There Would Be No Mosque Controversy IF….!

For weeks intense controversy has raged over the intention to build a mosque very close to the “ground zero” site where the World Trade Center was destroyed on September 11, 2001 due to terrorists hijacking loaded commercial aircraft and flying them intentionally into the Twin Towers --- from a myriad of mass media reports on the issue.

Muslims are resolved to put up a mosque near the location of the World Trade Center where the destruction of the gigantic Twin Towers took place nine years ago on September 11th.

The real tragedy is not the destruction of the Twin Towers, as horrible as that event was, but in the fact that we have arrived at such a place that the building of a Muslim mosque is a very real possibility and will likely be brought to completion with a great deal of fanfare!

When this nation was put together in a formal statement on July 4, 1776, the persons responsible were nearly unanimous in agreement in their identification with the Christian faith as Protestants.

They further acknowledged the need to depend upon and be obedient to the God Who had revealed Himself in two very special ways – through His inspired recorded Word (the Bible) and by becoming incarnate in the Person of Jesus Christ – that is, the belief that Almighty God chose to become human and personally visit this planet which He had created!

For some time such beliefs and convictions were held by the larger number of leaders and it was not unusual for them to make statements of the need to acknowledge the existence of God, but also that it was imperative that the entire nation seek to comply with His commands in order to experience His blessings and insure a positive future in years to come.

The Christian faith was embraced by a large number of the growing population. As migration toward the west took place so did the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as demonstrated by such persons as the Methodist circuit riders.

The influence of the Christian faith in the early decades was evident in at least two significant ways. Sunday was a day set aside to provide opportunity for families to worship and to rest after a week of work. In the public school systems the practice of reading from the Scriptures and praying the Lord’s Prayer was instituted. So, if a school pupil came from a heathen home, or his/her family was identified with some religious expression other than the Christian faith, there still was daily exposure to God’s revelation during the school year.

But the time came when at the end of the 19th Century heresy began to be imported from the European continent and certain truths in the Christian faith began to be questioned. The skirmishes in the early years of the 20th Century became known as the “fundamentalist-modernist” controversy – or perhaps “war” is a better term to apply. The rebel seed began to be sown and terms used were changed a bit. A pastor became known as being “liberal” if he could not accept certain things in the Bible as literally taking place. One of the early facts questioned was the virgin birth of Jesus with liberals concluding that it really didn’t make any difference and probably Jesus did have a human father -- either Joseph or someone else!

Time rolled on and eventually insane and bizarre court decisions took place that altered the religious landscape of the United States permanently. Two most significant decisions were the banning of Bible reading and reciting of the Lord’s prayer in public schools and a few years later the decision that it is a “constitutional right” for a female to deliberately arrange to have her unborn child mutilated and murdered! Strangely there were and are church leaders who support such decisions. A host of politicians support and attempt to defend the practice of destroying about 25,000 unborn children each week!

Compromise had been extremely common within church circles as the last half of the 20th Century came to a conclusion. Doing “dialog” is the big thing as we sit down and discuss our “common ground” with other religions in the world and how we can work together for a better world. We discuss controversial moral issues and seek to find a way which is acceptable to all by concluding that God did not really mean what He said when He drew the boundaries for acceptable sexual expression and experience!

So today, after decades of sowing the rebel seed within professing Christian circles, the Christian faith is regarded by most as simply a religion on a buffet table with many other religions in which you simply pick and choose what suits your fancy – or if you don’t want to choose any, that’s ok too. We can still work together to build a better world!

If the Christian faith had not been compromised, divided, and greatly weakened as the result of imported theological garbage from Europe in the closing years of the 19th Century and early years of the 20th Century, there would be no controversy over the building of a Muslim mosque near “ground zero” in New York City!

Do not spend any time fussing and fretting over the mosque construction plan – rather, be more concerned about the fact that this nation is going to experience the outpouring of God’s wrath due to its unwillingness to fully repent of its abominations which are so widely accepted and practiced at the present time. Our leaders, elected officials and church, show absolutely no real concern about this, nor is there much of any genuine concern among us, the ordinary citizens either!

Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed; nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time I punish them, they shall be cast down," says the LORD. Thus says the LORD: "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.' Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, 'listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But they said, 'We will not listen.' --- Jeremiah 6:15-17

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."..... Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." --- John 8:12; 14:6

Burning the Koran (Quran)?

Pastor Terry Jones, after days of intense and very negative publicity, has announced that he will not conduct the Koran (Quran) burning event at his church as planned on September 11 on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in the year 2001. --- various news sources on the internet

Even President Obama spoke out against the planned burning of copies of the Koran (Quran) by Terry Jones and members of his congregation on September 11th. In fact different government officials went on record expressing great anger over the intention to destroy what are clearly considered "holy books" in the faith of those who worship Allah in the world of Islam. And, as might be expected, a mighty chorus of voices from different organizations and churches joined in the protest as well.

As this is written the announcement has been made by Jones that he and his people will not carry out the planned burn on September 11th. The claim is being made that an "agreement" has been reached and the controversial building of a mosque at "ground zero" in New York city will not take place at that location. Sources supposedly close to those intent on building the mosque at the site deny any deal has been made.

A major problem in the whole incident is the witness that Jones and his people are making as professing Christians. It is highly unlikely that many Muslims will be brought to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ through such antics as that!

Jesus, of course, instructed us as to our conduct in regard to those who even persecute us and think that they are doing service to God by killing us. Such commands as loving the enemy and praying for them are not easy to put into practice when it is really happening, but the commands to do such have not been rescinded.

What Jones and his congregation have done is to build a case against Christianity on the part of those who have concluded that Christians are nothing more than a bunch of hypocrites anyway!

Christianity and Islam in their purest expressions of faith are totally incompatible with each making the claim of being the "true" faith. There is a difference in how those outside the faith are to be regarded and treated. Islam labels all who are not Muslim in faith as infidels and there is sanction on occasion to kill infidels if they refuse to accept Islam as the true faith and practice it as such. The Koran (Quran) at one point specifically instructs Muslims not to take Jews or Christians for their friends because of the corrupting influence such persons might have on the one who worships Allah!

While Christianity would apply the term "unbeliever" to all who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, there is to be no violence committed in advancing the faith throughout the world. The motivation for confronting unbelievers is out of love and the desire that they experience total forgiveness through Jesus Christ and have the assurance of everlasting life and a place in His eternal Kingdom.

The approach to the Muslim on the part of a Christian is the same as that to those of the many other religious expressions existing in the world, and also including professing atheists -- "Jesus Christ loves you as much as He loves me -- He died on the cross to pay the penalty and satisfy God's justice in regard to your sins just the same as He did for mine, which were many! Receive Him as Savior and Lord into your life and know peace with God and the assurance that you have everlasting life."

Terry Jones and his people have created a stumbling block in this matter that will take a very long time to undo, if ever!

Now then, another question to think on -- the president and individuals as well as groups were quick and very loud to protest the planned burning of copies of the Koran (Quran), sacred book to those who identify with the religion of Islam. Do you think President Obama and all the others so upset over this issue would express the same outrage if there were a planned public burning of Bibles? Since Christianity has been assailed in numerous ways over recent years here in the United States, most of us know the answer to that one, do we not?

It is simply a matter of time, however, until the day arrives when Jesus Christ will personally return to this world which He originally created and take full control of it. There is an indication in the book of Revelation that there will be an attempt at resistence by a powerful leader and armies of nations. But as indicated elsewhere on my web site, it will be somewhat like a gnat or a mosquito trying to stop a loaded 18 wheeler barreling down Interstate 80 in Clarion Co. PA -- no loss in speed -- just a splat on the windshield and it's all over! Be sure to think of all the implications of the Scripture statement quoted below!

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" --- Revelation 11:15

Taking Back America - Very Doubtful Indeed --

Organizations have been formed, "conservative" politics has been gaining momentum in anticipation of the November 2010 elections, books by the dozens have been written, and talk show hosts with a "conservative" reputation have been having a field day!

