Congressman Anthony Weiner and a Thing Called Ethics!

Congressman Anthony Weiner (NY) has admitted to sending a lewd photo of himself to a female and to having online "relationships" with other females. First, he denied the photo thing claiming it was the work of hackers -- is such a denial called lying any more -- and now admits to it. Demands that he step down are growing by the day.

The subject of ethics seems to surface and maybe even a call for an "investigation" as to whether rules of the House of Representatives in the U.S. Congress may have been violated when a member of that body is alleged to have engaged in questionable behavior.

The scandals seem to be picking up the pace as time marches on. In recent times high profile persons have been involved in behavior that at least used to be considered a "no-no" for elected officials -- Bill Clinton, Charlie Rangel, John Edwards, Bob Ney, Tom DeLay, Ted Stephens, Newt Gingrich, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to name a few! A friend of mine has accused me of being a bit prejudiced and only picking on a Democratic president while not mentioning the latter two persons because they are professed "conservatives" when it comes to my "tirades" against the moral deficiencies of our nation and its leadership.

For the record, I am a non-affiliated registered voter in Cambria County PA and as for the likes of Gingrich and Schwarzeneggar, I would not vote for them under any circumstance. And if Newt should be the Republican candidate for president in 2012, I will not vote for him -- I may do a write-in if that is the case and write in Beetle Bailey -- he would do a better job anyway! Newt, of course, is regularly featured on Fox News. But a little of Fox News goes a long, long way and at times you wonder if you are not viewing a competitive beauty pageant laced heavily with TV ads and then here and there a bit of "news" inserted!

But, alas, I digress -- on this issue of ethics as it pertains to elected officials. Why even make an issue of it now anyhow. They pretty much do what they want to do -- proof of that is seen in the lavish salaries and perk benefits they have voted and continue to vote for themselves -- just check what they get for retirement alone and the health care benefits they get -- and then some member of the Congress talks about ethics and an "investigation?"

But even worse -- what kind of ethics are we talking about when a president and the members of the U.S. Congress do absolutely nothing about paying down the national debt which is now creeping fast toward 15 trillion dollars. They quibble about reducing the deficit by a piddling amount. That scenario is like trying to plug a small leak in a dam with bubble gum at one end while at the other end the breastworks is breaking away and millions of tons of water are gushing forth to bring death and destruction to all who live in the area below the dam!

What really has happened is that there has been a rejection of the original Book on ethics which is commonly known as the Holy Bible. Some subsequent "man-made rules" on ethics have been devised, but even these are rarely heeded. Once in a blue moon there may be some stirrings and a conviction of some kind, but more often than not, we scheme and connive to "look after our own!" And this is the situation with both Republicans and Democrats.

As I just recently told a friend -- I am personally about fully convinced that the situation in Washington DC is terminal and beyond healing. Likewise it is pretty much the same in the state capitols as well, especially so in Harrisburg PA with about the most cumbersome legislature of any in the entire republic!

As with the ancient kingdom of Judah a few centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ, so it is with us -- we are fast ripening for judgment at the hands of a holy God. Compassionately He has been using events, sounding the warning, and appealing for a return to Him through repentance of all sin (individually and corporately) but the response has been the same as recorded in the 36th chapter of 2 Chronicles -- a thumbs down with a thundering "No!" With leadership such as we have (church and political) how long will it be until the ruins of our culture will be scattered from the Atlantic to the Pacific, on some islands known as Hawaii, and in a frigid area known as Alaska?

Ethics? Who has time to consider such a subject, much less try to implement it into our daily way of life?

Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, to the oppressing city! She has not obeyed His voice, she has not received correction; she has not trusted in the LORD, she has not drawn near to her God. Her princes in her midst are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves that leave not a bone till morning. Her prophets are insolent, treacherous people; her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law. --- Zephaniah 3:3-4

Can You Really Trust a Mudslinger?

