Thursday, January 14, 2021

The USA from Commencement to Collapse: From Pain, to Productivity, to Prosperity, to Promiscuity

United States President John Adams once wrote, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. The Constitution is wholly inadequate to the government of any other" (Source: John Adams to Massachusetts Militia, 11 October 1798, The National Archives). 

Regent University, in establishing their Robertson Center for Constitutional Law, publicly stated: "The biggest threat to our constitutional order… is the failure to pass to subsequent generations the character, virtue, and knowledge required to protect the constitutional safeguards."

Many Americans feel as if they have lost their country. To those with a sense of this loss, it seems that the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution are gone. But any lament over the loss of Constitutional liberties must take into account the past 50 years of United States history.

Sexual immorality has brought us to the fall of the Republic. If you won't take my word for the reason for our national collapse, at least ponder the conclusions of Oxford University anthropologist J.D. Unwin.

In Dr. Unwin's 1934 book Sex and Culture, he quotes the Greek philosopher Plato for the explanation of how and why a country or civilization goes "from democracy to dissolution." Plato said the dissolution occurs when the government takes from the rich to give to the poor. Plato wrote:
"Their leaders deprive the rich of their estates and distribute them among the people; at the same time, taking care to reserve the larger part for themselves (e.g. the government officials). The persons who have their property taken from them are then compelled to defend themselves as they best can...Democracy comes to dissolution by the insatiable desire of citizens to have what others possess." (Source: Timaesus, Critias, and Republic, by Plato).
Dr. Unwin studied 86 different cultures and civilizations over the past 5,000 years, including the Sumerians, the Babylonians, the Greeks and Romans, the Teutons, and the Anglo-Saxons. He analyzed these cultures and observed that sexual promiscuity always preceded the leaders' of that country's attempt to transfer wealth from the rich to the poor. 

Dr. Unwin believed there was a strong correlation between a civilization's standard of monogamous heterosexual marriage and cultural advancement. He also believed (as do I) that legal equality between women and men is "a necessary prerequisite to absolute monogamy" within a culture (Sex and Culture, p. 431).  This Oxford anthropologist charted the 86 civilizations that he studied from commencement to collapse using four words: Pain, Productivity, Prosperity, and Promiscuity. 

At first, Dr. Unwin writes, people go through a painful struggle such as famine, disease, or war. that commences a cultural or national identity. Then, the people who have overcome the struggle through their self-discipline and innovation will become productive as a nation or society. For example, the United States went through our painful struggle of the Revolutionary War (AD 1775-1783). Shortly after winning the war, Americans became a productive young nation due to our Protestant work ethic and personal self-discipline, both of which were forged in the crucible of war.

Dr. Unwin observed that in productive civilizations, the prosperity of all people will soon follow. Over time, however, prosperous people become lax, casting off their self-discipline, their innovative courage, and their self-restraint. Prosperity as an experience leads them to pursue more and more pleasures. Thus, prosperous people invariably turn into promiscuous people. They set aside their morals, discipline, and religious convictions - the very character qualities that enabled them to overcome their initial seminal struggle - in an attempt to find even greater personal pleasures. 

You may not understand this Oxford professor's explanation for the rise and fall of civilizations, so let me give another explanation for the rise and fall of the United States using simpler, middle-American English.

Joe Wright, Pastor of Central Christian Church in Wichita, Kansas, opened the 2019  legislative session of the Kansas State Legislature with the following prayer. Joe Wright says the same thing that Dr. Unwin says: 
Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask Your forgiveness and to seek Your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, "Woe to those who call evil good," but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.

We confess:

We have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it pluralism.

We have worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism.

We have endorsed perversion and called it alternative lifestyle.

We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.

We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.

We have killed our unborn and called it choice.

We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.

We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.

We have abused power and called it politics.

We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.

We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.

We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.

Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent to direct us to the center of your will. I ask it in the Name of Your Son, the living Savior, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

 The United States may be broken, but we serve a King whose Kingdom is unshakeable.

59 comments:

David Panzera said...

It is difficult. As a Christian who is also an American it is difficult. Difficult to hold your head up today. Difficult to hold Christian values and act on them. Difficult to even speak your position in the public square, even sometimes among agreeable people. All this and more now made difficult by people who have co-opted what was America, replaced the values of that nation with their own and now claim they are the ones who are America. We have absolutely traded the truth for a lie. We call a baby multiple thing’s except that of a human baby, so we can justify its murder. We trade even simple reasoning like whether you are a man or a woman for a dangerous confusion that has those very afflicted people killing themselves at rates over 11 times the average. As the list was in the original post so, too, could I go on and on about why we are where we are at…..
Mark Chapter 4….much happened in the beginning of that chapter as Jesus taught parables to those who would listen and to his disciples. Then, these men of “faith” got into the boat with Christ to sail to another location. Up came the storm. The one that scared them. It scared them to the point of fear for their very lives. Then one went to go get the Master. In a moments time the Master instantly calmed the sea. He instantly brought peace and tranquility to tumult, chaos and fear. In that moment the master also taught about where the disciples lacking faith was. But the message in that moment applied here is the same. We are all in this boat, we do not know how to control that which is scaring us to the point of fear for our very existence and it seems to be getting worse. Now, this is where I say that the lesson of having faith here does not mean that the Master will come out, America will revert back to the founding morality and everything will be peaceful and tranquil, instead I am going to say that the Master will do that for your heart and mind even though the storm may still consume us. Because, even if the storm still consumes us, the Master is till the Master, knows our needs, fears and more. Understands we love our God-Blessed America and absolutely knows our anguish over watching her harmed in the way she is being harmed today. She may well not survive it. Here is where I say the faith needs to be in the Master and not one of His greatest and most blessed of nations for nations will fail us. Putting all our hope in a Trump or a Biden will not ever save us. Trump could have (and I believe did) won re-election and done even more to Make America Great Again and to be honest it may well have put people on an even more complacent course of Christianity. My faith was never in Trump though I sure did like what he did for us all. My faith cannot be in the military of which I was a part of for 32 years. It cannot be in Wade Burleson or any other preacher no matter how good their walk may be. In those moments I, too, would be trading the truth for a lie.