"Taking Back America!" has been a rallying cry for quite some time. The tea party gatherings were not the fly-by-night phenomenon that mainstream media people wanted us to believe. So then came the "labeling" of those involved in the movement to "take back America."

If you in any way disagree with or, horrors upon horrors, you dare to oppose the agenda being advanced by Obama & Co. then you are a bigoted racist filled with venom and undiluted hatred!

As of this date (Aug. 28, 2010) on which these comments have been written, Glenn Beck is at the center of a rally at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. Preparation and accompanying publicity for this have been going on for months. Beck's TV program on August 27 featured some members of the clergy. Expressed in the course of their discussion was the opinion that another "great awakening" is now taking place. Some details were revealed in an effort to support the suggestion that this is truly happening around the nation.

Is it happening for real? Will America actually be "taken back" as many attempt to spell it out in light of the chaos that now rules in government, business, industry, education, and even too many church groups?

There will be some stirrings here and there perhaps and emotions will run very high, but for the healing and restoration of the republic as God defines a culture that is in right relationship to Him, the "taking back America" thing is very doubtful to say the least!

The reason is rather simple. In the midst of the activity and rhetoric spewed forth, including Beck announcing that we "need God," there is no serious consideration of the need to repent of all sin! This is an absolute must on both the personal and individual level as well as the collective level in all facets of our society.

There is no remorse and regret that we have brutally mutilated and murdered at least 52 million unborn children since January of 1973, or engaged in widespread idolatry with our version of homemade "deities," or engaging persistently in sexual immorality of pandemic proportions, or massively profaning what is supposed to be a day of worship and rest, or teaching millions of our young that we have evolved from lower life forms which existed millions and millions of years ago! But worst of all is the fact that Jesus Christ is ignored as the exclusive remedy and answer to one's personal salvation from sin and admission into the eternal Kingdom of God!

Until there is brutal honesty starting with leadership in our churches and in our government at various levels in admitting the aforementioned sins and abominations and the fact that such offenses have to cease immediately, then all the talk (and debate) about "taking back America" is in vain.

Perhaps the time has now come that the person who chooses to face reality in this republic needs to think and anticipate judgment at the hands of a God Who is holy and Who will not endlessly tolerate rebellion -- especially on the part of a nation which claims to be "one nation, under God...!"

I spoke to you in your prosperity, but you said, 'I will not hear.' This has been your manner from your youth, that you did not obey My voice. The wind shall eat up all your rulers, and your lovers shall go into captivity; surely then you will be ashamed and humiliated for all your wickedness. --- Jeremiah 22:21, 22

Hypocrisy Rears Its Ugly Head in the Muslim World!

Sanam Gul, a 47-year-old widow, was executed on Saturday, August 7, 2010, as a result of alleged charges involving adultery which resulted in her becoming pregnant. --- from various news sources on the internet

The Taliban waved the flag of hypocrisy very high in a recent episode and demonstrated that Muslims can be anything but consistent in their professed "faith!" On August 7 Sanam Gul was executed after a 200 lash whipping. Mohammad Yousuf, a Taliban commander, shot her 3 times in the head after the whipping.

Sanam was a 47-year-old widow who had been accused of adultery which resulted in her becoming pregnant. So the "righteous" authorities with intense indignation determined that she should be put to death for this crime.

Now correct me if I am wrong -- or possibly things have so changed that I haven't been properly informed -- but my understanding is that adultery requires the participation of two persons -- a male and a female, at least one of which is married to someone else! In Sanam's case, she was a widow - her husband was dead -- so that means the male with whom she became intimate is married. Strange, is it not, that no mention is made of the man in this matter, much less bring charges against him, find him guilty of fathering a child to another female other than his wife, and then execute him for this offense?

Ah, I forgot - in the world of Islam, females have about as much status as a guy's bicycle -- or maybe less, so that the bicycle has more respect than the female does!