A restaurant conversation centered at one point on the subject of the political campaigns with one person making a statement that there has never been a time when the ads have been more negative than during the weeks preceding the elections of 2010!

I told some people recently that I would like to meet and shake the hand of the person who invented the mute button on a TV remote control. I would also express deep appreciation to that person for the great contribution made through such an invention, because I use it constantly -- not only to silence the commercial ads that drag on and on and on for minutes, but especially the political ads that have come upon us like a tsunami generated by an 8.7 magnitude earthquake under the ocean!

These political ads all have a common thread -- commonly known as "mudslinging" which reveals more about character of the politician who is involved in such tactics than he or she would honestly admit. Mudslinging is the vain attempt to paint one's opponent as being the very worst person possible and totally unqualified to hold public office. The person who is doing the mudslinging portrays himself or herself as the "savior" who will transform our government into an institution controlled by the holiest of saints and will usher in an utopian era for all Americans! Literally, as they tell it, we will indeed have a heaven on earth -- so God can just stay in His Heaven because we have already set up our own and we don't need Him around. But then, haven't we in the United States made decisions in the past in one way or another that have essentially told God to mind His own business and that certain areas are off limits to Him to start with?

So the question -- can you really trust a mudslinger? The answer is quite obvious -- any person who engages in such tactics or places a stamp of approval on such ads which are promoting his/her candidacy is immediately suspect as to what kind of moral and ethical standards are being practiced in every day life. It does present a dilemma when one goes into the voting booth this year, because there are no exceptions to this bombardment of very negative ads of attack. It comes down to this -- while I would much prefer not to vote at all, yet I will exercise my right as a citizen of this republic to vote -- but I will be approaching the ballot with this thought in mind -- "Which of these is the lesser of two or three evils (or however many are running for the office). This has been the problem for decades at the state and federal levels.

Be assured that the person who has engaged in mudslinging tactics to get elected will be untrustworthy when taking office. He/she will employ lots of rhetoric to try to convince us that he/she has our best interest at heart -- yea, sure!

Is it too much to ask of a person seeking public office that they simply stress point by point what he/she will do if elected and not mention a word about the opponent, nor engaging in the mudslinging tactic of trying to convince us that the opponent is in reality a disguised Frankenstein monster? Yes, I guess it really is too much to ask, since no candidate is willing to do it!

But there is good news, folks -- the day is coming when all politicians will be removed from office -- a different Administration will be in charge, and it will be world-wide in scope. The summary is found in the concluding statement just below from the book of The Revelation which spells out clearly that God indeed does have the last word, not humans and this includes politicians!

By the way, in the meantime we can pray that God will return upon their heads the fruit of their doings (such action is Biblical) -- it will be interesting to see what happens as praying people begin to make such an appeal to the Creator of this mighty universe!

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

Though I Didn’t Play by the Rules, This Is Still My Seat!

Registration begins June 11, 2009 at 7:00 AM in the IM Room --- from agenda information of the Western PA Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church

There is an interesting (and frustrating) phenomenon which happens each year in the W PA Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church at its gathering at Grove City College in Grove City PA.

This has been confirmed as taking place yet this year by a friend who is attending the event. I am not attending though even retired elders in full connection are expected to be in attendance. My blood pressure cannot tolerate what goes on there, including what is about to be discussed.

It is about the registration procedure. The hour is always officially set as to when the delegates can enter the IM area, pick up name tags, and then claim their seat by writing their names on the table tags where they will be seated for the plenary sessions of the conference.

But there are some very egotistical and selfish persons who feel the rule on the opening hour of registration does not apply to them.

I always tried to be early in line before the doors opened in order to get one of the seats which better accommodated my long legs (I am 6’2”) than did most in a rather cramped area of chairs and tables.

I was willing to pay the price to get my preferred seat – namely, get up very early, drive over a hundred miles, be at the door well before 6:00 AM (which was opening time years ago), and then proceed to claim my seat.

