Guns Are NOT #1 When It Comes to Tools of Death!

I confess to a bit of prejudice in addressing the issue of guns and efforts to "control" ownership and use of the same. Here are some things I admit which reveal my "prejudice:"

• I am the owner of a number of guns with the handguns being greater in number than my rifles and shotguns. My handguns range in size from a .357 magnum with an 8 inch barrel to a very small mini-mag 22 cal. revolver which lies snugly in the palm of my hand. In this collection are 9 mm semi-automatics, including a German Luger built in 1918, and 32 cal. semi-automatics with one being a duplicate of a weapon used by 007 agent James Bond in the film series.
  
  
• I have a sticker on my front storm door which is red in color with the following inscription: WARNING - This property is protected by an Armed American Citizen - Absolutely nothing in here is worth dying for!
  
  
• I have a licensed permit which allows me to legally carry any of my handguns concealed and loaded, except in areas where laws override the permit such as post office and other government property, public schools, and most colleges and universities.
  
  
• In conclusion on this matter I need to say also that my guns have killed less people than Teddy Kennedy's Oldsmobile which he owned a number of years ago! Teddy is great on getting rid of guns but he has never campaigned on getting rid of Oldsmobiles!
  

The Virginia Tech tragedy did a number of things in addition to shocking us and bringing out the worst in competitive media exploitation of the tragedy -- it also revived the "anti-gun" movement in which a number of high profile people in government and the entertainment industry (which has its own way of promoting violence daily) begin to froth at the mouth and rant on about the need to get rid of guns!

Can you stop and think for a minute in a very sober and common sense fashion? Consider this:

• Guns are not the number 1 killer -- compare the number killed by guns in a year's time to the number killed senselessly due to alcohol use, beginning with drunk driver victims plus all the other incidents involving violent death due to someone having a few "drinks" -- and in some of these firearms were the tools, but if the person hadn't guzzled some booze, it is likely the death would not have taken place! Will anything be done to curb and eventually eliminate the booze epidemic -- no, because even many of the "anti-gun" people who want to confiscate my guns just have to have their nip of booze on a regular basis! So in their stupidity and lack of common sense they will pursue their goal of removing guns from our nation under the delusion we will not have any more "massacres!" They forget that all they will accomplish will be taking the guns away from the law abiding citizens -- thousands of the criminal element will still have theirs!
  
  
• Second, a careful study of past incidents of mass shootings will uncover the disturbing fact that they took place in what was considered a "gun-free" environment! Cities such as New York or Washington DC which have the strictest gun control laws on the books (if you are caught with a hand gun in one of those places, they are almost ready to hang you without trial and jury) but also have extremely high murder rates, many involving firearms. Colleges, universities, and public schools are "gun free" by law. Even most campus security officers are not permitted to carry firearms. A person who is determined to wipe out a bunch of people in a gun shooting spree is aware that he doesn't have to worry about some of his potential victims carrying a weapon. What if a couple of students at Virginia Tech had been carrying weapons or would have had quick access to them? Yea, I know -- it's crazy to suggest such a thing is it not? But numerous incidents across this country which don't make headlines show that when a citizen is armed in his home, for instance, and an intruder breaks in to rob and/or kill, the weapon in the hands of a homeowner has made a difference!
  
  
• Third -- BUT the big issue that is deliberately avoided by the high profile people on their anti-gun rampage is the massacre of about 100,000 unborn children every month is this republic. Talk about violence -- what do you call an intentional act that results in a human which God is forming in the womb being chopped and torn to pieces? We claim to be shocked when someone kills another person and then dismembers the body, placing the parts in garbage bags etc! Yet there is an eerie silence coming especially from those who try to convince us that if we take away the guns, then all the violence and the killing will be ended. In the right column of this BLOG is a section about the greatest massacre in United States' history. You can view photos of some of the victims -- and remember, they were just as special and precious as the 32 who were shot on the campus of Virginia Tech! But most U.S. citizens, including the frothing-at-the-mouth anti-gun people, couldn't care less!
  

Amidst all the media in their shark-frenzy attention given to Virginia Tech and newly released information on the person who did the shooting, there was a measure of good news -- a Supreme Court ruling which has upheld the ban on partial birth abortions, but the slaughter of thousands each week still continues -- so we as a nation are not off the hook by any means as the Creator of this universe sees it!

"For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, if you thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbor, if you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your hurt, then I will cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever. Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, 'We are delivered to do all these abominations'?" --- Jeremiah 7:5-10

A "Massacre" at Virginia Tech? Why Do They Not Face the One With Far Greater Numbers?

