Another Date for FDR's "Infamy" Slot!

As of March 19, 2008 an anniversary will be noted. The media will give attention to it and likely President George W. Bush will also mention it. The anniversary is year # 5 since we launched a pre-emptive strike and invaded a nation in the Middle East known as Iraq.

It is also likely that some statistics will be mentioned along the way in this observance. Such things as:

• number of U. S. military personnel who have lost their lives.
  
  
• how many have been wounded, and maybe, how many have been maimed for life as a result of the many roadside bombs used by the "enemy."
  
  
• how much this operation has cost us in terms of billions of dollars, or have we reached the trillion mark -- if we haven't, hang on because we are bound to get there -- wars don't come cheap anymore!
  

However, it is highly unlikely that the following will be mentioned to any significant degree:

• how many military families have been dissolved through divorce as a direct result of this Iraq thing.
  
  
• how many suicides among military personnel have taken place since we got involved in this debacle -- the rate has been increasing as compared to conflicts in the past.
  
  
• how much "profit" certain U. S. companies have made under the pretense of "rebuilding" Iraq -- one company with which Vice President Dick Cheney used to be connected is doing especially well, as are others!
  

But there is one statistic the president, vice president, members of Congress and the mass media will not mention at all -- not even a whisper! And you can hunt high and low within the ranks of church groups -- big name denominations and independents -- again, not even a squeek out of the vocal cords!

But you can see it here and this may be about the only place you will see it -- it is a very important number. You will have to travel a bit to see it -- and once you do, will you mention it to a few other people?

Travel on over to A Much Avoided Statistic on the 5th Anniversary of the Invasion of Iraq! There is a link at the bottom of that area which will bring you back to this place.

This will also help you to remember another reason for placing March 19, 2003 in FDR's slot for dates which will live in infamy!

Surely at the commandment of the LORD this came upon Judah, to remove them from His sight because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, and also because of the innocent blood that he had shed; for he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, which the LORD would not pardon. --- 2 Kings 24:3, 4

Ooops! I Just Couldn't Resist This One!

Vice President Dick Cheney made a surprise visit to United States troops in Iraq today... --- news announcement made at noon, March 17, 2008

Quite a bit of hoopla over the fact that Vice President Dick Cheney dropped in on U.S. troops serving in Iraq -- it was a "surprise" thing, but then maybe there was a reason for that.

In a sound bite the Vice President said that Iraq was now safer than the last time that he visited there. That raises a question in the minds of some of us, or maybe more than one question --

Is Iraq safer because Cheney left his shotgun at home? Is it because everyone refused to do some hunting with him while he was in Iraq? Or is it because military commanders saw his shotgun, confiscated it and then told the VP that it would not be returned until he underwent an intensive combat training course lasting 16 weeks? And at the end of that time he would have his shotgun returned on the condition that he always be the point man on all patrols, with all the troops a few yards directly behind him so long as he remains in Iraq!

Yea, I already know -- as some of my church people have suggested, I've got too much time on my hands! But it's not that the Devil made me do it, but it's the nature of politics and politicians that's brings things such as this about!

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven... a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance... --- Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4

When Dick Cheney Speaks, Do the Chinese Shake in Their Boots?

Friday, February 23 - Sydney, Australia "Last month's anti-satellite test, China's continued fast paced military buildup are less constructive and are not consistent with China's stated goal of a peaceful rise." -- VP Dick Cheney

Oooooh! Bet the Chinese really got shook on that statement, didn't they? When Dick Cheney speaks, everyone jumps, or do they? And when he goes hunting, everyone looks for a rock to hide behind, do they not?

But what about this Chinese thing? Here's a country that has over 4 times the population of the United States and who knows how much military hardware, including "weapons of mass destruction!" Remember, that song & dance routine we heard back in 2003 as applied to Saddam Hussein & Company -- and how it was absolutely necessary to launch war against Iraq because that country and its leader was such a great threat to world peace? Correct me if I am wrong -- aren't we still messing around a tad in this country called Iraq -- and then there's that other place called Afghanistan, where we supposedly wiped out the Taliban and established peace there quite some time ago -- seems we still have a few difficulties in that country too!

But other than what Cheney just said, not a whole lot is made of the issue of China sitting on tons of weapons -- and certainly both Bush and Cheney have not raised the issue of China's invasion of and takeover of the sovereign nation of Tibet some years ago -- why is no issue made of this in the United Nations -- the president who talks a lot about spreading democracy all over the world is strangely silent about the need for the citizens of Tibet to experience democracy! Go ahead -- do a search on the country of Tibet and see what interesting things come up about what the Chinese have done -- estimates are that at least a million Tibetans lost their lives when China took over the country. Again, correct me if I am wrong -- but when one nation invades another sovereign nation and controls it, isn't that considered very unjust, illegal, unlawful, and such? But there is no protest from the United States.

Rhetoric will simmer down quickly for a number of reasons:

• First, China owns a lot of U.S. debt -- in other words, if they should say, "Pay all that you owe!" The Chinese would be the ones to whom we would have to hand over a real big bunch of bucks!
  
  
• Second, we have this thing of a "trade deficit" with China -- we owe a big bunch of bucks on that matter alone because we have gotten much more from them, than they have from us on a yearly basis!
  
  
• Third, China is on a construction binge as the nation becomes a growing and powerful economic giant in the world of trade and finance. It is why prices for construction related materials, such as cement have sharply increased in our own nation. A nephew of mine drives a construction truck that hauls 100 tons of material -- tires used to cost $5,000 each and now need to be replaced, but my nephew says the company can't get replacements though they have been ordered for a long time -- why the shortage? China has need for huge numbers of these tires and is getting them!
  