One year I drove through a heavy rain storm, was nearly involved in an accident with an 18-wheeler, was first in line when the doors opened at 6:00 AM for registration, and when I went to claim my seat, I saw many names already appearing on the table tags! This meant the seats were already taken although registration was only about 5 minutes or so “officially” underway!

I admit to being quite angered by this – a number of persons (most were preachers) had already placed their names and names of some of their friends on the table tags well ahead of the announced hour in which registration was to begin.

I wrote a letter to the bishop, cabinet members, and head of the Sessions Committee protesting this disregard for the rule on the time for registration to commence. We were always reminded that NO ONE would be permitted into the registration area before the opening of the doors at the stated hour!

I even offered to go in before the doors opened and blot out all names on the table tags with an indelible marker. After that enjoyable experience I would go out in the hallway and take my place in line with my brothers and sisters who respected the conference rule regarding the opening hour for registration.

My offer was refused as I knew it would be due to the fact that too many “church politicians” were involved in this violation who were part of the bishop’s “inner circle.” And you think the Wasington DC brand of politics is bad -- don't ever be down wind when the church brand blows your way -- the DC brand smells like a rose by way of comparison!

Obviously in W Pennsylvania there are pastors who totally forget that honesty, high ethical standards, and respect for the W PA Conference rules on registration apply to them as well as to all the others -- no exceptions! Earnestly pray that your church isn’t plagued with one of those characters – such a person will prove very quickly to be an obnoxious liability and not an asset to your church!

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. --- Philippians 2:3, 4

Little Jack Horner Replayed!

Just about everyone has heard of Little Jack Horner at a very tender age. There may be some exceptions, but Jack is a prominent personality in nursery rhyme lore along with a number of others. He sat in a corner and munched on Christmas pie. At a certain point he seriously violated Emily Post’s standard of conduct when eating – he stuck in his thumb and pulled out a plum and said, “What a good boy am I!”

Little Jack Horner has been resurrected and it started back quite some months ago but really came to the forefront in November 2008 and then culminated in the inauguration of B. Hussein Obama as president of the United States on January 20, 2009.

While he is commonly known now as President Obama, he really is Little Jack Horner in disguise! Here are the ways we know it is really Jack:

• this is the guy who has already signed some highly questionable executive orders and there are more earth-shaking ones to come, but for now he will sign a financial Frankenstein that is erroneously termed a “stimulus” bill and then will say, “What a good boy am I!” His co-conspirators in Congress will enthusiastically agree!
  
  
• this is the guy that takes the word “extravagant” to a new high by flying all over the country in a Boeing 747, which isn’t cheap, and then tells you and me we have to quit running SUV’s, do some sacrificing and help to cut down on our dependence on foreign oil – after all that he says, “What a good boy am I!” – and a vast horde of citizens agree!
  
  
• this is the guy who says he is going to have high ethical standards in his administration and then appoints a bunch that has problems paying all taxes or they are under investigation for something or there are possible conflicts of interests -- and who knows what other kind of baggage some of these people are bringing along with them to their plush positions. But he’ll say, “What a good boy am I!” -- and a vast horde of citizens agree!
  
  
• this is the guy who said no lobbyists were going to be hired in his administration, and then turns around and gives a waiver to a powerful character in the lobbying business (related to the Department of Defense!) so that he can serve in the Defense Department – and he’ll simply say, “What a good boy am I!” -- and a vast horde of citizens agree!
  
  
• this is the guy of whom it is said that he is still in campaign mode and has yet to shift into the gear in which he actually begins to govern – it must be so, because he is city hopping all over the place – maybe he needs a weekly ego “booster shot” which can only come from the crowds who worship the ground he walks on! Certainly it could be expected that he would then say, “What a good boy am I!” -- and a vast horde of citizens agree!
  