No, I am not happy about a single thing in the past 2 months politically. I am even less enthusiastic on a good outcome of the incoming administration. I am sure that my children and their children will see greater trouble than I ever did….but we will all see it through with the Master in our heart.

Rex Ray said...

David Panzera,

I wish I’d written what you wrote. Preach on brother! You spoke the words of my heart.

You mentioned the disciples in the storm. Once, our pastor swapped Sunday services with a Black pastor.

That Sunday he said he’d preach till one o’clock if he didn’t hear some AMENS. He said, “Every Christian was in a storm, had just left a storm, or was going to a storm.”

(Heard more AMENS than I ever heard before.)

Christiane said...

in the temporary quiet after 'The Storm', I find this, which reflects for me images of the twenty-third Psalm, to be comforting:

"When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free."

(Wendell Berry)

Rex Ray said...

Has anyone been in a ‘fun’ storm?

When my brother, Hez, and I were 15, our family was crossing the Atlantic to join our father in Germany, where our parents would teach in American schools.

Our boat was so small and slow it took 17 days; even oil tankers passed us. We were bored until we hit a small storm. The boat bobbed up and down and rolled side to side. A spray of water splashed the bow that made it slick.

No one knew Hez and I were having fun taking turns of sliding from side to side. When the boat rolled up, we’d push off from that railing and slide to the lower railing. When that side went up, we repeated the process.

After an hour, the boat rolled on an extra big wave. The side I pushed off was so high, when I hit the lower railing, I flipped over and was balanced like a seesaw looking a death 20 feet below.

Those were the longest seconds of my life. We never told anyone.

Rex Ray said...

P.S.

Actually, I was not balanced like a seesaw. My legs were horizonal on the top rail. I was bent at the waist; had reached back and caught the middle of the railing and held on until the boat rolled the other way.

Remembering this has me wide-awake with tension. The ‘fun’ storm changed to ‘horror’. Judy’s asleep, so I moved to the living room; sang Jesus Loves Me, and prayed. Now, maybe I can go to sleep.

Christiane said...

I hope you can get some sleep, too, REX RAY.

It was a 'good' story, and it reinforces to me that the RAY Family have a whole strata of guardian angels at work on their behalf,
so the story makes sense.

There is a lot of 'tension', lately for me also. My sister-in-law has been removed to a rehab but is still on oxygen from time to time. She is too weak to walk, but no longer 'codes' when she sits up at the side of the bed (loses consciousness from lack of oxygen in her blood). That, for her, is an advance in her condition, so I am grateful for all prayers on her behalf as her struggle has been immense. My son has some symptoms and is to be tested again for the virus. He's a big strong Coastguardsman but it doesn't help when people tell me 'not to worry', being 'Mom' and all.

Day to day, life goes on. All will get sorted out. We are a strong country and we will survive.

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

“…lack of oxygen in the blood.” I think I’ve told you as a lifeguard in the Air Force, we’d test ourselves for fun to see how long we could hold our breath underwater. Three minutes was my record.

Then at the age of 57, my time decreased to two minutes until I started taking a lot of vitamin E (1600 milligrams) and my time increased to four minutes and 8 seconds.

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

P.S.
At the same age of 57, for some reason a doctor analyzed my blood. (Put a drop between two pieces of glass and looked through a microscope. He said, “Most people’s blood oxidizes in two minutes, but yours took eight.”
I now take 400 milligrams of E.

Victorious said...

There is a lot of 'tension', lately for me also. My sister-in-law has been removed to a rehab but is still on oxygen from time to time.

Christiane, I'm continuing to pray for you and your sister-in-law. Sometimes our burdens seem more than we can bear but the Body of Christ hopefully eases the burdens through prayer and encouragement. Gal. 6:2 and 1 Thes. 5:11

Christiane said...

Thank you Victorious, that kindness means a lot to me. May you also live and be well during these strange times we are in. God Bless!

Leopold Tuenis said...

The root of the actual promiscuity in the U.S. is the influence of communism. The CCP cannot accept God, because they cannot accept something bigger than their party... Therefore they impose all that unbelievable evil upon religious societies... But, unfortunately for them, the Almighty exists https://youtu.be/x06WxR0qsHg ...and He will prevail !

Christiane said...

Fortunately, for ALL of humankind, the Almighty exists.

The Almighty created us and gave us each the breath of life and a soul, and sustains us ALL in existence from moment to moment, from our first breath to our last.

But we have seen real evil in our own time, but it wasn't the poor immigrant seeking asylum;
it was the fiends who took the immigrants baby from her arms.

Let's call evil what it is. It is a great sin against God to harm the helpless.

'We' are all His children. But He will favor the actions of those who humble themselves before Him and ask for forgiveness;

and the ones who JUDGE 'those other sinners'?

for them, in sacred Scripture there is this lesson eternal:

9To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable: 10“Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.…12I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I acquire.’ 13But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ 14I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”…
(from the HOLY GOSPEL OF ST. LUKE chapter 18)

The moment you point to 'those other sinners' in an attempt to glorify yourself before your 'God of Wrath', you have become pride-filled and self-righteous, and
you are yourself fallen from favor with the Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, God. Read the testament of St. Luke, an apostle of Christ, and take it to heart before 'pointing the finger' and holding 'those other sinners' in contempt.

When a people hold others in contempt, it has been said that they can only love God as much as the one they have the most contempt for. Beware the sin of pride that takes from you your own humbled humanity before God;
and leaves you a 'Pharisee in the temple' unjustified.

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

You mentioned the tax collector. It reminded me of a guy saying:

“You shouldn’t drink strong drink because you might shoot at a tax collector and miss.”