There is no doubt that our republic was shaken from one end to the other upon learning of the killing of at last 32 persons on the campus of Virginia Tech in the morning hours of April 16, 2007.

A minority of persons across this nation whose faith and commitment is centered in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord are certainly praying for families of victims as well as so many others impacted by this tragedy. Even as we pray there are very elusive answers to so many questions which are being asked now and will continue to be asked in times yet to come.

As masses of people from TV, radio and print media milk this incident to the very last drop in the drive to upstage competitors there will be certain areas on which all of them will agree that are considered "off limits."

First, they will make the term "massacre" high profile -- it is dramatic and has great shock value, but they will never ever face the greatest massacre in U. S. history which continues unabated week by week with thousands of mutilated and murdered victims! When was the last time you saw those hypocrites speak of this massacre which has absolutely nothing that comes close by way of comparison when you examine the history of this republic all the way back to the 1700's? Are you willing to show more honesty than the media crowd by looking at the latest tally in light of certain time frames at A Quick Look At the United States' Massacre Tally!


Second, there is the refusal to face the hard reality that we are witnessing a "harvest time" when it comes to sudden outbursts of violence and mass killings. Since the rebel 60's settled in and we cast aside basic Judeo-Christian values on a widespread basis, beginning with "officially" kicking God out of our public school systems, we have instituted a destructive conditioning program for our young from the time they have been born!

Many of the media people who are "milking" the Virginia Tech tragedy are part of media empires that concoct programming under the guise of "entertainment" which conditions us to be prone to violence when we feel we just have to resolve some kind of "frustration" which has invaded our lives!

When a person is fed a daily diet of violence through media outlets (Hollywood produced junk, TV movies, games laced with violence, music and the rap garbage that is punctuated with violent expressions) then that person is "armed" and "loaded" with a hair trigger and some incident is all it takes to set that person off with tragic results.

One person observed on basis of a lot of statistics over past decades that it would take at least one generation or more if drastic changes were now made and a "purging" took place within the media entertainment industry of this cesspool quality stuff before positive improvement would begin to take place in our culture!

Will it happen? Not likely, because the immoral, violent and putrid stuff sells and the dominating philosophy is, "We give the public what it wants and fatten our bank accounts in the process!" Besides, it's our constitutional "right" to market this stuff which will turn our young Dr. Jekyll's into future Mr. Hyde's!

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

--- Galatians 6:6, 7

This law of sowing and reaping not only applies to us as individuals and our personal choices, but it applies also on a collective basis to an entire culture and whether or not it seeks to obey God or reject His spiritual and moral laws and create an indescribable hell for itself!

Another Intentional Slap at Christianity -- But Then, What Else Is New?

Head honcho of the Democratic National Committee, Howard Dean, issued a press statement on March 30th which was titled, "DNC Offers Passover Greetings." The following was contained within the release:

"On Monday night, Jews around the world will begin celebrating Passover, a week-long holiday that commemorates the Israelites' freedom from persecution and slavery."

All well and good -- anyone familiar a bit with the history of the Jewish people from very ancient times knows it has not been an easy life for them much of the time through the centuries. Passover is a very special celebration dating back to the time this people was set free from their enslavement to the Egyptians through direct intervention by Almighty God in a series of miracles as He judged the Egyptians for their idolatry and holding the Israelites in bondage for a period of 400 years! The crowning work of His judgment was the slaying of the firstborn throughout Egypt and the sparing of the Israelites in every home where the blood of a sacrificed lamb had been applied to the doorposts and lintel of an Israelite residence. And later when Pharaoh and his troops tried to pursue the Israelites through the Red Sea which God had opened up for them, God then allowed the waters to return into that gap and all the Egyptians were drowned! When you don't listen to God and obey, you ALWAYS pay and the price is always high as the mighty Pharaoh and his people found out far too late!

Now come a few days later from March 30th to Easter on April 8th -- head honcho Dean on behalf of the Democratic National Committee issued another statement. You would think that this would make some mention of the significance of Easter as it pertains to Christians and their faith in celebrating the resurrection of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

But here is what was said:

"Easter Sunday is a joyful celebration. The holiday represents peace, redemption and renewal, a theme which brings hope to people of all faiths. During this time Christians are called to remember who they are as people of faith, and that even the greatest of evils will not have the last word..."