It is interesting that Jesus ran into this glaring type of inconsistency when He was here on earth. A bunch of indignant self-righteous individuals (all males) brought a woman before Him and accused her of adultery, having been caught in the very act. That means that there were two people there at the moment - the woman and the man who was intimately involved with her.

After the accusation and the reminder that the woman should be stoned according to the Law of Moses, Jesus was asked what He thought about the situation. He made no reply immediately but was writing something on the ground with the tip of His finger. The accusers were becoming impatient -- they wanted an answer right now from this One Whom they were beginning to hate with a bitter passion. Finally He made His response --"He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." Oooops! They were totally unprepared for that -- suddenly something began to happen within the heart and soul of each of the accusers -- a very disturbing feeling of guilt began to settle in -- quickly, they made their exit -- somehow they had to distance themselves from the woman they wanted so badly to stone to death. But even more so, from that One Who had made the suggestion as to the individual who should begin the execution procedure and throw the first rock!

Muslims, Christians, or whatever religious stripe with which one may identify -- the day is coming when each one of us will appear before Jesus Christ to be judged by Him -- He is the One Who will determine what our eternal destiny will be and the environment in which eternity will be experienced. Yes, even Mohammad Yousuf, executioner of adultresses, will make his appearance before Jesus -- minus pistol of course and the guy who did the whipping of Sanam Gul -- without his whip!

One of two possibilities exist when Jesus utters the final word in judgment - it will be either the incomprehensible bliss of a trouble-free Heaven or the indescribable agony in a place known as Hell! The determining factor as to which it will be is the choice one has made in this earthly life to repent of all sin and receive Jesus as Savior and Lord into one's life, or do as the vast majority of the world's population and its leaders are doing -- that is to defiantly reject Him and His sacrifice for the sins of the entire human race! What has your choice been regarding the most critical decision you will ever make in a lifetime?

By the way, here is an interesting little exercise on that confrontation with Jesus and the controversy that swirled around a certain female caught in the act of adultery -- what do you suppose He was writing in the sand with the tip of His finger? Could it have been a simple question -- "Where is the man?"

Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?" This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. --- John 8:3-6

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"--- Matthew 7:21-23

"His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' --- Matthew 25:23

I Have Seen Over 7 Decades of Change -- A Lot of It Very Bad!

Clayton D. Harriger was born to Russell and Helen (Sedgwick) Harriger in a farmhouse in Monroe Township, Clarion County, Pennsylvania, USA on August 5, 1933

My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! --- Psalm 139:15-17

I celebrated my birthday on August 5 and was blessed with a great outpouring of well wishes on Facebook as well as receiving phone calls and greeting cards.

I was a Depression-era baby -- that is, I was born during the time the Great Depression had a tight grip on the United States. My parents were living on a rented farm. Life was a constant struggle for them. Eventually they were able to buy the farm at the end of WW II.

My early education took place in a one room country school in which one teacher took care of grades 1 through 8. After completing 8th grade we were bused to Clarion Jr and Senior High Schools in Clarion PA.

In school during those years we started our day with reading from the Scriptures, praying the Lord's Prayer, and pledging allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. In the one room school we sang the first stanza of "America the Beautiful" before eating lunch each day.

The big social occasion of the week was Saturday night in Clarion. Families not only went to do some shopping -- they also went to visit with one another. Getting a parking spot on Main Street was a top priority. You ate fresh roasted peanuts from Maul's Dairy Store and sat in your car, observing the traffic as well as visiting with people who passed by.

Sunday was a quiet day with most families in the area going to church in the morning. After the noon meal there may be a trip to visit a neighbor or relative in the afternoon. Businesses in Clarion were completely shut down. The town was very, very quiet on Sunday afternoon in sharp contrast as to how it was the night before!

As I got older changes began to take place. Pressure mounted to permit Clarion's two movie theaters to show movies on Sunday and so in time it was done. Then came the pressure to allow retail businesses to be open on Sundays and so in time it happened. So at this point in time Sunday is no different than any other day of the week with focus being mainly on the expectation of fair weather so we can party and have lots of fun throughout the country!