“Don’t gaze at the wine, seeing how red it is, how it sparkles in the cup, how smoothly it goes down. For in the end, it bites like a poisonous snake, it stinks like a viper.” (Proverbs 23:31-32 NLT)

I’ve been studying if Jesus made wine or only grape juice. It’s estimated He made 120 to 180 gallons. If it was wine, that would be enough to make everyone drunk a long time which would make Jesus guilty of Habakkuk 2:15 NLT:

“What sorrow awaits you who make your neighbors drunk! …”

I’ll drink wine when it’s made out of water. 😊

heyheyitsbro said...

Is it just me or do all of Wade's hyperlinks not work? (genuinely wondering)

Is it just me or does anyone else not care what a random dude who died 84 years ago and therefore had no idea what our culture is like believed?

Is is just me or is the opinion of Wade and Joe Wright just an opinion, and not actually backed by truth or facts? (maybe it was just a clearly partisan speech meant to arouse fears and beliefs of constituents)

It took Wade several days to articulate a post about the Capitol siege. His articulation was almost entirely about free speech. Wade had one measly paragraph to address a literal siege on the Capitol of the United States of America. Over 85% of his post was about how Americans need free access to information. He wrote these words on a website that gives him access to speak and is free to all Americans. Congrats Wade, you have free speech and your readers have free access to your speech. Trump, Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, Mitch McConnell, Marco Rubio, Donald Jr, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, AOC, literally every congressperson in the United States - they all have their own websites with free speech and each site is freely accessible to every person in the United States.
Maybe the people you support should try to abide by the terms of service for the platforms they want to use, instead of blaming boogeyman censorship.

Rex Ray said...

NO, no, no! Vipers don’t smell. Skunks smell. Vipers STING. (You can tell that Judy didn’t proof-read my comment.


heyheyutsbro

I believe you missed the point of Wade’s blog. He listed things America has done WRONG. (ridiculed Bible, worshipped other gods, endorsed perversion, exploited the poor, rewarded laziness, killed our unborn, …)

So God will punish America with Biden and Harris.

Back to the question I asked CHRISTIANE. IF MEGA had pipe bombs, why did they wait until the second day?

The element of surprise in warfare (when the other side is not prepared) is half the battle.

My answer is because it wasn’t MAGA that had pipe bombs!

Rex Ray said...

Wade,

Been to the top of the Statue of Liberty, but I don’t remember her hands like that. 😊 We thank the French for her.

RB Kuter said...

The genuine followers of Jesus Christ in America are becoming (already are?) a remnant. There was once a time when this nation was identified as being a "nation under God", a "Christian nation", by the rest of the world. This was a nation that was unapologetically "Christian" and was devoted to the One, Creator God. Anyone could come and live here but it was with that understanding.

Some nations honored us for it, others hated us for it and targeted us because of it. The United States of today has lowered itself morally to become conformed with the rest of the world, the kingdom of the world. Now it is considered unlawful to distinguish the nation, its law, government, and civil structure as being "Christian". Today it must conform to accommodate all religions at the price of stripping away its original Christian foundations and identity. Today it must re-write all of its God-based ideologies that function as the infrastructure of the nation so as to not offend those from foreign, pagan, religions, humanists, atheists, that not only want to live here in freedom to worship, or not, as they please but insist on not living under a government identified as being Christ/God-centered. They insist upon eliminating all references and symbols that identify the government and nation as being Godly and Christ-like. The even insist that prayer to open Congress end, not be praying in the Name of Jesus Christ, but in the name of whatever god you wish to call it, "Amen" and "Awoman".

Genuine Jesus followers are aliens in the world, and in the United States, and must concede to functioning on that basis. It does not mean defeat. Followers in many other nations, perhaps most, have been living as "the remnant" their entire lives. In the country where I lived for some years, the true Christian students would stand alone in morning assembly while all the other students bowed before the Buddha image. Sons were persecuted by their entire families for not being ordained as Buddhist monks.

The Remnant in countries like China, Viet Nam, Burma, Egypt, Iran, many Eastern European nations, know what it means to survive and flourish as The Church in environments that are extremely hostile toward The True Church. The Church functions underground, but it grows in numbers and in spiritual strength. They don't ask for prayer to stop the persecution, only for prayer asking God to help them remain devoted to "their" Kingdom.

Being "The Remnant" is not a bad thing. Consider the people of God in bondage in ancient Egypt, held captive and enslaved in Babylon, residing in Rome occupied Israel. Jesus told us it would be like this. As a matter of fact, Jesus said that The Church would be entering the small gate and following the narrow way while the majority of this worldly kingdom would be entering the broad gate and following the wide way.

This leads us to understand that something is wrong when the "majority" includes professing Christians following along with those of the kingdom of the world. His followers are meant to be in such contrast with this world's kingdom, sanctified, so as to result in their being set apart from it.

How does God refine, sanctify, the Bride of Christ? We're seeing it.

RB Kuter said...

The genuine followers of Jesus Christ in America are becoming (already are?) a remnant. There was once a time when this nation was identified as being a "nation under God", a "Christian nation", by the rest of the world. This was a nation that was unapologetically "Christian" and was devoted to the One, Creator God. Anyone could come and live here but it was with that understanding.

Some nations honored us for it, others hated us for it and targeted us because of it. The United States of today has lowered itself morally to become conformed with the rest of the world, the kingdom of the world. Now it is considered unlawful to distinguish the nation, its law, government, and civil structure as being "Christian". Today it must conform to accommodate all religions at the price of stripping away its original Christian foundations and identity. Today it must re-write all of its God-based ideologies that function as the infrastructure of the nation so as to not offend those from foreign, pagan, religions, humanists, atheists, that not only want to live here in freedom to worship, or not, as they please but insist on not living under a government identified as being Christ/God-centered. They insist upon eliminating all references and symbols that identify the government and nation as being Godly and Christ-like. The even insist that prayer to open Congress end, not be praying in the Name of Jesus Christ, but in the name of whatever god you wish to call it, "Amen" and "Awoman".