Dean is about as far off base as some pastors and theologians who profess Christianity but at the same time are skeptical or just plain come out and deny that Jesus was literally resurrected 3 days later after the crucifixion!

For one thing the "joyful celebration" as he puts it is strictly limited to those in the Christian faith and to no other faith beyond Christianity. You can play with your jelly beans, chocolate bunnies and marshmallow chicks all you want, and profess any one of a thousand religious "isms," but unless you have truly repented of your sins and have received Jesus Christ into your life as Savior and Lord, Easter is just another day with a few extra trappings!

Further, it is only through Jesus Christ that peace of lasting significance is experienced and the assurance of having been redeemed for time and eternity!

But the head honcho of the DNC made absolutely no mention of Jesus Christ and the reality of His resurrection which is at the very heart of the Easter celebration observed by Christians -- again, in effect by such statements God is given the obscene gesture and it is obvious that Mr. Dean couldn't care less!

Brace yourselves folks! Christians and their faith are going to come under attack more and more as time passes -- it's been predicted! And especially as God begins to deal with this country more and more for its massive shedding of innocent blood, idolatry, sexual immorality, false teaching of the young regarding the origin of life, and the cancer of greed! But the problem is, we don't want to believe it can really happen in this republic which makes a hypocritical claim of being "one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all!"

"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me." --- Jesus speaking in John 15:18-21

PS: Don't try to say that I am a Republican because of the above remarks about the Democrats -- due to the condition of the Republican Party right now, the same statements could have come from some of their leadership as well! I am a non-affliated registered voter in Cambria County, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with the confession that entering the voting booth is one of the most frustrating experiences I have to endure throughout the year.

Prayer Is Also a Weapon -- Use It!

Let the righteous strike me; it shall be a kindness. And let him reprove me; it shall be as excellent oil; let my head not refuse it. For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked. --- Psalm 141:5

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. --- James 5:16-18

The concept of prayer for a large number of people consists mainly in seeking something from God -- it boils down to asking God for blessings and if one is in some kind of "crisis" dilemma, then you ask God for help and that He would get you out of the trouble in which you find yourself.

Some may go a bit further and say that we ought to give God thanks and express gratitude for good things He has granted. At that one special time of the year, in between a turkey dinner and a plethora of football games, we may be reminded to pray a bit and offer up an expression of gratitude!

Prayer is much more than what has been mentioned, and that includes use of prayer as a "weapon." Note the statements in Psalm 141 as mentioned above -- about praying against the "deeds of the wicked." Then we are informed of one person who did this very thing -- Elijah prayed that it would not rain and for 3 1/2 years God turned off the spigot when it came to rain events in the northern kingdom of ancient Israel. Its king was Ahab with a rather notorious wife named Jezebel -- she was a good missionary -- she brought all her heathen deities with her when she married Ahab and Baal worship was widely promoted and accepted -- perhaps the people were excitedly proclaiming the fact that now they were a "diverse" people with different ideas about belief systems and worship just as has been happening in the mainline denominations today -- you hear a lot about celebrating "diversity" in the United Methodist Church at the present time!

Ahab confronted Elijah and accused him of causing trouble in the kingdom -- it's a fascinating encounter -- I'll let you hunt it up and see what adventures Elijah had as he used prayer as a weapon.

There is a lot of wickedness in our culture and even big name people can be a part of it -- they live it and actively promote it at times! So pray "against" them -- that God will return upon their heads the "fruit of their doings!" This last expression is Biblical by the way -- you can see references to it from time to time.

Try that approach for instance with the guys who mutilate and murder unborn children! Or with elected officials who act more out of self-interest and self-preservation than they do for the interests and well being of the citizens they are supposed to represent! Or with those in the entertainment industry with their repulsive display of immorality and ungodly influence upon our young folks! And don't forget other ways those who are wicked in their ways have a destructive influence on our young -- those who traffic in drugs and alcohol -- those who influence the young with "music" (term used loosely) laced with lyrics encouraging immoral and violent conduct -- those who teach our young that we have "evolved" from lower life forms rather than being a special creation, with each person known and identified by God before conception in the womb and for whom there is a special place in God's overall plan for His creation. This last problem on origins is to be compared to an intellectual cancer which is out of control in the majority of educational institutions throughout the U.S. starting at the elementary level and continuing all the way through the graduate school level!

And just maybe with the resulting calamities that come about, there may be some who will actually repent of their wickedness and seek the mercy and forgiveness of God so wonderfully offered in and through His Son, Jesus Christ!

