporal in rank and was working hard to prepare for the rank of sergeant. Andy was good at his job -- tough but always fair. He was in on a bust of a huge load of marijuana taken off an airplane which landed at the Johnstown Airport and was in charge of destruction of those bales of the weed -- they soaked it down with diesel fuel and then set it on fire. He was highly respected among his peers and by his superiors.

The day came -- he took the test for sergeant and scored higher than anyone else taking the test. Did he get the promotion? Nope -- it was given to a black who scored lower on the test! The reason was that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania had put in place a "quota" system -- so many blacks had to be placed in the higher positions, in spite of not scoring high enough to earn the promotion as had been the custom.

So now we have a kind of racism of another kind rearing its ugly head, do we not? There were a host of explanations and reasoning as to why this was necessary. Is it appropriate to ask, "Do two wrongs make a right?"

What did Andy do? He quit the PA State Police and got a job with a major utility group, heading up its security system. Actually God worked this thing out for him in a wonderful way -- his pay and benefits were much better than if he had continued with the State Police! But the Commonwealth lost an excellent police officer!

Now then, how do you counsel a man such as Andy going through that experience? Do you just simply say, "Well, Andy, that's the way the little white ball bounces sometimes -- you'll just have to consider a bit of sacrifice in this -- just grin and bear it!"

In spite of the accusation of "spouting" off with Bible verses, I will continue to stand with the conviction that racism or any other social, moral or ethical problem can only be effectively remedied as each person meets the demands of Jesus -- and if that isn't done, the problems will continue to eat away at our culture as a fast growing cancer does within the human body!

Come to think of it -- perhaps Jesus should be compelled to attend the training event for racism. He didn't meet the quota system when He picked those 12 to follow Him, did He? At least not according to United Methodist Church standards as they are in place at the present time! There was not one female in that original group -- no other races were represented were they? Someone had better straighten Him out on this thing! Any volunteers?

But then if we don't pay much attention to His demands or to His personal claims regarding Himself (the "I am" statements) why be concerned with much of anything He did or said -- just follow our own ideas about how to level the playing field in our nation and in our world!

"But this is what I commanded them, saying, 'Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.' Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward. Since the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have even sent to you all My servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them. Yet they did not obey Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers. Therefore you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not obey you. You shall also call to them, but they will not answer you. So you shall say to them, 'This is a nation that does not obey the voice of the LORD their God nor receive correction. Truth has perished and has been cut off from their mouth.'" --- Jeremiah 7:23-28

Even the Marines Have to Be Impressed with the Navy's Approach to Terrorism!

President Bush some years ago declared war on terrorists. The phrase, "war on terrorism," has become a household word in the "land of the free and the home of the brave."

The United States Navy initiated what it defined as a "Catch and Release Program" in support of the president's new war. With a bit of fanfare the following announcement was made and a photograph attached which reveals the efficiency of the new program:

"The U. S. Navy today announced that it has released a senior Al Qaeda terrorist after questioning him extensively for 27 days while he was held prisoner aboard a U. S. aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea. In a humanitarian gesture the terrorist was given $50 US and a white Ford Fairlane automobile upon being released from custody. The attached photo shows the terrorist on his way home just after being released by the Navy."

Being an ex Marine, I have to admit -- will the Corps ever be able to top this one?

Source: Circuit Rider's Humor Hut

Keeping Pace with Morality & Apologies!

“I believe that homosexual acts between individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts.........I do not believe that the armed forces of the United States are well served by a saying through our policies that it’s OK to be immoral in any way.” --- Marine General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, The Pentagon - March 12, 2007

He's a jewel -- one of a kind -- a breath of fresh air in a very stagnant room -- a magnificent keystone in the social arch of our republic -- a bright light shining in a very dark and dismal place -- he's Marine General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the U. S. of A!

He is also under very intense fire for the statements quoted above in which he stated that homosexual acts are immoral.


Also -- another tragedy -- here is a man in a very high profile position who has chosen to align himself 100 per cent with the moral position as outlined by Almighty God our Creator and he gets shot down for it.

It is added proof as to the fact that this nation is now dominated by a spirit of defiance regarding God's established boundaries for sexual expression and experience!

Voices of protest against General Pace for his remarks are coming from elected officials and other "high profile" persons who have intentionally chosen to exhibit their ignorance on sexual morality by running the mouth without engaging the brain.

Great example -- Senator John Warner who said, "I respectfully but strongly disagree with the chairman's view that homosexuality is immoral." John speaks for a huge number of other people as well, who likely add an "Amen!" to his statement.

General Pace has said he will not apologize for such remarks -- that is good, because he does not have to. The reason? God has never in the past nor ever will in the future apologize for declaring the following to be an abomination or a sin (an abomination is sin intensified many times over):

• homosexuality (sexual activity between 2 persons of the same gender)
  
• fornication (sexual activity between a male and female who are unmarried)
  
• adultery (sexual activity between a male and a female, at least one of which is married to another person)
  
• incest (sexual activity between immediate members of a family)
  
• rape (sexual activity in which a person is forced to engage in such activity against his/her will - victim can be of any age from that of a small child to an adult)
  
• bestiality (sexual activity with animals)
  

By the way at the top of the listing is sexual activity which spawns a very large number of STD's (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) -- some of which are incurable and a few others that are fatal! And if all of the aforementioned "activity" is so good and not immoral as so many claim, why all those ravaging diseases? And why, for instance, is there a push on to vaccinate very young teen-aged girls with a drug that is supposed to prevent a certain virus from bringing on cancer of the uterus in later years due to sexual activity while still in the young stages of life?

Go ahead, search the holy Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation and see for yourself how many of the above mentioned sexual activities are presented in a positive manner and given sanction by Almighty God. What's the matter -- disappointed?

Certainly there are any number of efforts made to declare sexually immoral acts as "good" because we are committed and "love" one another very much -- therefore it just can't be wrong for us, and people such as General Peter Pace are narrow-minded and bigoted -- homophobes who have not seen the "light" in the 21st Century in which we are now a diverse and tolerant culture!

And so, as a culture that is dominated and controlled by that spirit of defiance mentioned earlier, we give God an obscene gesture, jump on our toboggan, and slide toward inevitable disaster! For a few of us, this is no surprise due to a solemn prediction made by Jesus Christ Himself! (see Luke 17:26-30).