Genuine Jesus followers are aliens in the world, and in the United States, and must concede to functioning on that basis. It does not mean defeat. Followers in many other nations, perhaps most, have been living as "the remnant" their entire lives. In the country where I lived for some years, the true Christian students would stand alone in morning assembly while all the other students bowed before the Buddha image. Sons were persecuted by their entire families for not being ordained as Buddhist monks.

The Remnant in countries like China, Viet Nam, Burma, Egypt, Iran, many Eastern European nations, know what it means to survive and flourish as The Church in environments that are extremely hostile toward The True Church. The Church functions underground, but it grows in numbers and in spiritual strength. They don't ask for prayer to stop the persecution, only for prayer asking God to help them remain devoted to "their" Kingdom.

Being "The Remnant" is not a bad thing. Consider the people of God in bondage in ancient Egypt, held captive and enslaved in Babylon, residing in Rome occupied Israel. Jesus told us it would be like this. As a matter of fact, Jesus said that The Church would be entering the small gate and following the narrow way while the majority of this worldly kingdom would be entering the broad gate and following the wide way.

This leads us to understand that something is wrong when the "majority" includes professing Christians following along with those of the kingdom of the world. His followers are meant to be in such contrast with this world's kingdom, sanctified, so as to result in their being set apart from it.

How does God refine, sanctify, the Bride of Christ? We're seeing it.

RB Kuter said...

The genuine followers of Jesus Christ in America are becoming (already are?) a remnant. There was once a time when this nation was identified as being a "nation under God", a "Christian nation", by the rest of the world. This was a nation that was unapologetically "Christian" and was devoted to the One, Creator God. Anyone could come and live here but it was with that understanding.

Some nations honored us for it, others hated us for it and targeted us because of it. The United States of today has lowered itself morally to become conformed with the rest of the world, the kingdom of the world. Now it is considered unlawful to distinguish the nation, its law, government, and civil structure as being "Christian". Today it must conform to accommodate all religions at the price of stripping away its original Christian foundations and identity. Today it must re-write all of its God-based ideologies that function as the infrastructure of the nation so as to not offend those from foreign, pagan, religions, humanists, atheists, that not only want to live here in freedom to worship, or not, as they please but insist on not living under a government identified as being Christ/God-centered. They insist upon eliminating all references and symbols that identify the government and nation as being Godly and Christ-like. The even insist that prayer to open Congress end, not be praying in the Name of Jesus Christ, but in the name of whatever god you wish to call it, "Amen" and "Awoman".

Genuine Jesus followers are aliens in the world, and in the United States, and must concede to functioning on that basis. It does not mean defeat. Followers in many other nations, perhaps most, have been living as "the remnant" their entire lives. In the country where I lived for some years, the true Christian students would stand alone in morning assembly while all the other students bowed before the Buddha image. Sons were persecuted by their entire families for not being ordained as Buddhist monks.

The Remnant in countries like China, Viet Nam, Burma, Egypt, Iran, many Eastern European nations, know what it means to survive and flourish as The Church in environments that are extremely hostile toward The True Church. The Church functions underground, but it grows in numbers and in spiritual strength. They don't ask for prayer to stop the persecution, only for prayer asking God to help them remain devoted to "their" Kingdom.

Being "The Remnant" is not a bad thing. Consider the people of God in bondage in ancient Egypt, held captive and enslaved in Babylon, residing in Rome occupied Israel. Jesus told us it would be like this. As a matter of fact, Jesus said that The Church would be entering the small gate and following the narrow way while the majority of this worldly kingdom would be entering the broad gate and following the wide way.

This leads us to understand that something is wrong when the "majority" includes professing Christians following along with those of the kingdom of the world. His followers are meant to be in such contrast with this world's kingdom, sanctified, so as to result in their being set apart from it.

How does God refine, sanctify, the Bride of Christ? We're seeing it.

Christiane said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Christiane said...

Hey there, REX RAY

don't worry too much about Jan 6 and who did what to whom (or tried to) as there will be inquiries made and there is much visible and auditory evidence as well as other sources of information that will be studied and analyzed to find out the truth.

I understand that General Russel Honore has been asked to chair one group looking into the attack on the Capitol,
and he is an experienced, well-known, and honorable servant of his nation.

In the meantime,
I expect the National Guard will try to protect the state governments and the National Capitol (Senate and House) and also the court systems from harm and intimidation.

I think that whoever is guilty of the attack from planning, and plotting and instigation it, must be held to account.

Some advice: I've noticed your favorite channel is not presenting all that you might want to be aware of in order to better understand the whole picture;
so you might want to WIDEN YOUR SOURCES OF INFORMATION aka 'get out of your bubble' so to speak. Just my 2 cents of advice.

I think the Senate trial will start before the week is out, but we shall see.

I hear Oklahoma is being hard-hit now with the virus, and I had hoped it would be spared the worst, so prayers for good are in order now as priority that all may live and be well in God's time. You take care. It will all become more clear soon, and when the vaccine is available, the nation can begin to heal on more than one level.

Shari said...

I am a (as it happens, white) Christian from Detroit, MI. After being flabbergasted and frankly, disgusted, by Franklin Graham's recent statement in support of President Trump, I have been looking online for other reactions from Christians. I encountered you first when I read Debbie Kaufmann way back when. I don't know whether I agree with your perspective in this blog or not, certainly parts. I am extremely heartened by your pastor's heart, your courage, your support for women in the church, and your commitment to truth. But I wanted to point out a blind spot, and share that my heart sank when I read your sentence about America prospering because of our 'protestant work ethic' after the Revolutionary War. It is unfortunately par for the course that white Christians persist in this myth, without mentioning the unpaid labor of slaves. Luckily, the wikipedia definition you linked to did have a quote from MLK himself pointing it out. I would have to say that your argument leads me to believe that the link was perhaps inadvertent, as it was a much more balanced view of the protestant work ethic concept than what you were claiming. All of us could benefit from reading it today, on today, this Martin Luther King Day. I sincerely hope that you take this in the spirit it is meant in, of iron sharpening iron.

Rex Ray said...