  
• this is the guy who likes to throw out the terms, “God bless you. And God bless the United States of America,” but cannot find time to give public expression in acts of worshipping this God to Whom he makes reference. He can find time to play basketball, work out and do government “business” on the Lord’s Day, but to set an example before his family and the nation by giving public expression to his professed faith, he simply doesn’t – yet he will still insist, “What a good boy am I!” -- and a vast horde of citizens agree!
  

Granted, you might not hear him vocally say, “What a good boy am I!” And the reason is, he lets the mainstream media say it for him or the shouting crowds that he plans to visit on a regular basis, according to David Axelrod, who is in reality the Propaganda Minister for the Obama Administration. Just listen to him talk sometime and you’ll see – he will confirm repeatedly that B.O. is indeed a very good boy!

Before you go to sleep tonight, why not recite the record of Little Jack Horner. After you have done that, then think of how that has been dramatically updated and the new version of Jack lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC!

And the people kept shouting, "The voice of a god and not of a man!" --- Acts 12:22

And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'" --- Jesus in a confrontation with Satan in Luke 4:8

Forked Tongue #3!

We were confronted with lots of campaign rhetoric by President B. Hussein Obama stressing that the “change” he was going to bring about would involve no lobbyists, transparency, accountability, a high standard of ethics, sacrifice etc. You remember such statements, do you not? It was like hearing one of those old vinyl 33 1/3 records which had become cracked and all you heard was a repeat of a few words or bars of music over and over again until you hit the arm of the player and got it out of the grove with the crack in it!

Let’s start with the ethics of talking “sacrifice” to the American people and mentioning such things as driving SUV’s (we need to quit that) and getting that thermostat set below 72 degrees (especially those who live in winter climate), etc. Here’s a guy that has not shown one single shred of evidence that he and his family are making some sacrifices and leading by example. He’s got that new monster of a limousine which cost a tad more than $1.39 and all the luxuries of the White House with tons of money involved (our money by the way). A comment by one of the staff indicated that President Obama keeps the thermostat set high because “he is from Hawaii” and he desires the high temperature – a temperature in which it was added, “you could grow orchids in there!”

His inauguration was the most outlandish ever in terms of money spent. A report indicated a party held recently at the White House featured steaks on the menu among other things – cost of the steaks? A modest $100 a pound! The guys that sold the Pentagon $100 hammers and $30 screws some years ago must have gone into the cattle business and are now selling meat to the White House! How do you suppose that strikes the low income families across the country and those millions who have lost their jobs?

There was vehement insistence that lobbyists would not be a part of the Obama Administration. But there’s that guy named William Lynn who has been chosen by the president to be Deputy Secretary of Defense – the #2 job in the agency! He was a registered lobbyist for the giant defense contractor, Raytheon Co., from 2003 through June 2008. He served in the capacity of being “senior Washington operations executive” for Raytheon. Will it be like going back home to the Pentagon? Anyway, he gets a “free pass” from the president with the appeal by someone speaking on behalf of the president that this Lynn fellow is very highly qualified and he is needed!

That seems to be the tune played each time there are some highly questionable ethical matters lurking in the background of some appointees such as H. Clinton (conflict of interests), the new Secretary of Treasury, Tim Geithner, with tax problems and the incoming Attorney General, Eric Holder, with some dubious activity in his background dating back to the Clinton era. It came to light that Tom Daschle also had tax problems – that is, paying all his taxes – seems he had “neglected” some! But on February 3 he announced he was withdrawing his name from consideration. Once in a long while there may be a small bit of good news coming out of Washington DC, but very seldom -- especially on the subject of ethics, etc.

On being “transparent” the opening hours indeed were a display of that as a myriad of pictures were taken as the new president signed a number of documents. One the big photo ops took place when he signed legislation that assured employees of equal pay for the same job rather than some (usually females) getting less than male counterparts for the same kind of work done. People were practically falling over one another as the bill was signed and the president handed the pen to one of the witnesses. They had just about everything at that one except a full fledged band giving a drum roll!