Then came earth-shaking court decisions that made an impact on our republic that no person is capable of comprehending -- that is, the full consequences of such decisions have yet to be realized. The U. S. Supreme Court saw fit to rule that it is unlawful to have Bible reading and prayer in the public schools. This was considered a good thing and the country would be a much better nation because of it in years to come. "Religion" is a private matter, you know! And so, the question can be raised - is the nation healthier now ethically and morally, than it was at the time the practice of reading Bible and praying the Lord's prayer was in place?

And there was one of the most diabolical decisions ever made by a court anywhere in the history of the human race when certain black robed individuals got their pointy little heads together and decided that it is a "constitutional right" for a female to have her unborn child mutilated, murdered, and removed from her body! As I have stated in commentary on this elsewhere, we have yet to witness God's full response to this massive destruction of 52 million innocent victims since January of 1973!

Entertainment industries moved from what were considered G-rated programming for the entire family to increased display of vulgarity, violence, and immorality in very graphic fashion! And there is the very awkward question as to why our young often act very selfishly, immorally, violently and speak gutter language constantly. Monkey see, monkey do, you know!

Churches increasingly began to compromise the Biblical standards of ethics and morality, due in part by adopting positions that the Bible does not really mean what it says and that it is simply a human produced volume of material filled with contradictions and errors!

Government began to grow at the rate of a malignant tumor out of control. But not only was there unhealthy growth in government, but all the while it was growing it was also becoming more corrupt as time passed! At present time scandals involving government officials are common place and no longer are we shocked -- it is now the "norm" and we tend to accept such things as being normal!

These are but some of the changes I have witnessed in my lifetime. By God's grace in 1957 I received Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. A few months later He placed me in the ministry which began in June of 1959. Perhaps because of that I have been extremely sensitive to the changes that have been taking place over the last few decades -- changes that guarantee the nation in which I hold my citizenship is headed for disaster and cannot expect anything in the future but the outpouring of the wrath of a holy God in judgment!

But I look beyond that horrible prospect of devastation to the promised return of my personal Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, the living Son of God. He is going to return to this sin drenched world and set it right side up, ruling it with true justice. That is why from time to time I say to people that there is good news for the future -- part of it consists of the fact that all government leaders and their associates will be thrown out of office because the King of kings and Lord of lords is now in charge. It will be a great day -- make sure you don't miss out on it!

And there will be changes taking place when Jesus takes control that we cannot begin to even imagine. One of the greatest will be no more conflicts of any kind with the implements of war being destroyed and material being used in the making of implements of peaceful activity. Even animals will no longer be in conflict, but will live in peace -- e.g. the lion will eat straw like the ox!

So there is a bright future to anticipate, if you look far enough ahead!

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" --- Revelation 11:15

Nazism Reborn in the USA!

On March 30, 2001, Obama was the only Illinois senator who rose to speak against a bill that would have protected babies who survived late term labor-induced abortion. Obama rose to object that if the bill passed, and a nine-month-old fetus survived a late-term labor-induced abortion was deemed to be a person who had a right to live, then the law would "forbid abortions to take place." Obama further explained the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment does not allow somebody to kill a child, so if the law deemed a child who survived a late-term labor-induced abortion had a right to live, "then this would be an anti-abortion statute." --- source: Obama Nation, by Jerome Corsi, p.238, Aug 1, 2008

To even mention the name Nazi and apply it to anything taking place in the United States is considered an offense that is equal to being guilty of blasphemy and on a par with that of slapping Almighty God in the face! But hang on and consider some comparisons that provide evidence showing indeed WW II Nazism has been reborn in the "land of the free and the home of the brave."

Recent decades have witnessed a deadly change occuring in government at the federal level in the United States.

First, Nazism rejected God's view of human life and the fact that each conceived human life is special in God's sight. Further, He has a unique plan for each human life. (Note such Scripture references as Jeremiah 1:4,5; Psalm 139, and Ephesians 1:3-6). Adolph Hitler and the Nazis took the position that they were the arbiters when it came to who should live and who should be exterminated from the society of the living. It is estimated that there were at least 14 million or more who were victims of the Nazi view of human life, of which at least 6 million were Jews alone! There seems to be a near unanimouse agreement that these were very "evil" people for having been involved in exterminating those millions.