  
• Fourth, in hard reality, China doesn't have to bring us to our knees militarily -- if the Chinese did make an aggressive move militarily, what would the U.S. do? We are stretched so thin now we couldn't do anything effective to repel them -- we can't even do a resounding victory thing now in Iraq or Afghanistan as we did at the conclusion of WW II -- the last war in which we had a decisive military victory and the terms for both Germany and Japan were unconditional surrender -- no negotiating! Really, at some temporary hardship to them, all the Chinese would have to do is shut off ALL exports to the United States! Have you looked at labels of items you buy lately -- where were they made?
  
  
• Fifth, Chinese at the level of high leadership have been traveling throughout the world negotiating trade deals etc. And are you aware of their influence when it comes to the Panama Canal? Just the tip of the iceberg folks!
  

No, it is highly doubtful that the Chinese will lose any sleep over remarks made by Dick Cheney or any other representative of the federal government of the United States. Sadly, what our elected representatives fail to perceive is that our relationship with the God in Whom we claim to believe is far from being a positive and acceptable one in these days! God has been known to withdraw His blessings from a nation with which He is displeased. For more on the details as to conditions for blessing and favor as well as withdrawal of the same, see Deuteronomy 28 in the Old Testament scriptures -- that is, if you dare!

"The alien who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower. He shall lend to you, but you shall not lend to him; he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail. Moreover all these curses shall come upon you and pursue and overtake you, until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. And they shall be upon you for a sign and a wonder, and on your descendants forever. Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things...." --- Deuteronomy 28:43-47

Potty Mouth Professionals!

Should professionals be expected to use language that isn't laced with profanity? It is obvious that among that crowd are those who cannot speak without injecting some vulgar term into what they are attempting to communicate!

Some examples:

(1) Dr. Phil is well known for his talk show (and counseling) program. We may get the last few minutes as we turn on our local newscast at noon time. For some, even 2 or 3 minutes of Phil goes a long, long way. Anyway, he was in a phone conversation with a lady who had a camera focused on her in her living room. Phil wanted to talk to her husband about a domestic issue, but he wasn't available -- Phil became a bit frustrated and in the process of speaking, used the word "ass" and he was not making reference to the little humble beast of burden which has long ears!

(2) A member of the U.S. Congress was speaking on a news sound bite over the issue of sending more troops into Iraq -- he attempted to emphasize the critical nature of such a move and stressed that we needed to be sure, only in front of the word, "sure," he had to insert the word, "damn."

(3) Even President Bush was caught using profanity at a meeting of the heads of some nations overseas -- he said something to Tony Blair, assuming the mike was turned off, but it wasn't -- and so everyone who saw the video and heard the statement found out that even a president can have a potty mouth!

(4) One of our grandsons was working toward a teaching degree and part of final preparation was spending time with hands on experience in a classroom. In his case it involved elementary aged students. He was just getting started with his class time when one of the students loudly used the infamous "f" word! Our grandson said it stopped him cold -- he didn't know what to do next and looked to the regular teacher for some guidance on the matter. It is well established by now that discipline of the little tykes when they get out of line either by speech or by conduct is a no-no. If you try to discipline them as they should be, you'll end up without a job and become a defendant in a lawsuit!

(5) And as you well know, that infamous "f" word is not limited to children and youth -- of course "mature" (term used very loosely) adults have made use of the word and the young 'uns decide they can use it too! It was back a spell that Vice President Dick Cheney was extremely frustrated in an exchange of words with some elected government officials and used the word publicly! Now then, would you want your young son or daughter to repeat the speech of a very high level elected official of the federal government -- worse yet, do you want them to grow up and be like such people?

Potty mouth language has become more and more accepted -- it's considered "cute" when a toddler begins to learn to talk and foul language pours out of his mouth -- things which he has picked up from adults or older siblings, by the way! But we simply shrug our shoulders and say that it's just the way life is -- things are different now in the 21st Century!

The pattern can be traced through the history of mass media in broadcasting and publishing enterprises. There was a day in which profanity was not used in what was considered a respectable publication, radio, or TV programming. Then came "ratings" in entertainment and everything began a corroding and corrupting process until we have "arrived" and foul language is as common place as hamburgers and pizza!

Almighty God has addressed all issues of life which have to do with human behavior, including the way we speak. He has made it clear that His Name is not to be taken in vain. But it is common place to hear people telling God to "damn" something, or when we hit our thumb with a hammer, for some reason it seems appropriate to utter the Name of Jesus Christ!

Here are a few statements which God has placed in His Word that apply to the things which come out of our mouths:

Let the lying lips be put to silence, which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.-- Psalm 31:18

For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips, let them even be taken in their pride, and for the cursing and lying which they speak. -- Psalm 59:12

They utter speech, and speak insolent things; all the workers of iniquity boast in themselves. -- Psalm 94:4

For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain. -- Psalm 139:20

"Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." -- Matthew 12:34

"But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment." -- Matthew 12:36

But now you must also put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. -- Colossians 3:8

We humans have been created with the power to choose -- to exercise our will and take action for evil or for good. It would be a lot different, would it not, if more people, including the high profile potty mouth persons, would make it the prayer and desire of their hearts to implement the following statements into everyday living:

My tongue shall speak of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteousness.
-- Psalm 119:172

My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD, and all flesh shall bless His holy Name forever and ever.
-- Psalm 145:21

Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, and from the opening of my lips will come right things; for my mouth will speak truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; nothing crooked or perverse is in them. -- Proverbs 8:6-8

I rest my case!

And for potty mouth people who may just happen to read this, whether you are a high profile professional or just an average citizen moving about from day to day, the following is for your use before leaving!

Don't worry, the septic tank is quite gigantic in size and can handle very well your multiple contributions!