But this “transparency” is quite selective – on the day (Jan. 23) after the annual March for Life (mass protest of abortion) in Washington DC the president signed an order that changed things drastically -- no cameras or video recorders present at that one! There had been a standard in place in which our tax dollars could not be used for family planning organizations in foreign countries that perform abortions or encourage women to employ this route to take care of a problem pregnancy. President B. Hussein Obama, being an ardent supporter of abortion, reversed the policy so that now our tax dollars will help to fund abortions and counseling services which encourage pregnant women to murder the child whom God is forming in their wombs!


However, when you have circulated for years in the environment of Chicago and Illinois politics and cut your political eye teeth in that environment the word “ethics” has two meanings. One, it has to do with a Judeo-Christian standard of truth and righteousness as based on God’s revelation in determining what is right and wrong when it comes to human conduct, relationships and moral responsibility – this is totally alien to the Chicago brand of politics! There is still a minority of citizens who believe in that description as to what ethics is about. But when the word, ethics, comes from politicians in high places, it doesn’t mean a thing – it is simply employed to gain favor and approval of people so that they are led to believe that there is no longer a clear line between right and wrong – everything is simply a murky gray and we are the sole judges as to what is right or wrong, according to our unregenerate way of thinking and reasoning!

The president was given many millions of dollars in his quest to buy the White House. Now that he has purchased it, the time has now arrived for pay backs and ethics is something you can only briefly mention from time to time but cannot practice because of the Mt. Everest sized pile of those pay-back obligations!

The foremost Authority on human behavior addressed such issues as those cited above a long time ago and the standards have not changed. Unfortunately that Authority is ignored today within the circles of elitist power and wealth just as He has always been from generation to generation. But the time is coming when Jesus Christ will personally interrupt the flow of human history as King of kings and Lord of lords and when He does, the whole world will know what genuine ethics, transparency and accountability are all about! It will be far from a Sunday School picnic thing for those who may have tossed the word "ethics" around repeatedly but failed miserably to put it into practice!

And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. --- Luke 16:15

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe to men mighty at drinking wine, woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink, who justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away justice from the righteous man! --- Isaiah 5:20-23

What He Said – Are Those Actually His Words, or Those of Someone Else?

"Biden debuts with attack on McCain" --- Internet headline on August 24, 2008

Now it’s really getting interesting since we have been informed that Joe Biden will be the Democratic candidate for vice president of the United States in the upcoming November election.

Some of us will always be wondering each time he opens his mouth – are those words actually his, or did they originate with some other person of genuine prominence? You know, do you not, that Joe has had a problem with a thing called plagiarism in the past? It happened more than once and has been documented.

It seems Joe passed off some statements as though they were his own, but in reality they were statements made by other persons in public settings. This is considered a serious offense when you try to steal statements made by other persons and then use them as though they originated with you without giving credit where credit is due.

It comes down to a thing called ethics and honesty in communication.

I remember a class I was teaching years ago in which a student in doing her assignment of preaching a message made some rather impressive statements. Later I followed up on those and discovered she had literally used some statements by Martin Luther King, Jr. word for word! They were from a message he had given in the past. But she did not acknowledge that she was using his material!

There will be any number who will go to Joe’s defense and the fact that he eventually had to acknowledge his wrongdoing in passing off some stuff as originally his when in fact other persons were the real source of some of those things he stated.

But then, such qualities as high ethical standards and basic honesty are practically looked upon as major irritants these days. Surveys taken are showing the shocking reality that increased numbers of high school and college students do not think it is wrong to cheat and to lie – if you can get away with it, so much the better!

And we wonder why our republic resembles more and more a tissue which has been used to wipe a very runny nose and is immediately flushed down the toilet!

Don’t forget during upcoming presidential campaign – when Joe speaks, ask yourself, “Are those his words, or did they originate with someone of far greater significance and who holds to far higher ethical standards than he?”