But we also are sobered with the historical record that in Elijah's case, it didn't do any good -- the kingdom continued down the slippery slope toward impending judgment and ultimate collapse. It doesn't exist anymore.

So, shake the dust off that weapon and be sure to use it every day -- you have to keep working at it because it's virtually impossible to fully identify all the wickedness which exists within a republic known as the United States of America! But sensitivity to what God has revealed in His Word about the patterns of wickedness and enlightenment provided by the Holy Spirit, we will be able to see more clearly where it is concentrated and then pray against it!

In a sense we who have chosen to follow Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord find ourselves surrounded by the "lions" of wickedness in a variety of forms -- and we are constantly pressured to go along with the ungodliness of our culture without objection or saying something that may "offend" somebody! Nonsense! Get out that weapon and use it -- see what great things God can and will do -- if He shut the mouths of hungry lions in the presence of His servant, Daniel, He can bring all manner of chaos into the lives of those who live and promote the ways of wickedness!

And a PS: Do you remember what happened to that bunch which conspired against Daniel with the result that he was thrown into the lions den? They and all the members of their families were pitched into the den and this time the lions had a feast -- God allowed them to gorge themselves. Yes, wickedness does pay off, but not in a very pleasant way ultimately!

It is time for You to act, O LORD, for they have regarded Your law as void. Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, yes, than fine gold! Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right; I hate every false way. --- Psalm 119:126-128

What If We Are Told Not to Pray Any Longer?

"Therefore do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them, nor make intercession to Me; for I will not hear you."

"Therefore do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry out to Me because of their trouble."

Then the LORD said to me, "Do not pray for this people, for their good. When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence." --- Jeremiah 7:16; 11:14; 14:11, 12

There has been a very deadly assumption down through the centuries to the present time -- that God always answers all prayers. It seems to be especially entrenched as a society of people get careless and very sloppy when it comes to spiritual, moral and ethical responsibilities. The more lax they become when it comes to the issue of seeking to obey God and fulfilling His divine plan, the more insistent they are that God always answers prayer and all we need to do is ask Him for whatever we have in mind and He will just pour out a ton of blessings in response! Some professing Christians are about willing to engage in a "knock down, drag out fight" over this thing of God answering prayer.

Jeremiah the prophet lived at a time when the spiritual and moral climate of the nation in which he lived was shockingly very much the same as what we are witnessing in the United States. There was a lot of noise generated throughout the country that just about everyone "believed in God." The major problem was the wide gap between what was claimed by way of belief and performance in conduct that provided credibility to that profession of "believing in God!"

There had been the adoption of idolatry, immorality, the "shedding of innocent blood" (child sacrifice to heathen deities), the profaning of the day of worship, and the corruption of the teaching of God's Word -- that is, if it even qualified as "teaching," since the revelation of God to which they had access didn't really mean much to them any longer. For instance, when something is considered vitally important you give attention to it, but when it is not a priority, then it is mainly ignored!

Finally God revealed that the time for praying and being heard had passed -- even a godly person such as Jeremiah was told to pray no longer, because God would no longer listen. He had sounded the warning for years and no one took him seriously, and then it happened -- his nation was invaded and totally destroyed!

Want to think on a troubling question -- how long do you think it will be before God begins to reveal a similar instruction -- "Don't pray any more for your country because I won't hear you!"

For further thought -- when the calamities began to really hit, the people began to say, "Why is God doing these things to us -- what have we done?"

Take a slow and very prayerful walk through the book of Jeremiah and then follow through with the book of Ezekiel -- after you finish, do it again a few more times and see how very up to date these two really are!

Moreover He said to me, "Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel." So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll. And He said to me, "Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you." So I ate it, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness. And He said to me: "Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. For you are not sent to a people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, but to the house of Israel, not to many people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, had I sent you to them, they would have listened to you. But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted." --- Ezekiel 3:1-7

Through another prophet God said He was going to return to His place until there was honest recognition of having sinned against Him -- the implication was that if they prayed and called on God without repenting and turning from their wicked ways, He was not going to hear them! Ah, you can check that one out in Hosea 5:15 -- yes, it's in the Old Testament -- you might have to hunt a while, but he's there. He lived quite a number of years before Jeremiah and Ezekiel but the spiritual "cancer" was already at work, and God gave Hosea a command to marry a harlot -- a rather dramatic object lesson spelling out how the country had betrayed God in constant acts of spiritual infidelity! If Hosea were living in Washington DC or some other section of our republic today, he would be given the identical "marching orders!" And it is more than an outside possibility that God would say the same today as He said through Hosea a long time ago -- "I will return again to My place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; in their affliction they will diligently seek Me." --- Hosea 5:15

Important Tax Reminder!