The spirit of Nazism, having gained a foothold in the United States, has resulted in 52 million unborn humans being intentionally mutilated and murdered in their "mother's" wombs since January of 1973! Elected officials of both major political parties give sanction to this practice while some others who claim to be "pro-life" seem to be afflicted with a severe case of lock-jaw when it comes to speaking out and advocating aggressive action to stop the "shedding of innocent blood" throughout the land. G. W. Bush was considered to be a president who was "pro-life" but the millions continued to be destroyed in the womb during his presidency. He showed none of the aggressive spirit in putting the killer doctors out of business as he did in convincing the nation that we had to invade Iraq and take down Saddam Hussein who was guilty of an estimated 1 million victims during his reign of terror -- ah, there is a difference between 1 million and 52 million, is there not? And of course the present president puts his stamp of approval on the practice and will nominate judges to the Supreme Court who will guarantee that the slaughter of the innocents will continue. Well, that is, until God steps in and says, "Enough is enough!"

Second, Nazi leaders progressively took control of industry, business and finance in Germany as the months came and went. The media came under strict control as well. Joseph Goebbels was a master of deception as he directed the flow of propaganda so that the people would "feel good" about their country and its leaders.

We are witnessing increased control by the federal government in areas involving industry, banks, healthcare, etc. Remember the General Motors episode in which people began referring to GM as "Government Motors?" And while the government does not literally control the media outlets yet, they might as well since many of those involved in major media outlets have become so enraptured with Barack Obama that they resemble children enthusiastically following the Pied Piper! They would not want to be the least bit critical of the president, because if you convey the slightest hint of negativity, then you are a "racist" and extremely prejudiced!

Third, Nazi leaders were convinced that they were more intelligent than the German citizens and therefore in a position to know what was best for them. So they initiated their "programs" with the idea that these were best for everyone and the establishment of a Reich lasting a thousand years.

We have a president with strong support from other elected officials who believes that we citizens do not really know what is best for us or for the country at large. Since they are of superior "intelligence," they know what is best and we need to learn to trust them and go along with all that they propose without question or objection! And while there is talk at times of "bi-partisanship" there are persons in both major political parties that really don't believe it -- "It's my way or no way!" In the meantime, whatever goes wrong or is wrong presently, it is all George Bush's fault. Politicians presently in office will likely go the grave claiming they were unable to undo all the wrong that George Bush did -- it was all his fault and they simply did not have enough time to set things right side up.

Fourth, Nazi leaders for the most part did profess "belief" in God -- that is, they claimed that there was a God Who existed. They simply didn't take His special revelation (the holy Scriptures) seriously nor did they make any concentrated effort to apply the Scriptures to daily life and responsibility, either on a personal level or on a collective level. But then, as you look at the political circumstances involving elected officials at the state level and at the federal level in our republic, you see the identical drama played out -- presidents and others are fond of throwing out the expression, "God bless America!" After having done this, God is put back in his cage, the door locked shut, and He is reminded not to interfere in any of our affairs. He has been forbidden to set foot on the property of our public schools for decades and it is not "politically correct" to make reference to God in other settings as well -- that is, unless you want Him to "damn" something or someone, then that is considered appropriate at any time and in any place!

As the government continues to take more control and our freedoms are being taken from us, we are forced to face the fact that Nazism did not really die when Germany was defeated in May of 1945. It just seemed that it did as Germany was rebuilt, but it was lurking in the shadows and waiting for the grand opportunity to rise again -- and it has. We just don't wear armbands with a swastika stamped on them!

But in the midst of bad news there is good news -- Jesus Christ has promised that He will return to this world which He brought into existence by spoken command a very long time ago. He is going to take control of this planet and rule it, which means drastic changes are going to take place. Government leaders of all nations will be out of a job and followers of Him Who is described as King of kings and Lord of lords will be involved in His Administration. All implements of war will be destroyed and reforged into useful instruments for peaceful purposes. What a day that will be!