Remove from me the way of lying, and grant me Your law graciously. I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have laid before me. I cling to Your testimonies; O LORD, do not put me to shame! I will run in the way of Your commandments, for You shall enlarge my heart. Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart. --- Psalm 119:29-34

A Chinese Experience!

Chinese made all terrain tricycle -- the rider chooses to remain anonymous, being willing to only reveal her stylish riding shoes!

"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." --- Deuteronomy 28:43-45

I confess -- I am not adjusting easily to the massive change whereby the nation in which I hold my citizenship has been inundated with foreign made products of all varieties. The bulk of this stuff comes from China.

I was born and raised with an ethic that basically said, "If you are doing a job, you give it your best -- you do it right or don't do it at all. If you are making something, you produce the highest quality possible in that object so that the person buying it will have gotten a high value for the money paid."

I was recently reminded again as to how times have so drastically changed when making a purchase.

I saw advertised in the catalog of a company, which handles a wide range of products, what was identified as an "all terrain tricycle." It has large pneumatic tires and the description indicated that children could ride it in areas where traditional tricycles with small hard rubber tires could not go.

So my wife and I decided to get one for the youngest of our grandchildren who now range in age from 1 year all the way up to 27 1/2 years.

UPS delivered the tricycle in a carton that had originally started out in China and by time of arrival at our place it was pretty well beat up! Due to coming partially open a carriage bolt for the rear axle area of the tricycle had been lost. Since no packing material was used, the parts were wrapped a bit with plastic sheeting. This permitted them to bounce against each other in transit and caused chipping of the paint in a number of places. The paint job left a lot to be desired since no primer had been used and due to inferior steel a thing called rust was beginning to appear on some surface areas.

I started the assembly process of this thing which looked like it had been the victim of some body's yard sale for 5 years running.

Hang on now -- the good part is about to happen. The pedals had to be attached to the pedal assembly on each side of the front wheel. I found the one with the "L" which indicated it was left-hand threaded and to be installed on the left side of the wheel.

What's this? The pedal wouldn't screw into the assembly as one would expect. So I got a thought -- maybe the left side assembly was actually put on the right side of the wheel at the factory. So I gave it a try -- and guess what? The pedal screwed right into the assembly without any resistance!

So I then installed the right-hand threaded pedal on the right hand pedal assembly which was on the left side of the front wheel of an all terrain tricycle! Are you confused yet?

But that wasn't the end of it. I detailed all this stuff and fired it off to the company in an email with a couple of attached photos to establish my "case!" I also suggested that they contact the Chinese manufacturer and explain the difference between left hand and right hand.

Finally I mentioned that I was going to repaint the tricycle but the color scheme would be different. I'm going to do it in a John Deere green and yellow -- frame will be green and wheels yellow. I've already located a place where I can get the paint at a very reasonable price. It certainly will be a great improvement over how the Chinese did it!

To the company's credit, it responded with options on my part as to how this might be made right. I accepted one of the offered options.

The larger picture, however, is a frightening one. China doesn't really have to do anything against us militarily to bring us down -- all it has to do is shut off the flow of consumer goods and demand payment on that big chunk of U. S. debt which it now owns!

How well have you been doing at learning the Chinese language these days?

"You have become guilty by the blood which you have shed, and have defiled yourself with the idols which you have made. You have caused your days to draw near, and have come to the end of your years; therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations, and a mockery to all countries. Those near and those far from you will mock you as infamous and full of tumult."
--- Ezekiel 22:4, 5

Why Fly a Shredded Flag?

My wife tells me, "Get that ragged flag down and get a new one!" Most passers-by would fully agree. And as you view the picture, you probably agree also. It is a bit of a disgrace to fly the banner of the republic of the United States of America in such a condition, is it not?

Yes, I do intend to replace it after a bit of time has passed. Perhaps the word is going around the neighborhood already -- "Have you seen what that crazy preacher is doing now -- he's got a badly tattered and torn flag flying beside his house -- has he no sense of pride at all? Doesn't he care about how that looks to the people who are driving by his place?" Maybe the Blacklick Township supervisors will get after him about that!