Have you paid your taxes......??


Don't forget -- 12 million illegal aliens are depending on you!

OK -- just two things about all this:

• First, this was something that has been circulating around the Internet and someone passed it on to me -- I don't know what person should be credited with the graphic or the reason we should be sure to pay our taxes!
  
  
• Second, the issue of "illegals" in this country has become somewhat of a powder keg -- a real political time bomb with a heavy emphasis on amnesty being granted to all who are in this country illegally.
  At least a few of us are wondering what's going on here -- has it not been for a long time that certain laws have been in place which determine how many from wherever are permitted to enter this country? And once you get in you are expected to adjust to the customs of this republic that include obedience to its laws and the learning of its language which is English, right?
  
  But then again, it seems that it's still pretty much a rather rigid requirement to enter this country if you are coming from just about anywhere except from that country below the southwestern border of the United States!
  

And on this tax thing -- something else to remember -- thanks to our elected officials, it now takes the average citizen nearly 6 months to pay ALL taxes (local, state, federal, hidden, and not so hidden) before he or she can begin to pocket a bit of income for personal use within each calendar year! And a PS -- we Pennsylvanians are among those who pay some of the highest gasoline taxes in the whole country and there is talk of adding some more tax on gas -- hang on, we'll make it to the top of the heap yet! With the most top heavy bumbling legislature of the entire 50 states, we can be sure of one thing -- our tax nightmare has really just begun!

"Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain. --- Ezekiel 22:27

Special Notice for Those Sharing Millions of Dollars!

This is for that huge number of persons who send me emails offering to share a few million dollars with me for a small favor on my part.

Since there are so many of you who have access to someone's estate or an inheritance which nobody is claiming and this involves a lot of emailing to find someone willing to enter into a partnership with you, I have designed a form which will expedite the proceedings. Also, the grammar will be reasonably correct since I have a better command of the English language than you who still have a serious problem with the language -- the proper use of nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, and sentence structure can be a real pain, can it not? So feel free to copy and paste the form and insert the names and other vital information as suggested and then delete the suggestions. Once you get your millions with the help of some U.S. citizen, maybe you could send me a few thousand dollars for use of the form! Let's just say I work on a commission basis in this sort of thing. I thank you in advance for your most generous response.

Standard Form for Sharing Millions of U. S. Dollars

Dearly Beloved (this is the most recent and very affectionate salutation to use):

I am (insert your name) from Nigeria (or insert some other African country). The late Mr. (insert name of deceased) was forced to flee when rebels took over the government. He was able to hide (insert any number) millions of U. S. dollars in an extra large piggy bank in the left corner of the third cemetery (or insert other location) on the road going south out of (insert name of town).

I have recovered this money but need to have it transferred to your country. I have complete faith that you will be willing to have these funds transferred to your personal bank account. I ask that you divide these funds as follows: you take (insert percentage, but no higher than 30%) and the balance will be mine. The generous amount which you receive will be compensation for entering into this partnership.

Please provide me with the following information: your name, postal address, phone number, and bank account number.

Also, please keep this matter very confidential. As soon as I receive the requested information from you, I will immediately begin the process for the transfer of the funds to your account. You will receive processing papers which will give further instructions as to what you must do to complete the transfer.

In closing I want to inform you that I am a born again Christian and have been diagnosed with cancer. My doctor informs me that I only have a few months to live. So your prompt attention to this matter is extremely important for the benefit of the both of us.

Sincerely,
(insert name)
(insert email address and phone number)


If I had all those millions of dollars which have been offered to me these past few years I would have a fortune that would compete with big name millionaires!

Sadly there have been people who have taken the "bait" and gotten badly burned financially in these scams that just keep going like the Energizer Bunny!

This type of scam takes many forms but it has only been in recent months that they have been weaving the "born again Christian" and the terminal cancer scenario into the offers for you and me to become millionaires.

As for me, I will continue to pass up these offers on the basis that I'm in line to receive some things that make the millions of dollars offered in this world look like putrid garbage by way of comparison! Read it for youself......

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know." --- Jesus in John 14:1-4

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. --- 1 Peter 1:3-5

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. --- Romans 8:16-18

Looking forward to seeing you there -- in fact, I put together an invitation which you are welcome to examine -- it's at Meet Me in Heaven!