RB Kuter

Good to hear from you; it’s been a long time and I was beginning to worry about you. Many years ago, my friend, Dennis Folds was the pastor of the Baptists church in Tokyo, Japan.

There were people from about twelve countries in that church. From the American news, several people from Africa thought America was a heathen nation.

I believe they would think the same today as you pointed out what’s going on in our country.

CHRISTIANE,

I haven’t seen your reason yet why you think MAGA (Make America Great Again) waited for the second day to attack the Capitol with their pipe bombs.

RB Kuter said...

Shari, I don't think there was any intentional or unintentional oversight in not attributing this nation as being built by slaves in America. I'm open to your pointing out any slaves that were involved in the writing of the Constitution and the Revolutionary War for independence from the British. I don't believe there to be a misrepresentation of reality in not including slaves as contributing to the "original" embedding of Christian ideology in the basic political infrastructure of the nation either.

This does not discard the later contributions of African American diplomats.

RB Kuter said...

Been busy RR. Wife has had some medical issues that required my attention. God has blessed us and things are much better and progressing. Plus, we decided to take a reprieve from the hubbub for a spell.

Christiane said...

Hey REX RAY,

do you have any links or references that gave you info on 'MAGA attacking the Capitol with pipe bombs on the second day'? If so, please share them with me and I will take a look and respond.


Rex Ray said...

RB Kuter,
Glad things are better.

CHRISTIANE,

Are you losing it? I said MAGA did not use pipe bombs, and asked you if they did, why would they wait until the second day and lose the ‘advantage of surprise.”

I believe the link below will open your eyes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N48xG_e_WEo

It shows a man that’s occupying the front of the Senate in the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. He has face paint and a horned helmet leading the mob.

Our newspaper today had “USA TODAY” by the Associated Press. It showed a picture of the same guy (Jacob Anthony Chansley) his helmet with horns, standing behind the front desk.

He used a spear to attack police. He left a note in the Senate Chamber: “It’s only a matter of time, justice is coming.”

Prosecutors said Chansley must be detained due to his past criminal record and belief in harmful conspiracies like QAnon.

CHRISTIAN, need I say he was not MAGA.

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

“The mills of the gods grind slowly, but they grind exceeding fine”
Justice may be slow but it will come eventually.

I pray Mark Twain’s statement: “It's easier to fool people than it is to convince them that they have been fooled”; won’t apply to the Senate.

I was thinking about the Senate, but what about you?

Christiane said...

Good Morning, REX RAY

I must be misunderstanding something because I don't think that the attack on the Capitol went on for two days.

There were the terrible visuals presented on many news channels (I don't know if they were shown on Fox News),
and the Capitol was emptied out of domestic terrorists by 8 PM and the work of the Senate and House continued until early morning, but the work was completed by them in accordance with the US Constitution.

Are you talking about the NEXT day?
The attack on the Capitol building came on Jan. 6th.

All I know about the pipe bombs is that the FBI is looking for a suspect who was photographed and that the bombs were placed at both Republican and Democratic locations but not at the Capitol building complex. That is all I know about it. Not much.

It will get sorted out. Just so long as the rule of law is honored and people follow the evidence and not hearsay.

Right now, I'm wondering why it was that the Capitol police were left with so little warning and preparation by their superiors who apparently KNEW of the warnings. All this will be investigated.

REX RAY,
I think you and I are looking at very DIFFERENT sources of information. That presents with some difficulties for communicating;
but I'm willing to try anyway. If I have confused you, I am sorry for it.

The Senate? They are given the duty to try Trump now that the House has impeached him again; but the timing is not yet clear as to when. That is,soon 'was' up to Mitch McConnell and Nancy Pelosi.

I do think that it will be interesting to get the Senators on record regardless of the outcome;
so the whole nation knows where peoples' loyalties reside. The whole nation NEEDS to know where their representatives stand on democracy as it is outlined in the US Constitution.

Do I think Trump will continue to be a 'divider', yes. Do I think Russian security forces will continue to assist him in sowing divisions in our land? I do.
Do I think people will continue to follow Trump?
That's up to them entirely.
Cult behavior is not necessarily rational, no.

I hope the remnants of the OLD Republican Party survive 'trumpism' because the nation needs a healthy two-party system in order for our way of government to work. But that is something I cannot predict or foresee, only hope for some dignity and honor to return. Trump took over the Republican Party, but in the end, he didn't help it, no. Not at all.
Maybe conservative people now try another way besides 'trumpism' going forward?
We shall see. I certainly hope so.

Christiane said...

Good Morning, REX RAY

I must be misunderstanding something because I don't think that the attack on the Capitol went on for two days.

There were the terrible visuals presented on many news channels (I don't know if they were shown on Fox News),
and the Capitol was emptied out of domestic terrorists by 8 PM and the work of the Senate and House continued until early morning, but the work was completed by them in accordance with the US Constitution.

Are you talking about the NEXT day?
The attack on the Capitol building came on Jan. 6th.

All I know about the pipe bombs is that the FBI is looking for a suspect who was photographed and that the bombs were placed at both Republican and Democratic locations but not at the Capitol building complex. That is all I know about it. Not much.

It will get sorted out. Just so long as the rule of law is honored and people follow the evidence and not hearsay.

Right now, I'm wondering why it was that the Capitol police were left with so little warning and preparation by their superiors who apparently KNEW of the warnings. All this will be investigated.

REX RAY,
I think you and I are looking at very DIFFERENT sources of information. That presents with some difficulties for communicating;
but I'm willing to try anyway. If I have confused you, I am sorry for it.

The Senate? They are given the duty to try Trump now that the House has impeached him again; but the timing is not yet clear as to when. That is,soon 'was' up to Mitch McConnell and Nancy Pelosi.

I do think that it will be interesting to get the Senators on record regardless of the outcome;
so the whole nation knows where peoples' loyalties reside. The whole nation NEEDS to know where their representatives stand on democracy as it is outlined in the US Constitution.

Do I think Trump will continue to be a 'divider', yes. Do I think Russian security forces will continue to assist him in sowing divisions in our land? I do.
Do I think people will continue to follow Trump?
That's up to them entirely.
Cult behavior is not necessarily rational, no.