On the other hand, perhaps all flags flying around the United States should be in a shredded condition such as the one pictured above. And it would be especially fitting if the ones flying at the White House, the Capitol building in DC, the Pentagon, all state capitol buildings and all post offices throughout the republic of the United States were in such a condition!

And why is that, you may ask?

As you look at that tattered and torn flag consider this:

• As a culture, we have shredded the spiritual truths which have been given to us through God's special revelation, the holy Scriptures (the Bible)!
  
  
• We have shredded the moral standards which provide a solid foundation for a sane, sensible, stable and surviving culture as we now move into a very uncertain future!
  
  
• We have shredded the ethical standards which are so vital in human relationships so that we have become a "slit the throat, knife 'em in the back" society with a driving passion to get all the money we can get by whatever means it takes to get it! As an example, have you bought a gallon of gasoline lately? See what Exxon-Mobile's profit margin is when they release their next report. But the Exxon-Mobile high command is not the only bunch interested in getting lots and lots of money!
  
  
• We have literally been "shredding" thousands of unborn children every week for decades, with the grand tally moving toward the 48 million mark -- for the latest see A Quick Look at the United States' Massacre Tally!
  

So that flag that has had millions recite a plege in its presence and conclude by saying "...one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all." is a powerful symbol when it becomes shredded and torn -- it is reflecting in a rather dramatic way what the spiritual, moral and ethical climate of the United States of America actually is at the present time. It is also painfully obvious that the vast majority of elected officials and far too many church leaders are indifferent to this tragedy or simply don't care!

"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.' Therefore hear, you nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. Hear, O earth! Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not heeded My words, nor My law, but rejected it." --- Jeremiah 6:15-19

Blessing or Cursing...Which? It's Our Choice!

"Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God:..........But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country......." -- Deuteronomy 28:1,2,15,16

The United States is unique in a number of ways, one of which is its origin.

From the beginning when a few settlers migrated here from England and Europe the nation has always had access to God's miraculous revelation, the holy Bible.

Woven into our nation's early historical documents were statements which openly acknowledged God and the need to obey and trust Him. In time this was later confirmed by placing the inscription, "In God We Trust," on the currency and coins of our republic. Leaders in the earlier decades of the republic were not hesitant in speaking out of the need to not only acknowledge God, but to be obedient to Him for the ongoing well being and future survival of the nation.

Deuteronomy 28 in the Bible explicitly defines the conditions for experiencing an abundance of blessings (the full and rewarding life) or an abundance of cursings (the fearful and chaotic life) depending on the choice to obey or disobey God on the collective level.

However, there are objections that Deuteronomy 28 has nothing to do with us -- that it only applies to the Israelite people in a very ancient historical time frame. Really? Then are we to conclude that it doesn't matter whether we listen to God or not on a collective basis as a nation? And are there no consequences whatsoever no matter what our choices may be as it pertains to spiritual, moral and ethical responsibility?

There seems to be a kind of revival of the view of deism from out of times past. That approach may say that there is a God but He doesn't really interact with any facet of His creation! In fact, He resembles a little boy who winds up a toy and then sits back and watches it run down without touching it in the process of the activity. So it makes no difference what we do -- God is just a kind of spectator as to what goes on in this world, in each nation, and in the life of every single human being wherever he or she may live! Yea, sure!

If you dare -- take a slow look at Deuteronomy 28 in which God takes about 4 times as much space to detail the calamities that will come upon the nation for disobedience as He does in describing the blessings for obedience -- in which category is our republic best described -- the blessing side or the cursed side at the present time? And if you were to place a picture of our nation with its leaders and its citizens over one side or the other, which one of those two categories most accurately reflects this nation's present relationship with Almighty God and would be the one most qualified to display such a picture -- the blessing side or the cursed side?