Time to let your imagination soar a bit -- do you suppose when Jesus returns that the elected officials of the U.S. government at that time (if the U. S. still exists then) will hastily draft and pass legislation that He is not permitted to enter this country unless He has a valid passport -- ooops! I forgot -- all He has to do is go over the fence, coming in from Mexico into Texas or one of the other border states and it will be OK -- if it has worked for millions of others, why not for Jesus?

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" --- Revelation 11:15

Letter to a Bishop in W. PA!

Hello! Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Theo and I am Administrative Assistant to the person who is in charge of the web site, Circuit Rider's Range. His given name is Clayton D. Harriger and he is an ordained elder in the Western PA Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. There are United Methodists, including those in positions of leadership, who get extremely upset with him about some things. If you ever go to his web site, you will see what I mean. Anyway, a resolution was passed in the 2009 session of the Western PA Annual Conference in which each clergy person was to pay $25 to support a fund which would assist clergy on what is described as "short-term disability." Each member of the clergy was expected to pay this, including those who are retired. CDH recently received a letter from Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton reminding him that he had not yet paid the $25.00. So, CDH responded with a letter and enclosed a check for $25.00. BTW, Theo is my shortened name which CDH gave me -- an explanation about my longer name is given at the web site. Now, here is the letter.

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Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton
Western PA Annual Conference
The United Methodist Church

Dear Bishop Bickerton:

I received your letter reminding me that I owe $25.00 as my part in the one time contribution (pertaining to RS 404 – 2009 Annual Conference session) which is expected of all clergy in the conference. This is to inform you that I am paying this under protest. The reasons are as follows:

First, whoever dreamed this debacle up didn’t give any serious thought to fairness in such an assessment. There is a big difference between my income and yours, clergy with the “plush” appointments in the conference, the district superintendents, and even those clergy at the lower end of the salary scale. The last I heard, bishops are making something like a 6 figure annual salary, are they not? Therefore, let those in the upper salary ranges pay more on this “short-term disability” program and show some mercy toward us retirees.

Second, I own my own home and pay taxes on my property. I pay all expenses to maintain my home. I pay for all furnishings for my home. I pay all utility expenses for my home. I pay the insurance on my home. You and the active clergy on the other hand have some very nice perks – you have your home furnished with major appliances and you do not personally pay taxes on your home. You do not pay maintenance costs for the home in which you live. You do not pay the utilities for your home. And you do not have to pay the insurance on your home, except if you choose to have your personal possessions insured. But that is far different than the total insurance bill for a residence such as the one in which I and my wife presently live!

Third, you who are active clergy have advantages in health coverage that we retirees do not have. We were kicked out of the dental plan a few years ago, and finally someone decided that we retirees should have some coverage, but it is nothing to make the front page of the local newspaper. I have paid a few thousand dollars just for dental work alone because of extreme limitations in the plan as applied to retirees. So I am having expenses where you in the active clergy category do not!

Finally, there has been a heavy stress on the “connectional system” and “covenant” – you have been one to remind us in the conference of this. OK, why are such words as “fairness” and “equity” obviously missing when it comes to the “connection” and RS 404? The retirees’ share should have been in the $5 to $7 range maximum, while you active clergy could far easier pay $200.00 or $150.00 than I can pay the 5 bucks!

Enclosed is my check for $25.00 which is submitted under protest.

Still contending at www.crrange.com, blogging at http://cdharriger.blogspot.com and warning at www.crrange.com/USACoffin.html

Clayton D. Harriger, Elder in full connection, W. PA Annual Conference

PS – On another issue related to the “connection” – what hasn’t been realistically addressed is the “infection within the connection” which is why the United Methodist Church is in a state of decline!

cc: The Rev. Alyce Weaver Dunn, newly appointed DS for the Johnstown District

I did not sit in the assembly of the mockers, nor did I rejoice; I sat alone because of Your hand, for You have filled me with indignation. --- Jeremiah 15:17