I hope the remnants of the OLD Republican Party survive 'trumpism' because the nation needs a healthy two-party system in order for our way of government to work. But that is something I cannot predict or foresee, only hope for some dignity and honor to return. Trump took over the Republican Party, but in the end, he didn't help it, no. Not at all.
Maybe conservative people now try another way besides 'trumpism' going forward?
We shall see. I certainly hope so.

Rex Ray said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

“I must be misunderstanding something because I don't think that the attack on the Capitol went on for two days.”
You’re right. First day was MAGA (Make America Great Again) which was peaceful.

The second day (1-6-21) was the day the Capitol was not attacked by MAGA, but by trouble makers. Did you watch the link?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N48xG_e_WEo

Have you seen what is happening in Mexico in the link below?

Guatemala cracks down on US-bound migrant caravan | News | DW | 17.01.2021

“Many in the group are searching for a better life and hoping for more leniency under President-elect Biden, who has promised a more humane approach to immigration. His planned approach starkly contrasts with President Donald Trump's anti-immigration policies.”

“The initial group of about 6,000 was joined in by about 3,000 more, reported AFP news agency.”

How many of these would you like living in your home?

CHRISTIANE, I hope you’re not one of those that say: “My mind is made up; don’t confuse me with the facts.”

RB Kuter said...

Rex Ray, you watching tomorrow? Can't decide. Probably will check in just to witness a very historical event that is no doubt the precedent to an unprecedented direction for this country.

Unknown said...

Watching all your troops at the capital building is like watching a communist regime. Never in my life would I imagined the USA looking like China. Well done. And it was because of Trump. USA is no more secure than any other republic. Peace out.

Romycat

Scott Shaver said...

Going with "Trumpism". You and your liberal friends and icons can have the pitiful remnants of the "Republican" party.

Christiane said...

Good Morning, REX RAY

This is what I have SEEN in the videos:
a large crowd being addressed by Trump, by Trump Jr., and by Rudy Giuliani on the 6th of January who were incited to go down Pennsylvania Ave. to the Capitol building;
and THEY DID. And then we see what happened next.

Let us not 'judge' now too much about those people who did this and that because there WILL BE inquiries done to find out 'the facts'.

Do I believe that everyone who supported Trump engaged in the insurrection? No.
What is clear is that something dreadful sent that crowd to the Capitol on the 6th to try to stop the legitimate work of the Senate and the House of Representatives from doing their assigned Constitutional duty. I think Trump is guilty of incitement by the words he spoke to the crowd, by the words his son and his lawyer spoke to the crowd. Those people who went to attack the Capitol building believed they were sent their BY THEIR PRESIDENT AND BY SOME OF THE HIGHER RANKING MEMBERS OF GOVERNMENT WHO SUPPORTED TRUMP.

The insurrection against the Capitol will be examined by responsible people, yes. But look at this evaluation by Mitch McConnell:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upFWeNzl64Y&list=PL8QBkS_wk32Vf8d3t1DdMmy4VyeWjcHy6&index=5

Christiane said...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upFWeNzl64Y&list=PL8QBkS_wk32Vf8d3t1DdMmy4VyeWjcHy6&index=5

REX RAY,
I'm not sure my comment was accepted, but I wanted you to hear what I have seen, the link above (McConnell's remarks).

It wasn't 'antifa', no. It was many groups come together and directed to intervene in the lawful work of the Congress. That is called an 'insurrection'. Many of these people made choices that were not wise but were based on LIES told by Trump to them, and they trusted Trump and acted accordingly. It's all very sad as many thought they were being 'patriotic' but some of their comments show they were mis-led and also had relied on mis-information.

Did you know that Russian security forces have done the following:
1. Attempted to shield Trump from blame by accusing 'antifa' for the insurrection.
2. Tried to focus attention on China as America's 'enemy', whereas much of the current misinformation has come into our social media from Putin's security forces in Russia.

Rex Ray said...

Maybe in heaven my brother has heard the end of this story.

Many years ago, my brother, Hez, and his wife, Bev, were driving in the mountains of Colorado, when they saw a dust cloud in the distance. They knew someone had driven off the road.
Several cars had stopped by the time they got there. Hez started down the mountain and met two men and a 15-year-old-boy coming up.
“The car’s on fire and about to explode!”
“Is anyone inside?”
“A woman, but it’s impossible to reach her!”
“I’m going down.”
“I’ll go with you”, said the boy.
The car was on fire, upside down, and the roof was crushed; the lady was in a small ‘tunnel’.
Hez said, “Can you hear me?”
“Yes, I’ve been praying for someone to help me!”
I’m going to hold on to your hair, and this boy will pull us out!”
They drug her behind a large rock and laid down a few minutes before the car exploded.
After a while, an ambulance crew came down and took the woman. They never heard the end of the story.

Christiane said...

"I WAS A STRANGER, AND YOU TOOK ME IN "

(from the 25th chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel, testament to the Words of the Lord)

Good Morning, REX RAY
About the 9000 people coming to our border to be processed for immigration, this:

you asked how many would I like to be living in my home;
and I thought about what is said in the sacred Scriptures about 'welcoming the stranger', this from the prophet Isaiah, chapter 58:

"6 Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke? 7Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will come quickly. Your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard."

But the words that REALLY bring the question home to me are these from the Holy Gospel of St. Matthew, chapter 25:

"34 Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I WAS A STRANGER AND YOU TOOK ME IN, 36 I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’"

REX RAY, it IS possible that a parish or a Church CAN and DOES adopt families to help in all needed ways including finding them housing and jobs and food and clothing and medical assistance, and education, and pathway to citizenship, yes. My parish has been doing this for years now. It's a community project rooted in the Holy Gospels that appeal to us to see Christ in 'the stranger' and to help Him instead of seeing Him as evil.