Statistical evidence suggests that the majority of our 300 million citizens couldn't care less one way or another. Obedience to God is definitely not a priority issue!

How about you?

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. -- Psalm 2:1-4

In Possession of a Whore's Forehead!

"You have had a harlot's forehead; you refuse to be ashamed." -- Jeremiah 3:3b

What a scathing indictment! It is the ultimate of all reprimands -- the Mt. Everest of all circumstances in which a harsh rebuke has been issued!

Here is a culture that prides itself on being identified as the people of the living God of Israel -- the God Who had been their God for centuries dating back to the time when this God had called their ancestor, Abraham, and had established a covenant with him. This covenant assured Abraham that his descendants would be as the stars in the sky in terms of numbers and they eventually would own and occupy territory which stretched from the Euphrates River in the East to the Mediterranean Sea in the West. This last part about territory and the future glory of Jerusalem has yet to be fulfilled.

This God had spelled out specific spiritual, moral, and ethical standards which the people were expected to fully implement in their way of life and relationships with each other. How the people responded to this revelation and expectation by God was extremely critical for their ongoing existence and survival.

As time passed they gradually adopted lifestyles and worship practices of the heathen peoples surrounding them. Still claiming to be God's people they began sacrificing their children to a god named Molech and engaged in temple prostitution as well as sexual immorality in their relationships. The day of worship was increasingly desecrated and greed began to dominate as leaders and people focused on selfish desires at the expense of fellow citizens! Idolatry became a pandemic condition with God declaring,

"As the thief is ashamed when he is found out, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they and their kings and their princes, and their priests and their prophets, saying to a tree, 'You are my father,' and to a stone, 'You gave birth to me.' For they have turned their back to Me, and not their face. But in the time of their trouble they will say, 'Arise and save us.' But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble; for according to the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah." -- Jeremiah 2:26-28

Now then, hit the FF button on your remote and speed into the 21st Century in the United States of America.

There, do you see them? They stand out clearly -- you know, those footprints on the path before us which we are travelling? Those were made by the ancient Israelites in the 6th and 5th Centuries BC!

We are proud of our heritage and it is not uncommon to hear expressions such as "God bless America!" and "We are a Christian nation!"

What other nation has "In God We Trust" stamped on coins and printed on currency? What other nation has citizens placing hand over heart and in pledging allegiance to its flag and to the republic for which it stands repeats a phrase such as this -- "...one nation under God...?"

But as we travel the same path as those 6th Century BC Israelites we find much duplication:

• we too destroy children -- about 100,000 unborn are mangled and murdered each month of the year!
  
  
• we too engage in idolatry with money being but one of many powerful gods to which we pay homage in our culture -- church, government, business, entertainment, and the many professions have all been impacted by the invasion of the "gods" that compete for our time, energy, and loyalty!
  
  
• we too engage in widespread sexual immorality involving many varieties of expression with "sexual buffets" being accepted as "normal" and our young getting sexually involved at younger and younger ages as time passes. An interesting by-product has also been taking place -- it's called STD's (sexually transmitted diseases) with some incurable and a couple or so proving to be fatal!
  
  
• we too desecrate the day of worship having turned it into a day of business activity, fun, and games with less than half our population entering a place of worship on any given Sunday!
  
  
• our professed "religion" too often resembles a trumpet with an uncertain sound which is interpreted by the world to mean, "Sin all you want -- God just wants you to be happy doing what you do and when it's over, He'll welcome you through the pearly gates of heaven!"
  
  
• we brainwash the majority of our young into believing their ancestry is traced back to a couple of wriggly organisms in a slime pit millions of years ago!
  

What objections can you raise as to why Almighty God should not say to us in these United States as He said to those in the ancient kingdom of Judah long ago, "You have had a harlot's forehead; you refuse to be ashamed."?

And we dare not -- in fact, we must not think of the possibility of God bringing judgment on a republic known as the United States, right? It's just too unsettling -- it makes us react like a worm on the surface of a hot skillet!