I'm not sure what you base your fear of these poor people on, but if you think 9000 people is a lot, well we have lost more than that many from Covid virus in the last THREE DAYS, so you might want to re-calibrate your idea of a 'massive crowd' of menacing folk descending on us to bring harm.

Maybe we could start with talking to them. WHY did they leave home? Were they being persecuted? How can we best help these people?

I AM the daughter of an immigrant, REX RAY. Pop didn't speak any English when he first came to this country as a boy. You know my story. The community helped my grandparents, especially the Church parish (St. Jeanne d'Arc, Aldenville MA), so it's an old way, this helping 'the stranger among us', and maybe it's time to look towards the old ways of the Church once more? Or at least to St. Matthew's Gospel?

My sympathies are with these people who are coming to us for a better life. The descendants of my grandparents have yielded many doctors, lawyers, educators, and military officers by the third generation here. Do not fear the 'strangers'. We need fear only our own unwillingness to hear Our Lord's admonitions to honor Him by helping them. My opinion? Yes. But it written in honor of my own immigrant forebears, yes.

RB Kuter said...

Romycat said, "Never in my life would I imagined the USA looking like China. Well done. And it was because of Trump. USA is no more secure than any other republic. Peace out."

You are right in many ways.

Never before have we had someone like Trump. Nobody can deny that Trump was the first genuine "outsider". That was his downfall. He elicited such an uncontrolled, defensive, response by the embedded establishment that it resulted in the "inside power players" using a "no holds being barred" strategy to remove him from the scene.

You are right about none of the disturbances, none of the months of unrestricted mob riots in the cities, none of the unprecedented oppression of social media expression, none of the troops on the streets in Washington on Inaugural Day, taking place if some other "insider politician" posing no threat to the "establishment" cronies had been President.

And again you are right in saying that the United States has never before looked more like a third world, communist, totalitarian, regime that it does today and will in the days ahead, again, all because Donald Trump was President. Enjoy the spoils!

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

I’ve forgotten; did your parents enter America legal or illegal?

I believe the Scripture you quoted is out of context.

In Japan, more people died from suicide last month than from Covid in all of 2020 - CNN

Referring to the link above, why didn’t America help these people? In fact, why don’t we invite the whole world to live with us?

Our father had a saying that I believe is appropriate in this discussion; “It’s OK to be softhearted, but don’t be softheaded.”

CM said...

Christiane,

From your earlier post, can I assume that your ancestors were French-Canadian?

Rex: If her ancestors were French-Canadian, then they were most assuredly legal (assuming it was in the era when we had actual procedures and the relevant statutes on the books). But then unless you have any Native American ancestry, then technically you and your ancestors should not really be here either. One of my ancestors was Native American, what say you?

Rex Ray said...

CM,

At one time, I lived here: https://www.wstx.us/
It’s the town of White Settlement, Texas. It was named in the days of war with Indians. I lived there while working as a machinist three years for General Dynamics.

Attorney General, Robert Kennedy had proof that General Dynamics gave LBJ $100,000 as a kick-back for getting them the seven-billion-dollar contract to build the F-111 fighter plane. (LBJ and the Kennedy Killing page 400.)

Say, should I be grateful to LBJ for having a good paying job?

Five miles from here; Bonham, Texas has a museum of a real fort that was used to fight Indians.

So, CM, my ancestors may have fought your ancestors. That may explain why our comments sometimes disagree. 😊

Christiane said...

Good Morning, REX RAY,
you wrote, this:
"I believe the Scripture you quoted is out of context."

Your phrase 'out of context' makes me want to ask
"what part of the Holy Gospels of Our Lord holds the poor and needy in contempt?"

I have heard some responses to this question from fundamentalist-evangelicals before, but I could not 'understand' the thinking there, no;
not after reading St.Matthew's chapter 25.

I think there is some very strong connection between our actions towards the helpless among us and the Christ Who saved us on the cross Who said 'I thirst'. It is very possible that the Franciscans have it right when they say 'in giving, we receive' and that the poor and needy offer us an opportunity to become more 'humane' if we see in them the Crucified Lord Himself.

St. John Chrysostom wrote
'If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the Church door, you will not find Him in the Chalice'.

Rex Ray said...

CM,

My brother, Hez, was renting in a gated community. The owner had a golf course nearby. Coyotes on the golf course were eating small dogs. Having a little dog, Hez asked the guy to remove the coyotes.

He refused; saying: “They were here first.”

“SO WERE THE INDIANS” didn’t change the guy’s mind.

They left when the guy said his wife was growing flowers too tall.

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

The reason I believe your Scripture is out of context is because you’d have us caring for these nine thousand illegals invading America. They’re coming because Santy Clause Biden made promises.

Pretty soon, half of China might be coming.

That’d take so much money in taxes, America would become like those Paul was preaching to:

“But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers. (1 Timothy 5:8 NLT)

These nine thousand need a better Government where THEY CAME FROM.

RB Kuter said...

“If you’re not a believer in actual God, you can posit a God’s ideal on the matter … We have to posit some arbiter who’s above and beyond our own prejudices and biases in order to ensure these kinds of rights. … Because otherwise you have this infinitely malleable situation in which people with power and coercive potential can eliminate and rationalize the elimination of rights willy-nilly,” Rectenwald said.

This quote given in today's article; "Ideological Alignment Pushing America Toward Totalitarianism, Experts Warn" in "The Epoch Times".

Overwhelming precedents affirm.

Christiane said...

"These nine thousand need a better Government where THEY CAME FROM."

YES! sounds a lot like another refugee family fleeing from a tyrant to another land for safety long ago.
I believe there is a record of it in the Holy Gospel of St. Matthew. :)

I have a niece from mainland China who has married my youngest nephew just last year. She fits right in: super-smart, beautiful, and very funny - a natural comedienne.
She is quite in demand translating documents from Mandarin Chinese to English. She is a certified accountant that my nephew met at university. He's an architect.
You know, we've always welcomed immigrants to this country, REX RAY. That photo of the Statue of Liberty? There's a poem by it, this:

"The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

(Emma Lazarus - November 2, 1883)



Christiane said...

REX RAY,

Sacred Scripture can help us in our modern times when we still must ask of Our Lord 'and who is my neighbor?' :)

The Word is timeless. THE Word is eternal. I wouldn't worry about 'context' when Our Lord has spoken, as He is the Kyrios, the Pantokrator, the Lord of All.

In my Church we stand for the reading of the Holy Gospels, and at the conclusion, is said 'This is the Word of The Lord' and we respond 'Amen'.
That word 'amen' can be said different ways, one of them being 'from the ages to the ages', which allows for us to 'hear' the Spoken Word in 'real' time. Another way: 'thus may it ever be'. . .

Christ speaks: His Voice echoes throughout eternity, for all time. You bet.

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

The main point is: How would Jesus want them coming?

UPHOLDING THE LAW, or BREAKING THE LAW

RB Kuter said...

Wade, I was wondering why it is so difficult for me to post responses on your blog? Given the few individuals responding these days, I wonder if it's a difficulty with the providers or if you filter out people or you are monitoring to see posts prior to approving those that are allowed? Sure enjoy your blog and as you know, I enjoy communicating on it to the point of sometimes perhaps seeming to hi-jack it by dominating. I don't mean to and will try to limit things to a civil level.

Rex Ray said...

RB Kuter,

You expressed our difficulty in making comments on Wade’s blog these days. Sometimes it’s fast, sometimes it takes forever. I just hate it when I see:

“Comment moderation has been enabled. All comments must be approved by the blog author.”
It can turn conversations into letter writing.

I know sometimes there’s some that make ‘weird’ comments, but should the rest of us suffer for it?

In the first place, I don’t see how Wade has the time to have a blog. It’s been a blessing to me many years.

I have four pieces of paper stapled together with a close pin. (Makes it easy to find.) It has blog and number of comments starting 4-21-19 to 1-14-21. It takes five minutes to see if any new comments have been made.

Christiane said...

Good Morning REX RAY and Hey to Mr. Kuter,

REX RAY, you ask me what Jesus would want and I have to say this:

WE DON'T KNOW THE MIND OF GOD EXCEPT OUR LORD REVEALS HIM TO US

REX RAY, I wrote something for Dr. Roger Olson's blog about 'law' but it wasn't the kind of human-formed law as seen sometimes unjustly in lands that harm the innocent.
So I will quote my response to Dr. Olson below so you can read it.

Mr. Kuter, I think Wade has found it best to moderate lately. I'm one of the blog hogs and I also ask forgiveness for being trouble. Your voice here is respected, I think.

REX RAY, here is that quote I wrote:


"Dr. Olson, you later wrote also this:
"Only God knows for sure who are members of the Body of Christ, the true church."

I am Catholic, with a godmother of blessed memory who was of the Byzantine rite of the Catholic Church whose forebears came from Ukraine. So when the Catholic Church speaks of the Mystical Body of Christ, I am very much in tune with that as the best 'description' of what I call 'the whole Church' and I agree with you that only God knows for certain who are 'in' the Mystical Body of Christ.

In my own mind, the Incarnation opens up possibilities for many to be members whom we may not know; and the Matthean Gospel, Chapter 25, opens up possibilities that many who say 'Lord, Lord' may not be 'in' the Mystical Body of Christ. So 'only God knows' is something I can respect, as the mind of God sees the hearts of mankind in a way that men themselves are unable to see.

As to 'believers', I stay with my Church in recognizing that there may be many who do not know the Holy Name of Christ as 'Lord' but who are also included in 'the Mystical Body of Christ' by their response to the 'Royal Law' inscribed on their hearts, as the Samaritan responded to the wounded man, somewhere on the road between Jerusalem and Jericho. . . . .

the Samaritan in the parable was someone whose faith was held in contempt by the Pharisees, and yet it was the Samaritan who responded with kindness to the wounded man, while those who knew better walked 'by' . . . . .

so sure, we have in the Holy Gospels themselves examples of people who lived in accordance with the 'laws' written upon their hearts by God, and my Church sees in those examples a sign that God will save whom He will save through the work of the Holy Spirit enabled by the great and powerful Paschal Mysteries of Our Lord.

God knows. So when we 'assume' about ourselves and 'the others', we need to remember the story of the Samaritan, told by Our Lord Himself, to help us get 'past' the limitations we would put on people because of who they thought they were and the labels others put on them . . . . . we don't 'know' the Mind of God except Our Lord reveals Him to us. The 'Samaritan' of that parable might today be a member of the Muslim faith or an atheist or someone who has never even heard of Our Lord, and still this new 'Samaritan-type' will stop and help when 'good Christians' go by and have contempt for the poor seeking asylum or some kindness from people humane enough to be 'moved' by a 'law' written on their hearts by the Eternal God Who made them."

Christiane said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Christiane said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Wade Burleson said...

"Wade, I was wondering why it is so difficult for me to post responses on your blog?"

As Rex can testify, RB, I had SPAM attackers start attaching all kinds of stuff to the comment stream. I had to moderate comments - ugh. I don't like to do it.

SO... I'm opening up comments for blogs that are 30 days old or LESS (that way current blogs are not moderated for a month, but blogs that are from 10 years ago can't have people "sneak" in comments.

Interestingly, some of the blogs I've written 7 0r 8 or 9 years ago still get hundreds of daily hits - so they are being read, but I don't ever see the comments - thus, the moderation.

I'll extend the timeline to give more freedom to post.

Thanks, everyone, for all your comments.

Scott Shaver said...

Absolutely Rex and kudos to your Pop. Soft-headedness and soft-hearted can become disastrously and inextricably intertwined these days.

Scott Shaver said...

Cristianne: Mconnell has no integrity and is primarily all about McConnell. I would quicker give credibility to a trained chimpanzee.

connie said...

Those of us old enough to see our society slide into the gutter k ow the truth he speaks of. We saw it happen. I personally think the great divide balances on the topic of abortion, for what should be obvious reasons. Live long enough and you too will have observed some things.